Page 1 of 1

Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:33 pm
by mattkab
I've been planning this build for a while. My first question on the topic was in 2018. I bought the GV11 plans, but after looking at them for a while, realized it was still a little smaller than I wanted. And I found I could modify my flybridge and get some extra space, so I bought the GV13 plans.

I have a different approach on this build. Most people here like to keep their small boat builds simple. It's smart -- you save weight, improve performance, and reduce the build time. I'm going in a bit of a different direction. The intended uses of this boat, once complete, is to be my primary fishing boat (Puget Sound, Washington State), a day cruiser, and be the dinghy on our "big boat". It's replacing an 11' RIB.

That means I'm going to change a few things. The biggest changes from the plans will be enclosing the bow for storage, creating additional storage in the mid-seat, and adding a dodger for rain protection. I'll be adding a console for steering, electronics, and safety equipment. I'm going to try to build an integrated cooler centerline on the aft bench. And if I can pull it off, I'm also going to install a small diesel heater to make this a full 4-season Pacific Northwest boat!

With the Stay-In-Place order extended for at least another month, and Work-From-Home mandated for me until at least June, it was time to break ground on the project. This thread will be the log of the build. It's my 4th boat build, and 3rd BBC boat, so I clearly have no idea what I'm getting into. So I'm sure I'll have questions and F!-ups too.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:46 pm
by mattkab
Day 0:

Of course, before you start a big project building a boat, you need to do a big project cleaning out and preparing your garage! Over the course of 2 weeks, I cleaned and rearranged the 3rd garage, creating a workshop. I threw away over 2000lbs of stuff that was collected over 15 years living in this house -- and it still looks like we are hoarders.

But 8 sheets of ply were delivered yesterday:
Image

Router table, table saw, epoxy station... and a smart TV that streams music, movies, and youtube:
Image

I learned in my last builds that my wife does not appreciate the thin film of sawdust that ends up on her car overnight. So I put up a dust screen. It won't fix it all, but hopefully it helps.
Image

Ready for Day1:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 4:05 pm
by Fuzz
Good use of your time at this point :D

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 6:12 pm
by Jeff
Good start Mattkab!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:36 am
by tcason
Looks great - I love my Garvey 13 - it can handle any sea conditions that I can.

When using the boat "we are one" after about 150 hours of running.

I would consider putting another layer of glass on bottom panels if you are going to add weight and want to use in heavey seas.

Have fun!!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 12:06 pm
by mattkab
Days 1, 2, 3

Got most of the bulkheads measured and cut out. The only one left is C2, which will replace the OSB board later on, making enclosed storage on that bench.

Three things that you can never have too much of when building a boat:
1) Sandpaper
2) Clamps
3) Measuring Tools

And yes, the masking tape is a measuring tool.... it's a 3" radius. :D
Image

A & T bulkheads drawn:
Image

I was very proud of this. The plans were able to be cut to size and taped to the inside of the garage door.
Image

My new favorite tool: a 4.5" circular saw. Made quick work of 90% of the cuts, and very easy to keep straight on the long runs
Image

Jigsaw for just the round parts and the stringer notches
Image

All of the bulkheads layed out. I won't be home for a few days, but next week I'll work on cutting out the benches and the rest of the 3/8" ply parts.
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 12:08 pm
by Jeff
Nice progress!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:15 pm
by mattkab
Day 4:

Measured and cut out all the 3/8" pieces that have measurements. I also cut out the extra bulkhead pieces (C2, D2), just slightly over-sized. I'll need to measure and cut those down after the hull is stitched together. C2 is interesting because I didn't have an efficient way to cut it as a whole panel, but it's not nearly as load-bearing as designed (I still have C1 a foot away), so I will butt-splice the two pieces together when I do the hull panels.

I drew out the foredeck, but then decided not to cut it too, since I may need more material, and will wait until later in the build.

I expect to still need to cut out seats, outboard of the motorwell sides. I thought about calculating the dimensions, but decided to wait and measure that as well later. I don't know if I need the knees, but I cut them out as well.

Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:21 pm
by mattkab
Quick note on images in this thread:

They are all hosted full-sized on my wordpress site. Wordpress gives a very easy way to resize images in the URL, which I use to make it fit this forum's image sizing rules.

There's a very easy way to see the full sized image if you want to:
  • Right click on the image, and click on "Open in new tab"
  • Look that the URL of the image, and you will see either ....jpg?w=500 or ...jpg?w=1280
  • Delete everything after .jpg from the url and reload

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:26 pm
by Jeff
Matt, your kit is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday) by COB!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:48 pm
by mattkab
Jeff wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:26 pm Matt, your kit is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday) by COB!!! Jeff
Thank you! I'm still a few days away from needing it. Appreciate the support here.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:08 pm
by mattkab
Days 5, 6 & 7

Measured, cut, and joined the hull panels, plus an extra bulkhead since I'm turning one of the bench seats into storage.

