# Garage built skiff in Southern Maryland



## YanceyM

Nice start. Can't wait to see it finished up. 

What are you going to power it with?


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## jimbarn1961

Wow, congrats to a great start.  great video and quality time with the little guy priceless!  Do you have any pics of what completed should look like or specs to reveal.  
Enough teasing now get moving ;D
By the way welcome aboard, rum and coke please


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## Rosco

I haven't decided on power yet, but should have a couple of months to think about it. When this all started, I wanted a tiller skiff. Now I'm leaning toward making it a side console. I'll be sure to post more progress pics as we move along.


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## Rosco

Here are a couple of renderings of the goal


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## Rosco

another


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## YanceyM

The tiller will give more room and freedom to move around. But at the same time is gets old after awhile holding a tiller handle. The renderings look awesome.


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## Brett

Welcome to the forum, just what I like to see, another build!
Who designed the hull? It's not one I recognize.

Keep the vids coming, I like to watch...


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## capt.doug

This is the one I've been looking for.  Please tell us more about this one.  The frames/stations look like they were CNC or laser cut, unless you are a jigsaw "Master".  Keep the pix coming, and thanks for sharing.


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## tedcombs

Looks very similar to a Chaos Boatworks boat. 

Great start, cant wait to see what comes of it.


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## Rosco

Thanks guys. I've spent months on the phone with Marc at CB-Boatworks to get exactly what I wanted. He CNC cut the frames and shipped them to me. The jig stations are held in place on the plywood by tabs that weren't CNC cut all the way through so that's all of the jigsawing I had to do so far. It looks like a stack of plywood when it arrives. I don't think this exact model is even listed on his site yet.

It's been a fun project so far and look forward to each step and learning as I go. 

As far as specs - 16'5" with 6'5" beam.


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## floridanative1028

These designs are sick.  If you sign up for the forum you can see all the build threads from flats boats to i think a 44 express.

http://www.cb-boatworks.com/home/


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## oysterbreath

Looks like a shorter version of the "mysexyboat!"

http://www.mysexyboat.com/

Very sweet!
I'm glad you posted this. It's just the kinda motivation that I need! THANKS!


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## Rosco

Just a quick update.  My son and I started putting masking tape on the frames yesterday but never had a chance to finish due to bed times last night and school today.   We also had our Douglas Fir delivered which will be used for Pad Supports, Chine Logs, Rib Bands and Sheerbands.   We will take a few days off as we travel to see grandma, but will restart next Wednesday.   Here's a pic of some of the taping and the lumber.


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## oysterbreath

from the looks of it, you will be using a laminated keel right?


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## capt.doug

Is the cold molded technique (two layers) the only way to get those sexy inside curves like the flair in this hull?  Can it be done like a typical stitch and glue build (one layer of plywood)?


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## Brett

For compound hull curves,
the best methods of construction using wood,
are carvel, lapstrake, strip and cold molding.
All are time consuming and labor intensive.
Trying to work a single panel of plywood
into a compound curve, is an exercise in futility.

At least that's what I learned from my attempts... :-[


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## Rosco

> from the looks of it, you will be using a laminated keel right?


That is correct. We are taking a few days off for Christmas, but will be back at it next Wednesday. Merry Christmas to the MicroSkiff Crew!


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## oysterbreath

> Trying to work a single panel of plywood
> into a compound curve, is an exercise in futility.
> 
> At least that's what I learned from my attempts... :-[


But if anyone wants to give it a go just let me know. I will provide the beer and seats. I will sit down, crack open a beer, watch, and laugh as you struggle along! lol 
All comedy aside. There seem to be so many little custom nuances to cold molding. No two designers seem to do it the same. Hince, my question about the keel. This one is going to be a fun build to watch. Hey Brett, some forms of extra labor enhance the experience...yes, I'm still talking about wood working! lol One thing that intriges me about cold molding is how do you decide what size "plank" to use as you begin to wrap the bow. That seems to be the side where experience rules. Most hulls I've seen being worked on, the right side at the bow doesn't get wrapped the same way the left side does. I don't know if it's because the builders typically realize there is an easier way by the time they finish one side or what? Maybe the builders dominate hand plays a part...

Anyway, Thanks for sharing Rosco, and Merry Christmas to you too!


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## Rosco

Here's another progress video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fBrbe8kuFo


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## ENVIBOATS

> One thing that intriges me about cold molding is how do you decide what size "plank" to use as you begin to wrap the bow.


It is really done by feel - onsite.  Kinda like this...

Does the plank you cut easily do what you need it to do?

Yes?  Maybe it could have been wider, thicker, etc.

No?  Change it.  Make it thinner, narrower, kerf it, score it, moisten it or any or all combinations.  Sorry if that seems vague but that's pretty much it.


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## WhiteDog70810

CPT Cobb,

You can cut kerfs in ply and stitch in and glue flares and compound curves.  How you decide where to cut the kerfs and how big to make them is an art that I don't completely grasp because I am very partial to stupid simple.  If you want to look into this technique, check out Bateau.  The round chine FS18 and the flare of the Carolina series use the technique.  If you want to experiment, grab a sheet of 1/4" ply and start playing with a saw ala Brett.

Nate


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## Rosco

Here's another quick little progress video from yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf1LF2fUOzo


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## out-cast

[smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif]Way to go on getting the boy involved.


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## topnative2

a willie roberts???????????


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## Rosco

Not a whole lot of progress to report at this point.  I've been laminating the chine and with my medium cure epoxy and temperatures in the high 50's to Mid 60's in the garage, I've been waiting a while for my epoxy to cure.   Anyway, got all the layers on the chine laminated and started some shaping today.


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## oysterbreath

Nice, so tell us a bit about that leveling tool you are using with your planner?


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## Rosco

That leveling tool 'steps' over the chine so you can get an accurate mark on the other side so you'll know how much wood to remove and at what angle.  It's been very handy.


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## ENVIBOATS

I have to give credit to Bo over at Marolina Yachts for for the brilliant yet simple chine tool. We now include it with every jig.

It keeps getting better!


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## riptide

looks a lot like a bayshore or a chaos , the chaos was solid glass with a 2 part mold, cool boats though


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## riptide

I cant tell are the station molds keyed , or in two peices so its easty to take apart and store ?


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## Rosco

The jig stations are keyed and would be pretty easy to dismantle and store, but my license agreement only allows me to build one boat, so I'll discard the jig when I am done. We are still making some progress - here's a pic.


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## Rosco

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCBgx99FF5Q[/media]


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## joshuabward

Great work. My best memories are working on projects with my dad, your son has no idea what those pictures will mean to him when he grows up.


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## never_skunked

Nice work!  The rendered image reminds me of the new Tidewater.  What kind of flats fishing do you have in southern maryland?  I grew up in Annapolis/Edgewater and only knew about Stripers and Blues.


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## Rosco

Not a bunch of flats here in MD except for the Susquehanna.   Wanted to build something easy to tow down to FL and other southern destinations and also use as an occasional shallow water/crabber in these parts.


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## oysterbreath

she sure does have some sex lines!


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## Rosco

some progress pics from this weekend. She is starting to look like a boat!


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## anytide

top shelf all the way !!! -keep it coming 
-anytide


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## Rosco

doing a little shaping on the sheer


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## WhiteDog70810

No flats in Maryland?  I just got a little nauseous.  That in not what I wanted to hear!  I am moving to the north side of DC next summer.  What about marshes and oyster reefs?  Do you even have any significant numbers of redfish or drum up there?  I don't need to fill the boat, just catch a few.  If I have to troll in 20 ft of water to catch a fish...

[smiley=officeslave.gif]

Nate


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## WhiteDog70810

BTW, I panicked a bit and derailed the thread without complimenting your beautiful build. I don't see flare at the bow transition to tumble home at the stern much in modern designs. I like stupid (ie sloped forehead, knuckle draggin' dumb) simple designs myself, but I can appreciate artistry when someone else is doing the work. Your progress so far shows some serious attention to detail.

Nate


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## riptide

The boat is coming a long nicely , i can tell this is a road you have traveled before , what kind of work do you do ? Hopefully with cnc generated station molds it will cut down on the board sanding . Your kid seems to be very interested as well


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## Rosco

Nate - I should correct myself. We do have plenty of shallow water up here and get Speckled Trout and Redfish. Acutally, we are seeing more and more Redfish each year. When you asked flats, I had those clear southern flats pop into my head.

Karl - I'm a Sales Director for a software company and have never done anything like this before. The CNC cut jig almost makes it fool proof. It's just been a lot of fun mixed with a bit of frustration.


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## WhiteDog70810

Oh thank goodness.

Nate


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## WhiteDog70810

Never done anything like this before? You have more rail clamps hanging on the wall than I own homemade PVC clips! Most people who have that many are into cabinetry or furniture making, which translates well to building a box that happens to float.

Nate


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## Rosco

> Never done anything like this before?  You have more rail clamps hanging on the wall than I own homemade PVC clips!  Most people who have that many are into cabinetry or furniture making, which translates well to building a box that happens to float.
> 
> Nate


Harbor Freight was my friend. Those 6 inch clamps were a good deal around the holidays  I'm certainly learning a lot with this project though, just a matter of understanding what needs to be done next and having enough courage to tackle it. I've never used a power planer until this project - - but it was a breeze. I've been pulled away from the project this week for work, but look forward to getting back on it this weekend. Hope to post new pics by Sunday night and perhaps another time lapse video.


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## Rosco

Here's a little progress video from yesterday. 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ptvq0ljxE[/media]


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## JaxLaxFish

I've been dreaming of building my own skiff since I was like 12 years old so this is awesome. This thing is really starting to take shape, it's clearly gonna take the chop now what are you estimating for draft? p.s. come on college degree I need some funding.


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## Rosco

JaxLax,

I think it will draw about 8 inches of water. Made some more progress this week. Here are a few pics.


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## Rosco

I think some of you guys like seeing these so here's a new time lapse from this weekend

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNZTbHw-2VQ[/media]


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## Rosco

Made a little more progress tonight - some incredibly tough bends on the Okume.


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## tom_in_orl

Thats really impressive work. Keep the updates coming.


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## Rosco

I've been trying to get some work done in the evenings this week. When I started this back in November, I thought I would would be fishing this thing by April ;D I'll set a new deadline of July 1st.

Anyway, here are some more progress pics. I'll get this side glued on and start dry fitting the other side. Once that's done, I'll start on the second lamination on the hull and sides.


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## Rosco

another quick video update:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljUCz61QslQ[/media]


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## Rosco

Got a little more sanding to do on the first layer but it's getting there.  She will shape up nicely with the second layer.  Can't wait to put home more time into it this weekend.


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## SClay115

Best concept I have seen for a build type thread of anything. Time lapse camera is a great way to capture this. Great looking hull.

Also, can I assume that the blue painters tape is so the hull will not adhere to the frame? I know little about building boats, but that is the idea I can gather from the videos..

Steve


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## Bissell

i see you are using an iron for something, could you explain a little about that? i love the videos and this is looking great! what are your plans for color and motor ect..


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## jasonrl23

> Also, can I assume that the blue painters tape is so the hull will not adhere to the frame? I know little about building boats, but that is the idea I can gather from the videos..
> 
> Steve


Wood glue, epoxy, etc, wont stick to painters tape. Its a staple of cedar strip canoe building.

And a guess on the iron is that its the poor mans method of wood bending, but thats a guess (and Im not saying that he's poor either).

Awesome build though!


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## Brett

Ever hear of a "steam" iron? 

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/09/howto/steam/index.htm


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## Rosco

Yep, the blue tape is used to keep the boat from sticking to the jig and ensure proper release. I used to iron to steam some of the planks that needed to make some really gnarly bends as seen in the photo below. Pretty much what is mentioned in the article that Brett posted.


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## Rosco

Haven't posted an update in while. I've been working away in the sponson area of the boat. I won't have easy access to this area once it's completely planked so I've had to finish the area before gluing the transom on in the morning. Anyway, not much left to do back there but close her up and start the second lamination.


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## TidewateR

beautiful lines on this boat! I'm really looking forward to seeing it all put together. Keep the updates coming.


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## basfshr27

Looking good!


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## saltandson

Digging the sponsons, Wow!


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## Rosco

Guess I haven't posted an update here in a while. Just finished laminating the second layer on the hull bottom. While waiting for the glue to dry today, I also put together a progress video from the last couple of weeks. 










[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h4GYeV4BRQ[/media]


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## SilentHunter

looks super sick.


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## Rosco

Filling some screw holes on the bottom. Makes me want to pick up my clubs!


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## winyahjay

Awesome work!


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## TidewateR

one of my favorite builds! What a beautiful boat design. keep on plugging away at it. I look forward to seeing more progress...as well as the finished result


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## SClay115

> Filling some screw holes on the bottom.   Makes me want to pick up my clubs!


Can I assume that the tees are basically going to be used as a wood plug for the holes? As in, cut them to hull height and smooth?

Steve


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## Rosco

Steve,

That is correct. I really didn't need to do it on the hull bottom, but I was looking for a quick and easy project before heading off on vacation with the family. 

Anyway, we are wrapping up a great vacation and will be back home tomorrow afternoon. I am getting back to work on the boat Sunday and hope to have the second layer completed on one of the sides. I shouldn't be too far away from fiberglass at this point. 

Here's a picture where I did cut off some of the tees. The cut off tees are the white dots you see on the hull.


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## riptide

Oh no not fiberglass and board sanding , trowel on and sand off ..............repeat again and again , the boat looks great and im shure it eats up a lot of your spare time


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## Rosco

Karl,

My arms and back just hurt thinking about the sanding coming up    Did a little work on Easter today (starting second layers) and combined some video prior to vacation where I used the golf tees.  

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wf-k5p1ASo[/media]


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## Rosco

Still working away on the second layer. Slow going, but I'll finish this eventually...


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## Rosco

Finally got one side done. Found myself spiling almost every plank and it took me much more time than I expected.


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## Rosco

Man, building boats takes forever! I just never really get as far as I want or plan to. Anyway, here's the latest video update:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YEXYXke-UI[/media]


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## Rosco

I'm starting to think ahead about color choices and I'm thinking black hull. What do you guys think?


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## rkmurphy

Build it just like that and give it to me.  I promise I'll take good care of it.  ;D ;D


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## oysterbreath

If you are going to us epoxy, you might wanna consider a lighter color. I don't know this first hand but it is "said" that darker colors, epoxy, and the southern sun don't mix well. At least call your selected epoxy manufacturer and ask them if they think it will be OK. Let us know what they say so that we may finally put this rumor to sleep!


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## mudd_minnow

> I'm starting to think ahead about color choices and I'm thinking black hull.  What do you guys think?


You have just made "Paint it Black's" day. That looks great. I love the shape of the top deck. I'm looking to do the same thing with my Johnson Skiff but not to extream. LOOKS GREAT.


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## iFly

> I'm starting to think ahead about color choices and I'm thinking black hull.  What do you guys think?


What's your motor color? If you are matching all the pieces and parts, then you need to list them all and see what that mix looks like. But... if you want to just pick a color and start custom painting the whole lot, you can do that.

Don't forget about the rods and your shirts and your shoes and the color of bait and the color of the water you fish on and your favorite snack food color and....


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## Rosco

I haven't completely decided on power choices yet. I have suzukis on my other boats and they have been flawless. Considering an etec as it would be much lighter than the 4 stroke suzuki. I've also been thinking about the maintenance of having a black hull and I think it will be ok. The Alexseal rep certainly wasn't worried about my color choice - he actually encouraged the idea. At the pace that I'm getting things done, I still have several weeks (months) before I need to worry about ordering the top coat color 

Anyway, I'm making slow but steady progress. Got the second layer completely on the other side and now need to move on to filling screw holes and quite a bit of fairing. I still hope to get the first layer of glass on this week or weekend.


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## riptide

glad you r using alexseal i think it is a better product than awlgrip , there is a 59 spencer painted dark metal flake gray(almost black) and it looks bad, ass its on their color chart


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## oysterbreath

Yes SIR....those alexseal colors are awesome, specially those metal flake colors. I have another question for you though. Building a cold molder hull put a lot of demand on your drills. I see that you are using a black-n-decker. How is it holding up to the task? I'm considering a cordless power drill upgrade soon and have been eye balling 2 different B-N-D models. Got any suggestions?


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## Rosco

My 18v B&D was probably 3 or 4 years old before I started this project. It's holding up OK, but it's starting to eat batteries and it's heavy. I do like the variable clutch settings and the fact that replacement battery packs are not too expensive.

If this one dies, I'll probably replace it with another B&D. The 20v lithium ion model looks interesting.


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## mudd_minnow

You might want to do this. If you have a Harbor Freight tool anywhere, if you buy one of there tools, they will sell you a warranty to fully replace it free. that's a bargin if I ever saw it.

just my 2 cents. 

Love the boat hull design.


