14ft skiff build

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by Mhall, Dec 15, 2020.

  1. Mhall
    Joined: Jun 2008
    Posts: 14
    Likes: 1, Points: 3, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Leesburg, GA

    Mhall Junior Member

    Hello, I have been exhausting google trying to learn as much as possible on fiberglass laminating but I am not really satisfied with what I have been finding. I am the new owner of some Johnsen Skiff boat molds/plug. The mods are the original molds from Jay White's shop and they are in horrible condition at best. The Previous owner had already had someone start on a new plug pulled from the worn out mold and it is so bad out of shape I have myself spent 40+ hours filling and sanding trying to get it nice and straight. I even cut off the top rail to build it back nice and symmetrical which is wasn't before. I still have a lot of work getting everything I want it before laying up a new mold but while in the process I am seeking a little info on where to begin with the lamination schedule with a little skiff like this. First thing I will be laying up are the molds which will be for the hull, top cap, and cockpit liner. I may even go so far as to add molded in no skid on the liner and top deck cap as I have always liked that attention to detail on a boat.

    For the hull layup I had planned on using CSM and 1708. I may also use some coremat on the sides and bottom to help reduce print through. These boats where rough and tough but I am wanting to build a more refined version with modern materials and determining the layup schedule is something I have yet to figure out. I have thought about building cored hulls even though the original hulls were solid glass, I am still not sure what route I want to go with that yet and I have plenty of time to sort that out. Would anyone be able to suggest a basic starting point for a lamination schedule for a little skiff like this? Depending on if I go with a foam core hull or solid glass will determine if I use a stringer system or not but for the time being lets just talk about a solid fiberglass hull as that is how these skiffs were originally built. Just looking at one of the skiffs I have on had the glass doesn't seem to be that thick and i believe they were chop gun and WR only. Any advice would be great, again just looking for a good starting point as I am sure I will go through a trial and error hulls before I get the strength to weight ration where it needs to be for a little shallow water poling skiff.

    Thanks
    Mike
     
    Will Gilmore likes this.
  2. Mhall
    Joined: Jun 2008
    Posts: 14
    Likes: 1, Points: 3, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Leesburg, GA

    Mhall Junior Member

  3. Will Gilmore
    Joined: Aug 2017
    Posts: 939
    Likes: 434, Points: 63
    Location: Littleton, nh

    Will Gilmore Senior Member

    Are you planning to produce a line of skiffs or is this a one-off? I'm asking because suppliers for glass and resin usually maintain a very well trained staff to help with new production companies. If you are going to be a regular customer, you might get a rep out to help build the whole process with you.

    I'm not in the business, but have expriences in similar manufacturing environments. There is likely a lot of professional help availible if you ask the right questions of the right people.

    BDN is a good place to start.

    Will (Dragonfly)
     
  4. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
    Posts: 2,929
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    Vectorply will do an engineered laminate schedule for you.

    Or examine an existing older model and start there.
     
  5. Mhall
    Joined: Jun 2008
    Posts: 14
    Likes: 1, Points: 3, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Leesburg, GA

    Mhall Junior Member

    Thanks for the replies. I do plan to bring this skiff back into production. It was a very simple boat and pretty much was just a chopper gun and woven roven which I guess works but I want to use more modern materials along with more of a flats skiff layout with a floor system and top cap rather than glassed in seats. I bought a book on fiberglass boat building and it has some decent info on layup not really in great detail. It would be nice to have an actuall engineered layup schedual but it could be also easy enough on this small of a boat to built it a touch overkill. It will have a stringer system and a bonded floor system to I have no doubt it will be very strong. I am just a perfectionist and would like to make sure whatever I build comes out as near perfect as possible.

    I will look into Vectorply, that is a pretty nice service they offer.
     

  6. Scuff
    Joined: Nov 2016
    Posts: 285
    Likes: 44, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Richmond VA

    Scuff Senior Member

    Mhall likes this.
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