Duckskiff first time build questions

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by Dr. Oopy, Sep 27, 2016.

  1. Dr. Oopy
    Joined: Sep 2016
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Hello everyone, I'm looking at building my first boat and decided that the Duckworks Duckskiff is the design to go with. I'm thinking about the 15 foot planing version but I seem to be missing something. I can't seem to find how the sides mate to the bottom of the boat. Does the bottom nest inside the walls or do the walls rest on top of the bottom, or do they meet with a gap to be filled with thickened epoxy and covered with fiberglass? Does it really matter so long as it is consistent? Anyway I know that someone here will know the answer or will be able to offer some sound advice. I know I'll have more questions as the build continues, and I hope you won't mind offering your opinions and solutions.

    Thanks.
     
  2. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    welocome to the forum,

    it is stitch-and-glue construction, so you want to match the edges of the plywood where it meets at the corner. Once the fillet and fiberglass are installed on the inside and cured, you sand off the outside corner to give it a larger radius, so the small dihedral gap will go away.

    If you have them join to one side or the other it will slightly change the shape of the hull. that likely will not make much difference as long as you do it consistently. Though it is usually designed to match the inside edges of the plywood.
     
  3. Dr. Oopy
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Thanks for the welcome and the speedy reply. I've been studying many diagrams and read many pages and it was confusing as there are almost as many different ways of stitching the seems at the chine as Dodd's got kidney pills. I did see the way you have described on the Bateau.com site but I was unsure. I'm looking forward to my build and being a member of this group. Again thanks for the info.
     
  4. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    do not over think it too much, just go out and build it. You will find once you start building boats you will not stop at just one. So just consider this your "practice" build, you will find after you use it that there will be somethings you will do different on the next one...and the one after that...

    That is a nice simple boat to start with, not too costly and it will come together fairly fast. so do not sweat the details, just get started and you will see how it all comes together. Your next one will be better.
     
  5. Tungsten
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    Tungsten Senior Member

    You can chamfer the edges a little so when you go to stitch they'll tend not to slide off of each other.Drilling holes and putting bolts every 10" or so can also help to keep the sides and floor aligned.
     
  6. Edwardn
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    Edwardn Junior Member

  7. Dr. Oopy
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Thanks for the encouragement and the helpful tips too! If all goes well, I'm hoping to get the plywood this week and start cutting on Saturday. As it turns out I,m subscribed to Redbarnboats already! Really interesting to watch him as he builds.
     
  8. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    I have used plastic zip-ties rather than wires, it was easy on the fingers, faster than wire ties, and worked well.

    There is another method where you use heavy fishing line or polyester lacing cord through the holes and literally stitch it together. You leave the string in place when you fiberglass over the joint. It would save time, and not as much sanding to clean up around where you pull out the zip ties or wire stitching. When I do another stitch and glue, I will try that method.
     
  9. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Wire tieing panels together is tedious and requires you play with it quite a bit, to get fair curves. The easy way is to tack the panel edges together with finish nails or small screws. You don't drive the nails all the way home, just enough to hold the panels in alignment. If using screws, a small pad of plywood (1"x1" or so) under the screw head, covered in plastic tape will apply more force and keep the screw from sticking to the goo. Additionally, you only need fasteners in stubborn areas, like the bow and stern. Duct tape will do in many places and there's no holes to fill afterward. As to the side fitting over the bottom, well it just doesn't matter, use which ever seems is more convenient for you.
     
  10. Dr. Oopy
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Thanks to everyone for their ideas and input. Snowing here today, so much so it has brought down several large limbs of our poplar out in the backyard. So no picking up of plywood today. Just a good day to stay indoors and read about of all things....boat building! I think I'll be using plastic zip ties to stitch the boat together, seems to be the most popular way to go but I will also be using nails, screws, doodads, thingamabobs and whatchamacallems to temporarily hold some of the parts together as well.
    Again thanks to all, and keep those ideas a coming!
     
  11. Tungsten
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    Tungsten Senior Member

    I remember watching that redbarn guy before my first boat. One thing i dont agree with was the woven tape he used for seams and his methods of wetting it out with a tooth brush. Pre wet 45/45 tape on a flat table roll it with a bubble buster then lay it on your seams/fillets was much easier and the end results looked a lot better. I dont know if he has changed his ways but thats what i remember
     
  12. mydauphin
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    mydauphin Senior Member

    Having tried different methods, I now use these torx screw screws from Home Depot. When I am done I just unscrew everything and fill in the holes.epoxy all the joints together. and then lay the fiberglass as needed. very fast Construction and the panel stay put until everything is dry.
     
  13. Dr. Oopy
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Hello again all, I have a question in regard to splicing the plywood for the sides and bottom of my build. Given the sides are quarter inch and the bottom is half inch, I was wondering if I should go with butt blocks made of half inch for the bottom and quarter inch for the sides or whether or not to use a Payson splice utilizing 6 inch bi-axial tape on both sides of each panel and have a fiberglass tape spice. Your opinions and advice are greatly appreciated.
    Thanks again for all of the input!
     
  14. Dr. Oopy
    Joined: Sep 2016
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    Dr. Oopy Junior Member

    Well it's been a while but my build continues to come along. I have completed the stitching and gluing of the hull on the inside. I used epoxy mixed with wood flour for the fillets and 6 inch by 17 ounce bi-axial tape over the fillets to hold it together. I've got the doubler installed and glassed in on the transom as well as the exterior rub rail installed. Seems pretty solid already. I'm going to sand the interior this weekend and get the boat ready to flip and finish the exterior. My plan is to finish the exterior right down to the paint and then work at finishing the interior. Does anyone see any pit falls to this plan? Should another order of operations be taken? As always your opinions and ideas are most welcome. I've included a pic of my progress to date. Thanks!
     

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  15. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I like to insure all the internal and external seams are filleted and taped, before moving onto the exterior fairing and finishing (paint). If just one side of the seams are completed, cracks and shape distortions often rise up and haunt the paint job, if completed before everything is relatively solid.

    So the sequence is typically, tape the outside seams, fillet and tape the inside seams, leaving any temporary station molds or frames in place. Then fair, smooth and paint the exterior, before flipping her to fit out the interior, which is what I think you have in mind anyway, so go for it, she's looking pretty good.
     
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