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## Rosco

Thanks Muddminnow. I do have a bunch of Harborfreight tools and they have been great in this build. The 6 inch F clamps from HF are great (especially when they were on sale around the holidays) - the multi tool has been great, but the actual cutting blades wear out very quickly. They do make a great little Japanese saw that I've seen using on the build as well. Really wish I had a Harbor Freight closer to the house.

Here are the latest pics. Still have a bunch of fairing to do before glassing, but almost there. Opened the garage door in front of the boat to take some pics of the other side. 










Also wanted to post a few pics of my fillet in the impossible area. I need to do some more clean up in that area, but it should come out fine. 























Still a lot more fairing to do, but the flair is getting fair. You can really see the golf tees in this pic.


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## oysterbreath

Great job with the fillets so far. It must have been a BEAR! to deal with the tight radius! She's looking awesome though. I've been reviewing your videos. I'll watch them a few more times before I bug you with procedural questions. I might have missed something! lol Anyway, so how many sheets of ply have you used for the hull alone? What do you think your waist factor was? I've been picking up some of those HF clamps too. They are indeed awesome! I also splurged on a Dewalt lit-ion drill kit today! I should have gotten the Bosch instead though. The Bosch is 50 bucks cheaper at Lowes!
BAck to you boat. So how many screws did you break off? Any special system to avoid getting epoxy on the screws when you drive them thru the ply and epoxy soaked stringers?


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## Rosco

I used about 16 sheets of plywood on the hull alone, but could have got away with 14 with better planning and cutting. The bottom has 2 layers of 6mm Meranti and the hull sides have 2 layers of 4mm Okoume. I would say my waste factor was around 10%.

I had a bunch of broken screws when laminating the longitudinals (douglas fir) using drywall screws. I switched over to lath screws when I started planking and never had a single screw break. The round washer head allows you to do a quicker dry fit because you don't have to place a washer on every screw (you save that for when you actually glue). I didn't worry about getting epoxy on the lath screws, they were plenty strong and backed right out without problems. The fender washers would stick, but a tap with a hammer got them off.


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## mudd_minnow

Looks like your doing a great job. Where do you live, Fla?

Sorry, I see, Maryland.


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## Rosco

> Looks like your doing a great job. Where do you live, Fla?
> 
> Sorry, I see, Maryland.



Yep, Maryland, but I plan to bring her to Florida every year.  We are doing a week in the Keys in July and was really hoping to have it done by then.    Perhaps next year. We also like spending time around Cape San Blas.


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## jrod0785

Awesome job man! I love these type of builds. If you ever come around the Cape San Blas area let me know. I live in Panama City and thats not but a hour "at the most" away. Keep up the great progress!


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## Rosco

PCFisherman,

I will let you know when we we make it back to Cape San Blas next summer.  I promise the boat will be done by then.   

Here's the latest video update.   Spent the weekend glassing the boat followed by flood coating.   This was a tough day as I usually get to work with pretty small steps, but everything today needed to be done in one shot.   

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRuUjI4uknU[/media]


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## SClay115

Looking fantastic!

Just one layer of glass on the hull bottom? In the video, it looks like you dry fitted two layers on the bottom and one layer on the hull sides. But when you wetted out the glass I think my eyes only picked up on one layer all around. 

Not that I would think you'd need the extra strength with the way the hull is put together, but I was curious just for abrasion resistance. 

Steve


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## Rosco

Hey Steve,

I went back and forth with that decision a few times and settled on a single layer on everything with overlapping (double layer) of glass on the keel, chine and pad for added protection. I guess time will tell whether that was the right decision or not (sure hope it was)


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## SClay115

> Hey Steve,
> 
> I went back and forth with that decision a few times and settled on a single layer on everything with overlapping (double layer) of glass on the keel, chine and pad for added protection.  I guess time will tell whether that was the right decision or not (sure hope it was)


Yep, that's what I saw in the video too, the overlapping layers on the hard edges. I don't know a ton(or anything really!) about building a boat, but it surely looks like your hull has plenty of support, and I think you're right, some more protection on the wear areas should suit just fine. 

I did a bit of reading on cold molded hulls like this after you started this thread, and it looks like folks who put boats like this together in your fashion end up just putting epoxy over the planks and running it as is. Me, I am all for the fiberglass. 

Can't wait to see this thing done!

Steve


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## fsae99

Any progress on the awesome build?


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## Rosco

Not much to report. I've pretty much taken the summer off, because it was damn hot in the garage this summer in Maryland and the kids wanted to play on our other boat on the weekends. I'm also in the itchy fiberglass phase which makes it hard to go out in the garage and just work for a few hours. BUT, I do plan on getting back to work this weekend possibly (with Irene expected) and getting full steam in September. Thanks for checking in! I hope to get another video up in the next couple of weeks.

Rob


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## Creek Runner

Any Update!!! Love the build...


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## oysterbreath

I completely understand. Wearing all the "fiberglassing" clothes in the heat is a pita! Don't wait too long though. The crowd needs entertainment! ;-)


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## Rosco

Project has been delayed a few more weeks. We lost about a dozen trees on the property from Irene and didn't have power for nearly a week. I've been rebuilding the steps down to my dock which were destroyed by huge trees falling on them. 

I'm using Alexseal products for paint and fairing on the boat and hope to get the first coat of 302 on by next weekend. The weather finally changed this evening and looks like perfect boat building weather is here! I'll have the time lapse camera rolling and will post the next video once I reach the next milestone (302 applied to the boat). Thanks for the interest in the project.

Rob


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## Rosco

Finally back at it! After taking about 4 months off, finally back to building the flats boat. Really hope to have her ready by spring.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5ijvhKtCwE[/media]


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## SClay115

Sheesh that hull is looking amazing. Can't wait to see it being rigged. Keep at it!

Steve


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## Rosco

Thanks Steve,

Still working on it. Still doing quite a bit of fairing on the hull at this point. Just a boring video of me fairing the hull and applying fairing compound, but she's starting to look good under the bright lights. I'm hoping that there's only another a week of this because my arms and shoulders are shot 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsWWpA33V9w[/media]


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## oysterbreath

Man that skiff is looking SOOOOOO SWEET!
So how do you like those alexseal products. Was the alexseal fairing compound pretty easy to fair? Is it expensive stuff?

Looking real good!


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## WhiteDog70810

No fair. Your garage looks warmer than mine and I am in Maryland also. I keep getting nervous and not laying epoxy because I only have slow hardener and my garage is hovering around 64 degrees. I need to set up the heaters and lights so I can get back to work.

You're making great progress. The fairing will pay off on that hull, so the suck is worth it. It would be a travesty to only get a workboat finish.

Nate


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## Rosco

Oysterbreath,

The Alexseal products are great and sanding their 202 fairing compound isn't too bad to sand - it's actually easier than system 3 Quick Fair in my opinion. It's not cheap, but it's good stuff and their customer service is second to none. Nice looking work on your boat by the way. I missed the beginning of the thread as I pretty much took the summer of from boat building and forums. It was killer hot in the garage.

Nate,

I don't know that it is much warmer here 70 miles south of you, but pulling the longboard for a few hours makes it feel like 90 in the garage and the door get's opened. I don't think it got above 58 yesterday and I was burning up in a t-shirt. I too feel like this is the make or break step in the build and will stay at it until she is perfect. My arms might look like popeye when it's all said and done


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## oysterbreath

Thanks, I will look into that alexseal. So fair I've just been thinking about quick fair. I have a lot of learning to do when it comes to fairing. Like that green fairing board of yours, I've never seen anything like that before! lol


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## Rosco

I'm still fairing the boat. I hoped to get more done around the Thanksgiving holiday, but had family in town only had an hour here or there to disappear into the garage for some boat work. 

Oysterbreath, the green boards are from a company called Flexicat. They run great sales off their facebook page every once in a while, otherwise they are pretty expensive. I'm finding that there is no once size fits all tool for fairing the boat. I've used 1 inch and 1.5 inch PVC wrapped with adhesive backed sandpaper and that really works well in the extremely curved areas. Heck, I've even added a durablock sander to the mix as well which I really like.

Anyway, I'll keep at it. Hope to get her flipped over by Christmas, but I've yet to hit a deadline yet ;D 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ITSuhTqzw[/media]


----------



## oysterbreath

Cool, thanks for the info. Hey, another question. So are you gona use the alex seal paint?


----------



## Rosco

> Cool, thanks for the info. Hey, another question. So are you gona use the alex seal paint?


Yep, I am using all Alexseal products.   I was going to put on another coat of the high build primer on tonight but my son said he can smell the paint in his room so I will wait until morning when he leaves for school.   

The Alexseal rep used to be the rep for Awlgrip and is very well liked around ship and boatyards up and down the east and gulf coast.   Heck, he even returns my calls, and I'm just a first timer building a boat in my garage.   I had some bad fairing compound that developed a crust from air exposure and Alexseal fedex'd a new container a few days later.  Their customer service is first class.    After all this work, I want the paint to be perfect.   

I decided to wipe down one of the faired areas on my boat to see if I was on the right track today and she is coming along.   

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euL9oQZyQlw[/media]

One last thing, I did purchase a dura-block sander as well and really like it.   Their full size radius block has been my best friend this week. A lot cheaper and works really well. AF4414


----------



## Thomas1

You should also look into AFS. Adjustable flexibility sanders. I have had good results with them.


----------



## Rosco

Hey Tommy, those AFS boards look nice.

Applied some high build primer tonight over my previous fairing work. You can see the roller marks as I rolled it on, but she is coming along. Looking forward to fairing out the roller marks and taking a good look at how she really looks in some daylight.


----------



## Thomas1

After you rip it down with your first grit of paper - not sure what you are starting with - wipe the surface with water. The wet surface will be shiny and you can see what you have before going further.


----------



## Rosco

> After you rip it down with your first grit of paper - not sure what you are starting with - wipe the surface with water. The wet surface will be shiny and you can see what you have before going further.


----------



## firecat1981

She looks pretty clean, I really dig the bow flair, I might do something like that on my next build.


----------



## oysterbreath

Man, she's looking super fair now! I might have to REALLY look into that alexseal fairing compound. I saw that they had some really nice paint colors too. I might contact them soon. It seems to be a pretty decent idea to "single source" paint and compound. Your work here is truly inspirational man! I got a question for you though. I'm not sure if I've asked you before though but what size screws and fender wash did you use back when you were planking? Did you try coating your fender washers with any release agents?

Oh, I took a look at those AJS sanders
http://adjustablesander.com
Those are NICE!


----------



## Rosco

I started off using 1 inch drywall screws with 1 inch fender washers from Lowes. The drywall screws kept breaking and then someone recommended drywall screws from Fastenal. I swear, they broke even easier. Digging out broken screws is no fun. I finally on a whim tried some Tek brand lathe screws and they were awesome. Never broke a single screw. Also since they have huge heads, I also used them for any temporary fastening of the planks. They would be my recommendation. 

On the washers, I never put anything on them. Sure, some epoxy will get on them, but they are pretty easy to remove if they stick. Just give them a light tap with a hammer and they will come off. Don't pry them because they will take some wood with them - ask me how I know ;D


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco - you have done a marvelous job on your build.

I would like to share a helpful hint when fairing with light colored primer. If you have your light overhead you will get a washout effect and not see all of the imperfections. If it is possible to get some light at the height of your work area from the sides - it will shed an entirely different perspective.


----------



## oysterbreath

Thanks, Rosco. I will be sure to pick up a few HUNDRED of those!


----------



## Rosco

> Rosco - you have done a marvelous job on your build.
> 
> I would like to share a helpful hint when fairing with light colored primer.  If you have your light overhead you will get a washout effect and not see all of the imperfections.  If it is possible to get some light at the height of your work area from the sides - it will shed an entirely different perspective.


Thanks, I went out and purchased 4 additional shop lights today. By the time I get to working on the boat in the evenings during the week, I really don't have good side light like I would on the weekends with the garage door open. Now, I just need to figure out decent placement.


----------



## DuckNut

Just build a saw horse looking support out of 2x4's and mount parallel to the ground. Turn off the overhead lights and take a look. Florescent lights are the best.


----------



## jladdsmith

Marvelous boat! but just to add something on the fluorescent light idea- 

I used to work with a perfectionist body/paint guy on old hot rods. We used a dolly like you can find at harbor freight for $10 with a rigged 2x4 upright fluorescent light. I think vertical instead of horizontal is the way to go.


----------



## DuckNut

JonathanTN you also have a point. I said horizontal because it will take less light fixtures to illuminate the entire hull. 

Either way is WAY better than overhead.


----------



## Rosco

I will set something up this weekend and see what works.   It does seem that most pro paint booths have vertical lights on the wall so I will go that route but I will need to make it mobile since I only purchased 4 dual t8 fixtures.

I also purchased this guy so I wouldn't have to worry about rolling on any more primer.   Read nice reviews about the accuspray system from 3M and their 10 series gun so I took the plunge.   By the time, I bought a strong enough compressor, dryers, filters etc... this was a much better deal.   I've never sprayed before so I will spend a few nights at the college of youtube  ;D


----------



## DuckNut

That new toy is 'spnsive...would it have been cheaper to have someone else paint it?

How much to rent it?


----------



## Rosco

> That new toy is 'spnsive...would it have been cheaper to have someone else paint it?
> 
> How much to rent it?


Perhaps, but what's the fun in that? I did the math and this made the most sense economically over having someone else paint it or buying the right compressor, dryer, filter system, spray guns etc.... Plus, it was a good deal.

Didn't see them for rent anywhere so I might have to start that service... Only for microskiff members


----------



## Brett

You can never have enough tools! 



I've been enjoying this build.
The time lapse vids are the best.


----------



## oysterbreath

> Didn't see them for rent anywhere so I might have to start that service... Only for microskiff members


Heck yeah! Rent that bad boy out! ME NEXT! ;-)


----------



## Rosco

Didn't get around to making any temporary light stands today. Just finishing up final filling and fairing on the other side with 3 lights installed. Hope to spray final high build on Monday and start installing the spray rails and bumpers shortly afterwards. I'm picking up my mahogany on Tuesday.

Oysterbreath, If you like the final paint results on my build, I'm sure I can lend the system to you as long as you promise to send it back. 

Brett, Thanks - I agree, you can never have enough tools.


----------



## AfterHours2

Can't go wrong with a good ole HVLP spray system. Wish I would of known you were looking for one, just got rid of one for around $400 barely used. They aren't bad for what you are using it for but production wise, slow as heck.... Good luck and make sure you get the gun fine tuned with your material properly thinned and you should be good to go..


----------



## Rosco

Didn't get a chance to try the 3M spray system. It was taking a while for the garage to heat up so I decided to roll on another round of high build primer instead of spraying it. I will try the system for the finish primer though. Here's another time lapse video and some pics from today. I am getting ready to install the mahogany transom and figure out the profile for the spray rails which should go on this week.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufvBFX5WiBI[/media]


----------



## WhiteDog70810

I think you have set the new gold standard with those time-lapse videos. They tell the story a lot better than "I faired today... again" or "I painted today... again", etc.

As always, it looks great.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Nate. Since we are only about 60 miles apart, I will have to get you down here when it's time to launch her.


----------



## Rosco

Started installing the mahogany transom this evening. Didn't want screw holes or bungs on the transom so I had to create this ugly contraption to get the wood installed. Will let it dry for a few days before I remove the bracing.


----------



## Rosco

A little more work from this morning. Working on the radius on the transom.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

"I will have to get you down here when it's time to launch her."

It would be my pleasure.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Mocked up the spray rail and tumble home guard with some cheap pine before starting with Mahogany. Hope to finish sand the transom and start with the 6oz e-glass on the transom tomorrow. The color should really start to pop on the mahogany once I get the epoxy and glass on.


----------



## capehorn

I am realy enjoying your build, looking forward to epoxy on transum.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks, I didn't make as much progress as I wanted to over the holidays, but I did manage to get the mahogany transom glassed with 6oz eglass from Chesapeake Light Craft. The stuff really wets out very clear with MAS epoxy. Still applying finish coats and standing to 320-400 grit, but getting there. A few more coats and it should be glass smooth and clear. Also worked on the tumble home guards and they are now dry fitted on both sides. Now I just need to get the spray rails on and keep a constant 7 degree angle on them from back to front.


----------



## Rosco

Latest video and some progress pics. Getting there slowly but surely - it was really cold here in MD today with flurries so I had to wait until the garage heated up to get to work.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91PCLuFyvNc[/media]


----------



## Creek Runner

This is going to be one bad azz skiff, sweet looking too!


----------



## Rosco

Quick progress photo. I've been glassing and fairing the spray rails and the tumblehome guard. Applied high build primer on the rails and guard and took this upside down progress pic to show what she is going to look like once I get her flipped over. Hopefully it won't be long now.


