Help me build my first boat! Please

Discussion in 'Projects & Proposals' started by MisterSteve124, Jul 7, 2007.

  1. MisterSteve124
    Joined: Jul 2007
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    Location: Pennsylvania

    MisterSteve124 Junior Member

    Hi I'm new to the forums and me and my friend are planning on building a boat this summer. We only have a couple of specifications:
    We want it to hold us and maybe a friend or 2 (Atleast 3 people)
    We want to spend less than $200
    We want it to fit in the back of a pickup(its ok if it hangs out)
    And finally I don't want it to be a total piece of crap. I would like the boat to last atleast a few summers. I made a few sketches of plans and I was planning on making it out plywood and other pieces to frame it and coating the whole outside in fiberglass. Now I'm planning to make the bottom flat and then put the sides on on angle and then in the front have two planks of plywood curve and meet in the center. Then we were just gonna put some bench seats on it, a sail, a rudder, and a centerboard. Now I know that you guys probably have suggestions so I would love some help on the design or any aspect of it since this is my first boat. Thanks a lot and sorry for the lengthy post.
     
  2. Raggi_Thor
    Joined: Jan 2004
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    Location: Trondheim, NORWAY

    Raggi_Thor Nav.arch/Designer/Builder

    I saw a thread here a while ago about the "100 dollar boat".
    It's difficult to stay below 200 USD if you start playing with glass and epoxy.
    With a few frames and stringers and just plywood and glue (epoxy if you like) and paint (almost free exterior house paint, mixed to the wrong color) or varnish, it's possible.
     
  3. MisterSteve124
    Joined: Jul 2007
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    Location: Pennsylvania

    MisterSteve124 Junior Member

    Well I'm getting some fiberglass on ebay for only 36 dollars so I just have to pick up the resin. But I don't really want to pant it or anything I just want to make the boat and use it. Assuming that I can get resin for around 25 dollars?? That would be just 60 bucks on all the fiberglassing materials. Now shouldn't 140 be enough for maybe 3 sheets of wood and some pieces for the frame and seats and such? I guess I can deal with it if it's a little bit over but not too much. Other than that lets not worry about the price for now how about the design? maybe I'll draw up a rough picture.

    EDIT: Infact I have one it's rough but it gives you somewhat of an idea of what it would look like.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Bergalia
    Joined: Aug 2005
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    Location: NSW Australia

    Bergalia Senior Member

    Help me build my first boat

    Check out sites for 'dories'. Simple to build, flat bottomed and rugged. Adaptable for oar, sail or motor.:)
     
  5. alan white
    Joined: Mar 2007
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    Location: maine

    alan white Senior Member

    Steve, you need a design, I think. Check out "Instant Boats" online. There are simple small boats that you could build. With so little money, a dinghy about 7 1/2 ft long would be a good choice. It is ambitious enough to build your first boat, why not spend $25--$50 on some plans, which will tell you the measurments of each piece and the materials list?
    I think it's great to design your own boat too, but everything you do in designing the boat yourself will be guesswork. A small boat is sometimes a marine architect's biggest challenge. There are a thousand ways to mess up, and granted, it's good to learn from your mistakes, but maybe the building alone is enough of a challenge first time around. If you have only a short time span to accomplish the building, a set of plans from a knowledgable designer will cut that time way down and give you a boat that is guaranteed to do its job well.

    Alan
     
  6. Guest625101138

    Guest625101138 Previous Member

    If you want a short boat that is fast, stable and easy to build you should think about a catamaran.

    I suggest two hulls about 10ft long (might just be manageable in the pick up). Could always place on racks over the cabin or leave stick out over the tail gate. (I have carried a 10ft boat in a hatchback with the rear seat folded down). The overall width would be as wide as you could sit in or on the truck.

    The hulls would be 1ft wide by 16 inches high. Just rectangular section with pointy ends. The top would be fully enclosed. There would be bulkheads say 2ft apart in the hulls to hold the shape and stiffen the hulls. Maybe some small sealed access ports on the deck for dry storage inside the hulls.

    Use 3/4" square runners for screwing 1/4" ply to the bottom and then sides. Likewise for the deck to the sides. Liquid nails will add strength and lasts OK. Countersunk stainless screws are best and probably worth the extra cost. Glass will add strength and seal it up but will not weather well unless it is painted or coated with a sealing coat. Round the corners on the ply before glassing so the glass sits flat along the edges.

    The hulls are connected together by a hollow crossbeam that is 6" high and 16" wide. Made the same way as the hulls. The beam is long enough to sit across the top of both hulls. This beam also acts as a seat. Make foot wells front and back of the seat. That are say 8" above the bottom of the hulls. You can angle the front of the front well so it deflects waves downward.

    This is a very stable little boat. Will be faster than a flat bottomed boat. It will be strong and unsinkable.

    Alternatively you might be able to find an old sailing cat that you can buy for under USD200. Masts, sails and rigging cost lots more than USD200 unless you can get them second hand.

