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P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:35 pm
by ericsil
I got back to work after a three month break and finally got the paint on my P19 hull. With the help of a few friends and a well-placed tree limb we were able to roll it in the driveway. Naturally it started to rain the minute we left the cover, but otherwise things went as planned. It is now back in the garage on a cradle that will hold it until finished. I have just enough head room to build the cabin before I need to put it outside on a trailer.

http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pos=-14049

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http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pos=-14051

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:21 pm
by Daniel Huckleberry
Looks good! I really like the pilot and wish I had an excuse to build it.
Keep the pics coming.

Huck

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:54 pm
by ericsil
thanks!

As others have said before, it is tough to get good pictures of the entire boat while it is in the workshop. However, I will start adding to the gallery as components go back into the hull.

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:28 pm
by Dougster
Austin? Wow that's cool, I'm right over in Blanco. I would of come helped with the flip. Wish I could see better how you rigged that external rollover frame. Did you put in temporary screws or just wedge it tight? Nice paint work, I like the green.

Your neighbor Dougster

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:02 am
by ericsil
I wanted to build the cradle while the boat was still upside down to make sure that it really fit the hull and didn't add any stresses. I then used 2 x 4s to wrap around the hull at bulkheads C, D and F, bracing them tightly against the splash guard at the lower chine and the rubrail. The cross pieces then hooked to the bulkheads that were still in the hull. If I had a lot of studly friends like Cpietras had for his OB17 I might have done something simpler, but it was nice to be able to just grab the middle brace with a chain hoist and let the mechanicals do the heavy lifting. I am leaving the cross pieces on until I get the bulkheads glued back in to keep everything nice and solid. After that I'll finish everything on the cradle.

Maybe we can take a ride on Travis when I get it to float.

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:44 pm
by Dougster
That'd be good (Travis). Maybe I can return the favor with Nina, though I'll never finish as soon as you. I'm gonna need some "studly" friends come next flip time for Nina, since she's getting heaver with the frames/stringers going in. Or, there's a cowboy living next door that, if he's not busy trying to break his neck in some rodeo, could probably just drop over and flip her by himself. :) I figure I need at least ten guys, 'less I got a cowboy.

More hat than cattle Dougster

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:09 pm
by ericsil
I have managed to make a little progress and get the stringers glued down. It's starting to feel like this thing is going to float yet. The hull is a stiff as a brick even with lots more bracing to go.

[img]http://gallery.bateau2.com/albums/userp ... ngers2.JPG[/img]

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:16 pm
by Copro
Oh those pictures bring back memories. Good luck and keep steaming ahead.

Jody

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:21 pm
by ericsil
I am still having trouble getting my pictures to show on the forum pages after I put them in the gallery. Can anybody see what I did wrong by looking at my last message.

As for Jody, your P21 has been a really useful gallery for me to view due to the similarities between the designs.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:05 pm
by gk108
It's hard to tell what is wrong with the image link.
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This was from just copying and pasting the image tag from the post above. :doh:

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:58 pm
by ericsil
Hmmm, that's curious.

thanks, for the clue.

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:26 pm
by ericsil
I managed to get the sole pieces fitted into the P19 and no longer have to stumble all over the stringers. I am not sure how you other guys get your foam compartments to look so nice, but I am happy to cover mine up.

The gas tanks proved to be a bit of a problem. I didn't warm up much to the thought of putting large holes near the top of the port-side stringers for the feed lines, but tanks thin enough to move the holes to middle of the stringers would be rather small. Also, the tirade that BoatUS published on aluminum tanks didn't make them sound too attractive. I bought two poly 25 gal tanks and had many second thoughts. Trying to get the poly tanks restrained while allowing for lots of thermal expansion took awhile. They also had a rather inconvenient filler geometry. A decent solution seemed to be to run the gas lines in plywood tunnels above the sole at bulkheads C and F.

The port and starboard sides of the sole were glassed together and fit to the hull. They might have been OK as is, since I had not added epoxy to the top yet, but they did seem to have a little too much give, especially over the 20" span above the tanks. I added 12 oz fabric to bottom of all the areas that will get the biggest loads.

Time to watch a little football.


