Glen-L.com

Well I finally have begun the build of my first non R/C boat! I probably won't fully document the build here because there are already some very well documented builds of this design available which I have to admit has been my inspiration to build this neat little boat. (That and the fact that the donor ski was practically given to me)
So far I have most of the plywood cut to shape. I elected to duplicate the plans onto tracing paper and then use the tracing paper on top of carbon paper to duplicate onto the plywood. (I got a big roll of tracing paper at a architect supply store) I found that to be helpful when I need to re-align the plans because I forgot to draw out a line, or the stitching holes...etc. I learned that trying to do that outside can be an excersise in frustration when the slighest little breeze grabs the pattern and tries to carry it away So far, so good though- I'm off to finish cutting and gluing butt-blocks so the stitching can begin.

Just thought I'd share
Jason

Congrats on starting your build.

By all means document,you may cover something that someone else hasn't, and we all love seeing progress and pics.

It'd be pretty boring around here if the new Zip,Squirt, Malahini or whatever builders don't post and you know how many of them there are!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

You have to report progress reports and pictures 100s of them Especially for me since I posted about a month ago that I was going to build a Dyno Jet. So I'm just a little selfish I just notice that you are in GA. I know Camilla is over 4 hours away, but that ain't bad.

_________________
2011 MALAHINI - KICKED IN THE HEAD

I wake up with a 16ft woody every morning
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=534DBtp1Cnc
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/2011malahini/

OK, OK....I'll do my best to document the build I'm picture challenged when it comes to posting but I'll learn how. I've been working this weekend on it- got the forward bottom and aft bottom butt-blocked and the sides too. I elected to use screws on the butt-blocks even though they may not be needed I figured that a frameless sport boat could use the extra strength. The only thing I have left to shape is the sheers and deck beams. I'll be using southern yellow pine for those. I know that its heavy, but it is very easy to get and its very rot restistant so I figured it would be good to use. I plan to do the cockpit in mahogony, but that will have to be ordered. The top deck will probably be okoume ply but I haven't made my final decision on that yet. Plenty of time until that needs to be addressed.

Jason

Trying to learn the pictures process...
I have made some progress starting with building a platform to build the boat on. I am building the boat in my barn and I didn't want to build on the dirt floor. The platform is 8x12 so that will give you an idea about this size of the boat itself.
I need to take more pictures as i have the boat stitched together except for the transom

I have not bought the plans for this boat yet, but I see you talked about butt blocks. Are the joints scarfed or butted? I built a stitch and glue kayak nearly two years ago and once you start drilling those holes and twisting those little wires, you'll really start to get into the process. My fingers were raw and even a little bloody, but I couldn't stop once I started. I would be up until 2-3 am working on that boat.

_________________
2011 MALAHINI - KICKED IN THE HEAD

I wake up with a 16ft woody every morning
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=534DBtp1Cnc
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/2011malahini/

The bottom and sides are butted together without scarfing. The patterns even include the butt-blocks and most of the stitching holes. When cutting the panels that required two of the same peices, I transferred the pattern to one piece of wood and then tacked two plywood panels together and made my cuts and drilled the stitching holes all at one time. I did use screws on the bottom butt-blocks even though the plans don't call for them. So far, the whole process has been a LOT easier than I thought it would be. I'll post more pictures soon.

Looks good.

the platform is a good idea, but be careful you don't back off and fall off it!!!

(that's something I'd do once or twice til I learned!! )

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

I already have!! Fortunately I just stumbled and didn't fall...yet.

More pictures as promised.
After the transom is installed the wires will get tightened and the hull lined up straight. The stitching is only tight enough now to hold the boat together. I learned that when the plans call for 14 AWG copper wire, thats what they mean. The smaller gauge stuff just does not work.

It's not fair how quick you stitch and glue guys get to see a boat appear. Looking good keep up the good work.

_________________
Malahini, SEAN-NÓS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6vkPjEy4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDVzcVpdhc
crackerbox build http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx17 ... =slideshow

Precisely why I want to build another stitch and glue boat!

_________________
2011 MALAHINI - KICKED IN THE HEAD

I wake up with a 16ft woody every morning
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=534DBtp1Cnc
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/2011malahini/

It just looks like a boat- its still a loooong way from being a boat!! I still have to install the transom, fillet and glass the seams, add 4 keel laminations, the longitudinal lams, the longitudinal cleats, etc....then I get to flip it and go to work on the chine rails and bottom. That just to get the hull done without the deck...
Lke I said- a looong way from being a boat!!
It is nice to walk out to the barn and see something thats looks like a boat, though.

Its been so long since I updated I had to dig to find my thread! Anyway- the holidays and pecan harvest has really slowed me down but I have been making some progress. I had to build a stand for the boat so I pieced together something that can be adjusted to fit the v shaped hull. I used runners for the bottom so when I flip the boat the deck beams will rest on top of those. (the stand gets flipped too) I also was trying to build something that can be used again (another boat build)
The side seams have been filleted and taped and I'm fitting the keel lams and battens. I almost seems that there will be as much epoxy as there is wood in this boat!! Any gap in the keel gets filled with epoxy putty and the third pic shows me fitting the fourth keel lam where the jet pump and motor will be mounted.
I am stuck when it comes to the longis and how to build them. I don't really know how to decipher the plans to get the bottom of the longis to fit the hull...

Jason

Just a one picture update. The batten lams- 2 lams 6" wide and one 4" wide on each side along with 4 keel laminations. Everything has been filletted and the seams have 2 layers of tape, the first is 3" wide then 6" on top of that.
I know I could have been a little more conservative with the epoxy- so far I've used a gallon and a half and nearly 2 pounds of silica. I'm out of epoxy so I need to order some- I started out with west systems (quart size) then switched to system three. I like the system three because it doesn't blush.