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I almost forgot how much fun it is to see a boat come together from a stack of plywood and some epoxy!



Here is the backbone of the little boat......I picked it up on Thursday and with Bateau's great service and quick shipment of the supplies, I was able to start on Friday evening. Running into snags is part of the fun to me, keeping me on my toes! Check out the gap under the transom end on the next pic!



I walked around, measured.....walked around some more......measured.......I know I used a chalk line, it is supposed to flat from the transom to about 6 inches in front of the middle seat! Why in the world is it teeter totting under the middle seat! Something triggered me to put the level on the floor.....wouldn't you know it, the floor is level to that point and then slopes to the garage door! The only other stupid thing of the day was when I ran a drywall screw through the side of full jug of epoxy that was holding the panels upright. I didn't even know it until I started to see a puddle of epoxy at my feet!

I do have something that I will have to address and my options are limited. The plans has the transom height at the clamping point at 19 7/8 inches. After installing the floor, I suppose, it would be 20 1/4 inches. I want to use a 15 inch motor and made the transom about 16 inches tall giving me 15 inches vertical to the plane of the boat bottom. I think that is how I did it with the fs12 and it runs with the anti-cavitation plate even with the bottom! It is not here, so, I can't measure it to see. Anyway, in the next pic you can see my dilemma!



The rear frame is 14 1/2 inches tall. I will have maybe 2 inches to clamp the outboard on, which will not be enough. I will either have to cut down the rear seat, which I really don't want to do or cut a rectangle out of the rear seat in front of the clamping location. I am not opposed to that and if I do, I will make it large enough to shove a portable tank in there and fill both corners of the compartment with flotation.......like I did with the fs12. Of course, I would double or triple the tape for the rest of the transom to rear seat joint if I have to go that route. Hopefully, I am wrong about the height of the transom and can add a little to it and make it work.....I like the full rear seat and originally planned for flotation in the middle leaving enough room on the side to slide a portable tank in there. I will be able to measure my motor this weekend and know for sure, but if anyone has any suggestions, please throw them at me!

The boat is looking great and seems large for a 14 foot boat. Can't wait to see it come together!

it will teater anyways because of the design of the boat, once you get it all together, ive seen in this forum were people will screw the floor down to a saw horse, so the bow pops up properly, then you do all your inside glueing. someone chime in on this if im correct or not please, i no thats what im planning on doing, then prop up my bow with bricks and boards to keep the rear flat. im working on the 16, good luck with your build

tim

Thanks Tim......you are right! I couldn't get the flat section to touch the floor evenly when lifting the bow, but it was due to the floor. I have it upside down now and an eight foot straight edge confirmed that I am okay. Good luck with your 16.

Hopefully Cracker Larry will reply. He's built a few of these GF hulls

lets get some more pictures of the build on here cedarock!! lol

BassinVt wrote:it will teater anyways because of the design of the boat, once you get it all together, ive seen in this forum were people will screw the floor down to a saw horse, so the bow pops up properly, then you do all your inside glueing. someone chime in on this if im correct or not please, i no thats what im planning on doing, then prop up my bow with bricks and boards to keep the rear flat. im working on the 16, good luck with your build

tim

I'm amazed at how many boat builds show a Toyota Tacoma in the drive...Jacques should take that as the towability standard...

I'm sorry Tim....this is all I have! Hope to speed things up a bit, but doubt it. It has been slow going for me but hopefully tomorrow evening, I will loosen the frame screws a bit and be able to tack the bottom on and then flip it back over on Sunday and start gluing and glassing the frames in!

chicagoross wrote:I'm amazed at how many boat builds show a Toyota Tacoma in the drive...Jacques should take that as the towability standard...

Hope you are doing well Chicago!

nice clean cuts, definately better than my cutting. looking good bro, keep up the good work.

tim

Thanks Tim....this building process is very forgiving! You are doing great.......I haven't noticed any bad cuts on you're build. I hope to start gluing the frames late weekend!

The rainy weather changed my plans and kept me home this weekend, so I was able to get some done today! Started removing the frames and taped the chine last night.



This morning, I cut the rub rails off and shaped up the rub rail and transoms.



Then, the frames are back in and taped and bottom glassed.



I epoxied my self right out of that middle seat! I will have to get it in the morning before flipping. I am thinking about laying two layers of biaxal on the bottom but not absolutely sure! I guess I better decide......something to ponder over this evening. I also need to think about floatation and paint.

Man, that picture quality is bad. They are from a phone.