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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:31 pm
by ericsil
I uploaded a few more pictures to the gallery to show I hadn't quit work. I should be able to glue the deck onto the frames of the P19 this week. I was very gratified to see how well the pre cut bed panels dropped into position on the front cabin, indicating I must have the hull shape fairly close. However, I will need to cut new deck panels for the bow. I did not hold the shape near the rub rail that Jacques intended, probably because I was working so close to the floor when the hull was inverted. I continue to be impressed with how robust the design is with regard to structure. Eveyone who looks at the boat comments on the stiffness of the hull.

I got one little surprise last week. I will be about 1" too high to finish the cabin in my garage. As a result I will be buying a trailer soon as well.

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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:18 pm
by Dougster
A big boy by 1". Good thing to find out now! Man you're movin' faster than I am. I'd love to pick your brain on the tank thing, as I got that comin' and don't know squat. Right now I'm thinkin' on copying your roll over frame thing, as my next flip is comin'. Need a band of brothers or a cowboy to turn the thing. I can't figure your chain hoist thingy yet. It's sure fun to see this going on right down the road from me in Blanco :D .

Believin' in Texas know-how Dougster

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:24 am
by ericsil
Now that the deck is on the P19, all except the rear hatches, it is beginning to look more like a boat. There are a few more pictures in the gallery. I ordered an aluminum trailer last week and will put a deposit down on a 90hp, E-tec this morning.

I figured out I could do all of the cabin except the roof while still in the garage so I have modified the assembly a little to take advantage of the cover as long as possible.

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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:20 pm
by ericsil
The P19 is just about ready to roll again, right out of the garage onto a trailer. I was able to assemble all but the highest eight pieces of plywood in the garage. The rest of the boat is nearly ready to mount the motor, but isn't going to get to the dealer until I see the trailer. The cabin has some primer, except for bare patches that have been left to allow epoxy bonds around the windshield and roof supports. Need to wait a couple more days to paint the sole and sidewalls to be sure any blush is out of the epoxy. I'll leave the inside of the cabin unfinished until I get some time on the water. I should be able to get some better pictures when I am outside. With a little luck we will be launching on Thanksgiving.

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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:13 am
by Daniel Huckleberry
WOW 8O You are really tearing through that thing! Nice work.

Huck

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:20 am
by TomW
Nice eric you are doing a great job.

Tom

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:27 am
by ericsil
Thanks for the encouragement guys. This is my fifth stitch and glue boat but by far the largest. For those that are interested, I figure I am at about 350 hours about now, plus a lot of shopping and thinking on the side. It should take about 50 hours more to have a "legal" boat, although I will probably never stop tinkering. This is a little more than Jacques estimated but well within my expectations.

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:47 am
by ericsil
The P19 is now out of the garage and waiting for me to add the roof and finish the cabin. I thought the move from the skid to the trailer would be a real problem, but after I jacked the front of the skid I was able to just winch it onto the trailer in less than a minute. Now that it is out in the sunlight I can see every little imperfection in the hull, but at least it looks OK from a distance.

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Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:10 am
by TomW
She looks good setting on her trailer bet you can't wait to launch her.

Tom

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:50 am
by Dougster
Terrific looking boat up there on her ride. Where'd you get the trailer? I love the skid---looks like a simple way to keep her low in the garage while working on the topsides. Neat color too; what paint did you use?

Got millions of questions Dougster

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:02 am
by ericsil
The trailer was made to order by Instigator in Houston. They deliver a terrific product at the right cost. Their trailers are especially good for homebuilders because all the bunks are fully adjustable and you can move the winch to get the correct balance. They have a web site.

The topside paint is Sterling green and yellow straight from Bateau. The cabin will be yellow also, except for bright work on the roof. The bottom paint is Interlux teflon.

Tom hit it dead on. I can't wait to take a little spin.

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 2:03 pm
by Dougster
Thanks Eric, I'll check the Instigator web site. Beautiful paint, but that 2 part lpu stuff kinda scares me.

Lovin' fall in Texas Dougster

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:54 pm
by ericsil
Well guys, it really does float! I gave it a little spin this morning and couldn't have been happier. The boat is very well balanced and has several inches of freeboard between the water and the scuppers. It also planes very nicely. I posted some more pictures in my gallerie, three of which are shown here.

