FS14 build on Cape Cod

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Nautilus
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FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by Nautilus »

Hello,
I have been building an FS14 on Cape Cod, MA over the past few winters and am determined to finish her this spring. I have been meaning to start a build thread for my Fast Skiff 14 for ages and have a few questions too, so now seems like a good time to start! Currently working on the inside, posting photos here: http://gallery.bateau2.com/index.php?cat=88073

My questions:

- Fuel tank: Has anyone had success using a permanent fuel tank in the smaller skiffs? I'd like to put mine in the middle seat but it is pretty tight for a portable 6 gal tank, as far as putting a hatch in the top of the seat. It occurred to me that I would only need small vent and access ports if I used a permanent tank. Could maybe fill around it with foam too.

- Flotation and painting: Should you prime the inside of the boat before pouring any foam? I'm planning to pour foam in the aft corners and under a partial sole outboard of the stringers in the section between the middle and aft seats.

- Marine plywood: I have read in the tutorials or maybe forums that the wood should have any voids, but curious as to why this is, and if it holds true for members that are not primary structure? When you saturate with epoxy, I'd expect the holes to get filled in. Does that create some kind of stress concentration?

Any feedback/help would be much appreciated.

Loral

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by seaslug »

I'm just finishing an FS18 I started on December 5th and I ordered a tank from Speedy tanks in New Jersey. Very easy to order online, and great people to deal with. I spoke with Tricia numerous times and she was extremely helpful. I think their minimum for a tank is $390.00 regardless of how small, and my 8"x8"x22" tank with fittings and a sending unit was $437.00 delivered. Just be sure if you decide on a built in tank that you have the room below the deck for a proper vent, and that you have access to all the hose fittings. My 5.5 gallon tank is a little smaller than I wanted, but I can get to everything easily and the tank can also be removed if need be in the future without destroying the boat. My biggest problem was the short distance the fuel fill hose had to run, and even with a 45 degree bent fuel fill deck fitting, and a hose with a pre-bent 45, it was still tight because of the limited space between the top of the tank and the underside of the deck. Just make sure you make a scale mock up out of cardboard or wood to be absolutely sure of the fit, and where the fittings will be, taking note of the direction you want the hoses to run.....I don't see any need in priming where you're going to pour foam, since everything should be coated with epoxy anyway, and primer is only used for the base coat for whichever paint you are using.

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by jacquesmm »

Nautilus wrote: - Fuel tank:
I like portable tanks in those small boats. You will almost never use more than 6 gallons and it is so easy to install, take to the gas station to fill etc. If you want a fixed tank, it can be done but you"ll have to find one that fits, install fills, vents, ground etc.

- Flotation and painting: Should you prime the inside of the boat before pouring any foam? I'm planning to pour foam in the aft corners and under a partial sole outboard of the stringers in the section between the middle and aft seats.
No need to paint if you fill with foam. No need to paint anything that is not exposed to the sun.

- Marine plywood: I have read in the tutorials or maybe forums that the wood should have any voids, but curious as to why this is, and if it holds true for members that are not primary structure? When you saturate with epoxy, I'd expect the holes to get filled in. Does that create some kind of stress concentration?
Something with voids will never be as strong as something solid but there is much more. While epoxy will seal the wood 100 times better than polyester or paint, the wood will still absorb some moisture. That moisture will go in those voids. The plywood core will shrink and expand repeatedly tend to delaminate the wood.
Our thick glass skins in epoxy will reduce that effect much more than with any other building method but a boat lives in moisture and everything we can do to limit the effect of moisture will help.
The first epoxy-plywood boats were made in the 60's and the ones made from quality plywood are still afloat.
Plywood choice is up to you: a cheap plywood boat will last 2 or 3 years, a fir marine plywood boat will may be last 5 to 10 years if well maintained, an Okume or Meranti ply boat built our way will last longer than it's owner.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

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Nautilus
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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by Nautilus »

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go with a portable tank. Another question related to the tank -- do you typically need to add ballast forward when only one person is aboard? I used to have a flat bottom 12ft skiff that rode much better with me seated in the middle of the boat using a tiller extension, but that same arrangement would be a bit of a stretch with the FS14. I'm thinking about locating the fuel tank in the middle seat to move more weight forward, but this also complicates the design to add hatch to the middle seat big enough to accommodate a 6 gal tank, and the fuel line run aft. Be easier to put it under the aft deck, since there is already a generous cutout with the CNC cut plywood kit.

