LM18/FS18 question

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FLguyMike85
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LM18/FS18 question

Post by FLguyMike85 »

Good afternoon everyone, this is my first post here, I spoke with Reid earlier today regarding making the FS18 into a CC, he then suggested the LM18, I really do like both of these designs so I'm kind of torn between the two. Okay so my question is this, I know on both boats they have a fairly wide top cap, would it hurt the boat structurally to not use a top cap? Thank you for any advise or guidance.

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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by jacquesmm »

The deck is part of the structure. You can modify it to your taste but you need at least a small foredeck and a small aft deck plus, along the sides, a small gunwale or a wide inwale and rubrail. I mean a laminated beam running along the top edge. You need something there for stiffness. Production boats without a gunwale (= side deck), have at least a rolled edge along the sheer.
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cape man
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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by cape man »

The fore deck, gunwales, inwales, and rear deck will allow stiffen the boat A LOT. Are you wanting an open skiff? If so you might be fine with gunwales, a small deck at the bow, and knees on the transom. Really a question for Jacques, the designer.
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FLguyMike85
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Re: LM18/FS18 question

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jacquesmm wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:57 pm The deck is part of the structure. You can modify it to your taste but you need at least a small foredeck and a small aft deck plus, along the sides, a small gunwale or a wide inwale and rubrail. I mean a laminated beam running along the top edge. You need something there for stiffness. Production boats without a gunwale (= side deck), have at least a rolled edge along the sheer.
Okay so, I wanna start this by saying, I'm fairly new to this, so if I'm using the wrong wording I apologize. I definitely want a fore and aft deck, that way I can build storage areas and a casting platform. I guess I wanted to see if the top rails can be eliminate, or made thinner, to give more side to side room on the interior of the boat. Thanks for the reply.

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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by cape man »

The top rails are called gunwales (that's where they mounted guns), on the inside of the boat, anything attached to the gunwales and going down are called inwales. You can build them small, but they do provide a lot of stiffening to the sheer (top of the sides). With a stout rub rail and an inwale, you might just skip the gunwales all together.
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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by FLguyMike85 »

cape man wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:16 pm The top rails are called gunwales (that's where they mounted guns), on the inside of the boat, anything attached to the gunwales and going down are called inwales. You can build them small, but they do provide a lot of stiffening to the sheer (top of the sides). With a stout rub rail and an inwale, you might just skip the gunwales all together.
Hey thanks for the reply, that definitely helps alot, with my little bit of knowledge I thought a rub rail was just the piece of rubber that most boats have, but that makes sense. So I plan on buying the LM18 CNC kit, so what would be an acceptable method to stiffen up the inwales?

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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by FLguyMike85 »

So after looking around different build threads of an FS17, I really like what whosmatt did with his FS17, that's very close to what I'm going for.

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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by FLguyMike85 »

Nevermind, I had a brain fart, didn't even realize the FS17 was a completely different boat.

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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by pee wee »

You won't be gaining as much space as you might think by trying to get rid of the side decks, as the hull sides have some outward flair. Take a framing square and stand it upright on the sole, push it to meet the hull and see how much you're talking about. Side decks also give a place to sit or walk, and to mount hardware like cleats, rod holders and drink holders . . they also help you keep your balance and not fall out of the boat. Something to think about, it's nice to have options.
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Re: LM18/FS18 question

Post by jacquesmm »

Two good replies by Capeman and Pee Wee.
Yes, in production boats, we sometimes confuse rubrail and gunwale. Whatever the name, you need a stiffener along the top edge of the side.
The laminated wood battens are easy to build but they do not provide more space in the boat, you still have the same sole (floor). The advantage of the gunwale (or gunnel) is that you have a coaming (= vertical board on the inside of the gunwale), something to push your legs against when fishing or standing. It is safer.
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