Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Ok good people....
I am already a long way into this build and have been collecting many pics along the way so I thought it bout time I showed everyone here my progress and maybe even offer some insights into the process.
But first... the model.

I was not planning to make a model, but as the plans had arrived and the months went by....work.work.work.
Ok, while I wait for a window where I can get the real boat built, I'll do a model.
And I'm glad I did.
Photocopy the plans and stick the on stiff board, cut out all the shapes and stitch the boat together.
I used thin bendy ply and superglue, but heavy cardboard would have been easier.
I recommend doing a model, it really helped me get a handle on the layout of the changes I wanted in this boat.
It gave me something physical to ponder.
alex

Good job. I swear it looks like the real thing.

Cool. I like it, nice layout. When do we get pics of the real thing?

-Dave

So I get all my supplies and get onto the build.
All tha ply and glass I got from a place called Caporns in Sydney. The prices were quite good and they were good guys to deal with. I settled on AA A-bond exterior. Could not justify the extra cost of 'marine'...esp when the helpfull chap swears that they both come from the same factory, out of the same press, same glues...showed me the difference...small visual defects are stamped 'exterior' the rest 'marine'. He even stated that at times he gets shipments where he can not tell the difference between the pallets? Has to get down and read the little stamps!
Caporns also sell West System products, though I used the R180 FGI epoxy. Have used this stuff before and it is great. Good tech support and a fare wack cheaper than West.

So I have all my frames carfully marked out and cut, I lay the sheets of 6mm that will the hull onto the floor, some carfull nails, and mark and cut them at the same time using the little Makita panel saw. Quick and acurate.
I also built a steel fame (on wheels!) to give me a solid base to sqaure up the frames and allow me to easily push the thing round the workshop foor.
Most would not go to these extreams but I do like to be acurate and it will become another workshop dolly after I am finished.

I layed up the hull sections in pairs, using stapes to hold the alignment, peel ply to seperate and a weight on the top. I also did not bother with the butt blocks on the lower panels as I intended to use the sub-floor for the sole to brace the area later down the track.

Cleared a nice space to work and put raised the hull up to a nice working hight that would also allow me to get in underneath the boat.

I started with the sides as it seemed easier to line up the top edge of the hull with the frames and zip tie them in place.
Take a breather and pose for a pic, then....

The rest of the hull went together very quickly and with little fuss.

I was quite happy with how the final shape around the bow pulled in, and I am glad I took the time to cut every piece acurately. It pulled in to within 1mm!! I kid you not. I know you see a lot of mention on these forums to the 'gaps are good' idea, but I would suggest a controlled gap is better!

Looks very nice so far. Might I suggest to other builders to use a few less cable ties on the side panels. You could probably use 1/2 that amount and still get the panel to close properly...

Looks good to me!

Thanks for the pics, and I look forward to seeing more as you progress.

You are dead right Evan, I could have used a lot less ties.
I took a punt and drilled out holes before offering the hull up.
Anyway

After making sure everthing is nice and square and the rear section was true (I assured this with the aluminium batterns), I went ahead and tacked it all up.
I used one of the west system mixes (409?) for the fillets. It mixed in to a nice smooth consistency though I found putting it through a sieve helped get rid of any lumps.

I also got in underneath and tacked in all the frames to ensure that it all stayed true.

The next day I came in and removed the ties and the batterns, cleaned up the joints and got in underneath and used masking tape to help stop any filleting mix coming through during the next stage...

Out comes the double bias tape, and working wet on wet, I epoxy, fillet and then tape all the outer seams.

Now onto the serious glassing....

The double bias cloth was quite easy to manage to my surprise. It took the curves well and was easy to wet out. I had only ever used woven and chopped strand cloth before...the bias is much nicer to work with!
I used both a squeegie and one of those small glass rollers to put down the cloth and remove air bubbles and excess epoxy.

I found a carefull hand with the belt sander made quick work of getting the hull ready for fairing. I also decided to flip the hull now and finish the inside fitout before I fair and paint the hull.

Lookin' good... Thanks for the pics!