Otter's Ski Bass

[Otter]

Hello from slushy Minnesota!
I have officially started my build with the purchase of the Ski Bass plan (and a pile of African mahogany). I will be using an outboard (plans provide options for both I/O and outboard). Reading through the plans has already generated a couple of questions, regarding the motor stringers (they are used in both versions, in the case of the outboard as a support for floor decking).
1. The schedule of materials call for 2"x4" solid wood members (I'm assuming that is rough dimensions) with a 3/8" plywood lamination. My mahogany is rough-planed at 1" (I have a planer and a drum sander to get them smooth as necessary)...assuming that when they say 2" nominal diameter they really mean 1 1/2" finished thickness, then the final thickness with plywood lamination = 1 1/2+3/8= 1 7/8" overall thickness. If I can laminate my mahogany to a 1 7/8" thickness, do I need a 3/8" lamination of plywood? Is there some other purpose for the plywood lamination?
2. The plans say that the motor stringers allow for a finished width of 3 5/8"....but they indicate that the motor stringers can be wider (which would cause frames #2 and #3 to need the floor timbers notched) or can be narrower (which require shimming). I am assuming that one would deviate from the plan motor stringer width to accommodate a certain I/O dimensioning....is there any reason for me to make the motor stringers wider than the plan dimension (which requires no notching of the floor timbers)?

I am sure this is just the beginning of about 1,000 questions....thanks Glen-L forum land!

[Bill Edmundson]

Otter

I laminated the motor stringers from two solid pieces on my Tahoe, with no ply. Some feel the ply is for stability of the other piece. I think the two pieces of solid laminate stabilize each other. I didn't like the idea of single piece stringers Beside the fact that I couldn't find solid material that long.

Wood changes over time and will move on you. Laminating helps reduce this.

Bill

[TomB]

Chris,

Congrats on the start. I agree with Bill, two layers of 1" would serve the same purpose as 1 1/2"+3/8". Probably goes without saying, lay 'em up with apposing grain so any twist or cupping in one board is resisted by the other.

The only reason I can come up with for deeper motor stringer would be to suit the IO or deck plan. If you need some extra depth for rod storage, for example. I would also notch the other way around, leave the floor timbers alone, notch the too tall motor stringers.
The stringers are notched in many of the designs, it really locks the frames and stringers together.

Tom

[Otter]

thanks for advice, guys...i will laminate the 1" boards together.
chris

[hoodman]

Awesome, keep us posted. Good to see a Ski-Bass on the forum.

[wingridr]

You know if you need any help with this, I am just a call or text away!

For those that may not know, Chris is my brother in law. We now have plans for 3 boats to build between the two of us! I think we should do a jet powered Squirt for us!

[Otter]

Do any of you have experience using spruce for your frames? I have just been gifted a large quantity of spruce...and I figure I maybe i can save myself some of the mahogany i purchased for future projects, if I use spruce for the frames (where it wont show) in lieu of the mahogany.
Chris

[Bill Edmundson]

Chris

You can find this on the home page at the bottom left of the screen. https://www.glenlforum.com/wood-plywood/bb- ... ml#species

Bill

[Otter]

I thought I would share some progress with you:

still need to attach Frame 5 (on the stem)
It's coming along slowly but surely (emphasis on SLOWLY!)
Hope to have the transom by the end of the week.
It is already the most complex thing I have ever made...I feel like I have to think about 2 hours for every hour of work I actually out in!
Chris

[hoodman]

That looks sleek. I bet it will be a rocket.

[chugalug]

A comfy chair and a beer helps for the thinking part.Just not too many right before the sawing part

[Otter]

I'm guessing this has been covered a few times in the forum, but at the risk of being redundant:
The plans recommend (but state it is not required) to install the side blanking prior to installing the battens. what are the advantages of doing one way vs the other? It appears that folks on the forum have been doing it either way to some degree.

Also...any potential issues with waiting to cut out the drop on the transom for the outboard until after the flip? I don't have a motor purchased yet, and im not planning to for a while...so I want to keep my options open for the width and depth of the cutout (though I'm pretty sure I will be going for a long shaft-25")
thanks ahead of time for any advice.

[hoodman]

I waited until after the flip to cut the motor cutout. It would have been easier when I had the transom flat on the bench but didn't end up being a problem in the end.

[Otter]

It's been a while since I have posted....which reflects the amount of work I have done on the boat over the summer and early fall. But, now I've had a chance to get a chine and sheers MOSTLY completed. Here's a photo of the first chine in:

That is proof that you CAN bend a 1 1/4" Sappele chine in one shot....if you soak it overnight. To do that, I used a 10' PVC sewer pipe, propped one edge up on a workbench (sorry....that was a photo I forgot to take...it was quite odd-looking setup) then filled it with water. If I did it again, I probably would laminate two 5/8" pieces (as I did for the sheer)….but I'm glad I got the experience of doing a bend like that.
Shears were definitely easier. Here's a photo of my glue-up for the 2nd lamination on the port side:

My biggest challenge for the shears was figuring out how to clamp the shear to the breasthook. I am sure many/most of you have used more elegant solution, but this is what I ended up figuring out:

I never thought I would use a ratchet strap for woodworking! (Or more accurately, boatbuilding....but I'm a woodworker at heart, so that's what I'll call it!)

Hopefully I'll be able to provide some more frequent updates for awhile. Though I know I have a LOT of fairing ahead of me in the near future!

[mrintense]

Good to hear from you again Chris. I also did the chine in one piece instead of two laminations and it was a bear. I would definitely do the lamination if I were to do another.

My shear to stem connection was ugly as sin as I only had 2 inches of clearance in front of the boat and it was very difficult to get in there. I used a cobbled together piece of plywood and some clamps. Dang thing broke when I started applying pressure!!.