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I may be asked to build a boat for a friend and I would want it to be quick. If I were comparing buidl time between Chinook (framed ply), and CS-20 (Stitch and Glue) just how much difference would there be? I assume would be little difference in material cost. What about durability?

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By the time I have built a boat, I'll be ready to build a boat....

My stitch&glue experience is just from building a canoe. Based on that vs. the framed boat I'm building now, I'd imagine that stitch&glue would be quite a bit faster for constructing the hull.
But I've read elsewhere on this forum, that once you get to the flip(finished hull), you're only about 20% done. That other 80% is going to be pretty much the same regardless of how the hull was built. So overall, the SG build might be a little faster, but probably not by much.

...just my 2 cents.

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Jeff

My Celerity build.

I have not built S&G, but I would think that the added cost of epoxy & fillers on S&G would make an overall cost higher.....I could be wrong.

As for the time, you still have to glass in frames& bulkheads etc,so I think they both take a bunch of time & work.

Maybe the Grand Pubah of S&G will chime in....how bout your opinions Gran Chillin????

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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've built in both methods and S&G is faster, especially to the point of having a useable boat. If you're happy with a "work boat" finish then a S&G can be on the water in no time. If you want it to be very slick and pretty then the time gets closer between the two as a S&G typicaly requires more time in fairing (sanding) than a ply on frame. Granted the size of boat and desired level of finish are two major factors here and my experience may not mirror someone else's experience due to variations between boats, designers, level of finish, etc.

I've also built in cedar strips and am currently building a strip canoe. For me the build method is not a deciding factor. I pick a boat that I like and then build it

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I Peter 2:17

I built a 16.5ft stitch and glue kayak in 2010. I believe I did it in about 4 months. Epoxy curing time is what took the most time in the beginning. Weather will determine a lot of things like epoxy curing and primer/paint/varnish drying. Oh yeah, my boat was a Chesapeake Light Craft kit, so all the panels were pre-cut.

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2011 MALAHINI - KICKED IN THE HEAD

I wake up with a 16ft woody every morning
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Thanks Guys,

I think the Stitch and Glue "Ayes" have it. This is a fishing boat, so no frills.

The order has been placed. The other issue I have is 2" of extra width I need to trim. Our local trailering rules state 2.5 Metres maximum, which is 8' 2". CS-20 is 8' 4". I am hoping we can trim slighlty to gain the inch or so each side without too many hassles. Any comments?

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By the time I have built a boat, I'll be ready to build a boat....

Track,
I havn't seen the plans for the CS20 but I think if you try to trim 2" of the sides you need to be ready to trim a lot of other areas. The hull shape is from bending the panels around a central form. This could be trimmed by an inch either side, but it will affect the lines going fwd and aft. This can be managed by making sure the lines stay fair could be an issue. Probably the panels at bow would need to be trimmed, but how much and where would be a matter of guesswork. Also the Cabin (if you are installing the cabin) would need to be adjusted for the reduction of an inch on eather side.
I did a S&G Kayak a couple of years ago and a minor mistake on one of the bulkheads drove me nuts trying to align the panels till I realised what I had done and cut a new bulkhead. Prior to that I did a woodstrip canoe which I reduced in length from 16' to 14.5' and getting fair lines was reasonably easy, although now it looks a bit fat in the middle

KC

Thanks KC. I would fully expect it to mess with the lines and have to carefully trim all along to keep it fair. Will just have to see when we cut the panels as per the plan and try to fit them whether it is possible. Maybe the inspector will be hampered by the cabin and not be able to measure the widest part accurately enough ... Truckies over here get hammered for being a few centimetres over width, but not sure if they would bother a trailer boat.

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By the time I have built a boat, I'll be ready to build a boat....

I have built using both methods and each has pluses and minuses. On the plus side for S&G is that the hull is a faster build. The nice thing about that is in a short period of time you have something that looks like a boat. This can be a real morale booster and help carry you through the many hours of work ahead. The photo below was taken three weeks into my Cabin Skiff project. Admittedly I did log a bunch hours in those weeks but still the hull went together quickly.

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So Many Rivers,
So Little Time....

I woudn't call myself the Grand Pubah of anything, But thanks for the compliment (I think ) Pirate. Track as others have said with S&G you get the form of a hull real quick, but then the work starts with fillets and tape. Don't get me wrong, I think S&G is a good way to build a boat, but I have only built small with it. If I were to build bigger, I would use frame construction.

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A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!

Hey Track,

It sounds like you've already received a lot of good input. Perhaps with my 2 cents you'll have enough for the epoxy?

Now that I've had experience with both methods, I can say unequivocally that the hull build phase is way faster with S&G. The strength and quality can be equal, if built to be so. In other words, there're no inate greater strength to frame designs over monococ designs.

I believe that cost would also be lower. Granted, the S&G hull calls for more epoxy, filler and fiberglass, but you can dispense with the screws and lumber.

The deck and finishing will require the same effort, all things being equal.

As for adjusting size a few inches here and there, this is where S&G is brilliant, because you can make those sorts of amendments easily when cutting the materials. Not so easy with frame designs. In the tug that I'm building, for instance, I've thought that it would be convenient for certain applications if the beam were reduced by as much as 9 inches. This would be very simple to do during the build, by reducing the width of the bottom plywood cut at the start.

Whichever way you go, I hope it'll be fun as well as profitable.

Cheers,

Richard

Thanks Richard.

This is a "not for profit" build for Mum's (Boyfriend?). I am pleased it will be as strong as a framed design. Speed is the imoprtant factor here as he wants a boat, not to build one and anything that size or larger is expensive over here. That 2" oversize nags at me, but we will see - as expected the official line from Gayle is that you can't modify the beam at all but I can't see that 1" either side will be difficult to achieve or compromise the design in any way. Choice is between Chinook or CS-20, to go out 12 miles to fish off a reef. I can't see a real difference between the two other than build type and Chinook has spray deflectors built in I see. CS-20 plans on their way, and if we don't like it we will order Chinook as well.
Cheers,
Glenn.

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By the time I have built a boat, I'll be ready to build a boat....