    Rick W
     
  7. Bergalia
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    Bergalia Senior Member

  8. MisterSteve124
    Joined: Jul 2007
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    MisterSteve124 Junior Member

    Well thanks a lot for your help and advice but all I really want to know is if you guys think this design will work well? Is there anything I should change about it? I'm not going to buy plans because thats just another bit of money and honestly I don't feel that I really need them. So I would like to stick with this design and just make some changes with it so what do you think I should fix/change?
     
  9. alan white
    Joined: Mar 2007
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    alan white Senior Member

    A top view is not a design. Draw every view and show every dimension, and then someone can make sense of it.
     
  10. Bergalia
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    Bergalia Senior Member

    Help me build my first boat

    Bow section looks a bit 'iffy'. From the drawing a 'weak' joint and prone to collapse with a bump or rough handling. Tapering bows for strength need to be incorporated 'seamlessly' into the overall hull design.
     
  11. Guest625101138

    Guest625101138 Previous Member

    The boat you have drawn will be very slow unless you have enough power to get it on the plane. It will be a barge at displacement speeds. Very high drag. It would need a mast maybe 30ft tall and you would need to be on a wire to avoid tipping. This means it needs to handle big forces and well constructed.

    The other sspect is that you will find it difficult to form the curve in the bow without cracking the ply.

    I have drawn up the cat I was proposing so you get some idea of what I mean. This is very easy to build using 1/4" ply and would have ample strength using screw and glue. You will see that the ply has gentle curves so there is no risk of it cracking. This also means that the boat will not form a large bow wave. Unlike what you propose.

    I think you have a much higher risk of producing a total piece of crap using your design than a catamaran type boat as I have drawn. My design is much easier to achieve a strong boat that will sail easily and be more stable.

    You could use some large diameter aluminum tube as the cross beams but this is likely to be more expensive than making box beams unless you can get offcuts. Even something like 2" square steel tube would work but this would need to be seal welded and well painted. The wooden box beams also provide seats around the central floor well.

    Rick
     

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  12. Raggi_Thor
    Joined: Jan 2004
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    Location: Trondheim, NORWAY

    Raggi_Thor Nav.arch/Designer/Builder

    You can build something like that and it will float, It can be used for fishing for example. But as others said, you cant go fast and it will be hard to row or paddle.
     
  13. timgoz
    Joined: Jul 2006
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    Location: SW PA USA

    timgoz Senior Member

    Steve,

    I agree with Alan that you need to provide all the views of your proposed boat for anyone to give you any useful advice. What you have now is basically useless for the above purpose.

    By drawing the boat completely you will gain much knowledge & insight into the future construction details you will incorporate.

    Myself, I would go with a stock plan. The $50 you "save" could cost you plenty in the way of "false economy". I am to poor to be cheap. :)

    At the same time it would be a real challenge to design & you will not be going broke with such a small project.

    Do show your plans when complete & ask advice here as you go. Flydog just finished a nice little boat. Hopefully he will give some advice & encouragement as the process is fresh in his mind (& heart I dare say :) ).

    Take care & welcome to the forum.

    Tim
     
  14. Raggi_Thor
    Joined: Jan 2004
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    Location: Trondheim, NORWAY

    Raggi_Thor Nav.arch/Designer/Builder

    Here is one of many examples from www.boatplans.dk

    And here is what you get:

    Here's what you'll receive when you order a dinghy boat plan from me...
    Plan, profile and section drawing
    General arrangement drawing
    Nesting drawings for the plywood layout
    Dimensions for all hull panels (flat): Sides, bottom, frames, stringers, seats, deck, etc. All dimensions in metric and US units (inches)
    Assembly details
    Construction drawings showing assembly and parts numbers
    Fiberglass lamination detail
    Drawing list
    Specific building instruction for this boat
    Bill of materials
    Beginner's guide to boatbuilding
    Lofting manual - Boatbuilding Master Course Part 1*
    Assembly manual - Boatbuilding Master Course Part 2*
    Laminating manual - Boatbuilding Master Course Part 3*
    Epoxy manual - Boatbuilding Master Course Part 4*
    Free unlimited support and encouragement through our customer service forum or via email.
    *) Order your boat plans today and receive, absolutely FREE, a copy of my "Boatbuilding Master Course". With more than 100 pages of descriptions, pictures, and other useful tips in four downloadable manuals, this boat-building master course explains everything you need to know about planning, building, and finishing your own boat. ​
     

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  15. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    Hi Mister Steve

    Wow, you brought back some memories - so much enthusiasm, so keen to create and experiment on your own. Have a lot of fun.

    The advice from all the other chaps is veeerryy good. Its not until you have invested countless hours of trial and error and mistakes that you realise the value of that they say.

    Even applying fibreglass and working with timber has a lot of hidden tricks.

    However, one successfull CHEAP project I undertook, was a canoe built out of paper mache. If you use newspapers glued together with an inexpensive waterproof glue, and apply fibreglass or even a really cheap bitumous outer cover, you can get on the water for very little. I have taken my canoe out in surf off the beach.

    Good luck with the dream :)
     
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