Wooden boat building.

[terry32506]

Hello, my name is Terry and I am a crafstman of small projects..I build fly fishing boxes among other things but looking now to get into building small flat bottom fly fishing punt not to exceed 8 feet long. I have read about these one sheet ply boats but not sure if thats the ideal way to go with a boat being 8 feet or under..Anyone know of some good free plans out there and what do you think about the stitch and glue method? It looks to be quite simple and effective. I want to build a flat bottom boat to be lightweight, strong and stable and preferably not to use fiberglass if thats possible? I will likely be doing this project in the fall or winter time..I have a covered 12 x 20 shop, plenty of room however its not heated so thats another reason why I dont want to construct with fiberglass as I have it understood fiberglass is difficult to work with in cold conditions. I would like to finish the boat with something alternative to marine paint because of the cost but if there is nothing then marine paint will have to do. if there is.. I use to have a 7 1/2 foot flat bottom ply with fiberglass and on the bottom it had 3 runners, why 3 and not just one I dont know. I liked the boat it was nice and wide, stable and strong.

Your help would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to reading your responses.

thanks very much,

Terry

[dskira]

I think if you search on Google "free boat plan" you will find some site which deal with free plans.
Good luck, and hope you will built your dream boat.

[terry32506]

Hi , yes I have been searching google , so far havent found a good one but thanks for the suggestion

The only one I know:

http://www.svensons.com/boat/

If the boat is´nt stored under cover (ventilated) you need to make serious effort to prevent the wood from water ingress. Usually thats done by encapsulating the ply in Epoxy resin. The fiberglass adds abrasion resistance but little strength. Just "marine paint" will not be sufficient for long.

[ancient kayaker]

Hi Terry and welcome aboard! Might be something on these sites:

http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/
http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/freedes.htm

I have done some single sheet boat design as well but it is all canoes so far, they go like stink but would not be stable enough for fishing.

Most single sheet afficionados are minimalists by inclination, many take great pride out of some kind of weight-bearing floating contraption out of just one sheet of plywood with nothing else whatsoever except fasteners and glue, even avoiding the use of glass. Their boats tend, IMHO, to use excessively thick ply and consequently pay a weight penalty. There is no real need to use thicker ply than is used on other small boat designs. There is no need to be obsessive about getting all the panels out of one sheet of ply either.

Let us know what you discover and decide to do!

[terry32506]

Hi Terry , thanks for those links..I sure have alot to think about which way I want to go but I think your right on the one sheet boat , too small for a fishing boat...I would still like to make one though 8 feet or less...As mentioned I had a 7 1/2 footer and I could fly fish in it without a problem sitting or standing. The guy I bought it from said he took some plans and made changes to it as he went along building it and I get the feeling I will be doing the same when I pick out a plan.


Terry

[lewisboats]

Sorry to burst your bubble but Stitch and Glue and Fiberglass go hand in fist...you don't have one without the other.

[terry32506]

Are you meaning to fiberglass tape the seams or the entire boat to be fiberglassed using the stitch n glue method?

[PAR]

Taped seam (stitch and glue) builds do require some 'glass work, though they don't always have to have the whole outside covered in fabric.

I have developed several designs that are epoxy free, 'glass free and can be built with minimum fuss. The plans aren't free, but you generally get what you pay for and these small boat plans don't cost much anyway.

Email me (click on my name) and we can discuss your needs.

[Ike]

Try One Sheet Challenge http://www.simplicityboats.com/OSchallengeresults.html

Or One Sheet Links
http://www.tdem.co.nz/boat/links/one-sheet.html

As was said, stitch and glue go hand in hand. Most stitch and glue boats use epoxy resin and fiberglass tape to seal all the seams. Some glass the entire outside of the boat. I built a 12 footer with stitich and glue but only use fiberglass tape on the seams. I simply epoxied the rest of the boat. It is a simply, relatively easy method for building a boat. You don't need to be a master craftsman to do it. I used three power tools, a skil saw to cut out the parts, a jig saw for smaller work cutting hatches, holes and such, and a power orbital sander. Everything else was done with hand tools.

As was said, don't go with heavier than you need. Mine is all 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch douglas fir plywood. The only thing thicker is the transom because I occasionally use a small outboard. I just glued two 1/4 inch pieces together for a 1/2 transom.

[terry32506]

Hi Ike , the 3/8" thickness ply what did you use that for , the seats?

[terry32506]

Originally Posted by apex1

The only one I know:

http://www.svensons.com/boat/

If the boat is´nt stored under cover (ventilated) you need to make serious effort to prevent the wood from water ingress. Usually thats done by encapsulating the ply in Epoxy resin. The fiberglass adds abrasion resistance but little strength. Just "marine paint" will not be sufficient for long.

Ahh yes makes alot of sense , now I know why I have seen some cover the entire boat with epoxy, seal it tight!

Originally Posted by terry32506

Ahh yes makes alot of sense , now I know why I have seen some cover the entire boat with epoxy, seal it tight!

You´ve got it! SEAL is the reason.

[ancient kayaker]

Single-sheet boat designing and building is fun, cheap and intellectually stimulating. Some designs are somewhat iconic, some deliver an amazing amount of boat for such a small investment. Been there and done that, but another half-sheet or so of ply will get you a better boat. The second sheet of ply allows the bottom to be thicker, a good thing in a small boat.

You may also wish to have safety features like buoyancy tanks, decks for appearance, and convenience items like storage and seats.

That said, a tiny first boat is good training and preparation for the next and better one. Unfortunately boat design is a bit like dinosaur evolution or new car models, the trend is for bigger. Remember the quotation attributed to Aristotle Onassis: "boats are like rabbits, you can have one or many but you can't have just two" ...

A note on "stitch and glue". All my boats so far are glued. None of them are stitched or contain 'glass. They don't use a lot of epoxy either as it's slow and I don't like using the stuff, but I'm not obsessive about it. The one I am building currently is the first one that will have any fasteners in it.

[Ike]

Terry:
The 3/8" is the bottom. It's a flat bottom boat and the designer specific 3/8. The sides are 1/4, and the seat tops are 3/8.