----------



## iFly

That's just Bad Azz. I used the 'hip" spelling because, I figured your kids read this thread?  ;D Everything is looking fantastic.


----------



## levip

very cool man - i noticed the flat v shaped potion on the bottom of the hull is that a pad or?


----------



## Rosco

> very cool man - i noticed the flat v shaped potion on the bottom of the hull is that a pad or?


Yep, just a pad. Thanks to both you and iFly, for the comments. This has been lots of fun.


----------



## Rosco

Ok, I'm getting back to work on the skiff this weekend after taking quite a bit of time off. Will be spraying on high build primer tomorrow then spraying finish primer this weekend. This is a bit off topic, but wanted to share this video from my sailfishing trip a few weekends ago down in Mexico.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hzfILrm3Xc[/media]


----------



## makin moves

sick video


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## Jorge_Bravo

Very cool build! We are about to unveil a new skiff, and a new company into the industry in the coming week. Similar flair is incorporated.


----------



## ethan.weber

man this boat looks great. i feel like it is going to be extremly dry, i mean spray rails and a nice bow flair. it doesnt get much better than that.


----------



## 8loco

Awesome build. Can't wait to see the boat when she's all done. A boat this good looking needs a great name. Do you have one in mind?


----------



## Rosco

Haven't really thought of a name yet, I figured it will just hit me somewhere along the way. Back when I was sanding fiberglass I almost named her the "Itchy B**ch" but I got over that  I'm pretty close to finish primer and flipping it over, at this point, I am going over every last inch of the boat and checking for little things here and there. I wiped her down with a wet rag again this evening to make sure things were looking ok on the hull bottom as this will be the hardest part to mess with once she's flipped.


----------



## anytide

first class all the way!!! 

-a


----------



## Creek Runner

That's a sick video boat to, I was in Mexico the same time tried to get some sails but couldn't hook up, but we had a blast catching Rooster's on top water plugs


----------



## oysterbreath

Duuuuuuuude! That thing is just AWESOME!
I'm really digging it! So I guess you are gonna go with solid aluminum rube rails huh?
Also, have you started thinking a bout your decking material? You gonna go with two layers of 1/4" like some of the other Envi builders?

Thanks for sharing this build. It's been inspirational!


----------



## Rosco

> That's a sick video boat to, I was in Mexico the same time tried to get some sails but couldn't hook up, but we had a blast catching Rooster's on top water plugs


Thanks, the Roosterfish is on my bucket list. Never tried, but I really want to catch one someday. We did pretty good on Sails on our trip, but they weren't very aggressive on our trip. 

OysterBreath, I have not thought about the decking yet - I'm still worried about the flip  each new step gives me anxiety and I worry about screwing things up. It's been fun so far, I'm thinking my second boat will be much easier as I might know what I'm doing


----------



## Rosco

Haven't posted one of these in a while

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ2UI6ONRiQ
[/media]


----------



## Rosco

one more quick video - all 19 videos combined into one.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZ5f5uMbOE[/media]


----------



## 8loco

Any more updates on the boat?


----------



## Rosco

Sorry guys. I have not put a lot of effort into the boat as the last 3 weeks of any quarter are always super busy for me and I can't slip away for any boat building. Kids sports have started and the weekends have been tough as well. Anyway, I did get a few hours into her today and will be spraying finish primer on the bottom. She's all masked and just waiting for paint.


----------



## Rosco

Here are a few pics from this weekend and this evening. Went over the entire boat and found small things that needed fixing. Sprayed finish primer on the hull bottom and then sprayed the sides this evening with a dark primer.


----------



## makin moves

looking good cant wait to see the finish product


----------



## oysterbreath

WOW! Your primer looks better than the finish coat on most boats! I'm humbled! Can I sign up for Rosco's entry level boat painting 101 class? I'm not ready for the advanced class yet!


----------



## Rosco

> WOW! Your primer looks better than the finish coat on most boats! I'm humbled! Can I sign up for Rosco's entry level boat painting 101 class? I'm not ready for the advanced class yet!


 ;D You don't want to learn from me, I think it's beginners luck! I think the turbine helped me as it's really slow as someone mentioned on a previous post. It kept me from messing up and getting it too thick and runny anywhere. Initially, I kept going too fast and the paint was going on really dry, but then I just kept messing with my technique and watching youtube and figured out how to get it looking wet. Then I had to figure out how to overlap and that was an experience in itself. It's fun when it works out, but frustrating when you can't figure out why the gun is spitting or why you can't figure out where you just painted because you are painting white finish primer on top of white high build primer (had to mess with the lighting). The best thing is if you screw up, you can sand it down and start over.


----------



## Recidivists

Well, I think we can at least learn from your dedication and sharing. Beautiful lines brought out even more by the two tones.


----------



## oysterbreath

> ;D You don't want to learn from me, I think it's beginners luck!  I think the turbine helped me as it's really slow as someone mentioned on a previous post.  ...


Believe me, I know how you feel on the issue of beginners luck. I feel that way everytime I walk into my garage too! lol Ya' got me thinking long and hard about praying though! Keep up the inspirational work!


----------



## Rosco

Another quick video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xHjwHTsgrs[/media]


----------



## makin moves

looks like the 25 dollar craftsman roll around chair is the most used tool in the garage ;D I cant go with out mine


----------



## Rosco

> looks like the 25 dollar craftsman roll around chair is the most used tool in the garage ;D I cant go with out mine


That little stool is great. Can't imagine doing this build without it.


----------



## Rosco

Here are some update pics. I sprayed topcoat on the bottom this afternoon and will finally get around to flipping it next weekend. I did have one run that I will have to deal with and will have to figure out what to do with the gnat and skeeters that decided to make the new finish home.


----------



## Rosco

Last video prior to the flip this weekend.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLTgB-J3F8k[/media]


----------



## makin moves

Man, this boat is so sick. I cant wait to see you flip it over.


----------



## free

That is Definately A Labor Of Love & U Sir R A Mastercraftsman [smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif] [smiley=1-thumbsup2.gif] [smiley=1-thumbsup1.gif] [smiley=bravo.gif] [smiley=bravo.gif] [smiley=bravo.gif]


----------



## Rosco

Finally got the boat flipped over today...










[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93I3rL2eiBI[/media]


----------



## free

Dam Uall move fast & that boat is Beautiful


----------



## Rosco

> Dam Uall move fast & that boat is Beautiful


Thanks! Here are a few more pics:


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## [email protected]

Sweet... Just went through the whole thread. The boat is looking amazing. This will be your pride and joy (behind your kids of course) and every time a fish finds it way on board he will think he went to heaven....
Good job. Ill keep watching and taking notes for a future build.


----------



## Creek Runner

Sweet, man congrats on the flip going well!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks for the comments. The flip was more stress than actual work. I was a mess yesterday thinking about all of the little things that could go wrong. Fortunately, all went well and we managed to do it without a scratch. Did a little cleanup on the inside today and managed to sit inside with my son. The girls thought we were crazy.


----------



## oysterbreath

Congrats on the flip Rosco. She's looking GREAT! I'm about a month behind you and still fully inspired by your build! I LOVE that hull caddy/ craddle. I have to build one myself. Casters are the way to go!


----------



## Rosco

> Congrats on the flip Rosco. She's looking GREAT! I'm about a month behind you and still fully inspired by your build! I LOVE that hull caddy/ craddle. I have to build one myself. Casters are the way to go!


That was one of those craigslist finds that I just couldn't pass up. My Mahogany and the dolly were both great craigslist finds.


----------



## CapnK

Rosco -

Stop, now, _please_ - before you put any more time or money into finishing that boat.

You know that the agonizing decisions still have to be made, electronics and layout and what cooler, that the finish work is only partly done and barely at that, & that it will seem like 'never' before that hull hits the water.

So let me just take it away from you now, before you are tempted into investing more of your precious resources into it...



/me drools everytime he sees that boat... Lovely.


----------



## fishnride883

Just xiscovered this thread, after reading all 13 pages and watching the videos.and seeing the pics I must say hats off to you! This boat is absolutely spectacular!


----------



## mhinkle90

So where do you plan on setting up your manufacturing facility? Because that thing is suweeeeeeeeeeet! I've been following this thread the whole time and can't help but be envious. Great craftsmanship all around brother.

BTW you were mentioned in the podcast by Tom in the interview. YOU'RE FAMOUS!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks guys. I just listened to the podcast in my office which I share with my wife. She says " you didn't spend a thousand dollars on clamps did you?" ;D Noooo, I can honestly say that I've spent less than $150 on clamps. Unfortunately, I've now spent over $400 on sandpaper!


----------



## mhinkle90

> Thanks guys.   I just listened to the podcast in my office which I share with my wife.   She says " you didn't spend a thousand dollars on clamps did you?"  ;D  Noooo, I can honestly say that I've spent less than $150 on clamps.   Unfortunately, I've now spent over $400 on sandpaper!


haha we wont tell her!


----------



## free

Just remind her how much $ Ur actually saving........."A BOATLOAD no  pun intended  ;D ;D ;D


----------



## ENVIBOATS

> I can't help but be envious.


Like we say... "Don't envi... Build one of your own." 

Seriously, Our support is second to none. We will be glad to help you make it happen.

Team ENVI
www.enviboats.com


----------



## Rosco

Don't have a lot to report. I spent a lot of time chipping away at hardened epoxy the last couple of weeks. When I started the build I decided to error on the side of too much epoxy than not enough. Well, I've been paying for it the last few weeks as it was a real mess on the inside. Anyway, pretty much cleaned up now and I can get back to building. Will sand the glass tomorrow and start filling the weave. Should have done it tonight, but I'm out of gas


----------



## oysterbreath

Podcast? What podcast?


----------



## Rosco

Not sure where the link to the podcast is, I found a link in the general discussion forum here a while back. Here is the latest video from the build. Not much to report, but doing stuff here and there as the foundation for the interior.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq5_n1m-5Z8[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Just wanted to report that I don't have much to report.  Installed the first bulkhead and the 29 gallon fuel tank arrived. Will install the other two bulkheads and the shelf for the fuel tank before I take the rest of the summer off to go fish and play.


----------



## oysterbreath

Trying out some new materials huh. Very nice


----------



## Rosco

> Trying out some new materials huh. Very nice


Decided to work with Divinycell as a learning experience as this entire build has been a giant learning experience. First of all, this stuff is costly! but, it's very light and I certainly see the advantages of using it. The bulkhead you see in the picture only weighed 3.5lbs after being fiberglassed on both sides. The other two bulkheads will be made out of the same stuff.


----------



## CapnK

Divinycell is a great material. We built a few things out of it in Hawaii when I was there back in the mid 90's. Like a divinycell-cored surf ski _(think: a skinny, hi performance SOT kayak)_ with a carbon wrap for one of the Ho brothers. Came out stupendously light, and just looked *wicked*.

I am also using it to build the seahood _(a cover for the sliding companionway hatch)_ for my sailboat as well. The green weight, same as your bulkhead(s). It looks kinda like a tombstone, and glassed only on the outside so far, a 200# man can literally jump up and down on it with no ill effects _(I've seen it happen, but that's a 'rum story', for later)_. 

She's looking awesome, Roscoe!


----------



## Rosco

Here's a video update.   Slow progress around here as it's been hot!  Actually, it's been so hot that I've had time to work on the boat since the kids and wife don't really want to go out play in this heat.   Just been working on the bulkheads.   The middle one is not glued in yet, because I still need to build a shelf for the fuel tank and finalize placement.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MapmY3pVdJg&hd=1[/media]


----------



## Creek Runner

I wish I could work that fast! You built the bulk heads in 1min. LOL! ;D

Looking great keep the vids coming.


----------



## Rosco

> I wish I could work that fast! You built the bulk heads in 1min. LOL! ;D
> 
> Looking great keep the vids coming.


LOL - the since the build clips are about a minute long, I should have her done in about 44 minutes!


----------



## Rosco

Do you think this will look OK on the back? I was originally thinking 90hp, but now I'm thinking 60hp will be plenty.


----------



## oysterbreath

Ooooooooooo, that'll do sir! That'll do!
That'll look real good. Honestly, I didn't know that a white Suk was available!


----------



## Rosco

> Ooooooooooo, that'll do sir! That'll do!
> That'll look real good. Honestly, I didn't know that a white Suk was available!


It will be available at the end of August according to Suzuki. It's nice and lightweight for a 4-stroke at 229lbs so I'm looking forward to hanging it. I cut down the transom yesterday to make it 20 inches and will start mocking up the motor well soon. 










Also started working on the fuel tank supports today. It was simple but time consuming. I will laminate the supports tonight and install tomorrow.


----------



## Rosco

a little video fun. I had to give myself a deadline or this project may drag on forever! I never thought the inside would be tougher than the outside, but there's a lot of nooks and crannies and nooks and...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjEqU70lGAI&hd=1[/media]


----------



## oysterbreath

I wonder if there would be any real benifit to using d-cell on the deck. That would save a ton of weight but i would be worried about hardware a bit. so what weight glass are you using on your bulkheads?


----------



## Rosco

> I wonder if there would be any real benifit to using d-cell on the deck. That would save a ton of weight but i would be worried about hardware a bit. so what weight glass are you using on your bulkheads?


Yeah, I think I'm going to stick with Okoume or most likely Mertanti for the decks. Divinycell for the bullheads, motor well, livewell, storage and other small stuff. Anything that requires attaching hardware will get wood  

I used 12oz 1208 on the bulkheads. I liked your choice in paints and look forward to seeing some progress pictures. I'm on vacation for a few weeks and plan on fishing in the upper midwest with my father in law for a few days. 9 years ago, we went fishing and he warned me that a Muskie was a fish of a thousand casts. I caught one on my second cast and he hasn't forgiven me since. I caught a nice one literally in his back yard. He paid me back a few years ago when we went redfishing in Fort Morgan, AL and he caught trophy Red after trophy Red while all I could hook was ladyfish. Paybacks are hell I guess. Anyway, I hope he gets a Muskie on this trip.


----------



## oysterbreath

Sounds like you've got a great trip ahead of you! Musky are SUM' THANG special! Good luck!

As for my paint, it might now be 2-3 weeks before I can put paint on her. Next weekend is booked for me. So maybe the weekend after that. I haven't posted new pics cause, well, it's all fairing and all the pics will just look alike! I'll be sure to post after paint. I'm thinking that I should also build my "up right" boat cradle on my boat now before paint just to make sure I don't scratch it during cradle construction. So much to do...atleast my major structural components are already glued to the hull. Looks like you've got alot more ahead of you than I, in that department. I do tend to agree with you though when it comes to deck material. Although I do fantasise about alternative deck materials I always come back to the reality that good old wood will work out better as a decking material. Infact I'm thinking about doing two layers of 1/4" instead of the designer recommended single layer of 1/2" ply. My logic is that if I stager the edges of two layers of 1/4 ply it will have better uni-body strength than the single layer. The joints will surely be stronger. Im even flirting with MDO. If I put the paper side down, I won't need epoxy the whole side. Just at structure. But if I do that, I'd have to use 3/8" MDO. So then it would be first layer 3/8 MDO and second layer 1/4" Okume. We will see...


----------



## Rosco

OK, I'm officially getting back to work on my project to get it completed by April 1st. Hope to have some progress pics up in a few weeks followed by video. Spent a couple of hours this evening sanding with my digital sander (my hand & fingers) on the fuel tank supports. Should prime and paint by the weekend. Can't wait to install the sole so I can have a level work surface to work from. Is it normal to get a leg cramp while hand sanding?


----------



## anytide

Is it normal to get a leg cramp while hand sanding?
-yes ,can wait for the update!!


----------



## Rosco




----------



## Rosco

I was hoping that some of you guys might be able to help me with a question. On your flats boats, where does your cockpit drain? Is the sole high enough to drain overboard or does it go to a sump or directly to the bilge and get pumped overboard?


----------



## jonathanglasser71

Rosco my boat has a drain at the back center of my cockpit and does drain into motor well and gets pumped over . I also wanted to thank you for the dead line idea and try not to wait till the last week to try to finish like I did !


----------



## oysterbreath

I think it would be better to drain into a sump than directly out of the boat. Just don't forget to put a drain plug into your sump area. I don't recall where I read this but someone on that other site put a drain out the side of his skiff to drain his cockpit and complained that it would make noise in turns or something like that...I'll have to look for it.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks guys. I've been spending a lot of time thinking about layout and have been wondering what people do with these flats skiffs with self bailing cockpits when the sole is so close to the waterline. (Sanding & fairing gives you a lot of thinking time ) 

Glasser, I think I am either going to put a drain in the middle as well or potentially two on the sides draining to the same place. I guess I need to figure out the rigging at some point and see what makes sense. Good on you for setting a deadline. I work better with a date in mind as long as it's a reasonable goal. I should be able to pull it off. I plan on spraying high build one more time in the area shown in the picture with a quick sanding then applying topcoat before moving on and installing the tank and reinstalling the middle bulkhead. Do you think you'll make your deadline? Only a few days left.

