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Boat building projects

6K views 31 replies 9 participants last post by  Hawkeye 
#1 ·
Boat building season is upon us and I was wondering where the various projects stood?
Started finishing up My OD-16. The rail caps should go on shortly, Motor is ordered, trailer is ordered, and temporary seats are done. The most time consuming job left is the casting deck and anchor locker. I have a couple of dependable people who will haelp me finish up.
It has been a bigger chore than expected. Albies watch out cause here I come!:D
 
#2 ·
The next boat

Here's my project, but it's not as impressive as an OD 16: I'm building (or starting the process) a 10-foot pram. I haven't quite decided on the design as of the moment, but I'm ordering fiberglass, epoxy and such from bateau.com tomorrow.

I'm looking at this as an entry-level boat that will also give me a lowland-lake boat that I want. I really miss rowing along, mooching a fly or casting to rises. This boat will be a reincarnation of my first boat, an 8-foot pram, but obviously bigger, safer and more comfortable.

After that-- I'm hoping to move up to a garvey-style, but I'm not 100 percent on that design, either. But since it will also perform as a duckboat, I have a timeframe in which to build... our season starts in October.

Keith
 
#3 ·
projects

Keith,
Great to see another builder. Hope the pram works. Use marine ply much lighter.
I know there is at least one other project
out there somewhere.
I hope my next is one of bateau's 23' boats. After this boat which I chose because it looked deceptively easy, it will be a couple of years.
++++
 
#4 ·
Yowza!

A couple of years scares me. However, I've selected the plans-- a U-Bild pattern that I will expand by 20 percent-- a no-no on the bateau site where they recommend only a 10 percent change.

I do know similar boats have been built, and I've got the scantlings from those and those on the bateau site as well. I figure that if I use 1/4-inch ply and then glass the bottom with biaxial glass similar to what is recommended for the GF 12, I'll be all right, or nearly so.

In one respect I'm lucky-- I live in Port Townsend, Washington, where there is a lot of boat-building activity. Boat lumber is just a short drive away, and I can pick up marine ply in sheets to 16 feet long.

I'm thinking I'll start this weekend...

My eventual target is to build the Pilothouse 21, but that looks to be a scary project. So I'll proceed in steps. I'm either building a garvey after this (if I don't burn out on the pram) or perhaps the OD-16.

We'll see.

Keith
 
#5 ·
I haven't updated my progress but there really hasn't been a lot what with a combination of a new marriage, weather, work, and project funding. We almost had it finished last weekend but ran into a snag installing the shift cable. So many things on an engine require special tools and we tried to get around buying the tool and paid the price in time and effort lost. Anyway I think the engine will go in on Saturday along with all the other minor projects that need completing such as running lights, guages, fish finder, GPS, Anchor cleat .... With a touch of luck we very well may launch next Sunday. We started serious work in mid April last year so we are looking at nearly a one year project when we thought a few months at the most.

Here's a shot of the engine hanging over the boat waiting for us to get that shift cable installed - it waited quite a while.
 

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#7 ·
Almost there!

It looks like all the various projects are coming together. I will launch in May whether or not I have the final coat of paint on. Motor due for pickup shortly, trailer due in next week, and volunteer help has been arranged.
I will try again to put up photos next week.
Longrod
 
#8 ·
Aaaarrrrrghhhh!!!! Still not done but the engine is in.

To do list:
cooling system, steering, outdrive, shift, feul filter, some minor filleting, radio antena, running lights, fish finder and transducer, GPS, compass, feul fill and vent, bilge pump, throttle, registration, anchor cleat, adjustment of engine box, conection of gauges, and electrical system. I'm sick of my predictions not comming true so I'll set a final tentative launch date for sometime in the spring of '05.
 
#9 ·
know how you feel

Hawkeye,
when I have my boat lauched and most of the bugs shaken out you are welcome to come up to the north shore and fish with me. Boats are BIG projects and I think might benefit from a Zen type approach. ( I am going to finish it if kills me! No deaths recorded ) Besides the neighbor who let me use their garage is getting itchy to have the space back.

Hopefully in time for the mid-June tides.
Or September is very good. but less predictable.
Keep plugging,
longrod
 
#10 ·
Well we shortened the list by a little this weekend by doing the following:
fuel filter, filleting, running lights, all the electronic devices minus mounting the transducer, registration, and the gauges. I'm just happy progress is being made. Besides we couldn't have gone out today anyway what with the 7 - 10 foot seas and a gale warning.
 
#11 ·
Progress!!!

Wow, You have been working hard and made some real progress.
I have made some progress but have been slowed by yet another injury, non boat related.
Casting Deck is in place.
Rail caps are on.
working slowly on anchor locker.
Trailer will be picked up in one to two weeks
Motor will be ready in three weeks.
We're almost there!!!!
++++

ps Keith how is your project going?
 
#12 ·
Weellllllll.......

Thanks for asking, longrod. My project is in the "getting ready" stage, which means I've passed the "getting ready to get ready" stage. I've received all the epoxy goodies but the biaxial cloth for the bottom, I've got the plans and scaled them up, and I've almost got the space cleared. I also have some of the wood, but I need a bit more room to bring in the plywood. I need to do something about the roof as it does leak when it rains, and since I live on the wet side of Washington...

I will be starting the actual build the week after April 1, which I hope isn't prophetic.


Keith
 
#13 ·
Kieth,

Take lots of pics. It's a lot of fun to review and remember good and tough times. We've probably got 200 shots so far.

Longrod,

Congrats on your progress and sorry to hear about your injury. You are actually much closer than we are. Much of our boat's finishing work: sole, deck, center console, and engine box is only temporary and will need to be redone probably over the summer.
 
#16 ·
Ayup. You got it nailed John it's just a problem of finding that missconnection in that massive "tangle" of wires. We do think we have it nailed down though and will try again. The tilt trim bars went in yesterday. One step at a time we are getting there it's just that we seem to be spraining an ankle with every step lately:chuckle:
 
#19 ·
I thought of the circuit breaker too but I can't see how to make the connection as it is in a wierd place. The other hang-up with that is that I can't find 90 amp circuit breaker - the closest I can get is 80 amp which would probably suffice.
 
#20 ·
90 Amp fuses?

Best cure is go back and disconnect the largest current drawing connections.
Probably a motor. Is that fuse the main fuse on the battery? I am still learning the boat electrical system basics (another reason for a simple boat)
The last time I popped a breaker that size we hooked a 100 KV power supply backward. BIG spark!
 
#23 ·
Gregg,
What size wire is your battery cables and how far away from the battery is the fuse?

Under marine standards if I can remember right that fuse should be only a couple of feet from the battery.

I have 50 amp breakers on both the house battery and the start battery and they are on 2 feet #6 then 4 feet of #6 to starter.

I use all Blue Sea elec componants and those breakers if I can remember ran about 30 dollars each. They make a nice breaker just for battery wire to starter that screws into any bulked and takes up very little space. No hole cutting or box to have to put it in.
 
#24 ·
OC, The cables are much longer than you describe and I can't see how to shorten the distance with our current configuration.

In any case we got all the electrical figured out. The gauges work, the lights come on, and the biggie - the engine turns over. Now to connect the feul line and see if she starts!
 
#26 ·
Gregg,

It is an exciting day that day when you start the engine for the 1st time. It took me 5 years to get to that point and when she started I knew I was well on the way to my dream of sailing around the world.

Good luck and looking forward to seeing pictures of your custom built boat on the water and helping you catch fish.
 
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