# Building a skiff (FS17)



## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

sweet beans! looks fun, wish I had the time for something like that. should be perfect for what you intend to do with it. When you say "our" plans, are you associated with bateau?


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

Yes, I am part of E-Boat - we own/run Bateau.com and boatbuildercentral.com The design belongs to my partner Jacques Mertens, sold through bateau.com [smiley=1-thumbsup2.gif]


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I'm dying to get a PH15, but don't have the courage to attempt to build one. That's a big price to pay on something that most likely wouldn't get completed. Does anyone build these for other people? How much would a PH15 run me built?


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Str8, I think there are a few people who build these professionally. I'll check on the forum and let you know.

By Feb. at the latest, I am going to build an FS18 or FS17.  I will be up in Stuart though.  You are more than welcome to drop by anytime to watch, discuss, help   or anything else.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> Does anyone build these for other people? How much would a PH15 run me built?


You can have one built. The cost really depends on the finish level. A nicely finished boat should be about the same as a mid-range quality production boat or the same size.


----------



## Guest (Oct 3, 2008)

Very nice and thanks for sharing here.


----------



## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Most of us know you guys have your own forum. So I am very impressed that you took the time to compliment microskiff and its members by posting that you found ideas on this site and shared pictures of your work. 

THANK YOU!!!!


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I have been a member of the Bataeu forum for about a year as well.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

feeling very welcome, thanks everyone


----------



## Guest (Oct 7, 2008)

Sorry in advance shine but I have to ask:

Are you done yet? ;D ;D ;D ;D

JK, please keep us updated.


----------



## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

This is the first low sheer version, correct?  Or at least the furthest along and most photo-documented.  It seems everyone over on Bateau who doesn't want a FS18 thinks the low sheer FS17 is the answer.  That hull looks great in the line drawings and better in your pics.  How much sheer did you take off?

Any thought on offering the round chine option to compliment the low sheer? Just curious.

Nate


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Shine dropped the sheer 4" all the way around. IMHO the round chine option on that boat would be an arse load of work & not worth it.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> Shine dropped the sheer 4" all the way around.  IMHO the round chine option on that boat would be an arse load of work & not worth it.


yes, plus it makes for a more wet boat. Where I fish (Sebastian/vero) the reds are not nearly as spooky as what I hear from you guys up. There is not a chine flat anyway so there is not much for water to "lap" up on and make noise. 

Im filling the under sole compartments with foam right now - that also does a lot to reduce noise.

will post some updated pictures


----------



## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

excellent photo journal.  I really liked the sanding and fairing implements. Although you didn't get into details about their use, etc. I think a lot people that don't have auto body work or other boat building experience under estimate or miss out completely on the tools and techniques to get a level and uniform finish over relatively large areas. Hopefully some lights went on for any newbies reviewing those pics.


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Deerfly if you check out their "how to" and tutorials you will find all the info you need and more.

Joel, guess I need to study the plans some more


----------



## phishphood (Dec 15, 2006)

Boy, if I only had the skillz, time, money, and patience, I'd love to do a project like this. Back to my day job it is.


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

If I can put together a plywood skiff with minimal tools,
and little knowledge of epoxy, without professionally designed
plans, then anyone can assemble one of these toys. I have to fix
my own mistakes and learn as I go. You get a set of plans and
instructions. Plus online help from others who have been there
and done that. If you think its too big a project or have time or
budget constraints, just for fun build one of the 1 sheet of plywood
skiffs. The skills are the same and will give you the confidence to
attempt a larger project. The hardest part of building a plywood
skiff is having to take your time. The patience needed to understand
and do it right the first time, and then wait for the glue to dry.

And put to up with the ribbing for taking so dang long.  ;D

Looking good shine, I'll have to make my own fairing tools,
pics of yours helped.


----------



## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> Deerfly if you check out their "how to" and tutorials you will find all the info you need and more.


I don't need the help, I've done more of that than I care to admit since the early to mid 70's. My only point was most first timers have hard time with that aspect and get frustrated when they can't get that showroom look after toiling so many hours on the primary stuff. I'm glad they have a reference and I should have known they did. Haven't been on their site in a while though.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

After the boat is built we turn the build thread in to a detailed tutorial.

