Insight into First Build

[OrangeQuest]

Welcome to the forum!

Do you have power tools and if so do you know how to use them...safely? You will need a few different saws and sanders. Do you have room to build the boat? Garage, warehouse, carport, or possible even a few canopies put together would work. I think one guy even built his boat on an island, under a hut with battery powered tools. Very limited resources but his boat turned out looking great!

You can find on this forum the boats you are considering building in different stages of build. Look under the "Build Thread" the boat you like. Learn to take pictures and post them on the forum. Don't be shy on asking questions, everyone here is learning how to do things by posting questions and answers. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, some of these guys has never seen the inside of the box . If you decide to do this, you are buying plans and material to build a boat but unlike buying a manufactured boat you are in full control of what it turns out to be. Include friends and family in the build, if nothing else it's free labor! You may find you have skills you didn't think you had.

Good luck,
Ken J

[Dougster]

You can do this. I built the LB22 with almost no experience, I mean I'm a psychologist with no callouses on his hands other than those from picking a guitar (Well I got a few while fairing ) You can learn as you go with the forum here on board. I was helped tremendously all through the process by folks here. Learn to post pics and you're gold. Just about all mistakes can be fixed with a little advice and a few extra sweat hours. I couldn't use a skill saw worth a hoot when I started. In fact the dang thing scared me. I got better quickly and have retained all 10 fingers. You definately save money cutting out your own panels and, for me, laying out the panels and cutting them was very satisfying. Didn't take too long either. Build the boat you want, don't worry about it being too difficult. I do admit to liking both the LM 18 and FS 18 and agree that the latter would be cheaper.

Dougster

[texasdrifter]

Welcome to the forum. For your intended use, and budget, I think the FS18 would be the right choice. I think the SC16 is too small to fish 2 guys, especially fly fishing. It's essentially a square backed, wide canoe. Unless you' were building a much larger boat, the process for building the FS18, FS14, or LM18, is identical, and none of it is technical, or very difficult, but just takes some time, and a good portion of that time is sanding and smoothing out the surface if you want a factory finish. Not much difference in materials for the FS18 and FS14, close to the same amount of labor, and both will work well with a 20hp motor. The LM18 would be an excellent boat for your needs, but would be more expensive to build, a little more labor intensive, and would really work best with a larger, thus more expensive motor, say, 30-40 hp. The plans are all very easy to follow, and the layout part is fun, and not at all difficult or intimidating if you decide to go that route. You'll get all the help and advice you need here on the forum. Have fun with your build whichever design you choose, post pictures and ask questions. I look forward to following your build and helping in any way I can. Mike

I've heard there was an LM18 "low shear" version. Is the weight affected by possibly having less material and thus are you still looking at 30-40 hp to comfortably move it around?

Do you have power tools and if so do you know how to use them...safely? You will need a few different saws and sanders.

I have a few power tools. Corded Circular Saw, Corded random orbital sander, miter saw, drill & driver, nail gun & pancake compressor. Some common hand tools as well. I'm not a skilled craftsman by any means but I can turn them on and off Anything I'm missing that I'm not thinking about as far as tools?

Do you have room to build the boat? Garage, warehouse, carport, or possible even a few canopies put together would work.

I have a one car garage. Would the FS18 or LM18 fit inside your standard garage or would it be too tight? That's where I figured the FS14_LS would have its advantages.

Buying the plywood will cost you $800 plus shipping if you cut it your self. Then you will need to buy the fiberglass/epoxy kit which is $1025 or you can buy part of it.

So it seems like you save about 40% to buy the products uncut but in cutting them, you shave off 2 or so weeks and some time head-scratching?

[terrulian]

Anything I'm missing that I'm not thinking about as far as tools?

Something that a lot of us have found useful is the multi-tool. Lots of companies make them. I have a Porter-Cable and it has done the job very well and is one of the cheaper ones. I mostly use the triangular sanding head but there are cutting blades that also will do things nothing else will. I mean, if you start a new project and it's not an excuse to buy new tools, what's the point?

[seaslug]

I can't emphasize enough how useful the multi tool is mentioned and pictured above. Any brand will do the job, but all the Porter Cable tools I own are of excellent quality.....As far as a motor for the LM18, you could definitely get by with less than a 30hp, I get 26 mph with a 20hp on my FS18, so I think a 30hp would be just about right for the larger LM18, and a 40 possibly more than you would need. I just think too many guys over power these so called skinny water poling skiffs, causing them to squat in the rear, and defeating the purpose for the boat. Mike

[narfi]

So it seems like you save about 40% to buy the products uncut but in cutting them, you shave off 2 or so weeks and some time head-scratching?

To be clear on something I may have overstated.... those two extra weeks would be nearly all head scratching. The extra actual work wouldnt be but a day or two.

[Aripeka Angler]

I have a one car garage. Would the FS18 or LM18 fit inside your standard garage or would it be too tight? That's where I figured the FS14_LS would have its advantages.

I would measure the garage and post the depth here for comments.
I had a Hewes 16' redfish that would not fit in the one car garage at my office without putting the boat in on an angle.
The FS18 with a motor and a possible jacplate is pretty long.
When it's finished and sitting on a trailer, you may not get it in your garage.
It's possible the finished boat would need a swing tongue trailer as well as needing to be garaged on an angle.

[seaslug]

My garage from the back wall to the garage door is 21' 9" and with a folding tongue on the trailer my FS18 clears by 1 inch.

[texasdrifter]

I don’t think I would store a finished boat at my house but more than likely my parents bay house. Is there a point in the build where it has to be on the trailer or can that be done at the end? Do most guys build in their garage?

[narfi]

Do most guys build in their garage?

Reading through the build threads here, I have seen a lot of different build locations. Garages, huge industrial shops, patios, one guy is building in a tent near his mountain cabin, tiny british workshops, etc... lots of places and a lot of them barely fitting their projects.
I built my canoe in a big Shelterlogic tent, but its too cold to fiberglass in the winter, so I am building our FS17 in my wife's dining room and living room areas