De Kunde Project. Students of the HMC school in Amsterdam build a boat with a Solé Diesel marine engine
Beautiful project carried out by students at the HMC school in Amsterdam, who have built a boat equipped with a Solé engine. Check out the incredible results.
The new generations are making great waves in all sorts of ways, and the shipbuilding sector is obviously no exception.
Proof of this is the work carried out by the students at the HMC school in Amsterdam, a higher education training centre where students are trained in professions related to carpentry and various kinds of wood construction.
Although HMC is not a school specialised solely in the marine sector, one of its activities is related to the construction of small wooden boats. As part of its training plan, they collaborate with a variety of Spanish nautical companies, who sponsor them and help with some of the construction processes.
The project we present here was born from the initiative of five students who, trained and supported by their teachers, began more than two years ago by designing a beautiful Allina 630 boat, which is ideal for trips along the canals of Dutch cities. They continued to work on this project throughout the two years of their course and it is remarkable to see the magnificent progress that they have made through months of work.
The beginnings of the project: planning
In the beginning, the kids had to develop their project from scratch and ask their teachers for a study defining the details at all levels: objectives, plans, resources needed, timing, promotional plan, and costs. After this extensive analysis, the team got the green light from their tutors, which was the key to getting the idea off the ground.
Once the proposal was approved, the initial phases of the project began, where they needed to work on the plans and begin replicating the construction on models and templates, to subsequently apply the design and manufacture the different parts of the boat. The students completed the whole process was done by hand within the school's facilities, where they have access to a magnificent infrastructure with machinery and tools to carry out all types of carpentry work.
After weeks of work, they finally had the necessary parts and pieces to complete the puzzle; an exciting moment for them as they were finally going to be able to see how their project would take shape.
Weeks of hard teamwork followed, fitting the boat together piece by piece, starting with the structure and frames. All the wooden battens were shaped with the anchors and the interior templates to achieve the shape of the boat. Afterwards, we were able to see the impressive craftsmanship involved to cover the skeleton with the wooden battens that would form the hull.
Once the hull was assembled, the students were assisted by several local suppliers who helped them with the logistics of moving the boat to a specialised nautical construction and maintenance facility. Here they could continue with the various subsequent processes, such as resin coating and the corresponding painting process.
After more than eight months of hard work, it was time to build the interior and finally install the ship's engine, the stage that everyone had been anxiously waiting for.
The marine engine chosen was the Sole Diesel MINI-29, one of the iconic engines from our brand's range of marine engines, which we prepare entirely in our Barcelona plant with one unique feature: a heat exchanger made from one single piece without welding, to minimize the risk of leaks. What’s more, the oversized salt pump also provides increased water flow to ensure proper cooling of the engine.
In terms of performance, the Solé MINI-29 engine is built with a Mitsubishi block and delivers 27 hp at 3,600 rpm.
For all of these reasons, it is one of the most suitable marine diesel engine models for small recreational crafts that require a reliable and easy-to-maintain engine.
The advice and support provided by the official Solé engine distributor and service network in the Netherlands helped the students to get their new marine engine ready and installed, including the propulsion line, from the shaft to the engine propeller. At Solé Diesel we offer a wide range of accessories for boat propulsion, such as elastic couplings, rigid or floating horns, anodes, shaft brackets and rope cutters, among other comprehensive solutions for replacing engines on all types of boats.
Once all the work was complete, it was time for the much-anticipated initial water tests. Via the students’ social media accounts we were able to witness the process that culminated successfully. Seeing the boat float and complete its initial tests was certainly very rewarding and motivating for the students.
But the following weeks involved a lot of work as well, as there was still paintwork to be done, along with the teak on the deck, the interior finishing and the layout of the wheelhouse, where we can see the rudder and the control panel for the Solé marine engine.
The result of two years of training and hard work by this group of students is a beautiful and elegant pleasure boat of 6.30 metres in length with a 2.20 metre beam, offering ample space both in terms of fore and aft and built to sail perfectly along the Dutch canals. Without a doubt, it is the perfect way to enjoy Amsterdam and its surrounding areas.