Need help fiberglassing and painting flat bottom skiff

Okay, am I the only one here that thinks the boat is going to have a stability problem? It will be fine at the landing, but that is not going to perform in much of a wave.

It will like to lay over easy.

Think narrow jonboat.

 

Personally, I think you ought to use it as a bookshelf and spend some money on a better plan.

 

I didn’t comment at first, but...

The boat looks very narrow with tall sides, too tall for the design. It will float, but has an excellent chance of being very tippy. This is just based on the pic, pics don’t always show the correct perspective though.

If you want to continue with this build, don’t use expensive materials or invest a great deal of time and effort. One layer of 1.5 oz mat with polyester resin is all you need.

I would even put it in the water before you go any further to see if floats like you want it to. This may prevent more money being spent if you need to modify it.

While polyester isn’t the ideal product to cover plywood, it will easily hold up for several years of use.

When you finish this build and get a better idea of what want, you can start another one and upgrade all the materials and design.

 

I would agree with fallguy and ondarvr re how this boat does look like it will have a stability problem.
And I also agree with fallguy's suggestion to use it as a bookshelf - cut it in half transversely amidships, stand the two halves on end, add some shelves in way of the frames and you will have a couple of very neat and 'different' (to the normal stereotype) bookshelves.

Rather than spending more money (and time) now on buying fibreglass materials, you can chalk up to experience the time and effort put in so far, buy a set of plans for a boat that you like, and start again using better quality materials - it will be well worthwhile doing this in the long run.
I just typed 'small boat plans usa' into Google, and the Wooden Boat Store was top of the list with a link to this skiff which is similar to yours in some ways, except that she has another foot of beam, and flared sides. They mention that the plans start at $100.
Caravelle Skiff — Chase Small Craft http://www.chase-small-craft.com/caravelle-skiff

Alternatively, the Jimmy Skiff from Chesapeake Light Craft looks very neat - a set of full size plans along with an instruction manual is $125.
Rowing, sailing, and fishing skiff https://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/Jimmy-Skiff-II.html

And there are many more similar types of plans available on the web - happy googling!
If you see any that you like the look of, you could perhaps ask on here what the Forum thinks before you commit yourself to purchasing a set of plans.

 

Another notable is it appears the transom has no angle. I could be in error on the observation, but a standard transom angle is 12 degrees Sam. So, your transom won't really work and a clamping board would be required.

With your build skills; build to a designer's plans. This boat looks a bit dangerous.

I recall a time in my youth fishing on a paddleboard and getting flipped over in some rollers about 1.5' high. I dare say that paddleboard had better dynamic stability than this design because it had no narrow front or aft section.

What makes a boat more stable is sufficient beam and a low center. This boat will have neither. The 2.4 frames raise you up about 4" and the beam is too narrow.

We could be wrong on the stability, but noone here wants to see someone drown in a poorly designed hull.

 

Thanks. I never intended for this boat to be used a lot. I wanted to learn boat building skills like fiberglassing on something cheap and was kind of embarrassed to share this boat. I will add weights to the bottom of the boat to increase it's stability and the transom is at 10 degrees. I will get plans for my next boat, probably a dihngy. I know this is an unusual approach, but I don't want to severely mess up something expensive

 

I don't think that adding weights to the hull bottom is going to improve your stability an awful lot - if you want to go fishing in it then ideally this craft should be able to cope with you getting on your feet (rather than on hands and knees) and your weight high up is going to need an awful lot of ballast to act in opposition - and then you have worries about your buoyancy.....
If you are determined to carry on with this project (ie not convert it into a couple of nice book cases, which I still think would look very attractive), then I would suggest that you add some positive buoyancy in the form of buoyancy compartments at the bow and stern, enough to at least keep you afloat if you get swamped (rather than floating with the gunwhales awash, which is what will happen if you don't have any enclosed compartments).
And re improving the stability, you could take inspiration from the Pacific sailing proas that have an additional smaller hull attached using a couple of outriggers. The smaller hull would ideally need to have (as a minimum) enough buoyancy to resist attempts to sink it even if you are sitting directly on it with your feet out of the water.
Re your worry about 'messing up something expensive', that is the beauty of purchasing plans drawn by somebody who is experienced in this field - they have invariably learned by trial and error what not to do, and what does work, and this knowledge will be applied to the plans. Generally, if you follow the plans carefully, you shouldn't 'mess up'.

 

The only way I'd get in that boat is with outriggers.

 

I strongly recommend aborting the mission.

Get a set of plan for a proven design.

Here is a small dory.

Semi Dory 11 (SD11) - Study Plans https://bateau.com/studyplans/SD11_study.php?prod=SD11.

Plans are 45 bux.

What you are doing is called throwing good money at a bad project. Based on the pictures, the semi dory will be ez for you to build.

Kindest regards.

 

Or this plan is 10 bux.

Bateau.com user built boat gallery - boats/NC16 https://bateau.com/boats/NC16/index.php#/0

 

Re Fallguy's link for the NC16, in the photo library there is this one, showing a proa sailing version with a very simple outrigger.

 

I just saw this post on the Duckworks site and was reminded of Sam's post here, hence I thought I would post a link - Frank also built a 12' long canoe / skiff, and he has found that it is a bit tippy (although it appears to be a bit less than 3' wide).
So he did some modifications, and has also posted photos of the changes he has made.
Duckworks is a public group, so hopefully anybody on FB can click on this link ok.

Frank Smoot https://www.facebook.com/groups/duckworks/permalink/2251123148443395/

 

At the point you are in the build, about $20 will buy enough resin and mat to seal the seams. Assuming you can swim, launch the boat in shallow water, climb in and see what happens.
3M Bondo 1 qt. All-Purpose Fiberglass Resin-20122 - The Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Bondo-1-qt-All-Purpose-Fiberglass-Resin-20122/202077790
3M Bondo 8 sq. ft. Fiberglass Mat-20129 - The Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Bondo-8-sq-ft-Fiberglass-Mat-20129/202077814

 

SamC You can do it! You have the building skills.

But your design is like my design for a canvas and wood gunwale and stringer whitewater kayak in 1972, when I was 18 yrs. old and a new acquaintance told me that I had better stop and speak with his buddy who knew a lot about kayaks. Seems that by 1972, white water kayaks had moved on to fiberglass. I stopped and never bought the canvas, but I kept the already spar varnished wood gunwales and stringers for a few years after I laid up my first fiberglass whitewater kayak, because my ego was so bruised. But I am glad that I learned what I learned when I learned it. Just like where you are now.

I vote for the Jimmy Skiff II linked above. You can build it! You got the skills!

It even has a dagger board which is a lighter and better substitute for lateral resistance than ballast.

You will make a great boat. You may even be able to use some of your existing materials. But if not, don't worry, you already have accomplished your goal: "I never intended for this boat to be used a lot. I wanted to learn boat building skills."

Come on now. Accept what you have learned. Own it.

Don't get caught up by the "sunk cost." In economics and business decision-making, a sunk cost is a cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered. Sunk costs are contrasted with prospective costs, which are future costs that may be avoided if action is taken. In other words, a sunk cost is a sum paid in the past that is no longer relevant to decisions about the future. Even though economists argue that sunk costs are no longer relevant to future rational decisionmaking, in everyday life, people often take previous expenditures into account when making future decisions.

Come back here. And keep building. Compare your design with the design of the Jimmy Skiff and contemplate why they are different. Then think about how you can build to that design and maybe even slightly improve upon it.