Measuring the offsets on the panels
Image

Creating a curve from the batten
Image

Final curve:
Image

Panels drawn:
Image

Mirror (Port/Starboard) panels cut using the first as a template, and then a shurform makes quick work of the anomalies:
Image

But I couldn't figure out a way to get the bigger panels lined up and clamped down so that I could use the shurform, so I switched to the belt sander for those:
Image

All cut out:
Image

My epoxy station. I have a bit of leftover epoxy from the end of my V10 build that I used, but I'll switch to the MarinEpoxy that arrived last week (Thanks Jeff!!!) for the rest of the build.
Image

...but today it's a weight. :D
Image

The requisite photo of the panels being weighed down while they cure:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:39 pm
by Jeff
Nice progress Matt!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:45 pm
by mattkab
Days 8, 9 & 10
Yes, it took three full days to build the strongback. I was a bit surprised by that, thinking I would knock it out in an evening... but I wanted it to be precise, and strong.

A day in my world of boat-building is a vague reference though . Most of the time, like in this case, it's 2-4 hours after work. On a weekend, though, it may be anywhere from 2-8 hours. I started counting the hours, but breaks, disruptions, etc just made it complicated. I don't really care -- calendar days are what I remember.

The origin on the GV13 plans is offset from the end of the strongback. I measured this offset, then stapled right on the line, providing a pair of convenient points to put the tongue of the tape measure on, so I could conveniently measure the rest of the braces from that point:
Image

I built the strongback on casters, so that I can more easily move the boat around as the build progresses. Then I used a couple pieces of scrap to lift the uprights while they were glued and screwed into place:
Image

I found that a laser level and a pair of clamps made aligning super simple:
Image

Three days later, all the uprights are square, level, and solid. I will probably add a few cross-braces as I align the bulkheads:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:31 pm
by Jeff
Good work Matt!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:39 pm
by mattkab
Days 11 & 12

Still chopping wood.... wait, no, that's not the right phrase.... still making progress. :D

Got all the bulkheads mounted to the strongback. The process went pretty smooth, but I have a new-found respect for the self-leveling laser level that I bought. I spent a bit of time explaining the process I used below, feel free to ask if you're not clear on anything. It saved me a ton of time -- Once I figured out the process, I could align, level, clamp, double-check, and screw a panel in less than 5 minutes.

Started by laying out the bulkheads on the strongback while I organized the garage:
Image

I mounted the transom first. Then the forward most bulkhead (E). And then moved forward A->D:
Image

I drew a line on the centerline fore and aft on the strongback, and aligned it with the laser level. Then I marked a horizonal line on a temporary piece of wood the height of the peak of the bulkhead, minus 1". Then, on each bulkhead, I drew a cross 1" down that the laser level would target, clamping and then screwing into place. I double-checked each bulkhead with a level, and was very pleased to see the bubble inside the lines each time:
Image

After two evenings, we're ready for the panels:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon May 04, 2020 12:22 pm
by mattkab
Days 13 & 14

The stitch-and-glue post in a stitch-and-glue boat build!

I broke from the instructions on the plans, and didn't screw any of the panels down. Instead I drilled 2 holes on the panel, and one on the bulkhead, and zip-tied the panels on. Then I stitched the centerline seam, the lower bow, then the starboard chine, and finally the port chine. Because of the zip-ties I was able to cut problematic attachement points that were preventing the panels from curving appropriately. It took a day to stitch, and an hour or two to glue.

Laying out the two lower panels. I was real concerned for a bit that I had glued the butt-blocks on the wrong side... but after a good 10 minutes of near panic I realized that all I needed to do was swap the panels port/starboard and they fit... :oops:
Image

Stitched the centerline and the bow:
Image

Transom view:
Image

Almost done. If you look carefully, you can see that the panel on the left (port on the boat) is about 1/2" above the end of the bow panel. It was actually the black zip-tie on the bulkhead about 1/3 back from the bow that was jamming everything up... I clipped that tie, and the panel almost snapped into place:
Image

I used 1" PVC under the zipties to help align the seams, with masking tape in between. I'd never done this technique before, but other than the uncomfortable body angles to get under the boat at times, I really like how it works. I'll definitely do it again:
Image

I checked my diagonals, and I was within 3/4" across 13'... that's about as good as I'm gonna get it in a garage. So I mixed up some thickened epoxy, and glued in between the stitches:
Image

All glued up. Seeing it in person it has much prettier lines than you see in the plans - the bow entry is much nicer than I expected. Kudos to Evan!
Image

Tonight I'll snip the ties, do a quick sand/grind, and tape the seams. hopefully I can get a the biaxial cloth laid down later in the week.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 11:00 am
by tcason
From another GV13 builder that looks great - much better than mine at that stage!