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Just as Jacques predicted I was able to run in the low 30's with a 90hp E-tec. With 3 people on board and 20 gal of gas I was hitting right at 34mph at 5000 rpms. Although it will be a little slower when I add the weight of the seats and other gear, this is more than enough for my tastes. This was just the shot in the arm I needed to get going on the finish work in the pilot house and the cabin.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:12 pm
by fishingdan
Beautiful boat! Congratulations.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:45 pm
by dborecky
Great job!!! Enjoy...

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:44 pm
by jacquesmm
Great looking boat. I like that rail you added to the sides.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:00 pm
by ericsil
Thanks! It's good to hear from the designer himself in addition to other builders. The side rail was really to strengthen the interface between the two hull panels, but I think it did end up adding to the looks. I still have a few more things to add before the last coat of finish goes on: a bow roller, the roof rails and a cabin hatch. I'll get up a picture up of the completed boat sometime, but don't expect it next week. I want to drive it around for a little fun first. That really is a good design. More folks should give it a try.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:10 pm
by Doug
Lookin good!
Looks like Lake Austin but I don't see any PWC's around?
We'll have to have a builders meet when Dougster finally gets his done.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:34 pm
by TomW
She's a gourgeous boat, congratulations on your launch. Hope you have many enjoyable hours on her. Love the colors and wood.

Tom

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:00 pm
by Dougster
Great looking boat! I love the colors and she looks so nice on the water. A meet would be fun for sure. I spent 4 hours today and have just about finished the tape/fillet thing. Eric, your build is inspiring; makes me wanna go back down to the shop and keep on. Be sure to post some pics of the finished cabin.

Says aren't these hill country lakes purty Dougster :)

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:05 pm
by davidtx
Very good looking boat. Congratulations, it must be a rush to finally get one wet. And its nice to see another builder in the Austin area.

-david

Wrenching on Trailer

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:56 pm
by Kingfish
Nice job on your build. Congratulations! My father and myself are building a PH 22. We are close to completion and have been concerned about how to get her onto the trailer. I like your idea for it's simplicity. Are there any issues you had with getting it on the trailer? The last thing we want are any scratches on the hull. I'll have plenty of ways to scratch it once its on the water. Our jig is similar to yours. It is laying on carpeted bunks. We have strakes and a skeg to contend with. This is a older pict of the boat but it shows the hull shape. Your experience is appreciated.

http://forums.bateau2.comdisplayimage.p ... 75&pos=108

Thanks
kingfish

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:55 pm
by Cracker Larry
That's a real pretty boat :!: Very nice job, congratulations.

Hard to imagine why a person would want a production boat, when they could have something like that instead :doh:

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:26 pm
by ericsil
Kingfish,

From the looks of your boat I wouldn't want a scratch either. Your finish puts mine to shame.

I don't think you will have any problems doing it much the same way I did. The key is to be able to back the trailer bunks far enough under the hull that it is an easy slid from the cradle. After that the trailer winch does all the work. From the looks of things, you will be able to get the bunks almost to the flat portion of the hull if you jack the cradle up to up to the same height. I didn't bother to level the cradle myself, just letting the boat tip over the front supports, but doing that would provide an extra margin of error. As for scratches, those two part bottom paints are incredibly tough. Anything you want out on the water is going to take a lot of abuse from a carpeted bunk.

Send us a picture when you make the pull.

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:31 pm
by ericsil
As expected, progress on "Mr Mallard", my P19, slowed considerably once I could drive it around the lake. Nonetheless, I am making progress on turning it into a little camper for a trip to Maine this summer. The porta potty and sink are installed in the passenger's consol with a privacy curtain that can be pulled forward. This opened up the V-berth so you can actually get dressed in there. The electrical work including the house batteries is finished as is the driver's station. I still need to add a little stove behind the driver's seat and do some finish work in the V-berth.

Since I do not plan to go offshore, I decided to use an electric kicker running off the house batteries to move the boat in case the main engine went down. ( Catching a lobster pot is not unusual in the Gulf of Maine.) I ran a little test the other day and expect a 12-15 mile range at about 3.5 mph. It's not much, but it sure beats paddling. It also allows you to back the stern ladder right up to the beach in the shallows, not possible with the main motor. Oh, and by the way, you can also fish with it.