Oysterbreath, Thanks for responding. I heard that some manufacturers were putting a seacock between the cockpit drain and just draining overboard so no plugs were needed, but the owner has to make sure the seacock handles are in the right position while at rest and while underway. hmmm, perhaps this with a check valve would work? Anyway, how is your build going? Any updates?


----------



## jonathanglasser71

It will be close on the deadline . I am giving it all I got , been almost two weeks since I have fished so it has to be soon . Your boat is looking great ! I do have a front hatch and jam laid up at the shop if you are still thinking about doing something like that .


----------



## oysterbreath

> ....
> Oysterbreath,  Thanks for responding.   I heard that some manufacturers were putting a seacock between the cockpit drain and just draining overboard so no plugs were needed, but the owner has to make sure the seacock handles are in the right position while at rest and while underway.   hmmm, perhaps this with a check valve would work?     Anyway, how is your build going?  Any updates?


Plugs near the waterline make noise. Some a lot, some a little.
Can't wait to see what you are going to do though. You're my Chuck Yeager! lol

Well, I'm done fairing. I'm done with primer too. I'm going to clean the hull a bit more after I'm done writting this. I HOPE to start painting this weekend. I've been thinking alot about adding a sealed sole. Unlike your boat, mine was designed to have an acessible/removable sole. I also have an idea for some custom nav lights too but I gotta ask around first. My next milestone is to flip the hull. I hope to do it soon. That will make me happy!


----------



## Rosco

> It will be close on the deadline . I am giving it all I got , been almost two weeks since I have fished so it has to be soon . Your boat is looking great ! I do have a front hatch and jam laid up at the shop if you are still thinking about doing something like that .


Good deal and good luck with getting her done. I will let you know about the hatch in a month or so when I get closer to that point. I think I have to make some small adjustments to make it work. Speaking of fishing, I think I might try some fishing after work tomorrow and get back to work on boat building Saturday morning. Maryland is full of Redfish this year. More puppies than I've ever seen and they are great fun on light tackle.


----------



## Rosco

Sprayed some high build primer today. Baby steps for now, but I plan on hitting it hard for the next several months.


----------



## anytide

thats nice.
is that a tunnel i see ? - didnt read the whole thread -again


----------



## Rosco

> thats nice.
> is that a tunnel i see ? - didnt read the whole thread -again


No just a pad.  After installing the rear bulkhead, I found that I had a small area that would serve no other purpose than to hold water so I filled it with Divinycell and glassed it.


----------



## anytide

thanks -thats sweeet!!
you keep it up like that and you;ll be on my buddy list for sure.... 
-better hurry or youll be shoveling that stuff just to get it out.... :-?


----------



## Rosco

Still thinking about the cockpit drain issue with the sole being close to the waterline.   What do you guys think about something like this remote flow-rite valve seen in this video?  I'm thinking I can have a drain or 2 in the cockpit and then use this valve with a switch to control whether I want the scupper drain open or closed.  This way, it doesn't have to drain into the sump.   I could put a check valve inline too.   I will use it for it's originally designed livewell purpose as well   They have regular barbed fittings as well.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1QNZvj0X-Y[/media]


----------



## Swamp

I like the fact that it is mechanical vs electric.  I'm thinking that the hose diameter is a bit small for scuppers, real scuppers that is, not just get rid of a gallon or so of water while on up on plane drains.  If it's the latter, I don't see why not.  If it's the former I'd be hesitant.  Perhaps they make bigger models?

Swamp

ETA that the screw holes are really close to the edge of the main hole on the "switch" side. You could probably add a SS plate to solve any problems that might arise there though.


----------



## oysterbreath

I AGREE! Those screw holes ARE too close! Just think, you go a bit too long without maintaining that "bicycle brake" cable and get some corrosion or dried up salt crystals in there. You try to open the valve cause you NEED IT open NOW! It gets a bit tough to open so you add a little more force and POP! screw holes tear out! Just a thought...


----------



## Rosco

Yeah, this part of the build has me doing a lot of planning and thinking about random stuff. I like the idea of the valve but 3/4 may be a bit small. I haven't ruled it out yet, just might order one to get a closer look and use it for getting a little water out of the cockpit with the primary drain flowing into the sump. 

Searching the internet for ideas can get you into trouble. I saw this picture and I can't stop looking at it. Can a home boat builder pull something like this off?










Lastly, I did make a little progress this weekend and installed the fuel tank. Still need to install the top bracing, but should be able to move on soon. Now I have to future out all of my wiring chases.


----------



## Creek Runner

Judging by what you have already done, I think you can build anything you want. Skiff is looking good!


----------



## DuckNut

Looking at the picture of the trolling motor, it appears that it is just a storage locker. Once on the water you need to lift that heavy thing, close the hatch and then attach the motor.

With your skills I see an improvement to that design - where the motor is hidden in the hatch, open the hatch deploy the motor and close the hatch without having to lift anything. Instead of the motor simply folding onto itself, it folds into the hatch.


----------



## anytide

> Judging by what you have already done, I think you can build anything you want. Skiff is looking good!


x2


----------



## Rosco

> Looking at the picture of the trolling motor, it appears that it is just a storage locker.  Once on the water you need to lift that heavy thing, close the hatch and then attach the motor.
> 
> With your skills I see an improvement to that design - where the motor is hidden in the hatch, open the hatch deploy the motor and close the hatch without having to lift anything.  Instead of the motor simply folding onto itself, it folds into the hatch.


We are thinking the same thing. Open hatch, deploy motor, close hatch and fish! Still noodling the mechanics of it all. Too bad I'm a bits and bytes engineer and not a mechanical one


----------



## DuckNut

Chop the very tip of the hull off and I think you got it


----------



## oysterbreath

WOW, that hide-away trolling motor would be sweet on your boat!


----------



## Rosco

> WOW, that hide-away trolling motor would be sweet on your boat!


I think I figured out the mechanics. If I have some time this weekend, I will mock something up. Nice and simple and no need to chop off the front of the boat.


----------



## oysterbreath

> WOW, that hide-away trolling motor would be sweet on your boat!
> 
> 
> 
> I think I figured out the mechanics.   If I have some time this weekend, I will mock something up.   Nice and simple and no need to chop off the front of the boat.
Click to expand...

You pull that off and you'll enter "boat building deity" level! lol


----------



## Rosco

oysterbreath,

I'll see if I can pull it off. The mechanics are all good, but I don't know if I have enough space  Will fiddle with it tomorrow. 

Anyway, had a few minutes tonight as the epoxy sets on my bulkhead so I decided to post another video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIDSGtCFPl0[/media]


----------



## Rosco

middle bulkhead in and now fitting divinycell H45(blue stuff) between the ribbands.


----------



## oysterbreath

I have a question. So when you finally put paint on your hull, did you ever stop and think, "dang, I should re-fair and repaint this thing?" That's been on my mind alot lately cause I "think" I can do better! That's what I'm going through right now! lol


----------



## Rosco

> I have a question. So when you finally put paint on your hull, did you ever stop and think, "dang, I should re-fair and repaint this thing?" That's been on my mind alot lately cause I "think" I can do better! That's what I'm going through right now! lol


Whenever I thought that, I just picked up the longboards and kept sanding until those thoughts went away. Figured 1 of 2 things would happen. I would either get to a level of finish that I was very pleased with or my threshold for "good enough" would lower. If you are having second thoughts, your "good enough" threshold has reset itself to a higher level and you may have to pick up a longboard again


----------



## Rosco

Another quick video. Nothing too exciting as I'm just working on the sole supports and the sole of the forward hatch compartment. Should get better in a few weeks as I try some vacuum bagging.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sktKLCmdzZQ&hd=1[/media]


----------



## Rosco

When it rains, it pours and I happen to be in a boat build'n mood ;D I'm just slow. Trying to figure out where to run the conduit for my wiring at this point. Spent more time just staring at the boat than actually working on it so I decided to clean the garage during my thinking time.


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco - Here is your template - 6th picture
http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa/3276195579.html


----------



## fsae99

Rosco, I'm more a fan of having conduit/chase end up right next to bulk head, hull, transom, or wall of CC. This makes it easier to attach wires to said locations as well as improves the ability to use all the storage space.


----------



## Rosco

DuckNut,

I'm sad to report that I just can't make the hidden trolling motor work as there just isn't enough room on the forward casting deck to house the trolling motor below deck. Oh well. Maybe on the next build. I have a pretty simple idea to make it work though. Should be great on a 19 foot + boat. That forward deck on that Intrepid must be HUGE. 

CarolinaJim,

Thanks, I will make sure that forward chase ends up close to and behind a wall for that forward storage compartment. I was thinking of a wall that would conceal electrical as well as the fuel fill/vent lines and the back of the speakers. Also want to conceal the rod storage tubes on the sides. I think I read somewhere that PVC could be bent nicely if filled with sand first. Anyone tried this for rod storage tubes?


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco - I am sad to report that you just haven't thought about it enough. Now go back in the house, watch the debate, get pizzed off and break out the sketch pad. 

All you would need is roughly 4' - you can do it - I have faith.


----------



## Rosco

LOL - nobody wanted it more than me! I thought it was be incredibly cool, but I needed a few more inches :'( Left right left, no joy. Oh well, when I start Slacker-Craft boat company, I will be able to make this fit in a 19 footer. The pic below shows where the motor would have to fit below decks. Almost! but a few inches shy. Once flipped topside, I planned on creating a mount where it would push forward, but just getting it to fit below deck was a show stopper.


----------



## jonathanglasser71

Rosco why does it have to come out of the center ? Cant it come out off to one side or the other ? On most of the skiffs I work on they are mounted on the port side on an angle . Will try and get a pic. in the a.m. so you can see what I mean . Oh the product I used on my rodrack area is seadeck . When you get to that point send me templets and we can cut on CNC at the shop .


----------



## Rosco

> Rosco why does it have to come out of the center ? Cant it come out off to one side or the other ? On most of the skiffs I work on they are mounted on the port side on an angle . Will try and get a pic. in the a.m. so you can see what I mean . Oh the product I used on my rodrack area is seadeck . When you get to that point send me templets and we can cut on CNC at the shop .


Yep, it's gonna be mounted off to the side now in the traditional way. I was hoping to do something cool and have the motor hidden when not in use. Kind of like what you see in this video, but rotating along the width rather than the length. 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2eRmbID0_M[/media]


----------



## fsae99

Rosco, with these type of TM's I find deploy/stow easiest when mounted to starboard side. This because the lifting/tilting is not done cross handed for a right handed person like me.


----------



## DuckNut

I am impressed at your craftsmanship - but at this moment I am dissappointed in your creativity. :'(

Cut 2" off the shaft and make it fit - or move the bulkhead back 2"- or do as Glasser said and make the hatch diagonal 

I'm stayin' tuned!


----------



## oysterbreath

Rosco, send the trolling motor to me! I'll make it work on my boat....or I'll just install it normally! lol
Ahhhhhh I amuse myself!


----------



## Rosco

> I am impressed at your craftsmanship - but at this moment I am dissappointed in your creativity.   :'(
> 
> Cut 2" off the shaft and make it fit - or move the bulkhead back 2"- or do as Glasser said and make the hatch diagonal
> 
> I'm stayin' tuned!


Now hold on one dang second! ;D Seriously, I never considered shortening the shaft on the trolling motor. Anyone here done it? Just did some quick calculations. According to Minn-Kota, I only need a 42-45 inch shaft as my distance to waterline upfront is about 21 inches. The shaft length on my trolling motor is 54 inches so I have some shaft to spare. 

Dang you DuckNut, I was on easy street! Nobody puts Rosco in a corner


----------



## DuckNut

Never tried to put you in a corner - but I did try to put you IN the bow!!

I shortened one several years ago from a 42" to 26" - as simple as dismantle the control head, cut shaft, shorten wires and reassemble.

Now make it happen or give up and ship it to Oyster.


----------



## Rosco

I will take your challenge sir.   If I don't succeed, I will send Oyster a broken motor  ;D  In the mean time, I am working on the carlins as I need to tweak them with an angle grinder for final fit.   I am also going to start vacuum bagging divinycell to the hull sides this weekend.


----------



## Rosco

a couple of update pics and the latest video from this week. Taking Friday's off this month has really helped me get back on track. 



















[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYtJBDONutM&hd=1[/media]


----------



## oysterbreath

> I will take your challenge sir.   If I don't succeed, I will send Oyster a broken motor  ;D


 Go ahead and pack it up now Mr. Rosco! Ol' Oysters got big plans! lol

Seriously though, can't waite to see the deck go on. I've been going back and fourth about mine. Yours shall serve as inspiration.


----------



## Rosco

> I will take your challenge sir.   If I don't succeed, I will send Oyster a broken motor  ;D
> 
> 
> 
> Go ahead and pack it up now Mr. Rosco! Ol' Oysters got big plans! lol
> 
> Seriously though, can't waite to see the deck go on. I've been going back and fourth about mine. Yours shall serve as inspiration.
Click to expand...

Didn't get a chance to mess with it this past weekend as I was preparing for Hurricane Sandy. I feel fortunate to make it through the storm without any damage. Anyway, working on little things when I find time.,,


----------



## Rosco

another video update. Making a little progress.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjj-Z4ZbMoM[/media]


----------



## oysterbreath

Mr. Rosco, not that it's a race or anything but you do realize that I'm catching up to you?

Anyway, It's looking real sweet man. So what's the blue sheet foam that you are putting between your stringers? Are you gluing it down before putting your ply strips over it? OR are you just going to glass directly over the foam?


----------



## Rosco

> Mr. Rosco, not that it's a race or anything but you do realize that I'm catching up to you?
> 
> Anyway, It's looking real sweet man. So what's the blue sheet foam that you are putting between your stringers? Are you gluing it down before putting your ply strips over it? OR are you just going to glass directly over the foam?


That's H45 Divinycell which I vacuumed in place between the ribbands. In the cockpit area it will get a layer of 3mm or 4mm Okoume over it prior to glassing and the rest of the boat will just get glassed over the foam. 

I'm sure you will be in the water before me. I'm really slow but I feel like I've been on a tear lately.  Just switched to fast cure epoxy as the temps around here have dropped a good bit since Sandy.


----------



## oysterbreath

No sir! You'll still beat me to the water. I've go some _HOME_ issues to resolve that will delay my motor.


----------



## Rosco

Oyster, 

I need to shoot you my cell number as we should chat at some point.   I saw your post over on the boat yard forum about composite decks and I'm still deciding what to do.   My sole calls for 4 sheets of 1/4 meranti making a 1/2 sole but I'm thinking about using foam instead.   I may want to chat with little or glasser as well.   I'm spending more time staring at the boat now than ever as I decide what to do.  My skiff is far from technical, but I want to keep weight down as much as possible.

In the mean time, I am vacuuming divinycell in place between the ribbands.   Just dead space which could collect condensation, so I'm bagging foam in place.  So, no weight penalty and no empty voids.


----------



## oysterbreath

Rosco, I'll shoot you my cell as well. My deck is still up in the air too. Timm Smith, my boat's designer calls for a 1/2" Meranti deck. Me being the defiant bloke that I am, I'm exploring other options.I've read other threads inwhich builders used 1/4" ply. They said it worked fine. Me, I already have 3 sheets of 1/4" Okume that haven't been touched yet. That's enough for One layer on my deck. I have two thought:

1.) Buy 3 sheets of 1/4" meranti. Put the meranti on the bottom layer and put the Okume on the top layer and stagger the joints. I think two layers of 1/4" material would be better than one layer of 1/2" material because if you stagger the joints there is less chance of print through at your joints OR DE LAMINATION at your butt jointed deck. Over the Okume would be 10oz woven. The bottom would be epoxy sealed.
My issue with this set up is that I would have to order the ply and its not very economical to order SMALL batches of my. Heck shipping would be %50 of the total order price.


2.) Only use the single layer of 1/4" okume, however my lamination schedule would be greatly increased


------ Xynole
------ 12oz biaxial
====== 1/4" Okumo plywood
------ 12oz biaxial (used as infill between locations where deck sits on deck stringers and frames.)

As you may recall, my sole is designed to be removable, However I'm flirting with a sealed sole much like what you are considering. My thought, Nidacore or Plascore is the PERFECT stuff for this application. I think plascore is 50-60 a sheet for 1/2". I'd cut it to size, biax both sides. The fact that the ends have exposed honeycomb is not an issue, fill it in, it's not an exposed edge condition so no worries. I'm not positive but I THINK plascore laminated with 12oz is gonna be much lighter than two layers of 1/4" meranti wrapped in glass?

Also, I know I said that my boat is on pause but I just spent 4-5 hours sanding the interior of my boat today. I just can't leave it alone.