It really took a nice shape with great seams!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 11:23 am
by Jeff
Nice progress!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 11:55 am
by mattkab
tcason wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 11:00 am From another GV13 builder that looks great - much better than mine at that stage!

It really took a nice shape with great seams!
Aw, thank you. That's high praise coming from you, because your boat turned out beautifully!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 12:57 pm
by mattkab
Days 15, 16 & 17
Layed down the biaxial tape along all the seams, then covered the entire bottom hull with biaxial cloth, and then covered the entire hull with 4oz woven cloth.

After removing the stitches, I filled in the rest of the holes with thickened (wood flour) epoxy. Then I measured out the 6" biaxial tape:
Image

A few hours later, and everything was taped up:
Image

A close-up of the seam:
Image

The next day I layed out the biaxial cloth to cover everything. I did one single piece for both bottom panels, and then cut another run of cloth in half to coat each side panel:
Image

The bottom piece had enough width to also cover the bow:
Image

Fully coated. I wasn't being frugal at all with my epoxy amounts, figuring this is where the strength in the hull is coming from. But this used A LOT of epoxy to get the glass fully saturated.
Image

A close-up of the biaxial cloth-- I really like the compound curves at this point of the bow too.
Image

The next day I covered the bottom with 4oz woven cloth. I did this to give it an extra layer of glass, and hopefully help with the fairing process. I also cut the cloth differently -- I ran an overlap at the centerline out to the gunwales. The thinking here is that I would have different seams no the different layers. Don't know if it matters, but it seemed like a good idea. :D
Image

From the transom:
Image

Rolling up each of the pieces of cloth:
Image

And glassed:
Image

There were a couple bubbles that formed on the edges of the cloth, but overall I like how it turned out. It's much smoother than at the biaxial stage:
Image

This week I start to fair. I'm going to try to fair with phenolic microballoons for the first time -- haven't used those to make a fairing compound before. I also have some total-fair from ToatalBoat if it goes to #@(#^ though. Primer is on the way, so hopefully I can get a couple rounds of fairing done this week.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 8:53 am
by tcason
looks great

good call on extra glass if you plan to over power

sand real well before applying any fairing compound concentrate sanding on seams 40 grit is ok to start

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 8:33 pm
by mattkab
Days 21, 22, 23 & 24

But what happened to days 18, 19, and 20? Well, we'll come back to those later.

This post jumps ahead a few days to where I needed to.... Adapt? Improvise? Modify my plan? Ah, hell, we'll call it like it is: I screwed up and I needed to fix the problem. :(

I wasn't actually going to put spray rails on this boat, but after reading other posts on the GV-11 and GV-13 builds where they were raved about, I decided to add them. I ripped some 1x2s at a 45 degree angle, and glued them to the chine from bow to stern, using some wood screws to hold it in place. It took some elbow grease and more than a couple screws to get the rails in place, but in the end it looked pretty good. I took a picture and locked up the garage:
Image

The next morning I came out to check on it, but the spray rails had split just forward of the hull panel splices, on both sides, and then the epoxy cured. It looked like the boat had curb feelers :x :cry: I couldn't bring myself to take a picture...

Then I started on the repair... I cut back the rails to where they were still attached to the hull -- but there was still split and damaged rails at that point. I cut a few smaller pieces of 1x2, and with a planer and a shurform, rough-shaped the rails. I needed to do something to fair the transition, so I ran a seam of 4" woven tape leftover from a previous build. Once it dried I ran a few more passes of the planer and the Shurform. At least had a continous spray rail again:
Image

Then I created a few batches of epoxy thickened with wood filler, and tried to fill in the seams, holes, cracks, etc:
Image

Then it was time to break out the Surform, and plane the rails back into shape by eye. This took more than a few hours, and another round of thickened epoxy. Or two:
Image

After a few days, I had something approximating the original shape of the rail:
Image

...on both sides of the hull. It looks... ok.
Image

The transition from hull to rail on the bottom feels really smooth now. I'll need to do a non-structural fillet on the top side of the rail (bottom as she sits now, upside down), but for the most part I've recovered. I need to remember, it's a boat; it's not going to Mars.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 2:31 am
by Fuzz
Good recovery! That is one of the best parts about this style of building. About the only screw up that can not be fixed is using cheap plywood for the hull.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 10:12 am
by pee wee
That does look good. In hindsight, would it have been quicker to remove it all and start again? In any case, it looks good now!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 11:36 am
by mattkab
pee wee wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 10:12 am That does look good. In hindsight, would it have been quicker to remove it all and start again? In any case, it looks good now!
Yes, but I didn't have any 1x2s left, and thought I could recover with the pieces I had.