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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:33 pm
by Dougster
Congratulations Eric, what a great "little camper" for tool around those beautiful Maine waters. I appreciate your letting David and I check her out. We both liked your Invader trailer so much he has already bought his and I've put $ down on mine. I'm gonna take them the molds to help position the bunks when I can break free. Nice move on the porta potty, freeing up the bunk space. I can see it now, a little wine, lobster, and moonlight while swingin' on the hook in some little bay.

Hopin' you have more than a little wine Dougster

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:16 am
by chicagoross
Nice job, Eric! I'm checking our your pics as I'm building p19's slow cousin. :D

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 2:29 pm
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:02 pm
by ericsil
D2,

We will be heading out in all directions from our cottage on the east side of Vinalhaven. One place, in particular, I am sure to be is watching the wooden boat races on Eggemoggin Reach on Aug 2nd. I am sure we can hook up sometime on one trip or the other.

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:58 pm
by UncleRalph
ericsil,

Your boat looks great. Nice attention to detail on the pilothouse interior. Do you have a better picture of your porta-potty arrangement. The porta-potty under the v-berth, like I currently have in my boat, is pain.

Ralph

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:03 pm
by chicagoross
Have to consult with SWMBO on the potty, definitely worth considering. My wife's pretty good about bucket use, but what she had really wanted was a small dinette table (like we had in the RV). Without the portapotty under the bunk filler, the bunk filler could be a tabletop after the cushion is removed. We're mostly day cruising, the table might be of more use for us. Might just designate the co-pilot seatbox to hide the honey bucket, which gets emptied after each use anyhow - it would be closer to the gunnel (hey, I'm fishing over the Marianas trench, not Lake Powell). Rig a privacy curtain like Ericsil's, she would like that.

Uncle Ralph, just went and admired all your finished photos again, I'm getting to the point now where I can start to at least think about what the finished product will look like! Lots of good ideas on yours, although mine will be workboat finish not show finish. :D

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:18 am
by ericsil
Uncle Ralph, This is a good time to thank you for building the HM. My wife took one look a couple years ago and wanted one for herself. I needed to switch to the V-hull, but that's what started the build. It is so much nicer when Mama is on board.

The porta potty under the seat is about as simple as it gets. There is just enough room to hinge the seat so it will tilt up against the wall. Then a couple of little doors gives access to the throne. Doing it again, it would be better to change the doors to a small bifold that opens towards the port side. The lip on the seat captures the doors when it is in the down position, so the latch is not really necessary. I still haven't figured out where to mount the toilet paper roll.

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Chicago, When you say use the panel over the potty for a table, I assume you mean out the back. It is mighty tight in there if you want leave any room to sleep. Thanks to the pilot house, it is very easy to cover the back of the boat with a tarp and play cards under it should you wish.

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:52 am
by chicagoross
Ericsil, thanks for the pics. I had already told my wife what you had done and she liked the idea, the pics make it easier! I was thinking of trying to use one piece of the bunk fillers for a table in the cabin during the day - if sleeping, both filler pieces would be at bunk level and cushioned. I'll think more about whether there's enough room, looks like I won't be able to sit up in the cabin once its roofed, but my 5'2" wife and the kids could. I'll be sitting in the driver's seat anyway. Thanks again for the ideas!

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:18 pm
by ericsil
I took the P19 to the scales this morning to see where I stood on weight. I thought it might be useful to the guys now involved in building some of its cousins.

The boat, as it floats in the above photos, checks in at 2200 lbs, about 3/4" deeper than the DWL. Adding up all the components on the boat, including gas, motor, batteries, etc, etc, I get 810 lbs of stuff. Thus, the dry weight of the hull, cabin and consols must be about 1390 lbs. I then added up the weight of the plywood, the epoxy, the fiberglass, the foam and the cleats. The total materials weight resulted in a figure of 1370 lbs. That's close enough for my curiosity for sure.

