I might be in over my head. 14 ft Flats boat build. sorry no pics, yet.

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Mark C. Schreiter, Jan 6, 2021.

  1. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member

    I’ve been around boats most of my life but never owned or (don’t tell anyone) driven one. So I decided to do the smart thing and build one myself. It is and all foam and fiberglass 14 – 15 ft low sheer flats fishing boat. My previous job I was a composites tech/engineer performing and engineering off wing repairs on corporate and commercial aircraft so I’m comfortable with most methods of layups. As this is my first build and firsts (for me) are usually better the second time around I am trying to go as cheap and simple as possible, well as cheap as I can with foam and epoxy. I don’t know what I don’t know and I thought I did enough research to get me moving but now I’m getting tripped up with some of the overlooked details. So far the frames and stringers are glassed and I’m close to working on the hull. I am working from plans but they do leave a lot to be desired and because of this and some changes im making, I’d prefer to leave the designer out of it. To their defense, as an engineer my job now is to scrutinize engineering drawings for major modifications to aircraft structures, so it’s very difficult to not find issues with the best of plans. I have contacted the designer with questions and they have been impressively responsible and an experienced builder would probably have zero issues with the plans. My modifications include a slightly higher sheer, slightly wider frames and more structure to support the deck and sole. Ive also opted out of vacuum bagging as this is only a 14 footer and the strength to weight should make too much of a difference. I figure it will be about 50lbs heavier using wet layup. I’m ok with that.

    My plans are to fill areas under the sole and decks with pour foam and seal them off as much as possible. At the moment I’m either going to have 2 hatches, 1 on the bow and one on the stern or just leave an open compartment on the frames leading under the bow deck and the stern deck and have clean smooth decks front and back, Id like rod holders under the gunwales, 2 on each side, polling platform on the stern and down the road a small casting platform on the bow, Id like a15-25 hp 2 stroke tiller motor because I like loud noises and burning dinosaurs and a grab rail on the deck to save as much room as possible.

    The plans call this boat “self Bailing” but they do not define how it should work. I believe the sole is above the water line and I’ve seen one that has a couple holes cut in the transom that will allow water to escape. This would make a for wet feet and Im ok with that but should I consider draining all water under the floor via a pipe at the chine and a drain plug on the transom. I was hoping to avoid this for simplicity and what happens to the water if the pipe gets full? Is this where a bilge pump is needed? I also didn’t want to have to many if any accessories to avoid a battery but I would need one if I added a bilge pump. If so where would I mount the battery? At the stern? Should it be raised off the floor to avoid water? And for the fuel tank, Is it better to mount one permanently under the sole or just have a removable one either at the bow or stern? Im guessing down the road Im gonna want to add lights and GPS, depth finder and whatever else but for now its all wasted on my abilities. That being said should I run PVC pipe and sort of retrofit the boat for future additions? The problem is I don’t know enough to know what I want. I mainly envision myself hoping around the Tampa Bay area solo, learning how to drive and better fish the thing and hold off on passengers until I get a clue.

    So for all you guys with experience building and boating, what are some things you wish you would’ve considered in the beginning? What can I do now to allow myself to grow into the boat down the road? Is there anything major that I need to start considering?

    Sorry for the long post, im sort of alone in this process as my wife and daughter are not yet interested and my friends are more clueless than me.

    Thanks for any and all advice.

    As a side note, its too late, Ive already started building the thing.

    -Mark
     
    DogCavalry likes this.
  2. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
    Likes: 959, Points: 113
    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Let's sum up:
    Rookie
    Little to no support
    Multiple design modifications
    Overwhelmed

    Doesn't surprise me in the least.
    Go boating, drive.
    Borrow a small boat, or buy one.

    But stick to the design, unless you don't like it.
    Find another design that you like.

    Post pictures.
    Go out on a boat.