----------



## Rosco

I'm trying not to over think it, but I need to make a decision soon. I'd like to get the sole on by Thanksgiving. I guess I need to make a decision early this week. Anyway, I am done bagging the foam in place I need to get my conduit installed and make that 'sole' decision...


----------



## oysterbreath

Allow me to offer inspiration:

http://montana-riverboats.com/?page=Driftboats/Plascore-bottoms


----------



## Rosco

Ok, you guys are probably getting tired of my updates at this point. I take half the year off and work tirelessly the other half  Probably won't get the sole installed this week as I still haven't made a decision yet on material. Sorry Oyster, still contemplating. In the mean time, I started mocking up the cockpit drain today. There is a channel that tapers along the bulkhead that tapers down to a flush drain. I got the idea from one of the threads here on Microskiff. I will add a couple of blocks of wood where you see the blue lines in the second pic to reduce the size of the drain a bit.

I see a lot of fillets, round over bits, epoxy and fiberglass in my immediate future.


----------



## oysterbreath

Naw dude, fools like me sit here and wait for updates! Looking good. You are going for a much higher level of finish than I, so it's very entertaining!


----------



## GulfCoast

I'm sure You've heard it plenty but, damn ! awesome progress!!! that hull is sick nasty! God Bless ya


----------



## fsae99

Rosco, I will never get tired of the updates. Endeavor to persevere.

Regards,
Jim


----------



## DuckNut

Forget the hull and get back to the troller...Oyster is waiting by his mailbox!!!

No pressure though.


----------



## Rosco

Haven't put much thought into the trolling motor lately, but I'll get back to it. For now, getting ready to install the sole. Here's another update video. Probably more of me scratching my head than anything. One of those weird boat building moments where you know you were busy for a few days/weeks but don't feel like you really got anything done...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcv6iZfY_AY[/media]


----------



## Rosco

need to permanently install the wiring chases and sole supports, but getting there.


----------



## oysterbreath

Calling that boat a Cadillac would be an insult! You're going for Rolls Royce over there!


----------



## Rosco

I'm not sure what I'm shooting for but I can't stop sanding! Just installing the wiring chases, I found little areas that I wasn't happy with. These are areas that I'll never see again, but I decided to pull fairing compound and fair. What's wrong with me? I'll never finish this thing....


----------



## anytide

wow [smiley=eyepopping.gif]


----------



## cutrunner

Extra weight...


----------



## Net 30

As the big man once said.....grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Translation - put down the fairing compound, paint it, cover it up and forget it!


----------



## Rosco

> As the big man once said.....grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
> 
> Translation - put down the fairing compound, paint it, cover it up and forget it!


Roger that. Time to move on


----------



## samay

This is going to be the sweetest flats boat on the planet. I have to offer a dissenting opinion on the TM though. I know a bow-mount TM is best for fishing, but this boat is PURE like virgin dew. The front deck is going to be a bleepin' Mona Lisa when you are done; don't put a blasted TM up there. It would be like tattooing a tramp stamp on the head cheerleader at a SEC school. Get a small RC TM that you can put on the transom, or better yet just pole this baby around. 

Shutting up now. Great job.


----------



## DuckNut

Surf- if you read carefully, he is going to mount the motor inside a hatch so it will only be visible when in use- RIGHT Rosco!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks SurfFishLife, I'll hope to finish her as well as you are expecting. I've been getting a lot of advise on the trolling motor lately and I'm not sure what I am going to do. Sorry DuckNut. I think I can pull it off, but not sure it makes sense always carrying around the additional weight of the trolling motor and losing the storage space. I'm thinking about making a reversible hatch where the quick release trolling motor bracket is hidden when not in use. This would leave a nice clean deck as there will be a lot of bright finished mahogany on this boat (toe rail, helm pod and coaming boards). Anyway, I'll keep at it. I have 12 days off work coming up, so I should be able to get a lot done.


----------



## Rosco

and another quick update video of the first layer of sole going on...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7BJsATw_J0[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Glassed the sole today. Looking forward to seeing how much I can get done with some time off before the end of the year.


----------



## jonathanglasser71

Great work as usual Rosco !


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Glasser!  I'm trying to put as much time as I can into it, but it's getting cold up here and I can't get the epoxy to dry as fast as I want it to.


----------



## riptide

Hey rosco the boat looks great .
One trick with the epoxy use a light bulb in a plastic box to keep it (resin and hardener) warm over night .
it will wet out the glass better because it is less viscous.
The extra warmth from the light will kickstart your exothermic reaction and cataylize your resin faster!

The light takes a long time for it to get the epoxy warm but it is very consistent.

Have not said much , but have been folowing your build , you will be proud when your done


----------



## jfboothe

Its pretty cold here in Indiana too. I have a heater in my garage but I don't keep it on unless I am out there but it sure woorks great. I have a utility sink in the garage with hot and cold running water so I just put the jugs of epoxy in the sink and turn on the hot water. Letem soak for a while and they get nice and warm.


----------



## oysterbreath

electric space heaters were on sale at homedepo last week. $29!


----------



## WhiteDog70810

My house is a split level, so the garage is basically underground and shares a wall with the house, so my garage doesn't get as cold as some. It is usually 55-58 degrees in morning despite it freezing outside. I often use two electric heaters to warm my garage. They can keep the temp at slow epoxy cure temps, i.e. above 64 degrees F, very easily. It is usually 66-68 degrees after they run a few hours and they'll get up to 72 degrees overnight once you stop opening doors. My garage only has 8 ft ceilings. Your ceiling looks higher and your garage seem bigger than mine. Electric heaters might not be effective for you. As an additional issue, I can't run two heaters on the same 20 Amp breaker. Even if I separate them, I have to pay attention to how many other things I plug in on the same breaker. Fortunately, my garage now has three 20 amp breakers supplying it, but many garages only have one.

I direct halogen work lights at the epoxy and hardener jugs to warm them up while I am sanding and prepping so that they are ready to rock and roll when it is time to epoxy.

I also shine halogens directly at the epoxied surface when I am done. They radiate a lot of heat. You can get the surface to increase in temp even if the ambient temp is below 64 degrees. I should buy some true radiant heat lamps like those used for heating small greenhouse plants and baby pigs, but I never seem to remember until it is late and cold, so I keep using the halogens I already have.

You can also hang a thermo reflective tarp over the hull and put the lights underneath to keep the heat in, kinda like keeping the frost off a fragile plant. Obviously, the tarp has to be supported and guyed appropriately to prevent the tarp from touching the lights and melting. I've done this with small parts overnight, but I may need to build a "boat tent" in my garage so that this winter doesn't impair my progress.

I just got my fast hardener in today, so cooler temps will be less of a problem. Hopefully I can keep the temp high enough overnight with just lights now. Running space heaters overnight to get epoxy to kick makes me terribly nervous.

Nate


----------



## JBMitziSkiff

Top notch build Rosco! You have some great skill and patience. What do you think this boat will weigh after your all said and done?


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Karl, I like the idea of using a light bulb to keep the resin warm overnight. Much like Nate's garage, mine is attached and doesn't get much below 58 or so without heating, but the resin does get slow and thick without help. I would like to keep the garage heated overnight, but the last time I did it, the wife made me get up and check it every couple of hours. Just keeping the resin warm shouldn't cause her any headaches 

HoosierSkiff, the funny thing is that when I started this project, I always worried about the epoxy kicking too early and now I'm impatient when it doesn't kick as fast as I want it to. I'll utilize the warm water method as well. Thanks.

Oyster - Thanks - I scratch my head as to what I was doing this time last year, but it was all fairing and sanding, so a cool/cold garage felt great with all that manual labor.

Nate, thanks for the tips. I have an electric heater but it takes a while to heat up the space. When I first started this build, I would just open the door that led to the house and turn on the electric heater and it would heat up fine. Now it's just too dusty in the garage for me to keep the house door open. I just remembered the forced air propane heater I purchased last year which does heat the space quickly. I did lend it to a friend but have it back now. Using it for 20-30 minutes will heat the space up nicely before switching over to electric. Will probably have to do that tomorrow as it is supposed to be cold plus snow on Saturday.

Jbryan, Thanks! not sure of the absolute weight as I've tried to save a few lbs here and there. She won't be exactly be a technical poling skiff 

Did get a little work in today and started gluing the carlins in place today. I want to get them all in along with any fillets I need before glassing the sides.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

The forced air heater will definitely get the temp up. If I recall properly, heating with fuel burning heaters makes amine blush more of an issue. Don't ask me to explain the chemistry behind the reaction, `cuz I can't. If you only use it for a bit to get the heat up, it shouldn't be a issue, but I just thought you should know.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Nate,  I think I remember reading something like that as well.   Lucked out and didn't need it this morning, electric heater did just fine.   Here's another quick video with the most recent progress:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_7freFRACg[/media]


----------



## cutrunner

I dont see a cut out for a trolling motor hatch?????


----------



## Rosco

> I dont see a cut out for a trolling motor hatch?????


  No hatch cutouts yet. There's some crown to the deck so I'll have to get that right first (dry fit) then figure out the cutout for the hatches.


----------



## DuckNut

Coming along great Rosco.

You tell Cut to keep his pants on because I have faith in you...besides shipping that troller to him will be like 150 bucks.


----------



## cutrunner

I'll pay shipping 

Good call on using the crown on the deck, i cant understand why everybody doesnt do it?
Did you add crown to the floor as well?


----------



## Rosco

> I'll pay shipping
> 
> Good call on using the crown on the deck, i cant understand why everybody doesnt do it?
> Did you add crown to the floor as well?


Yeah, I don't know. Flat decks would certainly be easier as far as hatches are concerned. I think crown just looks right on a boat with some "carolina style". I didn't crown the floor. Pretty small area once the console is in. 

Speaking of consoles, I should probably start thinking about the design. Any thoughts on a good console height that can be used well in both the sit down and stand up positions? I pulled fillets today and will glass the sides tomorrow, but will probably run by Lowes and get some cheap insulation foam and start mocking up a console soon.


----------



## DuckNut

Here is a boat similar to yours to get some ideas.
http://willismarineinc.com/sexyboat.php


----------



## cutrunner

> Here is a boat similar to yours to get some ideas.
> http://willismarineinc.com/sexyboat.php


A mile from my house. Sure do love living in boat builder central!


----------



## oysterbreath

> Here is a boat similar to yours to get some ideas.
> http://willismarineinc.com/sexyboat.php
> 
> 
> 
> A mile from my house. Sure do love living in boat builder central!
Click to expand...

Man ain't that the truth! That area is CRAWLING with boat building activity! It's like Disneyland for boat builder wanna-bes like me! lol


Hey Ducknut, have you been on Enviboats website yet? You should check it out...


----------



## Rosco

That Willis boat is one of the boats that got me started on this entire journey. Loved the boat but a little too large to build and store in the garage. I'm happy with my design as I think it's curvier and sexier  

I guess I still need to ask around about console heights. Anyway, I did get around to glassing the cockpit sides today. I'll move on to other parts of the boat for a while.


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco, I posted that link for the console - not the boat. 

The best part is that the guy you are going to send your trolling motor to can visit them and get you some measurements. Seeing that it is a DIY build there might even be some drawings of the console that could be had from the designer. Just a thought.


----------



## fsae99

Rosco, here is my opinion on console height, placement, and size. 

I'd rather stretch to see over the top when seated, than hunch to drive standing up. Standing gives much better view, is easier on the back (especially with cushion on deck seating), and much easier to when docking. When you really need/want to get behind the console in weather taller is better. 

Also, I'd not put the console to close to the rear bulkhead, at a min place your feet end to end between the console and bulkhead. I like to be able to turn around and face aft and turn to beam and not feel stuck. I'd rather stretch a little while seated than be cramped while standing.

On the general size, I like to be able to move past the console without leaning over the side of the boat. Also, I like not having to step up on the front deck to go from on side to the other while forward.

Given the size of the floor the above 3 recommendations/opinions necessitate a narrower (port to starboard) and shorter (fore to aft). This is all based on the comfort deficiencies I find in my own boat.


----------



## Rosco

> Rosco, here is my opinion on console height, placement, and size.
> 
> I'd rather stretch to see over the top when seated, than hunch to drive standing up. Standing gives much better view, is easier on the back (especially with cushion on deck seating), and much easier to when docking. When you really need/want to get behind the console in weather taller is better.
> 
> Also, I'd not put the console to close to the rear bulkhead, at a min place your feet end to end between the console and bulkhead. I like to be able to turn around and face aft and turn to beam and not feel stuck. I'd rather stretch a little while seated than be cramped while standing.
> 
> On the general size, I like to be able to move past the console without leaning over the side of the boat. Also, I like not having to step up on the front deck to go from on side to the other while forward.
> 
> Given the size of the floor the above 3 recommendations/opinions necessitate a narrower (port to starboard) and shorter (fore to aft). This is all based on the comfort deficiencies I find in my own boat.


Thanks CarolinaJim and Happy New Year to the Microskiff family. I will try to mock something up this week. Planned on working on it today, but it was my wedding anniversary. The wife is wearing my custom trailer and jackplate on her finger this evening :


----------



## Rosco

didn't get a chance to work on the console today. Instead, I finished up the dry fit of the divinycell in aft portion of the boat. Should start bagging that foam in place tomorrow. Working on the console via sketch pad tonight.


----------



## Rosco

another time lapse video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZIJvEbqJIo[/media]


----------



## Rosco

a few more pics while watching the game...


----------



## snark

This is a great post. I've been thinking about a vacuum bag project but I'm not sure where to get started. Can you describe your system, any learnings you've had and recommended reading?


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Ultralight,

I learned a few things by visiting a local boat builder, watching youtube videos and asking lots of questions on the internet I was really nervous bagging that divinycell in place the first time. I really did a small section in case something went wrong and I had to fix something. What I found was that using epoxy resin gives you a lot of time to find any leaks in the bag compared to the polyester resin the local builder was using. His stuff kicked very quickly. 

Anyway, I did learn a few things along the way. I'm no expert by any means as I now have about 12 hours of vacuum bagging experience  

I did learn a lot from Joewoodworker.com and actually used his plans to build a pump system that wouldn't run continuously. I think he calls it project EVS. I purchased my pump from his site as well - a refurbished Rietschle Thomas pump for $94. It's a great quiet pump and doesn't spew oil like Harbor Freight pumps ( so I've heard).

I purchased all of the consumables i.e. vacuum tape - I really like the gummy stuff (tacky tape)as it's very forgiving, peel ply, breather fabric and bagging material and was ready to give it a shot. 

After dryfitting the divinycell, I used the tacky tape to tape around the area where I wanted to bag. Next, I cut some peel ply to cover the area being bagged along with the breather fabric. One thing I learned is the breather should be cut smaller than the peel ply. If it overlaps the peel ply, you will have some fuzzy polyfill looking crap sticking to epoxy. Lastly, I cut the bagging film to size. 

Peel ply, breather and bagging film are placed to the side then I mix the thickened epoxy for the lamination between the hullsides and the divinycell. I apply the epoxy using a plain spreader then go over it with a west system 809 spreader. Push the divinycell in place then cover with peel ply and breather. Next, place the valve stem on the breather and start putting the bagging film in place. This is the fun part 

Installing the bagging film can be a little frustrating. Now you are working against time because in my head the epoxy is going to kick any second now. You have to place the bagging film in a method where it can be pulled down tightly in all areas. This means you need to create pleats so the bag (bagging film) can pull tight. I watched youtube to figure this out. Once you think the bag is sealed all around you connect the vacuum hose to the valve stem and start vacuuming. 

In my case, this is where I feel like a teenager shaving for the first time. It's leak detection time! going around the edges and pushing in on the bagging film where it meets the tape and placing small pieces of tape where I think I have leaks (or shaving cuts ). The leaks are usually in areas where the film is folded over slightly or in corners. 

Now lastly, the epoxy that I feared would kick in a matter of minutes takes forever and I continually check for hours to see if it's cured yet. Anyway, I hope this makes sense. I am going to start some bagging of parts soon and am building a 4x8 melamine table to build these parts. I will try to put together a photo tutorial. Anyway, I hope this helps and makes sense.


----------



## Rosco

Laminating a little more divinycell up front. Should be done with foam by this weekend. Sorry about the picture, my "heat lamp" screwed the pic up a bit.


----------



## Rosco

couple more pics from up front.


----------



## Rosco

Another time lapse update. 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0szKBM2oZbA[/media]


----------



## bag1982

Looks good


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Brad. Here's an update pic. Finally done vacuum bagging the foam in place. Now on to glassing over the foam and then moving on to other fun things.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

That Divinycell between the ribands is going to make it look clean when you glass it.

Is it just me, or is your back deck a dance floor? It looks huge in the pics.