What I think I really should have done was use a better hardwood that wouldn't split. With the stuff I had on hand, I should have cut the spray rail into 3 or 4 pieces to relieve some of the pressure on the bends and then just fill the spaces with thickened epoxy. I thought having a continuous piece would be helpful to get a smoother curve. 8O

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 2:50 pm
by piperdown
mattkab wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 11:36 am
pee wee wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 10:12 am That does look good. In hindsight, would it have been quicker to remove it all and start again? In any case, it looks good now!
Yes, but I didn't have any 1x2s left, and thought I could recover with the pieces I had.

What I think I really should have done was use a better hardwood that wouldn't split. With the stuff I had on hand, I should have cut the spray rail into 3 or 4 pieces to relieve some of the pressure on the bends and then just fill the spaces with thickened epoxy. I thought having a continuous piece would be helpful to get a smoother curve. 8O
Or you could have kerfed the wood.
Kerf the wood, fill the kerfs with thickened epoxy, then add thickened epoxy the surface it's joining too and screw it in place. Scrap off the epoxy that squeezes out from the kerf joints before it hardens. Wait for it to cure and then take the screws out.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 3:24 pm
by mattkab
piperdown wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 2:50 pm
mattkab wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 11:36 am
pee wee wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 10:12 am That does look good. In hindsight, would it have been quicker to remove it all and start again? In any case, it looks good now!
Yes, but I didn't have any 1x2s left, and thought I could recover with the pieces I had.

What I think I really should have done was use a better hardwood that wouldn't split. With the stuff I had on hand, I should have cut the spray rail into 3 or 4 pieces to relieve some of the pressure on the bends and then just fill the spaces with thickened epoxy. I thought having a continuous piece would be helpful to get a smoother curve. 8O
Or you could have kerfed the wood.
Kerf the wood, fill the kerfs with thickened epoxy, then add thickened epoxy the surface it's joining too and screw it in place. Scrap off the epoxy that squeezes out from the kerf joints before it hardens. Wait for it to cure and then take the screws out.
Yes.

Anyone else that is about to run into this... do that!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 3:28 pm
by Jaysen
Or, if you are a masochist... STEAM BEND!

Seriously... steam bending is amazing if you have the patience. Long 4" pvc. Cap ends with clean out fittings. T in middle. Feed steam in at the T.

Wood is amazing stuff.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 4:21 pm
by piperdown
Jaysen wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 3:28 pm Or, if you are a masochist... STEAM BEND!

Seriously... steam bending is amazing if you have the patience. Long 4" pvc. Cap ends with clean out fittings. T in middle. Feed steam in at the T.

Wood is amazing stuff.

Seems like an awful lot of work for just 2 pieces of narrow wood that can be kerfed and just as strong as a steam bent. Plus a bunch of extra equipment left over that may never get used again.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 4:23 pm
by Jaysen
Hold more boats! No longer used. :D

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 12:24 pm
by mattkab
Days 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 & 30

Bottom fairing.

There's a joke, I may have heard it here, that we build boats the wrong way. It would be much more efficient to just make a full block of epoxy, and sand out the shape of the boat. It's not funny.

I put roughly 5 coats of fairing compound sanding with 40 & 60 grit in between with both the random orbital and a home-made long board. I'm not a fan of this part of boat building... but then I seem to have OCD about it, and every time I think "this is the last coat", and I sand it, I look at it and say "eh, it could use one more coat"

The first coat, after sanding, you could still see the fiberglass:
Image

A few coats later, it's starting to be smooth and fair:
Image

I honestly lost track of how many fairing coats I layed down, but this was the last one. This was the first time making my own fairing putty with microballoons and silica, and I really liked it. I could control the density on a per-pour basis. The last few coats were quite thin -- a ketchup consistency, and only about 6ox for the whole boat:
Image

One last pass with the longboard:
Image

Detail of the surface. I was going to prime it, but decided to wait. I'll let the epoxy fully cure to make sure I get good adhesion while I work on the inside:
Image

My boatwork pants are good and messy by now:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 1:50 pm
by mattkab
Day 30

Flip day.

