Solar powered Amp Eater

[CaptDave]

It is starting to look like a boat.
Here I am with my lovely assistant Melissa with the bottom all stitched together.

Putting in the last stitch of the bottom fwd

Admiring our work

[CaptDave]

The amp Eater is looking good! the hull is all stitched.

[vupilot]

Very, very nice work.

Im curious how many hours you think it took to get to this stage?

[CaptDave]

Chris,

Probably in the neighborhood of 20 actual working hours on the boat itself. Another 20 hours trying to make enough space in a completely full barn to build it. Probably about 80 hours in studying plans and thinking about it. Another 10 hours showing people pictures on my phone and talking about it. I don't want to guess how much time spent shopping for parts on the internet. but it is all part of the fun. I am a little behind in posting new pictures. I can tell you that these hot days we have significantly shortened the working time of thickened epoxy resin. As I work on filleting the bulkheads and seams this weekend I am hoping for cooler weather.

David F.

[Bill Edmundson]

David

You can get more working time with the epoxy. First, work small batches. Second, you can get aluminum pie plates. Freeze about 1/2" of water in one. Then nest a second inside that one and put your epoxy mix in that. Keep your epoxy in an air condition area.

Bill

[CaptDave]

Bill,

That is a great idea. I will put some pie pans in the freezer tonight.
Thanks!

David F.

[vupilot]

Ha, I had to chuckle at your response to my time question. Been there! So true! Really nice work.

Yes, a sometimes frustrating part of boat building is that often its just too darn hot or too darn cold to work with epoxy. Its amazing the lengths will will go to in order to heat or cool our work spaces and keep progressing. My garage looked like I was growing something illegal one winter with the heat lamps, lights and plastic enclosure.

[CaptDave]

I just purchased a trailer for the boat. I am a little concerned about how the boat with it's curved hull will fit on the trailer with flat bunks. Only a few inches will actually contact the bunks. I will space the bunks so that they support the boat where the battens are laminated to the hull. I just worry about all the weight being supported in such a small area. Should I consider making curved bunks that conform to the hull?

Load Rite Trailer w/ 13" wheels

[CaptDave]

Bill, I can't thank you enough for your suggestion to keep the epoxy cool and use the pie pans with 1/2" of ice in the bottom pan. It has given me plenty of time to use all the resin mixed before it begins to thicken even when it has been over 90 degrees.

I hope to flip the boat this weekend to fiberglass the outside of the hull. I really have to get on the ball to have this ready for the gathering. With a little luck I hope to test launch the boat on labor day even if the deck is not finished.

[vupilot]

Not sure on the trailer without seeing it but I want to say I am excited to view your boat. Im intrigued by this plan and you are doing a very fine job on it. How far do you have to trailer it to get to Hales Bar?
With a little support at the front from the adjustable roller at least youll have 3 points to distribute

[CaptDave]

Chris,

It is 507 miles to Hales Bar Marina according to MapQuest. Mostly on I-75 from Cincinnati to Chattanooga.

It is amazing how everything is fitting together according to plan. I hope the finished product will be attractive.
I do not doubt it will be seaworthy.

[vupilot]

These are the only pictures I could find of a amp eater on a trailer. http://boatbuilders.glen-l.com/amp-eate ... ls-georgia

Maybe will give some ideas

[CaptDave]

I was reading in my Glen-L trailer book that I snagged from Amazon.com that while the boat is upside down I could laminate 3 plies of 1x4 to the shape of the hull - using sand bags to hold the boards in place while the epoxy cures. I guess that is a possibility to get perfectly fitting bunks. It may be worth the couple of extra days it will take.

[aero_dan]

Capt. Dave,
Dan H. here, I was distantly following your posts today. One of the next boats I plan to build will be an Amp Eater. I can say without reservation, YES, make the formed bunks! I did that for my last Power Yak, and it was the best. I have another PY in the shop about half done, and I plan to do the same. It tends to be less pressure on the finish, and the exterior paint will last longer. As the paint hardens, it gets more brittle. And you want to protect the finish any way you can. If you have the means, sometime in the 3 months after you have finished the outer coating (best at the time of original painting), I suggest you talk to your local favorite paint jobber, and ask for some Flexable Part Additive to add to a clear coat you would put over the colour coat. That way, the paint is more durable to contacting with the trailer, or when you might bump something down below, you will not micro cracks in the finish and cause degredation.

Also, if you can, consider doing a blog on the Glen-L web site. It does not matter how many have done it before, or how cluttered your building space might be, the pictures would help us all. Looks good!

[CaptDave]

aero-dan

Thanks for your comments. I did make the formed bunks. They turned out great. I have been behind in posting pictures. I have a lot to post. I am frantically trying to get the boat finished to take to the G-10 gathering. The clear coat will have to wait but is a great idea. I have 10 days and about 40 hours of work to go. Who ever said that work gets in the way of boat building was right!