OB17 some assembly required

[JIM M]

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[TomW]

Jim she looks very nice, you did a very good job.

Tom

[Lucky_Louis]

Because you've done the bottom up to the spray rails, painting last is probably a really good idea. That way the occasional drip, smear, scratch etc as you now begin the phase of climbing in and out of your new boat (a few thousand times) can be dealt with before final painting. Sanding would be a bitch but you should be just about done that.

The flip on this boat is very easy, it is still very light. I would guess no more than 200-250 lbs tops. You don't have to build any elaborate rolling cradles or anything like that. One lifter at the bow, one on each stern corner. Throw some old foamies or a mattress on the ground beside the hull. Lift clear of the frames/stringers/mold and lower her onto her side. One person can hold the hull there while you deal with her next resting place. Mine went right onto a trailer but a cradle works very well too, just build it low to the ground like Larry's.

[JIM M]

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[Lucky_Louis]

Sounds like you got it covered Jim. The only caveat about going onto a trailer is to support the bottom well to avoid inducing any hook or rocker that isn't there now. A few builders have discovered a hook or rocker after splashing that they swear wasn't there when the boat was upside down. My trailer is the bunk style and I added a another center beam under the keel. Then I used a series of rachet straps to maintain the designed beam at each station. I wrote the station letter on each strap and adjusted them to the same mark each time I put the boat away - "borrowed" the idea from Wobbly Legs.

I have a hunch that if left alone, the sides want to splay out and the bow can droop once the bow mold is removed.

After your frames and stringers are tabbed in place, this becomes a much stiffer boat. Taping and glassing the inside will go much faster - you're a pro by now and no fairing required. This is the area where working 'wet on wet' has the biggest pay off. I started the inside filleting on a Friday night, taped the joints on Sat. morning, glassed 1/2 the bottom Sat. afternoon, finished the glassing on Sun. morning. The biggest advantage was having all the pieces pre-cut and marked well. The other huge benefit was having SWMBO mix and deliver epoxy on demand.

[JIM M]

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[JIM M]

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[davidtx]

Holey moley that's a shiny bottom! Its just gorgeous!

I thought my epoxy job was shiny. I wonder how the fish will react when they seem their reflection?

-david

[gerry]

Hi Jim,
Very nice, I can not wait to do mine!! I put on another two coats of graphite last weekend after sanding the first one, so now it has three proper coats in total. I need a week to let it cure, and then hopefully it will turn out like yours, how long did it take? I think it going to take me 20 hours to do the CX19?

That is a magic finish...

Gerry

[Lucky_Louis]

Nice Jim! I'm pretty sure that's too shiny and smooth and will lead to major control problems, please rough it up with some 30 grit immmediately....

Just kidding, that's some sweet looking bottom. If you keep this up, you'll have a work of art when you're done.