Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Hello there. I'm making my first tentative enquiries about boat building and I am looking for advice on three broad areas.

Having followed George - gstanfield - over from another forum, I thought I'd see what people thought here.

I'm after a simple build boat to carry a very infrequent maximum 6 people (usually 1-3) around the harbour, between small islands, and around the coast in pretty sheltered water around the south coast of the UK.

I initially started out looking at a flat bottomed boat design from another site that doesn't really offer any vee-shaped hulls around the 16-18ft size.

Although the boat won't be used in bad weather, some passengers in particular are very adverse to bumpy rides. That said, the boat needs to be fairly stable for the same passengers!

I was thinking a Outboard Skiff 17 sounds ideally suited. What do people reckon? Are there other models more suitable?

Also, I am sure I wil love the process of building the boat, but I've got to pursuade others who at this moment in time are more concerned about cost and time.

I know these things are akin to "how long is a ball of string", but...

There are 3 of us that would work on the project - solely weekends, but all weekend - with various skill levels from me, inept, to a professional carpenter. What sort of time would we be looking at for a basic finished boat?

Lastly (yes, that's right, his ramblings do end!) is there a cost saving to be made? How much do these boats end up costing compared to similar commecially available vessels?

Hi and welcome. I won't commit about what boat to use for your situation, but as for cost I'd say at least half or better that a production boat, not counting time. Now I think that's just a bonus cause you and your friends will do a much better job building your own than what a company will build in most cases. Plus It's just cool to say "we built this boat"

Don

OB17, OB19, C17 there are many that would fit the bill.

Three people will not be much faster than two for a boat this size, there is only so much you can do at once. For a work boat finish, i think you could build one in under 6 months, even with taking a few weekends off. I built the Fs17 in about that amount of time, while working a couple hours each afternoon

Three people will not be much faster than two for a boat this size, there is only so much you can do at once.

So you're sayingthat at any one time one of us can be drinking?

Thanks for your replies. I think The OB17 is looking like the right model. There's so much info on here!

If you designate yourself as shop foreman you can be the one drinking all the time

I think a workboat can be built in even less than the 6 months (24 weekends) that Joel suggested. It would require you to plan things so that you had one project to work on while the epoxy was drying somewhere else, but it wouldn't be too hard really. The part that will slow you down a tad is all the pictures we need of the build taking place

Thanks George. If we go ahead with this project I'll be sure to take loads of photos - I'll need to, to show you all what all my questions wil be about!

I've done a costing on the bill of materials for the OB17 (and have been revising it each time someone in the thread points out changes that are needed):

Plywood 4x8' (122x244cm)

1/4" (9mm Gaboon throughout BS 1088 Marine Plywood) 7@£51.76=£362.32 ($600)
3/8" (9mm Far Eastern 1088 Marine, with non specific veneers) 5@£31.28=£156.40 ($260)
1/2" (9mm Far Eastern 1088 Marine, with non specific veneers) 4@£45.11=£180.44 ($300)
Plywood Total : £699.16 ($1160)

Fiberglass (totals)

6" Biaxial tape (200 mm 450g Biaxial tape) 127 yards (Full roll (83 mt approx) = £85.00 ($140)
4" Woven tape (Fibreglass Tape – 175g X 100mm) 31 yards (1x50m@£13) = £13 ($30)
50" 12 oz Biaxial fabric (1.25m 450g Biaxial cloth) 22 yards (20m@£2.95) =£59 ($100)
NOTES: same weight triaxial cloth would add £32 ($55)

Resin

Epoxy, total 15 gallons (2x30 liters WEST SYSTEM Epoxy Resin C Pack (30kg)) =£572.40 ($840)
Fibreglass and Epoxy Total (inc p&p) : £842.60 ($1,350)


Total = £1,541.80 ($2,520)

Garret Steve292 finished an FS17 a year ago so he may be able to help you find the best prices on what you need for your OB17. It's always good to have a network in your country to help each other. I hope this works but here is his email address. Well it did not so go to his site and email him from there. Good luck on your build and I think you will enjoy it.

Tom

Tom, thanks a lot for your reply - very useful. I'll see if Steve can help.

Glad to help my only concern was the 1/4" as it is the bottom and sides and take the pressure from the pounding of the boat especially the bottom. Steve can probably tell you the difference. There has been a lot of 1088 coming out of SE Asia that is not up to 1088 standards. I guess I'm saying buyer beware.

Have a good day and talk to you later.

TomW wrote:My only concern was the 1/4" as it is the bottom and sides and take the pressure from the pounding of the boat especially the bottom.

Ahhhh. The BoM for the OB17 says that you need:-

7 sheets 1/4
5 sheets 3/8
4 sheets 1/2

And goes on to say "Our recommendation is to use 6 sheets of marine ply for the outside parts and for the inside, quality exterior with no voids".

I wasn't sure which sheets that applied to and pessimistically assumed the thickest! I'll go back and swap it round in my costing.

Yepper you always want the best stuff on the hull then the rest of it can support it.

TomW wrote:Yepper you always want the best stuff on the hull then the rest of it can support it.

Makes sense! I just couldn't tell from the study designs which thickness ply went where, and made the assumption the thickest stuff would be on the bottom!

Epoxy, total 7.5 gallons (30 liters WEST SYSTEM Epoxy Resin C Pack (30kg)) =£286.20 ($480)

I would double that, if it's your first build or you have no fiberglassing experience.
Where are you in the uk, & where are you going to use the boat?
Steve

Hi Steve. Thanks for the advice on epoxy. I'll change it in the costings.

I'm based in London, but the In-laws are in Poole and that's where we would build and use the boat - in and around Poole harbour, alongthe coast off Bournemouth and crossing the small sheltered channel across to Brownsea island and Swanage.