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:45 am
by ericsil
All those cups of sticky epoxy and the gallons of dust are a distant memory now. The drive to Maine was quite uneventful, except for the fill ups at the pump. We have had a chance to explore a little around Vinalhaven and can report that the boat is performing just like I had hoped. It is nice to have the ability to travel around the island even when the seas are a little choppy. We will be heading out for some longer excursions soon.

I would send lots of pictures, but I am bandwidth challenged for the summer on a dialup connection. Meanwhile, here is one reason you build a boat.

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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:57 am
by tech_support
Im very interested in hearing more about you Maine trip. This is something I would like to do. Nice picture :)

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:15 am
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:31 am
by TomW
Ah yes those beautiful islands. Enjoy your trip. Deb and I took several trips up along the coast when we lived in Boston. That is one of the prettiest parts of this very large country. Each part of it with something special.

Tom

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:38 am
by ericsil
I thought you Gulf guys would like to see what passes for a beach in Maine. Even better would be a picture of what passes for a hidden sand bar, but I try to stay well away from most of those. More than one careless boat joins the "island hopping contest" around here in the summer. I had just dropped off a few guests and was trying to decide if I was going to do the same myself. In the end, I decided to stay with my little baby until I got some more experience with the anchor and such.

D2: If you want to take a look at the boat, call 863-9919 sometime. I will be heading to the mainland a number of times in July.

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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:10 pm
by chicagoross
Looks great, Eric! Hope to be joining you in the water soon...Gonna be hard getting a beach shot, though, we have the beautiful white sand beaches, edged by coconut trees, but they are protected from boats this size by hard sharp barrier reefs a fifty yards out. Have a great trip!

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:09 pm
by Betowess
Great stuff Eric. Your P19 looks so nice on the water and I'm sure it fits right in with all the wooden boats there in Maine. Thanks for sharing and keep the pics coming!

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:05 pm
by Dougster
Wonderful to see, especially since I saw her in your back driveway last winter/spring. She looked good there, but oh my, that's where she belongs! I like the boarding ladder in the stern, do you remember where you got it? Give us more pics, it's pushing 100 degrees here and a bad drought. It's not Maine. Pics are something :)

Doing a rain dance with the long board Dougster

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:39 am
by ericsil
Dougster, I could kiss the ground with thanks that I am not trying to fair a boat in Texas right now. You're the man!

As for the boarding ladder, it was in danger of being known around the house as EricSil's folly. I bought a collapsing ladder that compacts into a nice little package you can tie to the stern eye or tip up toward the deck. The problem is that it does not have standoffs. When I tried to step on the lower rung it swung under the boat nicely trapping my foot between the hull and the rung. If you worked your way out of that you had to climb up on tiny little rungs that were against the stern. I managed to save the purchase by adding the white board that serves as a standoff and a more comfortable step. I forgot which of the many suppliers I used, but my guess is West Marine. Spend a little more and get one with decent standoffs to begin with.

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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:49 pm
by ericsil
Took the little camper on a 75 mile round trip over Saturday night and tested the various components. Encountered everything from table-flat bays to head-on 5' rollers with spray off the top. The P19 took all of it very well. The entry at the cut water is fairly shallow which results in a very hard ride if you try to hold speed in anything more than 1' waves. On the other hand, the high volume in the bow rides the boat up and over the bigger rollers like a cork. Went out mostly at hull speed when we were fighting the waves but were able to return in the mid 20s when things improved the next day. Overall gas consumption is averaging about 2.8 gallons per hour counting all usage. Also met up with D2Maine in Rockland who wanted to see the boat.

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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:16 pm
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:43 am
by ericsil
You are right about the trim. Trimming the motor so it is a bit past vertical makes the cavitation plate act just like a trim tab and pushes down the bow. This does let me run a speed in rougher seas than without. (The above picture is a bit misleading because I was still acceleration at the time.) However, the P19 is never going to cut through waves like the CS series.

Interesting you are working on a PK78. I "practiced" on one myself three years ago, long before the P19 was in the picture. This is a good boat to practice your 50% fill factor. If you are careful with the weight you can lift it when you are done. If not, I suggest a membership in Gold's Gym while you are building. I added a picture of my little craft to the builder's gallery.

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:10 pm
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:14 pm
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:16 pm
by ericsil
Only 2100 fun-filled miles later and the P19 is back in Austin for some needed upgrades. It is really convenient that the total tow package is less than 3000 lbs when you have a lot of miles to go.