As always, it looks awesome,

Nate


----------



## Rosco

> That Divinycell between the ribands is going to make it look clean when you glass it.
> 
> Is it just me, or is your back deck a dance floor?  It looks huge in the pics.
> 
> As always, it looks awesome,
> 
> Nate


Thanks Nate. Yep, that back deck is pretty good sized, but the whole boat is starting to feel smaller by the day. Kind of like a recently framed house that starts getting drywall. I'm sure that the rear deck will start looking smaller soon.


----------



## Rosco

getting more work done up front.   mainly glassing over the divinycell and installing the forward sole.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Pr-LP4ByA[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Here are a couple of update pics as I've been working on the forward storage compartment. I've been trying to decide on what size PVC to use for rod storage as I will use a mix of fly and spinning rods. Any thoughts? The only thin wall PVC I can find locally is 1.25, but I'm think maybe 1.5 or 2 inch would be more versatile? What do you guys think? Anyway, I will glass the inside of this compartment tomorrow.


----------



## Brett

My choice was thin wall 1-1/2 inch diameter.
Easy to flare, enough flex to fit your hull shape.
Large enough inside diameter for spinning rod guides.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Brett. Did you find it at a big box store?


----------



## Brett

Yep.


----------



## Rosco

Couple more update pics.   Glassed the front storage compartment.  Now working dry fitting and mocking up the rear deck area.  I was able to find some thin wall 1.5 inch PVC at my local True Value store, for the front rod storage, will get around to that soon.  Also found out that the best way to source thin walled 2 inch stuff was to use central vacuum tubing for as it's pretty thin.   Anyway, here are some pics...


----------



## SilentHunter

man thats one pretty boat!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks FreeDiver,

Here's the latest video:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SEaMj3op7M[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Working in the bilge. Needed to build a shelf for the livewell and create a plan for extending the wire chases. Didn't have a whole lot of time this past week. Hope to get more done next week.


----------



## Rosco

Dry fit the cockpit drain outlet and wiring chase extensions.


----------



## Rosco

A few more update pics. Let's see. I painted the area under the livewell and added my conduit extensions. I also had to cut 4 inches out of the center of my storage bins because I decided to make them removable so I can get easy access to stuff. Lastly, I started mocking up the installation with gutters. Still a work in progress, but getting there


----------



## trplsevenz

Did you build the bait tank and storage bins? Have any pics of that if you did? Nice work!


----------



## Rosco

> Did you build the bait tank and storage bins? Have any pics of that if you did? Nice work!


No, I cheated and had them made. American Eagle Canoes built the bins and livewell. I just called Chuck with my dimensions and they made it happen - great service and great prices. I originally had the bins made larger as they were going to be permanently mounted, but somewhere along the way, I decided I wanted them removable as it would make the build and future maintenance a lot easier. Cutting them sucked, but they glassed back together pretty easily. I just need to finish them off.


----------



## Rosco

Here is another video update:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G1TrI2XIeE[/media]


----------



## Rosco

some work from today:


----------



## riptide

Rosco with your skill set and attention to detail you could have built your own molds for the baitwell tank and storage bins no problem. The boat looks great!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Karl. I thought really hard about building them, but I probably would have spent too much time on them - I can't help myself. I'm still working on the mock up of the rear deck and making sure all the channels drain back to the motor well. I will probably need to stare at it for another couple of days before making it permanent


----------



## Rosco

Decided to make it permanent (sort of). I liked the way the drain channels are going to work out so I glued everything together. The panel will be removable so I can glass the underside and finish off the bilge area as well before permanent install. Here are a couple of pics and another vid.



















[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnCXk_6dAx0[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Man, I made it to the bottom of page 3. Back to work on the boat and a lot of not fun stuff down in the bilge. Anyway, back to work.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toRiDUuN7i0&feature=youtu.be[/media]


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Does that little Dust Deputy work as advertised? I've been eying it because I am tired of cleaning out my airfilter every 30 mins. I keep trying to talk myself into the big one.

Glad to see you back.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

> Does that little Dust Deputy work as advertised?  I've been eying it because I am tired of cleaning out my airfilter every 30 mins.  I keep trying to talk myself into the big one.
> 
> Glad to see you back.
> 
> Nate


Thanks Nate. It does work as advertised. I used to clean filters all the time, now only every couple of weeks or months. The shop-vac stays pretty much empty and everything goes in the cyclone bucket.


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco, you are doing a phenomenal job.

Just think how much weight you are going to save by sending the troller to cut runner. ;D


----------



## Rosco

I thought Oyster was getting it. It might have a 14 inch shaft in order to fit, so I should be able to save on shipping ;D


----------



## Rosco

I also meant to post these. Glassed the livewell support shelf in place. Still have some more fairing work to do in the bilge. Also drilled the holes in the bulkhead for the rod storage tubes. Rods will have to point aft as the flare up front is too much to make it work. 

I did find some really lightweight thin wall 2" pvc called airvac. I think it is used for whole home central vacuum systems. Anyway, if anyone is looking for thin wall 2" pvc - google airvac PVC.


----------



## oysterbreath

> I thought Oyster was getting it.   It might have a 14 inch shaft in order to fit, so I should be able to save on shipping  ;D


Dayum right ol' Osyter is higher up on the list than cut! Sorry cut! lol

Rosco, I just checked out your update and man-oh-man she's a work of art but she's packing on the pounds like you put a ring on her finger! She's gonna ride real smooth though that's for sure! How much do you estimate she weights now?


----------



## DuckNut

My mistake guys...

Very responsible of you to correct me.


----------



## Rosco

you calling my girl fat? ;D She might have a little junk in the trunk, but she's still skinny in the waist  Seriously though, the divinycell didn't add much weight at all... 13.5 lbs of foam total in the entire boat so far - empty calories like rice cakes.  Scantlings called for 62lbs of plywood bulkhead so I think I'm still ahead of the game.


----------



## oysterbreath

LOL, ain't no-thang wrong with a little extra junk! lol

Actually it was this pic that caught my eye as the "junk-in-the-trunk" shot. 



>


From the pic it just looked like a whole lotta Jennifer Lopez going on! I ain't saying it's a bad thing though...

dang, 62 pounds of bulkhead! WOW man! That's a lot of weight. Atleast in my noob head it is....I'm thinking HB glades skiff....your boat is.....ECC Fury or better yet redfisher level!


----------



## Rosco

> LOL, ain't no-thang wrong with a little extra junk! lol
> 
> Actually it was this pic that caught my eye as the "junk-in-the-trunk" shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the pic it just looked like a whole lotta Jennifer Lopez going on!  I ain't saying it's a bad thing though...
> 
> dang, 62 pounds of bulkhead! WOW man! That's a lot of weight. Atleast in my noob head it is....I'm thinking HB glades skiff....your boat is.....ECC Fury or better yet redfisher level!
Click to expand...

We'll just say she has big bones.


----------



## Rosco




----------



## Rosco

Couple of update pics from today. Longitudinal deck supports permanently installed today. Starting to look like a boat. My son says I keep making the boat look smaller and smaller


----------



## Rosco

Here's another video:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJJPgzq4BY[/media]


----------



## Rosco

A little bit more progress. couple of update pics and a video. Working on shaping the sheer band to match the crown of the deck . I was also told to clean the garage as dust was making it's way into the house. 



















[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UmidMjaccY[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Dry fitted the entire deck. Still need to go back and trim up a quite a bit. Left a lot 'proud' around the edges, will sand that down tomorrow. Anyway, here are a few update pics:


----------



## cutrunner

Oh hell yea


----------



## TidewateR

what a beautiful boat!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks guys. Here is a another timelapse video of the build. I started mocking up the console today. Still not sure if I like it or not.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGkoyns7QVI[/media]


----------



## oysterbreath

Man that is looking REAL good! I love the sheer band on that boat.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Oyster. Trying to stay the course. My son and I spent some time today mocking up the console. I will come back and build it with Divinycell once I am happy with the design and use the plywood as templates. Don't worry, I'm not going to use this big Rybovich wheel or control on the final console, I'll get something a little more to scale (but same concept).


----------



## DuckNut

Love the console.

On really cool thing I have seen once is a pop up that contained all of the gauges. When not in use they flipped down into the console. Hinge in the back and the front went up and down.


----------



## cutrunner

Your just trying to delay this build forever arent you?
Pop up guages, concealed trolling motor hatches...


----------



## DuckNut

Not at all...I am trying to get you guys free goodies.

Trolling motor - Rosco is boxing it up and shipping on monday to oyster.

New gauges - working on those for you


----------



## Rosco

I like the idea of the pop-up instrument panel as well. I am going to do it. More doable and practical than the trolling motor hatch


----------



## DuckNut

Change out the pink seat while your at it   

edit: I dig the fast, super fast and fly


----------



## oysterbreath

I dig the general shape and design of the console. In my imagination, I see that steering bump-out as teak. That would set it off for sure!


----------



## Rosco

That's the plan with this these as the inspiration...


----------



## DuckNut

I know where your inspiration comes from. 

Check here for some ideas as well
http://vandamboats.com/


----------



## Rosco

started work on the actual console...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6hyDSbOvYo[/media]


----------



## jrod0785

I am truly amazed at your craftsmanship. You are very talented. It has been awesome to watch this come together. Keep up the great work


----------



## Rosco

> I am truly amazed at your craftsmanship. You are very talented. It has been awesome to watch this come together. Keep up the great work


Thank you. I think I'm getting there but I'm not looking forward to all of the sanding coming up prior to paint. I'm on travel for a few days, but I'm looking forward to getting back on the build later in the week. I need to replace a couple of tools that didn't make it through the build. First my Craftsman rolling stool which was featured in many of the early videos. It finally decided it had enough and tried to kill me when the seat broke off. Secondly my cheap Skil bandsaw died - I probably should have used that blade tension release like the manual said. Now I have a wobbly lower wheel that doesn't seem repairable. I've been told to go buy a real bandsaw, but I'm not sure where else I would use it or store it after this build. 

Here are some more pics of the console. I will finish shaping the sides, installing the wood where the instruments and pod will mount and probably fiberglass it this weekend.


----------



## DuckNut

Toe kick? Not only looks good it will be more comfortable.


----------



## Rosco

Yeah, it will get a toe kick. Once I finish this part, I am going to glue on a base then attach the toe kick. The toe kick will be inset about 2-3 inches and follow the same outer profile. I'll use the toe kick as a template to cut out the hole in the base as well. 

I hope that makes sense.


----------



## Rosco

Toe kick is now in place (dry fitted at this point).   Just need to build the front seat and it will be ready for glass soon.


----------



## oysterbreath

Looking real good there! I like the toe kick. Your console is gonna be real sweet!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Oyster, It should start looking good once I get the pod done. I have my binnacle and steering wheel coming in this week so I'll start on the pod soon. Here is another update video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGHOC5KvLwU[/media]


----------



## DuckNut

I don't see a flip up instrument pod!!!

You change your shirt alot ;D


----------



## Rosco

> I don't see a flip up instrument pod!!!
> 
> You change your shirt alot   ;D


It's coming. I will cut it out once everything is faired and primed.


----------



## DuckNut

Did you find a little inspiration/ideas in that boat website I sent you?


----------



## Rosco

> Did you find a little inspiration/ideas in that boat website I sent you?


Absolutely, I drool over that site. They used to have way more pics on it a few years ago. Have you seen this video?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61Ip-OhOlw[/media]


----------



## Rosco

I'm almost ready to glass but now I have a quick question.   On the console seat, I prepped for a rear hinge, but now I'm thinking I might want a front hinge.   Front hinge means it will never fly open if I forget to latch it.   Would you go front hinge or back hinge?


----------



## oysterbreath

I'd do a front hindge too. Are you going to try to hide the hindge or keep it exposed?




P.S., where is my trolling motor? LOL


----------



## Rosco

hidden piano hinge maybe?


----------



## Net 30

Rear hinge with a friction latch inside the box.

One downside of a front hinge is that someone will lean/sit/fall on the open hatch and break the thing off or rip out the fasteners..........


----------



## Rosco

That's a good point that I hadn't considered. Decisions, decisions. Also still working on the console and trying to decide between the long handle and short handle that I have mocked up. The pod where the steering wheel and lever are mounted will be mahogany hopefully by the weekend... Here are some new pics:


----------



## Rosco

Decided one handle was too short and one was too long so I got it modified to get the exact length I wanted.


----------



## Rosco

Built the mahogany helm pod over the weekend. Lots of sanding left but I think I pulled it off. I now own a jointer because I was told I needed one.


----------



## oysterbreath

Looking real good! I thought you would have gone full bore and got the Teak but it's still looking stellar! Can't wait to see some varnish on it. How thick were your boards?


----------



## cutrunner

I kove the look of teaj and mahogany but my new favorite wood is sapele and its cheap.
Looks very good when epoxy coated


----------



## Rosco

Boards were 1-1/8 thick. Had some resawed and planed to 1/2 inch for the area where the helm pump will be mounted. I purchased a bunch of mahogany a few years ago when I thought this build would only take a year to complete. I need to check out the sapele and I'm getting a few tips on how to get the grain to pop a bit more. Here are a few pics with mineral spirits applied to show what it might look like with epoxy applied.


----------



## DuckNut

27 coats of clear poly wet sanded between each coat. You can post pics at Christmas for us.


----------



## Brett

> 27 coats of clear poly wet sanded between each coat.


That was evil, Duck! Funny, but evil! ;D


----------



## Rosco

I was thinking 2015 ;D don't be too harsh on me, it's my first time. Here is another video update, I've decided it might be a 65 part series... 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJA4u2mu0as[/media]


----------



## DuckNut

Hummm

You get busted for child labor laws?  I haven't seen the slave laborer in about 6 episodes now.

You are doing a phenomenal job.  At this point in my life I would have lost interest back on page 3 and given the wood to some other unsuspecting fool.  

Oyster - need some wood?   [smiley=1-lmao.gif]


----------



## oysterbreath

> Hummm
> 
> You get busted for child labor laws?  I haven't seen the slave laborer in about 6 episodes now.
> 
> You are doing a phenomenal job.  At this point in my life I would have lost interest back on page 3 and given the wood to some other unsuspecting fool.
> 
> Oyster - need some wood?   [smiley=1-lmao.gif]


LOL, I think Nike may have taken the lil fella away and tought him the finner art of shoe making! lol

Looks good man! Another coat of stain?

Oyster can't accept any wood till he sees a trolling motor in the mail! lol


----------



## Rosco

LOL- Little guy finishes the 4th grade tomorrow. He'll have all summer to give his old man a hand with the build. Straight A's in the STEM program this year, I'm proud of the little guy. 

I'll admit to losing interest a few times, but I just keep soldiering on. I turned 40 this year, so perhaps now I'm a little too stubborn to quit. Also, a lesson for my son and daughter, that when you start something, you finish it....

eventually ;D


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Just as soon as I learn to accept that my wood working capabilities are completely outclassed around here, you have to raise the bar a bit more. That looks awesome. I now officially hate you. Please Bondo a pink flamingo to the helm so my jealously will resolve before it consumes me.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

> Just as soon as I learn to accept that my wood working capabilities are completely outclassed around here, you have to raise the bar a bit more.  That looks awesome.  I now officially hate you.  Please Bondo a pink flamingo to the helm so my jealously will resolve before it consumes me.
> 
> Nate



LOL - I'll start on the pink flamingo tonight as I don't want to be hated. On a serious note, we should grab lunch, I know that you and a few other microskiffers are in the DC area. Let's grab lunch this month and chat about boats!


----------



## WhiteDog70810

I'm game. I claim my weekends are all open, but I am good at filling them up. On that note, any weekend for the rest of June is cool.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

I'll be up in your neck of the woods next Saturday as my son has a track meet at Watkins Mill High School. I'll PM you my number and get yours as well. 

On a side note, I applied my first coat of epoxy this evening. Should really start to smooth out after a couple of coats.


----------



## Rosco

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAwKrg3Knmg[/media]


----------



## Rosco

Done glassing the console. I thinking I'm starting to round 3rd base ;D


----------



## Rosco

Quick summer break over. Slowly getting back to work on the build...


----------



## Rosco

Going with a pop-up instrument panel. Made the cutout for that this evening.


----------



## [email protected]

Where is the jumbo green fairing sander from?


----------



## Rosco

> Where is the jumbo green fairing sander from?


A company named Flexicat http://flexicat-usa.com/


----------



## DuckNut

That IS the console that THIS classy skiff needed!


----------



## Rosco

> That IS the console that THIS classy skiff needed!


Hope to make you proud DuckNut


----------



## DuckNut

You certainly are. I also see hints where you are getting some inspirational ideas. That wood builder up north.

Livewell or beer cooler up front?


----------



## [email protected]

What kind of material did you use for the nice radiused corners on the console? 4mm marine ply?


----------



## Rosco

DuckNut,   Van Dam straight! ;D  The front of the console will be a little beverage cooler.   