We did the same thing for a 12' skiff and covered the fairing in detail in this howto file...

page 4 I think is the fairing
http://boatbuildercentral.com/howto/boat_in_box/index.php

90% of our builders are first timers. It takes more problem solving and initiative than particular a "skill". There is no wood working and epoxy is extremely forgiving for amateur laminations


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

decks are in, Carbon fiber poling platform supports glassed in, cooler/seatbox glassed. Not much more left now but the finishing, then the rigging


----------



## flyfshrmn82 (Oct 12, 2007)

Sweeeeeeeetness my man!!!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

We have been fairing/priming and sanding a few hours each week, not much different to show, but she will get paint very soon. 




























I bought a used 40 hp Tohatsu from a forum member , it has TNT so I ended up getting a manual bobs jack plate. 

Im 99% sure of the color scheme: Ice blue hull and insides and cooler box, light gray non-skid, white rubrail, white hatches, white poling platform and leaning post. But its not too late to change


----------



## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

Sweet! Can't wait to see it done! 40hp tohatsu will look good on FS17 and bet it will haul azz!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> Sweet!  Can't wait to see it done!  40hp tohatsu will look good on FS17 and bet it will haul azz!


your right, it on the highest end of what I wanted, but if its too much, I will try to find someone to swap it for a 25hp. 

If i prop it right, she will do over 35 mph (easy) with that 40hp. Thats a lot faster than I like to go with a tiller in my hand


----------



## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> > Sweet! Can't wait to see it done! 40hp tohatsu will look good on FS17 and bet it will haul azz!
> 
> 
> your right, it on the highest end of what I wanted, but if its too much, I will try to find someone to swap it for a 25hp.
> ...


This Hatsu is set-up perrrrfect for this skiff and believe me, u will love to have extra power when u needed. Call the SKIFFSHOP.COM and ask him for a 4 blade prop...........


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

What are the gussets on the tubing of the poling platform
made out of? I know you built your tubes out of carbon fiber.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> What are the gussets on the tubing of the poling platform
> made out of? I know you built your tubes out of carbon fiber.


Meranti plywood, can hardly be beat it in compression strength/weight. Tubes are CF, platform is honycomb core, fiberglass, and CF beams underneath

platform looks like this underneath (before fairing)...


----------



## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

Shine,

I was thinking why a jackplate? IMHO,

FS17 will be better off without a jackplate due more weight on the setback on the transom, will add stress on the transom when u hang that hatsu on the jackplate means 20% more weight on the back and also will tiller turning clearnance problem by hitting the poling platform.

FS17 with 40hp hatsu bolted on transom and better off not having a jackplate on it since the motor has TNT.

My 2 cents!!!!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

you are correct, but then I would have to build a motor well. There goes the clean flat rear casting deck and my pretty curved transom 

the weight difference in adding a motor well vs the aluminum jack plate is pretty close. 

I will get to run the motor a little higher with the setback, so i may get an extra inch of running draft out of it.


----------



## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> you are correct, but then I would have to build a motor well. There goes the clean flat rear casting deck and my pretty curved transom
> 
> the weight difference in adding a motor well vs the aluminum jack plate is pretty close.
> 
> I will get to run the motor a little higher with the setback, so i may get an extra inch of running draft out of it.


I gotcha, but I highly recommend you to look at tsgcustom.com......for a lightwight electric jackplate and it's bulletproof. TomC has improved his electric jackplate to make it stronger and handle up to 40hp. I had it on my gheenoe classic with 25hp yamaha and I tried to stand on 25hp yamaha 2-stroke and my father push the switch going up and down......it's bulletproff and I totally love it! U're looking at 350 lbs +++ hanging on electric jackplate and it's bulletproof. Electric jackplate, lenco altenator pump and transom saver is all included.

How many times have I said it's bulletproof? Of course! It's totally bulletproof....lol.

I'm ordering it soon and hopefull I will have it by march or april. it's custom build electric jackplate.

I'm done and going to grab some cubano sammich....ahhhh I need it.


----------



## Frank_Sebastian (Oct 15, 2007)

Great to see you on here Joel. I post on the bateau as Robertk. I have been building these boats for more than 10 years now. There is almost nothing I enjoy more than building boats. I have been involved with everything from Rybovich to my own little 900' ² boat shop. When I was young my family members were commercial fishermen on Big Pine Key and southeast Fla. We made our own boats and powered them with automobile or truck engines. We fished lobster and stone crab for the most part. Later I raced prams on Biscayne Bay and little by little moved north. My current project (stored to the side right now) is the GF 18. My favorite of all the boats I have had is the D15. I fish out of it about 150 days a year. (nights mostly)

Best regards,
Frank_


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi Frank, glad you enjoy the D15 so much. Its a very simple to build and function boat.

