The Romany hulls are conventionally built sheet ply using stringers and bulkheads

9mm (3/8th) ply planking with butt straps between joints

Once the stringers and keel plank are faired fitting the planking goes fast. The hull is then sheathed with glass cloth and epoxy. Then painted before turning over. LAR keels can be added after turning over (which keeps the whole boat lower which speeds construction, less climbing ladders) as they are only attached to the outside of the hull

Deck stringers are added - note ply pads for deck fittings. The 9mm ply decks are then fitted and glass sheathed

Note cutouts and flanges for recessed windows - which always look much neater

Building outside under a tent is possible. This Romany is being built about 10 miles form the sea. Soon it will be taken to a local boatyard for final assembly

The cuddy base. The hole in the middle is for the nacelle. leaving this out until last makes sense. It makes it easy to get into the cabin from the underside, the cabin is more stable, and you can get rid of shavings and dust easily

I like a stable door, the bottom half can be left shut in bad weather or in port for privacy, leaving the top half open for ventilation

Note large anchor/storage hatches and gentle slope to the bridgedeck front to reduce wave slap

The interior being fitted out. The mastbeam is in three pieces so that it can be installed at this stage, allowing the cuddy to be completely finished before final assembly

Setting up the boat for ther first time, note the main structural aft and forward beams. The cuddy is then fitted to the front beam and the cockpit floor fitted to the space between cuddy and aft beam

This round bilge Romany is being built by the water so it can be built all in one piece

The LAR keels are clearly visible

The cockpit has aft lockers which take the engine and fuel tanks. There are also big storage lockers in the aft part of the hulls

A forward netting beam is added and then the walkways installed, see photo below

The walkways are boxed in. In this photo the bottoms still have to be fitted, so the cutouts you can see will be interior lockers

This is the inside of the hull showing the wing lockers and also the hull part of the mast beam with big plywood knees to dissipate the loads into the hull

The aft hull bunk with storage under

Semi balanced rudders are wheel or tiller steered (or both on this boat). Wheel steering is great when motoring. I prefer tiller steering when close quarters manouvering under sail, when racing or when pushing hard

Ready to launch!

This Romany was built in India, not the first of my cruising designs to be built there, but there are very, very few cruising boats in India, and most of those are imported, so this is a unique boat.