Several items are on the list for the fall, the largest of which are: a front hatch in the cabin, fully enclosing the back of the pilot house and rigid side windows. After having to weigh anchor a few times when the water was choppy, I decided I need to be able to work from inside the cabin as much as possible. A slip into the Maine surf could prove very inconvenient to say the least. The roll up side windows work fine on the water but are useless driving down the interstate. Enclosing the back of the pilot house will improve security at the stops and keep the weather out of the cab.

All in all the boat performed beautifully but I was disappointed in the current condition of the bright work. I have used Bristol Finish on my sea kayaks for years with good success. It is not standing up well on the P19 deck, leading me to think I made a mistake somewhere. Oh well, what's a little more sanding. I'll give it one more chance before I start painting.

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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:53 pm
by chicagoross
Welcome back, Ericsil! Glad you had un-eventful towing for such a long trip. Boat still looks great!

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:58 pm
by TomW
Glad the trip was uneventful. Hope you had a wonderful time in Maine.

Tom

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:19 am
by Dougster
Glad to see you post Eric, and welcome back to Austin :) I am interested in your plans for the bright work, since I know so little about that. I don't like maintenance like I like building, but I gotta see some wood on the Nina I'm building.

Still holding up to the fairing Dougster

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:30 pm
by ericsil
Dougster,

I know that Bristol Finish over a coat of epoxy is capable of producing a very tough finish. The bottom of a sea kayak gets plenty of abuse. I can think of a couple reasons why I may have messed up on the P19. Perhaps I did not let the blush get completely out of the epoxy and it affects the hardening. Two, maybe there was some moisture in the wood when I coated it. Maybe I mixed it incorrectly or, maybe I just did not use enough coats. My bet is on the last answer, since a section I recoated near the bow does seem to be doing better than the rest. In any case, some sanding and recoating will be my approach for now. The nice thing about your own build is that you know exactly how to redo just about every surface.

Sounds like it might be about time to take a drive down to Dripping some day.

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:58 pm
by Dougster
I'll read up on Bristol Finish a little. And yeah, it would be good if you'd come check out my build. Sort of a "consult". I'm a little past Dripping, just outside of Blanco. I don't work fridays or weekends these days so there's plenty of time.

Yeah, he's still fairing Dougster

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:29 pm
by ericsil
It is pretty scary posting pictures of your boat on the same web site as Cracker, but here goes anyway.

I managed to make my way down most of the list I generated while my little camper was in Maine last summer. What I did not fully account for is that it is much tougher to keep out the weather at 65mph on I40 than it is on the water. I have now added solid sliding windows on the pilot house and a way to enclosed the back of the pilot house when traveling. That involved a new driver's box and a couple small doors. The roof edge was brought up to a rounded over 3/4" and the drip line altered a little as well.

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I beefed up the trolling motor mount and made it so it can be bolted on or off as needed.


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Also, and no laughing guys, I used a couple tent poles and a tarp to make a camping cover for the back that is very effective.

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That is just about going to do it for Mr Mallard. I may add a port hole in the front of the cabin, but otherwise I think the little camper is finished. I had to give up the idea of a hatch in the top of the cabin because the largest hatch that would fit between the trolling motor and the sliding door was too small to climb through.

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This is what the back of the pilot house looks like when the doors are shut. Of course, the cover is not usually over the top when everything is shut since you are trailering.

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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:02 pm
by TomW
Nice Eric, like the rounded edge on the top especially adds a lot. The rest are great ideas, tent is super slick. :D

Which ETEC you running and what kind of gph or mpg you getting at cruise.

Tom

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:32 pm
by RR
Really sharp boat Eric. The improvements you came up with are great :!: :D

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:48 pm
by jgroves
Beautiful boat! I really like your layout. I look at your pics often :D

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 2:57 pm
by ericsil
Tom,

I am running a 90HP E-tec. I don't know the mileage at any particular speed, but I average 2.8 gal/hr, all usage considered. This is in line with what the advertising says, which would predict about 5 gal/hr at speed and just sipping fuel at trolling speeds. At 5000 rpms, when the E-tec is rated to be putting out 90 hp, I run about 30.5-31 mph. WOT is around 5450 rpms at 36 mph. The real sweet spot is at about 4000 rpms, when the engine seems to be barely working and I am running around 26 mph. Some day I will make a long run at a fixed speed and try to find out the mileage for sure.

