Boat Builder Central

Thanks for the note. I dont think a PK78 will work for me- I am going to be 70 next season, a bit overweight and stiff jointed. Getting old is the pitts, but I guess better than the alternative. I need a boat to row from my dock to boat, that I can stand up in while holding the boat and climb over t...

Have you towed the PK78? I want a tender to use with my Ranger 21 Tug. I wont have an inflatable, they are just ugly and row like a log. I want a tender I can use to get to my boat on a mooring, in to shore when I cruise, and will tow quietly, at about 7-8 knots.

I finished the project and have the boat in the water. Ive got some detail work to do, and I'm going to re-do the instrument panel. but its in the water and Ive been out a few times. I'm happy with the final look.

Why not repair a transom by removing the outside glass? That seems a lot simpler than all the cutting form the inside.

It would take a bit more effort to get a nice smooth finish on the outside, but I still think it would be less than the inside job.

Anyone have tips on getting fiberglass cloth laminated onto vertical surfaces- namely the side walls of my cabin structure. Should I give the ply a first coat of epoxy before applying cloth? Should I lay the fabric on the surface dry, rub it down then just brush on the resin? Ive done a good deal of...

I took a photo of the hull as near to beam on as possible and as far back as practical. I used that as a background image in TurboCAD, then traced over it to get hull outline. Next I drew the house, then played around with it until I thought it looked OK. I am only about 5'9" (Ive shrunk some, ...

Thanks for the replies. I guess I knew the answer going in, but I was hoping someone would say I could do it. I dont have to much bonding area, and I guess the gel cot removal will give me a place for the fabric over the filet and make the final fairing cleaner. The boat Im doing is a 20 ft pointer,...

I am adding a small cabin to a 20 ft Pointer, what was on open, center console boat. Should I sand all the gel coat off in the area of the bond to the new plywood? The gel coat surface is good, not cracked. It is weathered and I have sanded the entire deck with 100 paper. I will be painting the fini...

Thanks for all the replies. I have built several stitch and glue boats, most recently the Chesapeake Light Craft whitehall, see http://plsntcov.8m.com/Chester/Chester1.html I am not actually building the HM19. I started to do that, and bought the plan last fall. But then I found a General Marine 20f...

thanks, did you use the specified plywood? Im an old ply boat builder and it just seems way to thin for me. Id be making the cabin sides of 3/4", the top at least 1/2" Maybe two layers of 3/8 for bending. With lots of screws. Ive come around on the screws and can live with the sticky stuff...