Glen-L.com

Hi i am building a Utiliy Boat in my wood working class and was wondering if anyone had a time they think it will take to finish, i am not sure if i am going to fiberglass or not yet. Also if you have any sujestions please go ahead and tell me haha. Also is doglass fir exterior grade plywood an ok subsitute for Marine Grade plywood or is they're a better opition, i live in wester South Dakotat so as you can imagine its alittle hard to get that type of wood here Meneards can order 1/2 for me but my plans call for 1/4 so yeh. Thank you.

Ext AB grade doug fir is fine for a non planing hull, pretty much in all cases, and the bill of materials usually reflect that But if it's a planing hull, Marine grade is best. If you have to have ext grade, then keep the best panels with the fewest voids on the front of the boat. keep in mind, most ext grade is scant , or 1/16" less than the nominal thickness so you'll run into trouble if you mix them. Marine grade is basically full thickness ext grade doug fir with no voids and the knots are cut out and patched with pointed oval patches..

Build time depends on what tools you have.. Also depends on your experience. For me, I had to study the plans for an hr before I had a clue.

Get the best wood. Even if you have to order it from across the country. Fiberglass the hull. This way you will have a boat that will last an extremely long time for your efforts.

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My Zip build log...
http://www.vupilot.blogspot.com
http://picasaweb.google.com/vupilot/Chr ... O0x7SvsQE#

"Nothing screams poor craftsmanship like wrinkles in your duct tape."

Vupilot is right. Get good wood. There are several places online you can order marine plywood from if you're unable to find it near you. Homestead (www.marine-plywood.us) in Ohio comes to mind. I drive a couple of hours from home to get it myself. It is worth it, and you'll have more confidence in your results. The nice thing about the Utility is that it doesn't require a lot of wood. By the time I get my chines and sheers done, I think I'll have bought a total of 4 boards of mahogany. One sheet of 3/4" Douglas Fir marine plywood took care of my transom and stem, and one sheet of 1/4" Douglas Fir marine ply was enough for my frame backing & gussets + 2 layers of keel support. I've still got about 1/3 sheet of each left over.

Take the time to find a place you can either drive to or order from to get it. You'll be glad you did. I'd also suggest buying and reading Glen-L's "Boatbuilding With Plywood" book before you start. Well worth it.

As for build time, it's hard to say. It will take longer than you think, but you can CERTAINLY do it. As a very busy single parent, I'm lucky if I have 2-3 hours per week to work on mine. I started in late April & have a long way to go. If you're a student with more time to dedicate to the project, yours will definitely go faster. Just be persistent & patient, and it will get done.

Also, don't skimp on the fasteners. Get the bronze screws. It's very easy to order this stuff from Glen-L.

Best of luck, and I hope to see some build photos showing up soon!

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-Michael

my boatbuilding blog:
http://barnaclemikeboats.blogspot.com/

You got that right!

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Jeff

My Celerity build.

Thank you guys very much. I looked up some marine grade on the web and shipping is pretty expensive. So for your thoughts what would be the better option marine grade plywood no fiberglass or exterior grade fiberglassed because I don't have enough money to marine grade and fiber glass right now. Trying to save for college you now lol.

Honestly, I think you should shoot for marine plywood AND fiberglass. If you haven't started yet, you're a long, long way from needing fiberglass. For that matter, if you choose to use exterior grade plywood for your frame gussets (a reasonable compromise in my opinion*, as long as you encapsulate it all well), you won't need any marine plywood until you're ready to build the transom.

The overall expense may seem a little daunting at first, I know. But, it can all be deferred over time. As you build the frames, you can set money aside to buy all the plywood & pay for shipping. As you're installing the plywood, set aside money for the fiberglass. You don't need everything at once.

*About ext grade plywood - if you use it, get it from a decent lumber supplier. You'll regret using the cheap, warped plywood sheets from the big box stores. I did.

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-Michael

my boatbuilding blog:
http://barnaclemikeboats.blogspot.com/