With my wife and daughter's help, we lifted the boat up off the strongback, and layed it down in the main garage. For the first time there's something to give this boat relative scale:
Image

With the boat off the strongbacks, I unscrewed the bulkheads from the vertical 2x4s. Then I used the bulkheads as a pattern to trace and cut the vertical 2x4s at the same angle as the hull. I screwed down the leftover 2x4s on those angles. Then covered the runners in strips of an old towel, making an improvised, cheap "trailer" for the second half of the build:
Image

And then put the boat back on the strongback/trailer. I'll need to re-do the supports on the bow, because height matters. :oops: :
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 5:53 pm
by Fuzz
Very nice :!: Sure a big 13 foot boat.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 7:52 am
by Jeff
Nice progress!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:37 pm
by mattkab
Days 31 & 32

This project slowed down a bit, as I was out of town for some time, but I've kicked back into it this week. After I flipped the boat a few weeks ago, I've been thinking about how I want the layout to actually work. It's much easier to see dimensions in person, which will adjust the plans accordingly. I'm working on the first 2 frames, and the motor well this week.

Fishing is going to be a big use case of this boat, so having rod storage is critical. I created a rough pattern for two pole-holders built into each side of the frames, cut with a hole saw and a jigsaw:
Image

Rinse and repeat across all the frames, up through the bench seat:
Image

While doing some cutting/construction, I also put two coats of epoxy on both sides of the stringers:
Image

Back in the stern, I'm starting to finalize the seating/storage solution. I decided that I want to be able to pass larger items through Frame-A, so I measured out the hole outboard of the motor-well sides:
Image

It was good practice for the eventual flush-mount hatches that I plan to cut out:
Image

And finally, dry-fit in place:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 1:00 pm
by mattkab
Days 33, 34, 35, 36
I continue to work on the boat a couple days a week for 3 or 4 hours after work. It's progressing. I'm going through epoxy like it's water -- I'm going to need to order more. But the boat is still very light and I can easily pick it up off the trailer. I'm already starting to customize things as well. I also got a sliver of fiberglass stuck in my skin. I thought I just got poked, but it got a bit infected a few days later. When I was dealing with the small abscess, it poked right out - I had no idea it was in there. I won't post that pic, but if anyone likes that kind of stuff (I come from a family of nurses, so they all wanted to see the pic), I'll link to it.

Measuring out the glass tape for the fillets in the stern:
Image

This is the aft bench, which will have an integrated cooler/fishbox on the centerline
Image

And here, in the forward compartment, is the base for the fuel tank
Image

The stringers are double-taped with biaxial tape, and then the entire floor is covered in biaxial cloth between the frames:
Image

Here's a closeup of the tabbing around the frame and the stringer. The fillet hadn't set off well enough, and the thickened epoxy around the frame leaked out, causing the tape to malform. It's on the inside of a compartment though, so I'm going to let it be. I'll pay attention to the outside visible seams.
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 1:07 pm
by Fuzz
You have been making progress :D

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 2:57 pm
by mattkab
Days 37, 38, 39, 40
I'm in the dog-days of the build right now. Not a lot changing that deserves photographs, but still a lot of work. And I'm using a LOT of epoxy --- I know I am not building a minimalist version of this boat, but I'm on my 3rd order of 1.5 gallon kits of epoxy. Boat is still very light though -- I can easily pick it up on the temporary trailer. I'd guess the boat is around 70ish pounds?

I got all of the vertical bulkheads tabbed in (including two extras that weren't on the plans):
Image

And layed down the biaxial cloth on the bottom panels, then knocked down the high-points with a RO sander before starting the fairing process:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:50 pm
by Jeff
Good progress Matt!!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:25 am
by mattkab
Days 41, 42, 43, 44, 45

Glassing the outside of the frames and inside of the hull. I added this extra layer of glass to help with abrasion resistance and a bit more strength. I'm still debating what motor to put on it -- I have a 15hp 2 stroke sitting in the garage, but I'm tempted to up it to the new 25hp Yamaha at 125 lbs!