Steelhead,   The smaller 1.5 inch radius was done with Divinycell foam.  The larger radius was done with 1/4 round plywood radius from Robert's Plywood. www.roberts-plywood.com/quarter-rounds.html    I think I used 3 inch and 6 inch radius. 

Here is a pic that shows the early part of the console build.


----------



## [email protected]

Well, seeing how the 6" radius comes in 8 feet lengths..... Have a couple feet to spare that you want to sell?


----------



## Rosco

I just went out and measured. I have 61 inches of the 6 inch radius and 45 inches of the 3 inch radius left. I don't know if I need it anywhere else on the boat. How much do you need?


----------



## DuckNut

Steelhead- go to a real lumber yard. They usually carry bending plywood (barrel or column). All you need to do is cut it to the size you need, wax a pvc pipe, coat both sides with epoxy, wrap it on the pipe, and tape it (packaging) until it dries.


----------



## [email protected]

Are bending ply sheets made with a water proof glue?

Rosco, do you know if the 1/4 rounds you have are made with a waterproof glue?

Thanks.


----------



## DuckNut

No idea. But if you are going to use it for a console it won't matter because it will be coated with epoxy and paint on all sides. Different story if you plan on using it for a hull - then you would need to ask the manufacturer.


----------



## Rosco

> Are bending ply sheets made with a water proof glue?
> 
> Rosco, do you know if the 1/4 rounds you have are made with a waterproof glue?
> 
> Thanks.


No, I don't think so but as Ducknut said, I have it epoxy coated and glassed both inside and out so it should be fine. 

Worked on the console a bit tonight and trying to noodle the geometry of the pop-up so that the gauges and electronics are presented at a good angle. Also trying to decide if it will be actuated via gas shocks or electric actuator. Should have some pics for you tomorrow night.


----------



## Recidivists

Holy mackerel! Pop up instrument panel!


----------



## DuckNut

I say push button linear actuator.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Good heavens! Is this thing gonna be a fishing boat or a tour bus for the Rolling Stones?! 

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Fishing boat - Keith Richards edition ;D


----------



## [email protected]

Ok, I could use 3 feet of the 6" radius. How much shipped to central TX?

Thanks!


----------



## Rosco

I'll check shipping prices tomorrow and get back to you. I spent some time this morning working on the pop-up console. I think I have the mechanics/geometry of it worked out. I will start making it permanent this week.


----------



## DuckNut

nuff said

[smiley=1-thumbsup1.gif]


----------



## Rosco

Busy work day and never got around to checking shipping rates. I will try tomorrow evening. Meanwhile, here is another video update:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srZno9xNxFc[/media]


----------



## [email protected]

That popup console is pure AWESOME!


----------



## mikeregas

Man this thing is awesome. I can't wait to see her on her maiden voyage...

GReat Work!!!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Steelhead and Redfish. I wish I was building a little faster, but all progress is in the spare time...


----------



## Rosco

Worked on the gutter system for the pop-up instrument panel this weekend.


----------



## Rosco

Finished glassing the pop-up panel, front seat and floor of the beer cooler. Also started fabricating the beer cooler.


----------



## jdpber1

when you get done you are going to have one hell of a sweet ride..


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Jdpber, it's coming along. The beer cooler, is almost done and should keep stuff colder for an entire day as it has plenty of insulation. Anyway, still making some progress.


----------



## DuckNut

Too much foam...you lost 4 beers worth of capacity!


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Better to have a couple cold beers than a bunch of warm ones [smiley=1-beer-german.gif]


----------



## jdpber1

nothing worse than a hot beer on a blazing hot day after an intense fish fight


----------



## Rosco

I can confirm that it will hold at least 18 beers and plenty of ice. It might hold some bottled water too, but I haven't tested that yet.


----------



## DuckNut

> Better to have a couple cold beers than a bunch of warm ones


You got a sippy cup holder on your skiff?? ;D


----------



## jdpber1

the drain looks good... 

may i ask what the 2 areas on the sides that have curved edges marked in shapie and slash lines.. is that the finger cut outs for lifting the hatch?


----------



## Rosco

> the drain looks good...
> 
> may i ask what the 2 areas on the sides that have curved edges marked in shapie and slash lines.. is that the finger cut outs for lifting the hatch?


Yeah, they are going to be cutouts to make lifting the seat easier. They seem about "right sized" but I'm hesitant to make the cut. I think they'll be alright though. 

Also trying to figure out what weight cloth to use for the cooler. Is 12oz ok? too much? not enough?


----------



## jdpber1

my main thought would be this.. your son armed with the task of loading the cooler and him lobbing the cans in the cooler.. i would say 12 all over with an extra layer on the base...


----------



## Rosco

Gotcha, will start laying some glass tomorrow. Just gotta find my sippy cup


----------



## WhiteDog70810

> my main thought would be this.. your son armed with the task of loading the cooler and him lobbing the cans in the cooler.. i would say 12 all over with an extra layer on the base...


Are you implying that a male child might rush through something just to get it done while giving no real consideration to the long term consequences of his actions?  Tell the truth...

I ain't never did nufin like that.

:-X

Nate

P.S. Don't get him started trying to kid proof this boat. Anvils don't generally float well.


----------



## jdpber1

^^ very true.. i could have said use structural matt with a sewn in chop strand backing for the base.. Kevlar carbon would be the best answer.. build a TANK BOAT


I never rushed anything as a kid.  i mean..... i have torn some sh!t up in my time..


----------



## Rosco

During lunch today, I put 2 layers of 1208 on the base and a single layer of 1208 on the sides. Applied peel ply as well so that should save me a bit of time when it comes to sanding.


----------



## Rosco

Glassed...


----------



## Rosco

Almost everything glassed in place and high build primer applied. I am going to finish this dang console one of these days! The door is up next.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

You do great work... are you a professional boat builder masquerading as a skiff enthusiast or what ??? I appreciate your attention to detail. Your not building a skiff ... it's a monument ... that floats


----------



## Rosco

Thanks, if anything - I'm masquerading as a boat builder


----------



## Rosco

Here is a video update:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg_zSi60cw0[/media]


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

WOW! cool video   (except plumbers crack at 2:15...just kidding  ;D) what kind of camera are you using .... I'd love to do that with my project.


----------



## 8loco

I think we should start taking bets on how many pages it will be before your all done. I'm taking the line on page 50


----------



## Rosco

Sorry about the crack.  :-X   The camera is a cheap  Pentax Optio w30 - got it on ebay and it has a nice timelapse feature and available AC power source.   It has stood up to the dust these last couple of years very well.

OchoLoco - sorry about the delay in completion, but page 40 seems about right but  ;D  Maybe less if I simmer down on the updates


----------



## Rosco

Can't believe my helm pump weighs 11lbs?!!! Anyway, I mounted it today to make sure it and the morse SL-3 control box fit properly within the mahogany helm.


----------



## jdpber1

that is one sexy station.. cant wait ti see the gauges and popup display.. are you planning to do a manual lift or use gas shocks, or an electric lift actuator..


----------



## Rosco

I am going with a 12v linear actuator and I hope to order it later today or tomorrow. The challenge has been finding one that is lighter duty and a little faster than traditional hatch actuators.


----------



## jdpber1

on our 45' carolina the dash was 6' in the fly bridge dual 15" displays and a hand full of other displays and we had gas shock 200# lifts 3 of them all you did was 2 fingers to start the lift and maybe 5# of force to lift and she stayed up all day beating around off shore.. 

the lighter linear are a rearer bread, i have seen the 100# (i know more than your pod by a lot) but seen then for the 80-125 mark.. have you considered talking to one of the distributors possibly they could build you a 30-40# at the travel length that you need. i know dad had to have ours built for the speed, travel, lift strength..


----------



## DuckNut

Possibility for flooring option

http://www.airteak.com/


----------



## Rosco

Jdpber,

I'll make some calls tomorrow and figure something out about the actuator. I researched it today and found some lightweight actuators that might work. IP54 vs. IP65 for protection rating? Actuator companies like to use these ratings, but I can't tell if they'll rust away in a saltwater environment. I think a couple of phone calls should alleviate some of my concerns.

DuckNut,

I spoke with those guys last year. They are certainly teak veneer experts. 










Final fairing and finish primer coming up!


----------



## jdpber1

man that is looking sexy


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Rosco, I've known that guy (AIR TEAK) for YEARS and have worked with him on many projects ....but he's changed  ...He is local to stuart and ....You know how people get a reputation????? THEY EARN IT   Ask a local (to stuart fl)


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

I'm sorry for what may seem to be a "poo poo" post but you have worked so hard on your skiff ,I wouldn't want you to do something now that may turn out to be a bummer later ...or it may be perfect .....just research before you commit . Any Good cabinet guy knows what to do and how to do it ....fancy web sites do not always mean you'll be happy with the product .....IMOP ,keep up the GREAT work!!!!


----------



## Rosco

No worries. I think I'm going to keep the floor and deck pretty basic.


----------



## jdpber1

i vote teak cockpit..


----------



## swampfox

> I can confirm that it will hold at least 18 beers and plenty of ice.   It might hold some bottled water too, but I haven't tested that yet.
> 
> Beer has water in it already. Problem solved
> 
> Man I can't believe it's been 3 years nearly . And to be honest I haven't checked into this thread in well over a year. I thought you had lost interest. It was moving kinda slow. Man was I shocked just now . This thing is a beauty! A instant classic. Kinda reminds me of the Challengers from way back. Outstanding work and I am glad you are seeing it thru. The end is in sight. And I hope you and your son make a lot of good memories on the water. Like you did with the build.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Swampfox. I'll admit to losing interest all the time especially over the summer months when the fish are biting and the weather is nice. There are parts of the build that are fun. I love the fabricating, I love the artistic and creative parts of the build, but the sanding gets old fast :-/ 

Little things give me motivation. I like getting home from work and seeing my son in the garage sitting at the helm of the boat with the throttle pushed all the way forward. We fished Sunday on my Kencraft 235cc getting as close as possible to the sodbanks near my house that hold redfish. His words " you gotta finish the boat so we can get up in there - I call the front of the boat" 

Anyway, it will be done soon. I just gotta buckle down and get her done. I don't have much cool stuff left to do, just that damn sanding


----------



## 8loco

Just doing my part to incrase the number of pages. Boat is looking ggreat. I can't wait to see the on the water pics with the first slime. You should have a christening party for it, any reason to drink beer.


----------



## Rosco

I purchased an actuator that I am happy with.  Here's a video of the actuator test - still needs some tweaking as I have not sanded the high build primer as you can probably tell, but I couldn't wait to play with the new gadget.
  
http://youtu.be/YzZVV9Yl76I

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzZVV9Yl76I[/media]


----------



## DuckNut

linky no worky

Edit: thanks for fixing


----------



## DuckNut

Sweet work Roscoe


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Ducknut. My schedule frees up in about a week and should be able to get a piano finish on that console and keep moving forward.


----------



## Recidivists

Holy shite! Only a HUD would beat that! [smiley=1-whoops1.gif]


----------



## makin moves

Thats is way to cool


----------



## jdpber1

looking good.. what actuator did you go with and share pics of the actuator mounting once you have it all done


----------



## Rosco

Thanks guys. I still have to mess with it a bit, but I think it is going to work fine. The actuator I used was from a company named Progressive Automations out of Canada. I spoke to an engineer there who let me know which mods I needed to make it order to make it work in a saltwater environment. I haven't done it yet, but I will have to replace a couple of screws with stainless ones and install a custom rubber boot that they sell. 

I will post up some install pics later on when it gets installed in the boat. For the video, I did something very temporary just to see if it would work. Heck, I only installed 4 screws in the 14 inch continuous hinge as and you can see in the video, the left side looks like it rises a little higher. I'll make sure that is fixed before final fitting.


----------



## southedisto

That's too cool. If it were mine I would wear it out playing in the garage before it ever saw water.


----------



## oysterbreath

> That's too cool.  If it were mine I would wear it out playing in the garage before it ever saw water.


I second that! Great work Rosco!!!!!!


----------



## DuckNut

You know oyster...he is setting the bar high and you are the next in line.

With such a beautiful job he has done - just think how that ugly azz trolling motor would look on the deck. Thank goodness he is sending it to CR. And I am sure CR is glad Rosco did not figure out how to build the troller hatch.


----------



## Rosco

Trolling motor, what trolling motor? ;D

My 12 year old daughter played around with Photoshop while my son and I fished tonight. The gray primer is starting to grow on me a bit and I may go with a gunmetal metallic or classic silver for my final color instead of black.


----------



## southedisto

I really like the grey and white. Shows the lines off.


----------



## Creek Runner

My vote is for the Blue!


----------



## Net 30

The light gray and white looks nice...shows the sexy curves. 

Might look nice in Guide Green and off white decks?


----------



## permitchaser

I saw this video on The Hull Truth over a month ago. I would like to see what has been done. The pictures of the finished boat looks like a Chaos. Can't wait for the final


----------



## Rosco

Ask folks around here, it's far from done, but I think I'm rounding 3rd base. Not sure what video you saw over there, but I'm up to part 47 now over on youtube. 

I tried messing around with photoshop myself, but I'm at the mercy of my daughter as she knows how to use it and I guess I irritate her about changing hull color between her incoming texts : Anyway, I'll see if she can mock something up with guide green. I think I'm starting to like silver as a possibility as the gray primer has grown on me over time. Ducknut sent me a pic of a beautiful Chris Craft in silver and I like it. 

Very little progress this weekend, my son and I will be off chasing specs and redfish on the lower eastern shore in the morning.


----------



## DuckNut

Ancient American proverb: the last 10% takes 90% of the time ;D

Have you figured out why I am giving you all of these little hints along the way?


----------



## Rosco

I haven't but I appreciate the hints. Perhaps, you're like Mr. Miyagi and I continue to sand on and sand off until you take a swing at me ;D


----------



## DuckNut

I am customizing it...cause your gonna sell it to me when your done.


----------



## Rosco

;D would you prefer single or twin power-poles?


----------



## DuckNut

I don't want a power pole. It will draw an extra 64th of an inch and slow me down.

Same goes for the troller you sent to Oyster.

Tell your son he is doing phenomenal work.


----------



## Rosco

Gotcha, and I will tell him.


----------



## Rosco

Not a lot of progress on this end as work still has me swamped. I did get my ignition, safety switch and trim/tilt installed on the bottom of the helm pod and started dry-fitting the console door as well.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

WOW! Rosco the reveal on that hatch is off by .0000035 in. and it's not even done yet  ;D  Duck won't accept no sloppy work on his skiff!
For real .... LOOKIN' AWESOME!


----------



## Rosco

> WOW! Rosco the reveal on that hatch is off by .0000035 in. and it's not even done yet  ;D  Duck won't accept no sloppy work on his skiff!
> For real .... LOOKIN' AWESOME!


 ;D Sorry it's been a while since my last update. Here's a quick summary since my last update. I finished messing around with the console for now. I decided it would get finish primer when the rest of the topsides did so I stowed it away in the basement for now. I glued and tabbed the toe kick from the console onto the sole and also started fabricating the front hatch openings and gutters.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Lookin' Great !!! If you weren't so picky you would've been in the water last summer  ;D


----------



## jonathanglasser71

Don't make me lap ya Rosco ! Just kidding man , she is looking sweet . It will all be worth it and your pay off is around the corner I can feel it . Just keep maken dust man !


----------



## Rosco

> Lookin' Great !!! If you weren't so picky you would've been in the water last summer ;D


Thanks, and yes - I agree with you completely. You learn a lot about yourself behind some sandpaper. ;D Before I started building this boat, I loved my house and how it was built. Now, I hate my drywall guy and the flaws he left around my home  I gotta learn to let some things go 



> Don't make me lap ya Rosco ! Just kidding man , she is looking sweet . It will all be worth it and your pay off is around the corner I can feel it . Just keep maken dust man !


Lapped?  Whatcha doin' next? I'm sure it will be awesome! I'm looking forward to seeing your next project.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

> I gotta learn to let some things go


When you figure out how , Write a book and you'll be a multi-millionar in a week...just from folks on this site... ;D I know I'll take at least 5...


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Rosco , Is the cap mounted or just sittin there ?


----------



## Rosco

Just sitting there at this point. I have all the drain channels figured out in the back, but still need to figure out the front. I need to add another layer of plywood as well.


----------



## permitchaser

There is 33 pages of post on this project. Is it just me or does anyone like to see a water shot


----------



## oysterbreath

> Lookin' Great !!! If you weren't so picky you would've been in the water last summer  ;D
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, and yes - I agree with you completely.   You learn a lot about yourself behind some sandpaper.   ;D  Before I started building this boat, I loved my house and how it was built.  Now, I hate my drywall guy and the flaws he left around my home    I gotta learn to let some things go
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't make me lap ya Rosco ! Just kidding man , she is looking sweet . It will all be worth it and your pay off is around the corner I can feel it . Just keep maken dust man !
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Lapped?   Whatcha doin' next?  I'm sure it will be awesome!  I'm looking forward to seeing your next project.
Click to expand...

