| Project by vipond33 | posted 574 days ago | 4542 views | 39 times favorited | 34 comments |  |
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This may bring a smile from the experienced boat builders here, for this my quite beginners work, but this post is more for the LJ’s that might think of building a little runabout with their son or daughter someday. A long term winter project that comfortably ends in summer bliss. And just $50 buck’s for the fully detailed and customizable pattern!
These are fun little boats. Powered by a 9.9 hp motor, it’ll top 25mph with a real shallow draft and a real low trail your hand in the water kinda thing for fun. (Please excuse me if I screw up any nautical terms).
How this happened is that an award winning Canadian architect that we do a great deal of work for, built the hull out of marine plywood and laminated ribs in his garage with his 11 year old son (pictured) over last winter. It then came into our shop where I helped him out.
Working with mahogany and eastern white pine we thin planked it out with brass screws and plugs for the most part, adding custom stainless trim everywhere and finding out too, just what it’s like to work without a right angle in sight. This was a difficult job for me, partly because I had no experience with boats and party because the hull as given was flawed. If things aren’t symmetrical, if the curves aren’t fair, if the balance is off then the work is harder and the result less pleasing.
The combing at the front and rear was especially difficult, for 4 separate corner patterns, templates and molds had to be made to create a perfectly matching laminated curve in each case, with only one shot at the miter angles. I spent some hours at this.
(As an interesting side note, all the mahogany used on this trim was reclaimed from a bed my boss made when he was very young).
So the moral is easy here, build your foundation true.
In spite of my complaining, it was a real pleasant exercise in problem solving with a new appreciation of the craft practiced by those that excel in this discipline.
gene
A few links of other builds and the plans. Some real beauties.
https://www.boatdesigns.com/products.asp?dept=360
http://www.jeffshomemadeboat.zoomshare.com/
http://tedsbuild.blogspot.com/2011/07/squirt-is-born.html
http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picarchv.html#squirt2
Action shots:
Landing
Cutting a curve
-- gene@toronto.ontario.canada : dovetail free since '53, critiques always welcome.
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34 comments so far
Rick
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3558 posts in 1230 days
#1 posted 574 days ago
Gene:
THAT is a BEAUTY!! Maybe I could size it up for 250Lbs. 6’-2”??
Great Narrative Also!
Thanks for posting!
Rick
-- ENJOY YOURSELVES GUYS!!!
vipond33
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1331 posts in 695 days
#2 posted 574 days ago
@ Rick: sure, easy to do, but bump up the hp if you want real thrills.
-- gene@toronto.ontario.canada : dovetail free since '53, critiques always welcome.
DaveGlx
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183 posts in 641 days
#3 posted 574 days ago
I agree! she’s a beauty!
-- Dave - Wood and glass makes class! (Thanks Roman)
SkolVikes
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37 posts in 974 days
#4 posted 574 days ago
Yep, I’m gonna need one of those.
peteg
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2324 posts in 1020 days
#5 posted 574 days ago
For one who has only ever worked on Arm + Leg power in the water I think this would be a great step up.
This is a realy nice looking unit Gene, what’s more you look like you uys are actually havin fun ::: )))))
Boys own stuff Mate
-- Pete G: If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got
Woodbutcher3
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361 posts in 1084 days
#6 posted 574 days ago
Over ther top, buddy. That is a fantastic project in all ways! What kid (and Dad) isn’t gonna remember that as a life long memory! Absolutely gorgious!
-- Rod ~ There's never enough time to finish a project, but there's always time to start another one.
mtenterprises
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641 posts in 890 days
#7 posted 574 days ago
Now thats the way a boat should look!!!!!! Not a pile of colored fiberglass resin. Really makes me want to build another kayak or canoe.
MIKE
-- See pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/44216106@N07/ And visit my Facebook page - facebook.com/MTEnterprises
Karson
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34396 posts in 2598 days
#8 posted 574 days ago
Very nice. Great build.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
SPalm
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4174 posts in 2079 days
#9 posted 574 days ago
That is SWEET!
My gosh, I can just imagine the problem solving that had to go into that.
Very nice,
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
KnotCurser
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1427 posts in 1266 days
#10 posted 574 days ago
Great work Gene!
When you take on a project of this scale, I think the best reward is the second you finish it and take a step back and just admire your own work! Payment of any kind takes second place to your sense of accomplishment.
Ya done good!!!!
-bob
-- Man is a tool-using Animal. Nowhere do you find him without tools; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all. - Thomas Carlyle http://www.ffrf.org
planeBill
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313 posts in 606 days
#11 posted 574 days ago
:)
Cool little boats they are. I know what you mean about that type of woodworking being so different from what goes on here. It’s all curves and no, well, very few right angles. It is a challenge, but a fun one and you did well.
What type of SS did you use?
-- I was born at a very young age, as I grew up, I got older.
Moron
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4475 posts in 2091 days
#12 posted 574 days ago
Stunningly beautiful, even if i cant see the flaws.
Looks like her maiden voyage was Georgian Bay
-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso
rance
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3865 posts in 1358 days
#13 posted 574 days ago
Now that looks like fun to build and funn-er to take out for a spin. I can just see some folks going overboard on engine size.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
dbhost
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4743 posts in 1429 days
#14 posted 574 days ago
My fat backside would swamp that thing, but it sure is a cute little boat! Nice work…
-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!
Bluepine38
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2162 posts in 1283 days
#15 posted 574 days ago
Great looking boat, and a very proud and happy pair of operators, and I am sure the son is going to graduate
to something bigger some day, but this boat will always be with him.
-- As ever, Gus-the 74 yr young apprentice carpenter
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