That RB12 is a handsome boat, but past experience indicates I'd take way to long to build it. I'm thinking kinda quick and dirty on this ne, something simple. And reminding myself that no matter how long I fool around with fairing and paint, there's a limit to my abilities with those materials.
Something a little bigger would be nice, fit an adult and a kid, but scaling up a little really increases the amount of material used and I'm concerned that having a bunch of seams will make the panels bend unevenly. that the stuff I'd rather let Jacques think through when he draws the plans- I have to say that he does an exceptional job of proactively avoiding stuff like that in his designs. That's why a modern plan made for S&G would be real interesting.
Minimax Hydro S&G
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
The MiniMax is a bit of a family tradition for me - My granfather built them with my dad and uncle, my dad built one with me, and my son is 3....I'll be building one in about two years. Growing up we would strap mine onto the deck of our "big" boat so I could use it on the lake. I would tow it to the canal in our neighborhood with a riding mower.
There is a professional boat builder named Jim Gardiner who is really into these things - even has a jig built to make sure the nose comes out flat/straight.
It is super simple to build, no molds required. I guess you could replace the 1X frames with plywood, and make an egg-crate out of the few internal members. There are lots of deck layouts - mine was simple and open, always used a tiller.
So I will certainly be building one, though not starting tomorrow. I'd be happy to document the process for your site when I get to that.
Photos from Jim - I have only one old grainy one from mine (25yrs ago)
There is a professional boat builder named Jim Gardiner who is really into these things - even has a jig built to make sure the nose comes out flat/straight.
It is super simple to build, no molds required. I guess you could replace the 1X frames with plywood, and make an egg-crate out of the few internal members. There are lots of deck layouts - mine was simple and open, always used a tiller.
So I will certainly be building one, though not starting tomorrow. I'd be happy to document the process for your site when I get to that.
Photos from Jim - I have only one old grainy one from mine (25yrs ago)
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
11 is a perfect age for one of these. She may out-grow it in a few years (though my ~40yo dad at the time, at ~260lb, would still hustle it around the lake).Fred in Wisc wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2017 3:37 pm Is this a boat that is relatively safe for an inexperienced wife/kid to play around on a small (400acre) lake? Does it have weird handling issues?
Its a small flat bottom - will slide around, add a skeg or a fin (we used surfing fins) to help it turn. The nose rides about 8-10" off the water, so a small lake is great. My friends and I towed each other around on kneeboards. It can easily be made unsinkable. It has no funky traits that I recall. We had a 9hp johnson tiller, would run just shy of 30mph. Scale up or down as you see fit, 4hp to 25?
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
Thanks for being the voice of experience there Matt. I'm currently moving into my new house, so no boat building until we're in and I have a second bathroom built out (gotta keep SWMBO happy) and a few repairs and updates done.
I really like the simplicity of this build and it looks real easy to adapt to more modern methods- just replace all the screws with epoxy and clamps, then skin it with some thin cloth on both sides of the bottom panel.
Ballpark, how long does it take you to build one- the structure, up to the point of fairing and painting?
I really like the simplicity of this build and it looks real easy to adapt to more modern methods- just replace all the screws with epoxy and clamps, then skin it with some thin cloth on both sides of the bottom panel.
Ballpark, how long does it take you to build one- the structure, up to the point of fairing and painting?
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
Two weekends
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
Well, problem solved for now at least. Was browsing craigslist for an appropriate outboard to build one of these and ran across this little guy.
It's been stored in a garage for quite a while, last registered in 2003. It's about 10' long, 4.5 wide, and has a 15hp Sears Gamefisher/ Force outboard ( only 59 pounds!).
Needs a little rigging and a good inspection, but the hull seems well built and rot free, paint finish is good enough for pounding around the lake.
Just couldn't pass that up for $300! Didn't get the trailer, but it's light and easy to move around with 2 people.
I'll probably need a 2nd one later on, I have a feeling it's way more fun to have 2 or 3 and race them around......
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67157
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67158
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67159
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage ... ?pid=67160
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67161
It's been stored in a garage for quite a while, last registered in 2003. It's about 10' long, 4.5 wide, and has a 15hp Sears Gamefisher/ Force outboard ( only 59 pounds!).
Needs a little rigging and a good inspection, but the hull seems well built and rot free, paint finish is good enough for pounding around the lake.
Just couldn't pass that up for $300! Didn't get the trailer, but it's light and easy to move around with 2 people.
I'll probably need a 2nd one later on, I have a feeling it's way more fun to have 2 or 3 and race them around......
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67157
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67158
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67159
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage ... ?pid=67160
http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage.php?pid=67161
Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
Fred, That little boat should be a blast!! Enjoy!! Jeff
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
Any kid that can't get in trouble with that needs to learn to relax. And by kid I mean "breathing person".
That looks like way too much fun. If you can get a few more of those I predict many family grudge matches.
That looks like way too much fun. If you can get a few more of those I predict many family grudge matches.
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
It won't break the 50mph speed limit on my lake, but I can certainly foresee some shenanigans in my future with that.
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Re: Minimax Hydro S&G
don't talk to Tom for a prop. We wouldn't want to contribute to any delinquency.Fred in Wisc wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:46 pm It won't break the 50mph speed limit on my lake, but I can certainly foresee some shenanigans in my future with that.
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