Thanks for the kind words

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 3:21 pm
by Cracker Larry
It is pretty scary posting pictures of your boat on the same web site as Cracker,
Oh please :help: You don't have anything to be ashamed of, that's a beautiful boat 8) Very nice :!:
Also, and no laughing guys, I used a couple tent poles and a tarp to make a camping cover for the back that is very effective.
Who's laughing :doh:

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Nice job, Eric :!:

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 3:27 pm
by chicagoross
Thanks for the updates, Eric! I'm still dialing in details on my HMD (added handrails on the cabin tops and bi-fold companionway hatch) - If you could, I'd appreciate some closeups and commentary of how you did the drip rails and sliding windows! :doh: :D

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:59 pm
by ericsil
Chicago,

Check the P19 gallery in a couple days. I will add some closeup shots of the window framing and a little description. I hope you don't have to get too complicated with your HMD. I really liked that open picnic boat look you showed earlier.

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:23 pm
by D2Maine
nm

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:51 pm
by chicagoross
Thanks Eric - the window look won't change, but still interested in how you did sliding windows on a curved pilothouse wall (file away for future reference, hopefully on Evan's MM21 :D :D :D ). The cabin doors were just to be able to lock up gear instead of carrying in and out of the house. I would like to add the drip rails, though - you know how much water rolls off theseroofs in a rain while you're rolling around... Living in the tropics I need both the best ventilation possible (large windows, open back, big hatch up front) and rain protection. Particularly on the HMD, on my skiff with the 70 Suzuki, I could drive around the little squalls; now I get to drive through them! :D I'm planning on adding roll-up windows like Uncle Ralph had on his HMD, but will wait til I go back to PI where I can have them sewn cheap.

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:12 am
by ericsil
The curved cabin side is a big advantage when putting in stiff windows. The acrylic is 0.166" thick. The track is made from 2 pieces of 1/4 ply. The curvature of the track insures that the flexed acrylic always rides on the outer side of the slot where it does not touch either the cabin wall or the fixed piece of window in the rear. Otherwise you would always have to contend with scratches on the window. Works like a charm.

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:46 am
by TomW
Eric thanks for the ETEC #'s. Very interesting.

Tom

Re: P19 rolled in Austin, 3.5 years later

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:42 pm
by ericsil
Since the last time I posted I added broad band radar to the roof and a Lowrance HDS to the driver’s consol. I also put a new cover on the engine well with a removable, almost water proof, hatch. I traded in the trolling motor on the bow and replaced this with a small 4-stroke kicker. The kicker doubles as propulsion for my 8’ tender. The electric was nice to have in the skinny water on the gulf, but it never left the cradle much in Maine. The gas engine involved moving the boarding ladder to the starboard side so as to keep the kicker near the gas supply. I built a simple mount to allow starting the motor at a convenient location before dropping it into the water.
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Before you ask, let me mention that large shackle sticking up from the middle of the sole. Last year I started mooring the boat almost full time in the cove in front of the cottage using a 100 lb mushroom anchor. Although the 13’ tide causes the cove to go dry once in awhile; it does not hurt the P19 to sit on the mud for an hour or so. That bottom mud consists of ~2’ of crushed granite and makes an unyielding holding ground. Last year we experienced 55mph gusts with the mushroom remaining solid as a rock.
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Re: P19 rolled in Austin,3.5 years later

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:48 pm
by ericsil
I seem to be having problems with long posts, so this is a continuation of the previous.

The P19 is now getting the varnish tuned up before I put it out. I am going a bit further this year and sanding down the pilot house roof to add a layer of 4oz. The roof was just not holding up with just varnish over epoxy. I also added several feet of Treadmaster to the deck to make going forward a bit less treacherous. I think the P19 looks a lot cleaner with nothing on the roof; but unfortunately, you need a few of those ornaments out in the Maine waters.