We are half way through painting the boat. We are using ice blue Sterling topcoat, although due to the lighting/camera its difficult to see the blue.


----------



## stickwaver (May 13, 2008)

This is looking great! I can't wait to see the final product! [smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif]

Nice Work!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

not complete, but at least you can see the color better outside...


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Niceeee!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

well she is on the trailer and completely finished, just waiting on the FL numbers and some good weather to launch

When I was building the pushpole platform I asked for some help here on spacing of the supports so that the tiller could be pushed to port without hitting the uprights of the platform.  So with some measurements from members here, some measurements from my transom and jackplate, a little math, and some dead recognition - here is how close we came  










The motor stops about 3/16" of an inch from the pole  

Hopefully we launch her this weekend

more pictures...










fuel fill


















putting on trailer


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Very very nice Joel! Hope to see ya on the water soon! That variation on the FS17 should be killer.


----------



## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

WOW! Simply WOW!


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

That's the way a hull is supposed to be done!
Too pretty to put in the water.
I'd be skeered I was gonna scratch the finish.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> That's the way a hull is supposed to be done!
> Too pretty to put in the water.
> I'd be skeered I was gonna scratch the finish.


first thing I do will be to run her up on a spoil island, then ram into dock on the way back. 

I like pretty boats, but I built this boat with functionality 100% priority. She is very simple.


----------



## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

Unbelievable job! that is some great work, man. Uber engineering on that tiller, hope you left room for thermal expansion though!


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> hope you left room for thermal expansion though!


Oh, yeah, that what the 3/16" space is for


----------



## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

Woah....


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

put her in the water this weekend.     i will try to get some better running pictures.  She ran great, maybe too fast for me.  Im not used to that speed with a tiller.


----------



## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Absolutely stunning work!


----------



## ko (Jun 9, 2007)

WOW! Looks like it is floating in nothing! You'll love that TLDI. Beautiful!


----------



## marshman (Feb 9, 2007)

shine...im not quite sure im folowing on the jackplate installation...why is it mounted so low on the transom??(or, maybe im asking why is the transom so tall??....hmm)   the boat looks great...awesome in fact...i am in no way trying to sound "know it all" or anything...just curious....maybe the pics are just decieving, or maybe i am just dumb...  how tall is the transom??  is the clearance fine when tilting motor up??  

i have looked at the other pics for this build on bateau, also...


----------



## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

It does seem like the jackplate is real low, perhaps there are mounting issues with the rear deck?

The boat looks great, looks like it floats real shallow, I can't wait to see more pics, some performance info, etc.!


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Full transom, no cutout needed for mounting a clamp on outboard.
Usually seen with bracket mounted engines for offshore use.
Water intake is right where it needs to be to maintain inflow.
Looks right to me.


----------



## marshman (Feb 9, 2007)

ok, i retract....lol


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

I do like to see the action pics, so I can measure the running angles.
Looking at this one I calculate a bow rise,
of about 3/4" for each foot of hull length.










So based on the location of the water inlet, with a cupped prop,
and distance from the transom to the prop,
with the hull level,I rough calc the needed jackplate lift
to be 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches. That way at running angle, the top
of the water inlet is below the surface of the water coming off the transom.

What was your actual measurement shine?


----------



## Bob (Feb 2, 2007)

> What was your actual measurement shine?


According to his build thread on batuea2.com...

" The engine is set with the cavitation plate about 2" above the boat bottom".

Instead of all the calculations, he's just going to move the battery forward, add more fuel to the tank, and then see how it runs.

OR, trade down to a 25 hp and lose a 100 lbs of stern weight.


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

2 inches makes sense, as the engine is running with a stock aluminum
prop, as shown in the pics. With a bow rise of 3/4 inch per foot, and the
prop being about 20 inches behind the bottom of the transom, that calcs
to about an 1-1/2 inch correction needed. The cavitation plate needs to
be just below the surface of the water, coming off the transom, to prevent
the propeller tips from ventilating. Final adjustment being done with
the engines trim and tilt.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

Yes, its about 2" above transom level. thats where I started it as a rough guess, and Im pretty happy with it. There is cavitaion just a split second when given throttle, but bites hard well before on plane. Of course I will move it up and down just to play with different settings. 

the standard prop is a 12.5, the fellow I bought the motor from tossed in a spare 14 prop (stainless), so I may try that also. But he 12.5 was plenty fast for me

With no one in the boat she drafts maybe 3", with two fishermen it really depends where they stand, but Im guessing 5". 