Laying out the glass:
Image

Also adding gass in the foredeck locker:
Image

Glassing:
Image

Laying out the glass for the frames:
Image

All glassed in:
Image

I also had my wife video (at 2x speed) how I've been glassing the vertical areas of the boat. By no means am I a professional, but this is the technique I've started to zero in on. We're here to learn and share, so feel free to comment :
[youtube]https://youtu.be/CbwjLm0OQ6I[/youtube]

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:14 pm
by Fuzz
For large flat areas I like to use the 4 inch mini rollers. They will make it faster and help smooth things at the same time. Also after you have part of it wet out use a plastic spreader to move excess epoxy to dry spots and that will pull things down tight at the same time.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:39 pm
by mattkab
Fuzz wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:14 pm For large flat areas I like to use the 4 inch mini rollers. They will make it faster and help smooth things at the same time. Also after you have part of it wet out use a plastic spreader to move excess epoxy to dry spots and that will pull things down tight at the same time.
I use, and like, the mini rollers -- you can see one in the pic where I'm glassing the topsides.

I've found that the plastic spreaders move the cloth around too much, creating bubbles. Is there a technique to it?

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:47 pm
by Fuzz
The spreader has to be smooth to keep it from grabbing the glass. They take a little to get the feel for it. It is easier to learn on flat surfaces than vertical ones. Either way the mini rollers will do a good job of pushing the excess resin out of the cloth. Work top to bottom and let gravity help spread the resin for you. After it is dry you should be able to feel the texture of the glass. If not you are using too much resin.
I see the roller now. I like the short nap ones for resins and the foam ones for paint.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 10:44 am
by mattkab
Days 46, 47, 48

Up to this point in the build it's been a pretty straightforward GV-13, but now some of the customizations will start to happen.

On the construction side, right now I'm now working on the seats:
Image

Coated the tops with a layer of 4oz cloth. The bottoms with 2 coats of neat epoxy:
Image

But I've also started on the electrical. Here's the switch panel wiring -- I rewired the entire panel from how it was received:
Image

I have two states per switch: Lit (device enabled), and off. I also replaced one switch with a momentary switch for a horn:
Image

But there's also a second circuit that is permanently on, regardless of the switch state, controlled by the toggle switch on the small voltmeter panel:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2020 2:29 pm
by mattkab
Days 49, 50, 51, 52


I'm working stern-->bow on the interior now. Work has been really busy, so I haven't had a chance to work much on this project, but I got the integrated cooler built in the past few weeks.

First, I dry-fit 1" closed-cell foam. Cutting was super easy with a straight edge and a razor blade:
Image

The design is to have the whole middle section be a cooler, and there is a small cutout in the corner to be a bait-box:
Image

In the middle of making the cooler, I made a minor change in plans -- rather than having the seat enclosed all the way to the transom, I decided to make open wells on both sides to store fenders. I'll also put in a way to hold a fishing net, and possibly additional poles. I want to keep the motor well empty, other than a bilge pump:
Image

After cut to size, the foam was covered with fiberglass cloth on one side, and all the wood platforms were coated in neat epoxy too:
Image

Glued in the foam and the cleats that will hold the seat tops. If you look closely you can see that the transom knees are also being glued, with a brick holding them down:
Image

Then I created fillets on all the edges, including the enclosed aft part of the seats:
Image

Last night everything got a good sanding to knock down the excess fiberglass bits, and the first coat of fairing was put on:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 5:59 pm
by mattkab
Day 53 (but the calendar says it's 3 months later 8O :( )

I had to spend some time focusing on work, and then the holidays hit. Didn't even touch the GV-13 since last October.

Last night I worked on hatches for the stern seat. First I measured the cutout, adding a small radius to each corner...
Image

... and cut it out with a jig saw. I spent a few minutes sanding all the edges to smooth out the cuts, and also provide room for the hatch itself:
Image

Then I cut 2" pine strips on 45o angles to create a picture-frame style backing:
Image

And finally glued it all together with some thickened epoxy:
Image

The diesel heater worked great, getting the garage quite warm while I was working on it, and then the oil-filled radiator heater kept things from freezing overnight. Everything cured by this morning. Felt good to just go back out in the garage and spend some time making sawdust and mixing epoxy!

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 6:43 pm
by Jeff
Nice Matt!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:18 pm
by Fuzz
Yep if I go too long without mixing some epoxy I have to dream up a project :lol:

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:51 pm
by mattkab
Day 54

Got a good chunk of hours in over the weekend, getting most of the the stern seat complete, plus got started with the middle-seat:
Image

Dry fit before laminating in the side hatches:
Image

I also started to work on the mid-seat. The mid-seat will have fishing storage below, with custom shelving. I was using sample pieces to dry-fit for sizing. The middle will have a small integrated garbage section. Also, since there will be seats permanently installed on the bench, I decided to add a bit of cross-bracing for strength:
Image

I was able to mix up some epoxy, to glue down the storage shelf floor, as well as the backing frames for the hatches:
Image

Overview as things got shut down to cure overnight:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:06 pm
by mattkab
Day 55

