Texas Flats Boat

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TomW1
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by TomW1 »

That console ant seat looks sharp ww. Don't forget when you get to the point of getting your motor and needing a prop ask me to run the calcs for it. I would highly recommend a 4 pitch triple cup from PT props, to get you up and shallow as fast as possible. With the 115 you will have plenty of power, one of the other builders has a 70 and the same prop on his XF. We will just need to adjust for the extra width and weight and HP for the XF22.

Regards, Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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cape man
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by cape man »

Nice console and leaning post!!
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman

wwsmith
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by wwsmith »

Thanks, guys. Yes sir, Tom, I'll definitely take you up on that offer. Much appreciated. Hoping to know the weight of the boat in a few weeks.

wwsmith
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by wwsmith »

Update on build - in one of the slow parts where nothing exciting happens so not much to show lately. Will work through this stage soon (I hope).

Took the boat for game warden inspection and titling last week. That all went well.

Fully sanded and coated in the inside with tinted epoxy on Saturday. That was a full day for two people. Least fun day of the build, but lucky to have help. Beer and music made it better.

On Sunday we glued on the last of the cleats, glassed in the inside of the storage boxes and foamed the areas that we think will keep this thing afloat if water ever gets in the hull. The epoxy felt fully dry to the touch, but in retrospect, I might have waited longer to foam if I were to do it over again, just to be sure all was fully cured first. The hull is designed to be fully drained if water ever gets in (or when water gets in). Limber holes in all compartments and we put down a dimple mat in the areas that get foamed in hopes the water will drain below the foam. Sanded the foam down flush, then put the deck on to see where we need to drill holes for rigging and fuel lines.

Plan to finish up the chase tubes, reinforce the areas of the deck that need it, install the fuel tank, then start laying the deck down. Hope to be ready for decking by the end of next weekend.
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Jeff
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by Jeff »

Looks great wwsmith!!!! Jeff

TomW1
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by TomW1 »

Looking good guy. I really like the look of the console and seat.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

Rickk
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by Rickk »

Lots of progress - way to go.

wwsmith
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by wwsmith »

Sharing some info about foam in case it'll help another builder: I've seen lots of guys pour the foam in first like I did, then deck over it. I did the same on the LM18. All the professional builders I'm familiar with either inject it or pour it in through holes after the deck is on. My father-in-law was helping and he kept telling me not to pour it in first, and to do it later like the pros. I'm thinking he might have been right.

Came out this weekend to get ready to install the deck and every compartment that had foam had contracted and jacked up the shape of the hull and stringers. I was pissed because before that, the lines were just perfect curves and straight stringers. You can see in the photos how the stringers are now crooked. The curves on the hull had glaring flat spots where the sides had drawn in. You can see from the top image where the foam had pulled in from the cleats.

I've read about issues others have had over the years and did my best to account for it in this build. Still had problems. Not sure what to recommend other than to maybe not pour as large of a volume as I did, and/or pour the foam after the deck is on.

I got a saw out and made some deep relief cuts hoping the stringers and hulls would straighten back up. It helped a little but didn't solve the problem.
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Fuzz
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by Fuzz »

Damn it :!: I have never seen or heard of that happening but it well and truly sucks :cry:

wwsmith
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Re: Texas Flats Boat

Post by wwsmith »

Yes sir, pretty frustrating. After reading up about foam shrinking, it sounds fairly common. I'm guessing a good deal of it had to do with the volume I used. The home insulators spray it on in thin layers, partly to avoid this (assuming what I'm reading is credible).

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