I made the transom with a nice 3" camber for looks, it could have just as easy been made flush with the rear deck. I can trim the motor up so that it clears the bottom by a few inches before the motor hits the top of the transom. Hindsight, I would have made the camber 2"

now I just have to replace the water pump, and make some slight mods to the trailer.


----------



## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

"I made the transom with a nice 3" camber for looks, it could have just as easy been made flush with the rear deck. "

Then what would keep your choice of beverage from sliding off the back? :'(


----------



## HialeahAngler (Dec 18, 2008)

absolutely stunning.


----------



## rcmay (Dec 12, 2006)

someone is in need of a Tiller Pillar


----------



## backwaterbandits (Dec 15, 2006)

Beautiful,beautiful boat!!!! You must and should be very proud!!!!
Way to go Shine!
( Please forgive me I'm very easily distracted :-[ )
But Brett should be very proud as well!


----------



## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

Absolutely incredible workmanship, something to be proud of for sure. 

That thing's gotta turn heads at the ramp and on the water.

-T


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> someone is in need of a Tiller Pillar


maybe a dumb question, but what is a tiller pillar? 

That grab bar/leaning post you see coming out of the cooler box has two vertical SS rod holders hidden inside the post - the tiller extension/rod/anchor stick can go in there.


----------



## beavis (Dec 11, 2006)

Wow, Joel. That thing came out awesome. Very Schweeeeeeeeeeet.


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

> what is a tiller pillar?


It is a carbon fiber tiller extension, Carbon Marine makes the tiller pillar. Makes driving much easier, in my opinion.

That is one beautiful craft Joel! Congratulations.


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

thanks for kind words on the boat



> It is a carbon fiber tiller extension


 gotcha. I have an aluminum one already, but I need to make a shifter extension for the gears. 

Im thinking of a CF tube on a ball type joint that will move around easily - also i could run my trim and tilt switch to the end of this shift extension. I would then be able to trim/tilt/shit/steer without turning around or looking back. I woudl use the same CF sock material I used to make the platform and leaning post, should be pretty easy

Put in the new water pump yesterday, so Im ready for a real fishing trip this weekend if we get some decent weather.


----------



## bballjason06 (Jan 9, 2009)

How much would it cost me to build something like this except only 2 ft shorter?


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

I can answer that.... ;D

Over $2000 and 400 plus hours of work


----------



## shine (Jan 31, 2007)

> I can answer that.... ;D
> 
> Over $2000 and 400 plus hours of work


Thats pretty close. the $ depends greatly on how your ig the boat and what paint you use. I have about $4k in materials and hardware (before engine) into this skiff, if i had used a slightly less expensive plywood, and paints, no poling platform, and made my own simple hatches, it would have been closer to $2k.

I have no where near 400 hours in the boat. I guess 25% of the entire build was for the integrated poling platform.

Took her out on her real fishing trip this past Sunday  Drifed some flats south or Vero. Caught trout, lady fish, jacks, pompano, and one little baby redfish. Made a few casts to larger redfish, but none wanted what I threw at them. I need to try the 14 pitch prop. 

I also trying to figure out he best way to make a shifting bar/extension. I want something that allows me to shift gears while standing and also incorporates the trim/tilt. this weekend I use a couple lengths of dowel to get a feel of how long the shift rod needs to be. My plan is to make a CF tube, that attaches to the shift lever on the side of the motor cowling using a ball joint of some sort. ball joint will allow the shit rod to move in any direction, independent of the tiller. At the end of the tube, I may install the trim tilt switch.

any ideas on this?


----------



## marshman (Feb 9, 2007)

i have no idea how to go about doing this, but....i have seen a few guys down here rig a shifter to a tiller outboard....places like northern tool or a tractor place or whereever have tons a different kinds of push/pull cable shifters....you could even use one made for your motor( just more expensive)...just because your tiller steered, doesnt mean you cant have a remote shift...thats the advantage to the mercs...

i had gotten a 25 tohatsu a while back...i took it out one trip and decided it wasnt for me for that reason...i prefer the shift in the handle...


----------