    EDIT: Just found this in one of your other posts:
    "Perhaps a big reason is that I know myself well and my ADHD gets the best of my and projects tend to get shelved. I don’t want to end up shelving a pricy “fun” project."
    So, stop where you are and go get a boat that allows you to do what you wanted to do.
    Simple.
     
    bajansailor likes this.
  3. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member

    I guess that’s about the response I should have expected in a forum.

    I’m building a boat that either rarely shows up on the used market and if it does it’s been hacked up with 2x4’s and elmers glue or new from $10k and beyond. Nothing that I’m doing is out of my wheelhouse, I just have a few questions that I thought would be solved in the plans.
     
  4. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
    Likes: 959, Points: 113
    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Mark, I'm really sorry.
    I didn't mean to rain on your parade but I did call it as I see it.
    I wish you every success with your build.
    BB
     
    Mark C. Schreiter likes this.
  5. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Who drew the plans?
     
  6. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member

    Im making the boat an inch wider in the rear and adding an inch or two of sheer, they also called out for 1 layer of 12 oz and 1 layer of 6 oz on the hull but im going with 2 layers of 12oz. because im changing things slightly, id prefer to not say who designed the plans to avoid conflict. People on these boating forums or forums in general seem to get really bent out of shape when you don't follow the rules. I get it, i do but its a tiny boat meant for a couple feet of water.

    -Mark
     
  7. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    I will gladly help. You can get my contact info if you send me a private message.
     
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  8. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member

    You may be opening up a can of worms here. lol
     
  9. DogCavalry
    Joined: Sep 2019
    Posts: 3,076
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    Location: Vancouver bc

    DogCavalry Senior Member

    Mark, not to worry. Nobody minds if you don't follow the plans. We just want to see you succeed, and there's no reason to think you won't. You just need to advance logically. Visualize far enough ahead that you don't build in any roadbocks. Then build to the limit of your knowledge, and stop. Post photos at that stage highlighting your current conundrum. We'll talk you through it, and the process repeats.

    For an example of really getting in over your head, check out my Sea Sled Madness thread. There's a guy who's in over his head...
     
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  10. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    fallguy Senior Member

    by the way, you won't miss out too much on skipping the bagging in a 14' boat; you could recover the weight by using tapes without mat for tabbing; depending on specs

    1708 x 2 spec is 50 oz, permission to 1700 is 34
    1208 x 2 spec is 40 oz, permission to 1200 is 24

    harder to build no mat is all
     
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  11. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member


    Yeah I figured bagging materials would add so much cost and the boat would be maybe 50lbs lighter? Plus all the additional time in labor, it just didn't seem worth it.

    I did purchase tabbing with no mat and also a roll of 12 oz 45/45 no mat. hide sight the no mat on the deck and hull is gonna be an issue so i may add a layer of mat or veil to help the fairing process.
     
  12. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    You don't need mat surfaces on an epoxy boat for fairing.

    just sand away some shine and fair, epoxy fairing compounds are pretty sticky stuff
     
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  13. messabout
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Lakeland Fl USA

    messabout Senior Member

    Mark; you intend to have a poling platform aft and maybe a casting platform forward............. this is to be a 14 foot boat. Have you accounted for the shifts in the CG and CB while using either of these platforms?
     
  14. Mark C. Schreiter
    Joined: Nov 2020
    Posts: 69
    Likes: 12, Points: 18
    Location: Tampa, Fl

    Mark C. Schreiter Junior Member

    Of course I haven’t thought of that. That would be pre planning research. I plan to diet heavily and hold of on those modifications until I know it can handle it.

    I’ve seen a couple boats built off these plans with both platforms. I have no clue how they function on them or if they modified the hull to accommodate.
     

  15. DogCavalry
    Joined: Sep 2019
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    Location: Vancouver bc

    DogCavalry Senior Member

    I realize you don't want to name the boat, but if there are plans, presumably there is enough of a community that you should be able to find pics of them in use. Possibly with those optional platforms in use. Failing that, if you can provide hand drawn lines, many of us can do a reasonable first approximation of cg and cb changes.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2021
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