Knowing Limitations...

[mindunderwater]

DELETED-

New project to start here in the next few weeks.

[AtTheBrink]

Not sure if you have this info or not. With the ply you are using be sure you cover everything with glass to prevent checking. Even light 4oz glass should stop the checking. Good luck with your build!

[Cracker Larry]

Great choice of boats But I'd seriously try to use meranti and not fir or A/C. If you switch your epoxy from S3 to Marinepoxy, the cost difference would pay the difference for good plywood and you'll have a better boat Nothing wrong with Marinepoxy and it's significantly less costly than S3.

[Larry B]

Great choice of boats But I'd seriously try to use meranti and not fir or A/C. If you switch your epoxy from S3 to Marinepoxy, the cost difference would pay the difference for good plywood and you'll have a better boat Nothing wrong with Marinepoxy and it's significantly less costly than S3.

X2

I built mine with Marinepoxy and it ain't going no where. Solid as a tank. but built with meranti ply. Your going to have lots of hours into this boat, make it to last. Cracker Larry has said it as good as anyone can.

Looking forward to pictures.

[mindunderwater]

Thank you for the replies. This is going to be a long road - but I've decided to take it. If I have to build the road one pebble at a time, so be it...

There's a couple of reasons I selected Fir, one of which is local availability. I agree - clearly the individual per-sheet cost difference isn't all that bad. Getting that much ply sent here is a pretty big increase over locally-sourced Fir; it's an additional $63 / sheet in the case of 1/2 inch. I don't actually own a truck at the moment so when I say shipping I mean it's got to go all the way to my door. I could have it go to my work dock but that does me no good really.

There are other factors, but I won't get into them here as they do not pertain to the construction of this or any boat directly. Thanks for the heads-up on fir - grand-dad's boat did the exact same thing only a few months after building. I had planned on light glass for the entire hull to cover any surfaces not given in the laminate schedule.

Unfortunately something I ate disagreed with me so today's progress will be pushed to Saturday. If I can corral my buddy (he has a truck) I'll pick up some ply this weekend again.

[AtTheBrink]

Where are you getting your prices on marine plywood? An extra $63 a sheet? I have bought from here and also from Houston Hardwoods, both shipped me the plywood. Neither time did shipping cost over $160, and it would have been the same 10 sheets or 25 sheets. I know you will spend at least that much in epoxy alone to do the extra glass work needed with fir. With the shopping around I have done there wasn't a difference in price between merianti 1088(hydrotek) and fir. The merianti is in a whole other class quality wise. It is your money and it is your boat, folks here are just trying to give you the best advice they have.
Good luck.

[mindunderwater]

Yeah - Houston's a much better market for it, no doubt.

I've been looking for a saw *(yay new tools) for cutting the panels out. I can't imagine jig-sawing all this out?

[mindunderwater]

Today is new tools day! I'm putting my new Skil saw to the test.

Got some good practice in ripping down 1/4" ply. I'm getting where I can get the rips much more consistent. The first two were terrible - the last two were within I'd say .010. "Story sticks" end up being so much more accurate than using a ruler, at least for me. I bought a straight edge guide saw guide. I figure when I'm done using it for these parallel rips I can use it to help with layout later on. After I'm done ripping out this rubrail stock I'll get to drawing out the stringers - the plan is to use layered ply with staggered joints.

[mindunderwater]

Thanks again to all for your input elsewhere on this forum. As I said this will be a slow build! There's been a few positive developments, though. New truck, new digital camera and this weekend freeing up some space in the garage so I can really get started.

After some searching, research and excellent advice here I'll be using Meranti 1088 or 6566 everywhere I can afford it. Bottom, sole and some frames will still be marine fir.

The stringers I hope to cut out tonight from 3/4 BC exterior to be laminated up. I haven't found anywhere that can offer substantial savings on wood. Just driving to Houston and paying state sales tax is more than Boat Builder Central's wood + shipping, and that's in a 25MPG truck...

[AtTheBrink]

Good choice on the wood and the truck! I thought it was the law here in Texas that every man own a truck?
And you are right about plywood prices. You would be hard pressed to beat the prices here or the quality you get here. And you are supporting the guys that will be supporting you thru out your build! Everyone wins and that is a rare thing these days.