The roof upgrade did not go well. The temperatures have been in the 50s all week so the epoxy was curing very slowly. I did not realize how slowly until I got rained on one night and ended up with craters on the roof that looked like the surface of the moon. (I know… who would expect rain on a Maine island in June?) It is one of those times when you look around for some duffus to blame and the only duffus you can see is you. What was really irritating was that I had a sheet of peel ply only 20’ away that would have eliminated the problem. Well, I got out the RO sander and started in. Unfortunately, even when I got down to the weave it still looked like hell. There were little white spots everywhere. Only taking off the weave and starting over was going to fix the problem. The Maine summer is way too short to spend much time sanding, so I decided to bite my lip and live with it, at least for now. I’ll decide on the long term fix later.
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I was planning to add 6’ to the skeg to improve the slow speed handling; but the bottom paint is still in good shape. I will wait to lengthen the skeg until I am repainting the running surfaces, since both require putting the boat on jack stands.

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I doubt I will ever stop trying to make improvements, but all the while we really enjoy having our ride around the bay. All in all, things are working out quite well for my little camper.

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:02 pm
by Cracker Larry
I love it 8) Great update Eric, and some nice additions.

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:24 pm
by Joe H
Very cool Eric, I also plan on a kicker, I know my P19 is taking a little longer then expected but she'll see water next spring for sure, thanks for all your help and keep the pic's coming!

Going fishing when I should be working on the P19.

Joe H

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:39 pm
by Cracker Larry
Going fishing when I should be working
I do that a lot. Some say that God adds a day to your life for every day spent fishing. If that's true then I'm gaining on myself, and will have plenty of time to work on the boat :lol:

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:26 pm
by peter-curacao
That's a beautiful boat Eric, If I may ask what's the difference between a closed and open array radar? I know one likes the looks of a closed and an other the looks of an open, but what is the real difference in functionality? I know I can Google this but I rather ask it here if you don't mind?

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:54 pm
by ericsil
Peter, You will have to get the answer from someone besides me about question of arrays. I was only worried about the differences between broad band and pulsed radar systems when I purchased mine. I do not think the broad band radar comes in anything but the enclosed cap, but I may be wrong.

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 2:20 am
by boat_AUS
i have jsut ordered plans for the p19, its beeing an interesting process finding a boat design that is suitable but i think i am there. ive been reading about your build (looks awesome and is motivating) and have a few questions.

how do you find the cockpit? does not being able to stand in rough waters get tiring no to mention sore?

did you install hydraulic steering?

where did you install you scuppers? photos would be appreciated


i have also decided to build a 1/6th scale model to see how i should go about building it and hopefully find out about any tricky parts before i plunge straight in. also it might give me a good indication if i will have the stamina to go through with the project.

do you have any advice or tips on tricky parts? the construction of the boat seems ok, i think that the fitting out will be the part that i will find the most challenging.

Re: P19 rolled in Austin

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:25 am
by ericsil
Welcome to the world of plastic cups and sandpaper. I have been running the P19 for five summers now. I am very happy with the boat with one exception, the ride is very hard in any decent chop. Nonetheless, it is a brick solid design and always gets me there, high and dry.

I do not consider my P19 the picture perfect example. It is not exactly to print and is not finished to the standard some of the other boat builders use. The one that Joe H is working on would have been much closer, but he is experimenting with a new top side. However, I was able to launch the boat after working on it full time (and I really mean full time) for 5.5 months. I did not find anything tricky about the build, other than a mistake in the 2D drawings that was corrected. It was my 5th stitch and glue boat, which certainly helped.

As for the cockpit, I have a comfortable molded plastic seat and have not experienced any discomfort even after 2 hours in rough water. A foot rest built to just the right height helps a lot. It is a bit tight, but since I am vertically challenged, I get by fine. Some of my family can stand up with no problem.

I have cable steering, the kind with minimal feedback, which works fine.

You can see the location of my scuppers in the following picture. You note that I am not expecting to take any waves over the transom with scuppers this small. They are almost entirely to drain off any rain that falls on the boat and spray over the top of the cabin. If you expect more than this you might go for some large square ones. they sit just over the sole, as you would expect.

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I wish you the best in your build. You can get a lot of help from the forum and Bateau should you need it.

cheers