Superbowl sunday morning was allocated to the boat. I got a good few hours of sanding and fairing done on the stern seat and integrated cooler. Then I turned my attention to the custom fishing insert in the mid-seat. I'm just a hobbyist, so I would love any feedback or guidance if anyone has done similar. At the same time, this is my 3rd BBC build, so I know just enough about this process to be dangerous :D

I started by measuring the size of the tackle boxes that I bought, and added 1/2" to the width, and 1/4" to the height for each drawer/rail:
Image

Then, using some scrap pieces of trim cut to size as spacers, I hot-glued the drawer/rails in place:
Image

I added more trim pieces to the back, cut to set the width to the width of the tackle box +1/2". I later ended up adding a piece to the bottom front to keep the structure square:
Image

Test fit on the work table to see if everything fits:
Image

Then did a test fit inside the bench, to see if I could get them in and out easily (and I could):
Image

Back on the worktable, I added more rails, oriented the other way, to hold salmon-fishing flashers and dodgers above a larger opening to hold spools of fishing line. After finishing and thinking about it, I realized I will likely drip water from the dodgers onto the fishing line, which could ruin it over time, so I'll cut a piece of thin ply and put a "roof" on the bottom section:
Image

Finally a test fit of the dodger/flasher rails in the boat:
Image

The cabinet is only hot-glued at this point, which was really useful as I was adjusting sizes during the assembly. The plan for now is to glue it together by creating epoxy fillets along all the seams, putty filling any gaps, and then brushing on a coat of epoxy over everything. Finally I'll give it a coat of paint before permanently epoxy-gluing it in place in the bench seat.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:10 pm
by Jeff
Nice work Matt!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:41 pm
by mattkab
Days 56, 57, 58

I've only been able to work on the boat one day every week or two, just from our normal schedule. I just want to keep progressing slowly. Past few days have been focused on custom storage in the benches.

Starting in the aft, the integrated cooler is complete. I may do one last coat of fairing, but it's in pretty decent shape now. The storage hatches on both sides are constructed. I won't do much fairing here, and will probably just do a couple coats of paint.
Image

The fishing bench (helm seat) is constructed, and just needs to be faired (it's in a locker, so it'll just be workboat finish) and painted now:
Image

Here's a detail of the fishing storage unit after being epoxy glued, coated in neat epoxy, and a round of fairing. I later rounded the edge of the rail to make it easier to get the cases in and out:
Image

And test-fit in the bench. The port side has a shelf made from some scrap 1/4" ply, and I'm gluing on a lip:
Image

Moving forward, the console bench has a battery storage compartment, and will also have electrical components -- fuse block, master power switch, etc.
Image

I've just started the bow storage compartment now. There's a shelf for a gas tank, but I want to build separate compartments for the heater unit and anchor and wet-storage.
Image

It was mentioned by a friend of mine that I've been texting these pictures to that I haven't taken any overview pictures for a while, so here's the current state of the project. Bench seats were just laid in place -- they will be glassed in last, after the internals are painted, just for easier access.

From directly aft:
Image

Starboard aft quarter:
Image

And one view with all the seat tops removed:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:10 pm
by Jeff
Nice progress Matt!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:14 am
by pee wee
Image

What is going to keep those tackle containers from shifting out of their slots with motion?

Nice progress, it's great to be able to customize your build like that.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:05 am
by mattkab
pee wee wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:14 am What is going to keep those tackle containers from shifting out of their slots with motion?
It's a good question. The containers shouldn't have enough room to slide all the way out if the hatch stays closed. But if it becomes a problem I've also considered gluing some of that anti-slip matting for drawers on the bottom of the cases, a bungie on a hook, or even a mesh bag that snaps/bungies to hold things like pliers and towels.

So, short answer is 'I don't know yet'. :D

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 6:24 pm
by Fuzz
It sure is nice to be able to add those kind of custom features to your boat. That is one of the best things about building a boat yourself.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:18 pm
by mattkab
Days 59 & 60

I'm in the customization phase of the build, and I needed to check some of the ergonomics... my daughter is about half my weight, so since the boat is still on a makeshift trailer, she got to be the "crash test dummy":
Image

Once I was happy with how things dry-fit, tonight I glued and glassed everything up. Started by cutting 4oz tape to length for all the edges:
Image

And then mixed up some epoxy to fillet and seam. This makes construction of the interior compartments essentially complete. I'll do a quick sand and light fairing, and then a couple coats of paint before I seal up the tops:
Image

Also, to remember one of the primary reasons I'm building this boat (year-round fishing in Puget Sound), I made up some pink-salmon hoochie rigs. This year is a pink-salmon year (with an estimated run of 3.5million fish), so I'm hoping to be in the water by fall to try and catch a few:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 12:26 am
by Fuzz
Always good to get some help from the kido's.
If you are trolling pinks and silvers both will hit Brads Cut baits pretty good.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:38 am
by Jeff
Nice work!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:36 am
by mattkab
Day 61

Let's drill some holes.

