Where to begin?

[mosquitolaGOON]

Can anyone recommend any good sites (besides this one of course) for learning how to build a boat? I have a little fiberglass experience and that's it. I'm basically looking at building a (and maybe more than one) shallow flats skiff. something basic like the ECC boats, basically a small poling skiff with a big deck, and probably walk around gunnels. Can anyone point me in the right direction as far as building molds and what I need to do? Any help would be much appreciated!

[Manie B]

start here - it is a very good site and remember research is days/months of work http://www.bateau.com/index.php carry on you will find your way around eventually, check all their links

[mosquitolaGOON]

Thanks! Also, is it possible to build a mold out of styrofoam and paint it with a glossy epoxy paint so the resin doesn't stick to it? I know the mold probably wont survive, but I'm just starting out so I don't have thousands to spend on a mold alone.

[Rick Willoughby]

There is some good discussion here on covering the foam. If you use heat you need to be careful to avoid melting the foam.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21711

You can also use Bear tape (the shiny stuff) to cover the mould.

I have used an existing hull as a male plug. Covered it with plastic and then used thin neoprene just stretched over the epoxy lay-up to a flat surface that forms a flange around the sides of the hull. Thin silcone rubber is better than neoprene but much more expensive. This achieves a result similar to vacuum bagging with the need for vacuum. I have not got a perfect outcome but it is simple to use micro bubble to fill in and bubbles that form under the rubber and then sand smooth.

You need a slow setting epoxy or a few helpers as it is best to do the whole thing in a single layup. It would be possible to do a couple of layers so the form will hold and then do some internal layers later possible using stiffening core.

Other method to consider is flat pack construction for a one-off hull. A developable hull usually does not give much away to a fully rounded shape in terms of performance and it will end up fairer starting as flat panels than something shaped by hand from foam.

You will find details on these methods on this site.

Rick W.