Thinking of buying some molds...have some basic questions...

[gophaster]

Sorry for the total newb question but I will just cut to the chase. I have an opportunity to buy a set of molds for a 21 open fish/center console (hull/deck/console molds). I have a lot of experience with boats as far as maintanance, rigging, etc...but I have never built one...it is something I have always wanted to try...

I am looking to get a BALLPARK idea on material costs (just referring to building the hull/deck/console only) using foam instead of wood. Again just looking to get an idea here. I have been told by others as low as $3000 for materials by a couple folks and as much as $10,000 in materials by other folks. Just trying to get an idea for a basic build up here. If it's possible to do it for closer the $3000 I will give it a shot but if we are talking closer to $10k then I don't think I will go ahead.

Thanks for any and all input guys!

[Landlubber]

gophaster

See what they weigh when finished, the weight can then be priced quite easily for solids, but with a bit of interrpolation, you can basically know exactly what it costs to build, material wise at least.

[gophaster]

Thanks very much for the reply. The finished boat weighs 2200 pounds(without motor). Any ideas on materials cost?

Thanks again!

[jim lee]

I was told $5 / lb So.. That works out to? $11,000

Looks like you're over the $10k limit.

-jim lee

[gophaster]

Wow..yup that's way more than I thought it would be. Can anyone confirm that $5 per pound figure? How is that calculated?

Thanks!

[jim lee]

Resin ranges about $2 to $3 per pound depending on what you buy. Standard Ortho, I'm seeing as $1.80 ish and it goes up from there.

Glass.. 1808 biax is about $1.80 /lb Roven is maybe $1.60 / lb..

Using the cheap stuff your running $3.60 / lb now add.. Core? gelcoat? waste? Mistakes.. Then there's fitting out..

I made a little seat for a 8' pram. Two layers of roving, mat, gelcoat and some core on the top. Something like 3' wide? The cost in fiberglass materials alone was $19.32 it weighed in at about 4 - 5 lbs.

The $5 / lb figure came from an old boat builder local to me here.

Get the mold at give it a whirl if you can. Just be ready to spend more than you think you will. Keep your eyes open for deals. At least around here, there's a lot of stuff showing up on the market with everyone going broke.

-jim lee

[Eagle Boats]

Jim, I just can't help myself, but your calculation is wrong. You are adding the cost of one pound of resin and one pound of fiberglass to come up to $5/lb. But in actuallity, you have a total of two pounds of material for $5, which equates to $2.50 per pound. I would use $3/lb to take into consideration waste of materials, as well as some other necessary items that will cost more that that rate such as high density foam for the transom, etc.

In addition for my love to build boats, I am also a Certified Public Accountant.

Joe

[jim lee]

Oh, you're right!

Like I said, it was something I picked up along the way.

The really sad thing is that, in addition for my love to build boats.. I have a degree in mathematics! I cant even remember to divide by two. Shows how dumb I am!

-jim lee

[srimes]

Originally Posted by jim lee

Resin ranges about $2 to $3 per pound depending on what you buy. Standard Ortho, I'm seeing as $1.80 ish and it goes up from there.

Glass.. 1808 biax is about $1.80 /lb Roven is maybe $1.60 / lb..

Using the cheap stuff your running $3.60 / lb now add.. Core? gelcoat? waste? Mistakes.. Then there's fitting out..

I made a little seat for a 8' pram. Two layers of roving, mat, gelcoat and some core on the top. Something like 3' wide? The cost in fiberglass materials alone was $19.32 it weighed in at about 4 - 5 lbs.

The $5 / lb figure came from an old boat builder local to me here.

Get the mold at give it a whirl if you can. Just be ready to spend more than you think you will. Keep your eyes open for deals. At least around here, there's a lot of stuff showing up on the market with everyone going broke.

-jim lee

Is it really that pricy?

[Eagle Boats]

Give me the name and phone number of the place where you get your resin and glass from!

[Ilan Voyager]

Yes, I want the address...please 2 USD a pound of epox resin...Where are they, I'll take the plane tomorrow and I'll buy a few 1000's pounds if it's a good epoxy.

The figure of 4 to 5 USD/lb is a realistic one if you use good quality materials, as I have the experience (in Mexico because of high costs of customs and shipping it's far more than that...).

[srimes]

Resin comes from Dow, glass from Owens Corning. We buy full truckloads and quite often, so the volume discount must be substantial.

[gophaster]

I'd like to thank all you guys for chiming in. VERY much appreciated and enlightening. It seems the $3000 number that folks were tossing at me locally was completely wrong unless I want to make the boat lighter and weaker than it was originally designed to be....which is not something I want to do.

As a side question, do you guys have an idea on the going rate to lay up a boat in the mold? I guess that would be an hourly rate? How many hours would I be looking at roughly for a 21 open fish (hull, deck, and center console). Again, I am just looking to get a ballpark idea I know it's impossible to figure something like this without all the details but are we talking $1000 or $10,000 for labor?? Lol...I just want an idea

[Cobra1]

Originally Posted by gophaster

Thanks very much for the reply. The finished boat weighs 2200 pounds(without motor). Any ideas on materials cost?

Thanks again!

For a 21' boat, that's bloody heavy. Thats equal to 3 drums of resin, 1500 pounds, 2 rolls of 1708 at 400 pounds. And then another 300 pound's for gel and mat. It takes me a drum to build a 20 tunnel hull and deck, about 850 total, and it's solid. For your rig 1000 pounds might be more in line, depending on if you have a full liner floor or you using wood and a console glassed down to the floor. How wide is the boat? And will you have a full liner or just a glassed in wood/foam floor?? I saw a site on the web, a gent in Florida is sell marine laminating resin for 600 buck's, that is CHEAP. tell me what you have and I can get you within 100 bucks of what it will cost to you to build it.