New Member and New Build

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by gbennett1987, Mar 3, 2016.

  1. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    Hello,

    This summer I will be starting to build a boat. I currently have a 15' StarCraft that I was given and refurbished and have done wood-working as a hobby for years so I have a LITTLE building experience. My wife and I recently built a 10X14 shed by ourselves and are not afraid to take on projects .

    And this one will be a looong one, probably a few years. We actually would not be bothered if it took us until retirement which is about 10 years away. Definitely not in a rush. My biggest concern is actually keeping the boat protected during the build.

    We live on Grand Island NY, and because of building code cannot put up another structure on our property. The garage is not big enough to hold the boat we are planning to build so a canopy of some sort will be the protection the boat will have which also limits the building season when it gets too cold for working outside with the materials needed.

    I ordered the plans for Cooper Jr. from Paryachts and am anxiously awaiting their arrival so we can really get the project budgeted and figure out a time table to build the boat. Our dream is to have the boat done when we retire sell our cold climate house and do the Great Loop, followed by picking someplace a little warmer than NY to spend our retirement living on the boat

    I can't build a permanent structure but I should be able to build a 2X4 frame and put a canopy over it to house the boat during building season, then collapse the frame and use the canopy as a tarp to cover the boat during winter. Collapsing it will make sure snow weight doesn't tear the canopy, we get a fair amount of lake effect snow and it's heavy for a simple frame to withstand.

    Any thoughts on getting started would be much appreciated.
     
  2. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

  3. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    Wow those are some great prices. Thank you very much for the lead.
     
  4. LP
    Joined: Jul 2005
    Posts: 1,418
    Likes: 58, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 584
    Location: 26 36.9 N, 82 07.3 W

    LP Flying Boatman

    Good luck on your build. I will be eagerly following it. Paul has been very helpful in my design and build process.

    Maybe we'll bump into each sometime. We practically neighbors as I live in the Buffalo area.
     
  5. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Jerry, your plans are in route.

    When you do break down the temporary tarp shelter, erect a centerline beam, to hold the tarp off the boat. If a tarp is left to mother nature, it'll scuff and chafe anything it touches. Also consider staking off the sides or tossing roughly evenly spaced out lines, over the centerline ridge beam, so the tarp has more support with a snow load.

    The vinyl billboard fabric is about the same price as a good tarp.
     
  6. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    Thanks, I will be glad to see them.

    I thought about the ropes over the ridge beam but if I make it so it can stand up to the snow load the Island would consider it a permanent structure and my property is already at its limit. With it coming down each winter they won't bother me about it and I can then easily move it a little (within reason as the boat gets heavier) and not have it be such a problem.

    Once I have the plans I can better judge how long it will take me to get the boat to a point it can be put on a trailer to be moved as needed.
     
  7. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    That would be fun. My wife and I just got our first boat and finished refurbishing it last year so don't know anyone that is really in the boat world yet. We didn't even splash test it until the very end of the year and found the prop was slipping, couldn't even get it to plane :eek: . Have a new prop and bearing ready to put on this year.

    Could you PM me the name of the company you get your marine plywood from. Having a bit of a time trying to search on the internet to find many around here to compare prices.
     
  8. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    The plans arrived yesterday.

    This looks like a fun boat to build. At first I was a bit unhappy that there really is no detail for what and how to place the electronics and other fittings in the boat but when I saw why that isn't included it made perfect sense not to show them since people have and want so many different types of radios, spot lights ....... So many toys to consider it is definitely understandable.
     
  9. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Yeah, I've found that home built boats stick to the plans in regard to the basics, like hull shapes and structures, but everything else is a crap shoot. Most of the time, the interiors are quite different and equipment, particularly electronics can be all over the place, so I just stopped bothering. If you'd like recommendations for sounders, SSB's, gauge and instrumentation, etc., I can offer them, but there's so many choices and needs to fill, you might be better off with a little soul searching and Googling time. So, the plans focus on the boat build stuff, while you consider the multitude of options available and which might best suit your desires. Give me a call or email and we can discuss the primary concerns, if you'd like.
     
  10. LP
    Joined: Jul 2005
    Posts: 1,418
    Likes: 58, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 584
    Location: 26 36.9 N, 82 07.3 W

    LP Flying Boatman

    I built a sailboat for my first build and was surprised at how little reference was made to the running rigging. The standing rigging was well documented, but running rigging is a matter of personal taste, preference and experience. The same is true instrumenting and fitting out a powerboat. The challenge on my power boat was the electrics. There are many so sources on the Internet, it's more a matter of which to choose, not if you can find it. I eventually posted my wiring diagram here on the forum and I believe there are other diagrams to reference to give you a sound footing for when you start down that particular path.
     
  11. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    I have a background that includes working electronics so that part should be pretty easy for me once I pick out what all I want to install then put in a few extra lines for future use while everything is open. Easier than fishing wires through later. The plumbing will be the scariest part for me as I have no experience with it and certainly don't want anything leaking. But that is a very long ways off yet.
     
  12. charlief1
    Joined: Oct 2015
    Posts: 30
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    Location: Texas

    charlief1 Junior Member

    I'd suggest an A frame on each end and run a rope from one to the other. You could run several A frames to support more than just the ends and bolt them together (not to each other) so it wouldn't be considered a peranent structure. To secure the rop, get a couple of trailer anchors that are out beyond the ends, and use a come along to tighten the rope as needed, The A frame design will shed snow easily as well as allow you to do little things when it's warm enough.:cool:
     
  13. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    I will certainly consider the ideas of making a structure that can handle the heavy wet now we get but the town is kind of funny about putting additional structures on the property. Once I get to the point of having to move the boat outside to have enough room to work on it something will have to be done. I live in western NY so most winters are way to cold to work outside at least this first year, as I doubt I will get far enough along to have the cabin in place to be able to work on the interior of the boat. Between my work schedule and budget constraints this will be a pretty long project ... I think :)
     
  14. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    Finally going to go get some wood today to start building. I think I will have to over build the frame and supports as space is very limited so the hull will probably have to be moved before it is ready to roll over. But all the wood that will be used to beef up the supports will be reused after rolling so it isn't any extra money other than some casters to be able to roll it around.

    The weather is supposed to be a bit cool this weekend but I have a couple of days off to make good use of :)
     

  15. gbennett1987
    Joined: Mar 2016
    Posts: 18
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    Location: Grand Island NY

    gbennett1987 Junior Member

    Meager beginings

    Hard to believe but someday this will be the start of my boat. I did say it would be a loooong project LOL

    meager start.png

    I got only one frame started with having to stop to run errands today. Tomorrow is my wife's birthday so had to take advantage of her going to her mothers to go pick up her gift.

    This is the outside of frame 1. I need to make a curved top piece that will be the fore deck support. I'm figuring a piece of 1 X 8 will work. The top pieces are 5 inches so that would give me 3" to arch the top piece for the deck or would a 1 X 10 be better? It is just under 23" to the center line so the rise would be either 3" or 5" over that 23" distance. Opinions please. I don't think it should be too extreme but I do want the water to run off properly. The boards standing on edge are just to show the space where the stem goes. I didn't have anyone to hold the frames up so you'll have to visualize them standing to be oriented to the stem correctly.

    frame 1.png

    I put dowels in the joints just to help keep the boards aligned until I finish test fitting and put the gussets on. I hope to get the frames cut soon and then I can coat them with clear epoxy before final assembly of the frame. It's not much but it's a start :)
     
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