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by jacquesmm »

Nautilus wrote:Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go with a portable tank. Another question related to the tank -- do you typically need to add ballast forward when only one person is aboard? I used to have a flat bottom 12ft skiff that rode much better with me seated in the middle of the boat using a tiller extension, but that same arrangement would be a bit of a stretch with the FS14. I'm thinking about locating the fuel tank in the middle seat to move more weight forward, but this also complicates the design to add hatch to the middle seat big enough to accommodate a 6 gal tank, and the fuel line run aft. Be easier to put it under the aft deck, since there is already a generous cutout with the CNC cut plywood kit.

I was going to suggest a tiller extension but you know about them. I don;t like the idea of carrying ballast but unless you move tank forward when alone in the boat, you need either ballast or a tiller extension. I would take a 2nd look at the tiller extension.
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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by Nautilus »

I don't like the idea either! I have no qualms about using a tiller extension -- off the top of my head it just seemed a big distance to span, especially as its hard to find motors with the integrated tiller/shifter. I decided to take the time to put the gas tank in the middle seat compartment too... turns out I'm headed off to sea at the end of this month until the fall, so she's not going to see the water anytime soon anyways :roll:

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by jacquesmm »

A tiller extension with an articulated joint exist. Search for:
HelmsMate Tiller Extension w/ U-Joint- 37"-51" Extendable

With that one, you don't have to push the tiller far.
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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by Nautilus »

Thanks for the suggestion Jacques.

Lots of progress in the last week on decks and bouyancy foam. I decided to add decks outboard of the stringers (like many of the folks here) and have foam poured in most of the compartment. Casting deck installed with some trouble -- my bow ended up being narrower than the plans, so the CNC cut casting deck didn't fit anymore :? After I trimmed it to fit, it was 1-2" short at the bow, so I made a little gusset to fit in the empty space, glued that to the casting deck then installed both together.

ImageImage
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I also decided to locate the fuel tank the middle seat, with a 1-1/2" PVC pipe serving as a conduit for the fuel line. The tank will straddle the opening between the stringers and I will add some brackets or plywood brace to hold it in place. The elbows shown in the picture have since been removed in favor of damming off a square space around the end of the tube, with a small drain hole in the stringer.

Image
Image

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod

Post by Nautilus »

I might win the award for slowest build thread ever but I am finally on the homestretch after spending most of the last year at sea! So much work since my last post it's hard to summarize, but I'd say the most noteworthy thing I did was add a vertical stiffener under the aft deck. I found it was very flexible with the large cutout that is part of the CNC kit design and was worried about being able to stand on it. My addition is overkill - I wish I had cut it off to be flush with the outboard face of the stringer. But it doesn't flex at all now. Here is a photo before I glassed it in:
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=65338

And here are some recent photos of the boat:

Finished inside fairing - http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=65341
First coat of primer - http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=65337

At this point I have 4 coats of Interlux Interprotect primer on the inside. For now I'm leaving it at that - under a deadline as I am moving to Houston area soon but want to launch her up here on Cape Cod first. The primer will work until I get down to Houston and put the topcoat on (Brightsides off white or Seattle gray). I am going to finish the outside of the hull though - planning on Brightsides in yellow and an ablative bottom paint (common up here - not sure about GoM tho).

I flipper her over last night and need to do a little more fairing on the bottom as well as address the chine issue I posted about awhile back (https://forums.bateau2.com/viewtopic.ph ... 07#p340607). I am working full time on the boat now and am hoping to get her in the water within a week.

Also about to spring for a new motor - new 20 hp 4 stroke, manual, 20" shaft either Honda or Tohatsu...

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Re: FS14 build on Cape Cod (… now Texas!)

Post by Nautilus »

Hi! Reviving my build thread as I have a repair question. I am posting it here as the boat feels continually like a work in progress :-) but please tell me if this should go in the repair forum and I’ll move it.

I recently nailed a slightly submerged log at full speed, and torqued my transom enough that the rear deck separated and glass tape delaminated from the transom about 6-8 inches on either side of the motor well. Here is a photo of the damage, and more detailed photos are attached.
IMG_0597.jpg
I think what I need to do is grind the tape back to wherever it’s still good, sand, retape, and then fair/prime/paint again. Wondering though if I need to also sand and reglue underneath the deck? (A far more undesirable job.)

I finished my FS14 in 2017 and then moved down to Houston, Texas. It’s an amazing boat and I have a lot of fun running around here. This is the first major repair I’ve had to make, and it was all operator error!
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