Started by drilling two 1.5" holes along the bulkheads for the chase tubes:
Image

This created a ton of plugs:
Image

Once they were all cut out, I quickly sanded the PVC pipe with 80-grit sandpaper, ran them along the gunnels, and glued them in place with wood flour filets:
Image

Then on both sides of the bulkheads I laminated 4oz cloth:
Image

In a couple hours, all four chase tubes were laminated in place:
Image

Since I was cutting holes, I also cut out the 3" holes necessary to route the heater vent tubes:
Image

I know some of you, especially in the southern US states, laugh at the idea of adding heat to a boat, but in the Pacific Northwest, even in the middle of summer, we will have days (especially mornings) under 60oF. The heater is one of the features I'm most excited about on this build, and will help make this boat truly available for use year-round:
Image

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:18 am
by Jaysen
We put AC in larger boats down here. So if your idea makes us laugh, you can laugh right back.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:18 am
by Jeff
Wow, never thought about a heater!!!! Pretty cool!!!! Jeff

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:32 am
by Fuzz
What are you using for a heater?

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:24 pm
by mattkab
I'm using a 2kw diesel "parking heater" like this.

I love these things... I have a 5kw on our 47'er and it keeps the salon and pilothouse toasty year round. I also have one to heat the garage while working on this boat -- it fights the drafts and never gets quite as warm, but definitely improves the temps. I consistently get the garage up to almost 70F, with outside temps in the 40s.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 2:39 pm
by Fuzz
I would have guessed those heaters are junk based on price alone. They are about 10% of most marine heaters. It is good to know you have had good luck and like them. Price makes it cheap enough to go ahead and try one.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:52 pm
by mattkab
They are knock-offs, to be sure. By design they separate the heating element (burn chamber) and the cabin air, so unless there's an actual structural failure, they are very safe. And at that price, it's cheap insurance to just have one wrapped in plastic as a spare.

But the one on my 4788 is running strong after 4 years' use, no issues (and I have a couple CO monitors around the boat, all read 0ppm). The one in my garage is only a year old, but I've run it many times.

Edit: In case anyone else wants to do this, on boat or interior use, throw out the exhaust "muffler" -- it has a hole in it that can release exhaust gases and is designed to be used outside oly! The exhaust pipe also gets VERY hot, so make sure it's far away from anything flammable -- I also wrap them in heat shield tubing made for vehicle exhaust headers. I use stainless ports for both intake and exhaust as well.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:00 pm
by Cowbro
Please post more info as you mount that heater. I think that would be a great fit for my little HMD19. It would certainly make soaking bait in the winter more tolerable and it might help get the wife onboard more often.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:05 pm
by mattkab
Cowbro wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:00 pm Please post more info as you mount that heater. I think that would be a great fit for my little HMD19. It would certainly make soaking bait in the winter more tolerable and it might help get the wife onboard more often.
I will, I'm a big proponent of these little heaters.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:35 pm
by Fuzz
I went to your link and first thing I see is "will not ship to Alaska" I am really tired of this crap.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:17 am
by gtcoupe
Fuzz wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:35 pm I went to your link and first thing I see is "will not ship to Alaska" I am really tired of this crap.
Heck Fuzz, if you really want one I'll get one and ship it up to you.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:13 pm
by mattkab
Fuzz wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:35 pm I went to your link and first thing I see is "will not ship to Alaska" I am really tired of this crap.
That sucks. I got the same on Amazon too, which surprised me.

I assume UPS delivers? There's a UPS store down the street from my house, and I could forward one to you if you'd like... No idea what that cost would be, but PM me if you'd like and we can figure it out.

Re: Mattkab's GV13

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:35 pm
by Fuzz
gtcoupe and mattkab thank both of you very much! That is a kind offer from both of you. I do not need one bad enough at this point to make a big deal out of it but if something changes I will keep you guys in mind. I was just having a bad day because I ran into the same shipping deal with another item I want yesterday. It just amazes me companies that use a PO box to contact them will not ship to a po box. Even worse in this day and age I have been told by major companies they do not ship to other countries, I guess Alaska is another country :doh: What is really amazing is BBC an ship to me all kinds of stuff and in many cases they ship cheaper than I can get it from the west coast.