And don't slow down just to watch the Glasser show! Keep pushing forward! The finish line is right around the corner....I'll be right behind ya' bro!


----------



## jonathanglasser71

Rosco I built the backbone for a bead and cove build last weekend . I am going to make all of the templates and cut the stations myself so it might be a wile . You should be ok as far as the lapping goes . And its crazy how once your eye is trained how much stuff you notice ( dry wall , paint jobs , collision repairs on cars , etc. ) your life will never be the same again !


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

> And its crazy how once your eye is trained how much stuff you notice ( dry wall , paint jobs , collision repairs on cars , etc. ) your life will never be the same again !


LOL!!! You are exactly right ... In my family we call it "THE CURSE"... 'cause you will notice everything that is out of plumb ,square ,balance ,reveals ....Next thing you know you'll be at a friends house closing one eye to line up the wall corners with other walls or door jambs and they will ask you ...What are you lookin at.....don't even try to explain....they won't get it  ;D. They are normal ...you aren't ... I have a family friend who is a renowned Psychologist and she reminds us regularly that "they" are normal, we are part of .1% ...... It doesn't make you a better person ....just "CURSED"! [smiley=smashfreakB.gif]


----------



## Rosco

Oyster, I went back and checked my records and it seems that I do my best work between November and March. ;D Progress should get faster over the winter. I went and checked your post and how you did your under gunwale rod holders and I think I am doing something very similar. Thanks for the inspiration.

Glasser, I can't wait to see some pics. I completely agree with you about the trained eye thing. I see stuff now that I wish I never noticed 

Also, here is another timelapse video. The memory card filled up so there are some gaps before I realized what was going on with the camera.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Nmz-fVU_0&feature=youtu.be[/media]


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Another killer video.... I won't put one of those in my Barn 'cause all it will show is me walkin around drinking beer and the wife will never believe my "working late" excuse again when she wants to watch Princes Bride or something like that ... ;D


----------



## jdpber1

looking good..


----------



## Rosco

Thanks. I've edited all of my beer drinkin over the past 3 years. 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcpLvWUJ9pM[/media]


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

yeah???   That still won't work 'cause you get stuff done ...My barn would look like a still shot (except for that albino unicorn movin' around)... keep it up, spring will be here just in time.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Sorry, I replied before I watched the video....WOW! how do you like those "super mega flexy-flex-ultra flex sanding blocks ? they look pretty cool. You ain't no rookie ....Splainin' time....


----------



## Rosco

I have 3 years of time lapse video some 30,000 frames and never got an albino unicorn/deer to show up in any frame. I think you got some splain'n to do! ;D


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Maybe Gator needs to go through all 30,000 frames and see what he can find .....he's a quick study... he saw what I didn't see in real time....careful... he might find a Skunk Ape hiding in your garage. ;D  
Great video ...You Da' Man!... that's a labor of love ...


----------



## Rosco

nothing sexy, but I'm still at it. Gutters!


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Looking great Rosco!...Your deck is going to be SO Solid with all that support.I love it ... I always say.... you will never know if you over build it...But if you under build it ...everyone will know. Are you going to high build and sand the gutters before you put the cap on?


----------



## Rosco

Yep, I finished the gutters and pulled fillets today. Tomorrow, I will do some glassin' and get ready for high build and fairing compound in a few spots. It's supposed to be 37 degrees here tomorrow with a windchill of 16 so I need to get up early and get the heat going in the garage.


----------



## Rosco

I think I am going to wait on doing the finally sanding on the gutters until I put the cap on. I think I want the glass to lay over of the edge of the cap into the gutters (if that makes sense). 

Sanding those gutters suck, but I found something to make life a little easier. Wood River contour sanding pads. The convex pads make this part suck less. Next time, I am going to learn how to do the whole mold-making thing. Anyway, here's another video I posted last night.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su6ZsiH_4m4[/media]


----------



## makin moves

Looking good as always. Question for ya once your done will you be able to edit all those videos together to make one continuous start to finish video of the build?


----------



## Rosco

> Looking good as always. Question for ya once your done will you be able to edit all those videos together to make one continuous start to finish video of the build?


Thanks. I will be able to put together a continuous video at the end. I've been putting together smaller continuous videos to make it easier at the end. I don't know if you saw this one which goes from the start up until November of this year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcpLvWUJ9pM


----------



## --AL--

That is insane, I was just thinking about the status of your project the other day. I've seen the videos over the years. Awesome work. I can imagine the local news going out to film the maiden voyage, lol.



> Looking good as always. Question for ya once your done will you be able to edit all those videos together to make one continuous start to finish video of the build?
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks.   I will be able to put together a continuous video at the end.   I've been putting together smaller continuous videos to make it easier at the end.   I don't know if you saw this one which goes from the start up until November of this year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcpLvWUJ9pM
Click to expand...


----------



## makin moves

exactly what I was talking about. Killer!


----------



## DuckNut

Getting a nice rounded corner is as easy as making a jig to hold the extension wand of a dremel that fits in the channel and drag it along.


----------



## david_kohler

> I think I am going to wait on doing the finally sanding on the gutters until I put the cap on.  I think I want the glass to lay over of the edge of the cap into the gutters (if that makes sense).
> 
> Sanding those gutters suck, but I found something to make life a little easier.  Wood River contour sanding pads.   The convex pads make this part suck less.   Next time, I am going to learn how to do the whole mold-making thing.   Anyway, here's another video I posted last night.
> 
> [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su6ZsiH_4m4[/media]


This is how I did my deck with coosa. I laminated the bottom of the deck then bonded it to the supports. Then I ran the dremil like duck said. When I laminated the top I rolled the edges thru the gutter. I used scotch pads with sand paper to finish it out quickly. X2 on the mold thing. I wish I had got some fiberglass molded hatches and gutters and bonded them into the coosa deck!


----------



## Rosco

Ducknut & Shallow Breath - I agree, using the dremel with the barrel sanding sleeves are a big time saver. Spent a lot of time with it yesterday as I had to sand my cockpit drain gutter which I am about to glass in a few minutes. I hope to get the cap on soon and start making hatch covers as well.


----------



## Rosco

Merry Christmas microskiffers! I have a couple of weeks off so I hope to get a bunch of building done. Actually, I'll be making a lot of dust, but I will be making progress ;D

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVC0896-LY8[/media]


----------



## DuckNut

I would swear that you work for the government. All I see is a guy zipping around a skiff, playing with the same parts several times and very little actual work getting done. Kinda like shuffling paper from the left basket to the right basket.

Please tell me its not so????

Seriously Roscoe, thanks for the update.

How about moving the camera to the port bow so we can see what you are doing rather than seeing you zipping around? Although watching you vacuum is very compelling, seeing your craftsmanship would rate higher in entertainment value.


----------



## Rosco

Nope, not a government worker but it appears that I play one on TV ;D Yeah, it's pretty tough to see what I am up to in the video so I'll take some inside pics later and post them up. 

I've been spending time glassing some areas, cutting access holes here and there, and generally going over every inch for rough glass before the cap goes on.


----------



## Rosco

Here are a couple of update pics. I know it's hard to tell from the most recent video, but stuff is getting done ;D still a work in progress, but coming along.


----------



## DuckNut

I can't believe I did not notice it before, but you can not use the grey electrical conduit in boat construction.


----------



## Brett

Yeah, I expect DN thought you were going to strip build your own conduits from split bamboo.


----------



## Rosco

> I can't believe I did not notice it before, but you can not use the grey electrical conduit in boat construction.



Ok, I gotta ask why?


----------



## DuckNut

See Brett's answer above.


----------



## jdpber1

> See Brett's answer above.



couple of funny guys we have on our hands here…


looking good.. will she splash this spring?


----------



## Rosco

I'm still at it. I do think it will be in the water and fishing this spring. Nothing sexy to show at this point as I'm mostly covering up wood with fiberglass. I glassed my rod holder/carlings. I keep wondering if I am going to stub a toe and if I should change them a bit. 










Spray fair in a few areas that are ready for block sanding:










Motor well permanent 










Rear battery supports - fabricated, glassed on both sides and tabbed into the boat. Motor well tabbed in place as well



















Rear sub-deck glassed on both sides and almost ready for installation. Just need to get all of my livewell rigging parts ordered and installed


----------



## Recidivists

Keep on rockin', Rosco. Looking good, as always.


----------



## Rosco

> Keep on rockin', Rosco.  Looking good, as always.


Thank you. I apologize about the slow pace.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Michelangelo never apologized for his pace...neither should Roscoangelo ,we all love what you're doing ... keep it up, Spring is a comin'...


----------



## jdpber1

slow n steady wins the race.. continue to not cut corners..your doing fine.. i know all about slower projects it is called having a life and doing the project CORRECT.. looking great as always


i would be interested once done to see a full materials list.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Jdpher and Shalla!

I used to be good at keeping every receipt, but I started conveniently losing them along the way.   Stuff that got installed on the boat was one thing, but it seems like I'm always ordering disposable gloves, tape and sandpaper and  that sh!t adds up.   I shouldn't know my UPS guy as well as I do 

Other than that, I think I’m finally done fabricating stuff below the cap. Today, I built a support thingy for the rod holder tubes. I added some additional gluing surface for the cap around the false transom and glassed it. Lastly, I decided to try out my motor mount template and found that I messed up the angle at top of the transom. As a result, I glued on a piece of mahogany and will shape it tomorrow.

One other thing, I also cut some large holes for rigging via hole saw. I’ve decided that it’s my least favorite tool in the garage especially, when I started using a 5.5 inch and 6 inch bits. I’m lucky not to have broken wrists.  There's a lot of stuff in the garage that can hurt me, but my drill and holesaw is the only thing that has! 

I haven’t been running the camera lately, as you can’t really figure out what I’m doing anyway. I’ll restart the camera once the cap is about to go on.  Didn't want to upset Ducknut ;D


----------



## DuckNut

No upset DuckNut here with such a phenomenal build!!!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks DuckNut. Spent the morning sanding and the afternoon applying primer.


----------



## LWalker

Looking good Rosco! What are you gonna topcoat the areas under the deck with? Spray or roll?


----------



## Rosco

Thanks.   I guess it depends on the weather.   If it's cold like today, I will roll & tip.   If it warms up a bit, I will spray it.  I have an attached garage and it doesn't seem to stay as stinky for long when I roll it.   Using all Alexseal stuff for topcoat.


----------



## Rosco

It's been a rough week around here this week. Woke up Monday morning and went downstairs to the main level to find the temperature at 58 degrees. Called the HVAC company and the variable speed fan on the furnace is dead and manufacturer has 6-8 week backlog on the part. Ordered a new furnace from another manufacturer and it was installed on Friday. Couldn't have happened on a colder week! Anyway, boat building was on the back burner but I tried to get a few things done today. I fit the PVC tubes for the rod holders, did some knock down sanding on the highbuild primer and cut some drain holes into the motor well. I wanted to pull some fairing compound today but it was still a bit chilly in the garage. I'll do that tomorrow.


----------



## Rosco

Trying to decide if the livewell opening needs a raised lip or not. thoughts?


----------



## david_kohler

Looking great as always.  I have kids and they spill stuff and I know adults that spill adult beverages ;D Could beer or other things contaminate the water in the well.  I only say that because it looks like the gutter system for the hatches could make it in the live well.  Although I could be looking at it wrong... you know, too many man drinks.


----------



## anytide

drains to motor well...


----------



## DuckNut

I have seen a lip on the inside facing down into the well and that lip prevents splashing - kinda like a spray rail.

I thought it was a novel approach until I saw how well it worked.


----------



## Rosco

I'm thinking about putting a small lip in on the surface to keep rain water out of the livewell but may just keep it flush as I will probably use it more as a bait well than a livewell. I'm more of a catch and release guy and tend to let most fish go. Anyway, January was a tough month for building as it was freezing around here with the cold temps. Nate can back me up on this as Maryland has been freezing! Anyway, here's the latest build video, hopefully progress will pick up with the temps.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEE3P5v0xiU[/media]


----------



## WhiteDog70810

> I'm thinking about putting a small lip in on the surface to keep rain water out of the livewell but may just keep it flush as I will probably use it more as a bait well than a livewell.  I'm more of a catch and release guy and tend to let most fish go.   Anyway, January was a tough month for building as it was freezing around here with the cold temps.   Nate can back me up on this as Maryland has been freezing!   Anyway, here's the latest build video, hopefully progress will pick up with the temps.
> 
> [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEE3P5v0xiU[/media]


I posted pics that prove it. Despite some formative time in Iowa, my southern transplantation led me to believe this white shtuff was supposed to go away in 24 hrs.

Nate


----------



## larryg

this boat is coming out great, just curious..do you have any prediction on what she'll weigh??

on a side note, i built a 16 foot flatback canoe and babied it, only took me three weeks to build-i cant even imagine having the courage to tow this thing down the highway


----------



## Rosco

> this boat is coming out great, just curious..do you have any prediction on what she'll weigh??
> 
> on a side note, i built a 16 foot flatback canoe and babied it, only took me three weeks to build-i cant even imagine having the courage to tow this thing down the highway


Thanks Incoming,

I have some estimates on what it will weigh, but I will get the actual weight as she stands this weekend. I haven't worked on it at all over the last 3 weeks as I been busy with work travel. Wanted to work on it this past weekend, but got stuck on the west coast and couldn't get back due to the snow on the east coast. I have more travel this week and next, but should be able to get back on it pretty good in a few weeks. Looks like the weather will be a little better too.

I'm sure I'll baby it for a while ;D Had someone from All at Sea magazine interview me about the build last week and she asked me how shallow I intended to take the flats boat. I said about 9 feet


----------



## WhiteDog70810

I had a friend tell me the best thing you can do to a new truck is smack it in the middle of the hood with a hammer; the premise being to just get the first blood over with so you can get down to using it like a truck. I think he is correct.

Whether you baby your hull depends solely on where you see the fish working topwater. While you will ease along the edge of the flats blind casting for the hypothetical fish that you assume are around, you will grind some oysters and shrug it off when you see 12# reds crashing mullet "just over there". In my case, I rationalize it by reminding myself that I know the builder. 

Nate


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

> I rationalize it by reminding myself that I know the builder.


Very well said Nate...(that builder does awesome work ;D)
Rosco, I'm sure that boy of yours has plans to fish that Sweet Boat this spring........ Lookin' great as always


----------



## Rosco

I'd like to apologize to the membership for allowing this post to drop to the middle of page 3. I'm finally working on it again and made some progress this past weekend. Gotta get this thing done before the boy heads off to college ;D. My son and I fished a couple of weeks ago and this pic compared to the first videos I posted on here 3 years ago makes me think I need to pic up the pace ;D


----------



## mikeregas

> I'd like to apologize to the membership for allowing this post to drop to the middle of page 3.   I'm finally working on it again and made some progress this past weekend.   Gotta get this thing done before the boy heads off to college  ;D.  My son and I fished a couple of weeks ago and this pic compared to the first videos I posted on here 3 years ago makes me think I need to pic up the pace  ;D



Awesome build you got and it is amazing how fast time flies. How old was your son when you starterd? I've got a five year old and he is growing up way to fast. 

Enjoy the memories you guys are building.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks. He was 7 when this started and is about to turn 11 in a couple of weeks. It's amazing how things change during that period. Up until a few months ago, mom was always first. Now he won't leave my side and always wants to do something which makes it tough to dedicate a weekend to boat building. I'm not complaining, I love that. Can't wait to get to the rigging phase where I can really use him on the build.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

You're still alive!

I was getting worried.

Nate


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

You do Great Work as a boat builder...But it looks Like you are doing your best work as Dad 
Build A mountain of memories and climb it every day!!!


----------



## Rosco

Nate, I'm still alive - Got a full day in today and should have a new video tomorrow evening after another full day.

Shalla, Thank you - thats the goal.


----------



## CedarCreek

Rosco, hey, I haven't posted in your thread until today but watching your build come along is one of the reasons I got involved in this site. Cant wait to see the finished product. Its great that your son has been involved from the beginning. I have a 9-year old and twin 6 year old sons but they haven't fully made that transition from Mom quite yet. When you get that beauty finished we should think about a Microskiff "North" meet and greet.  Theres a few of us microskiffers around up here. We could even have a little just for fun redfish tourney Maryland style at PLO or Piney Pt. Assuming the fish keep showing up!


----------



## Rosco

> Rosco, hey, I haven't posted in your thread until today but watching your build come along is one of the reasons I got involved in this site. Cant wait to see the finished product. Its great that your son has been involved from the beginning. I have a 9-year old and twin 6 year old sons but they haven't fully made that transition from Mom quite yet. When you get that beauty finished we should think about a Microskiff "North" meet and greet.  Theres a few of us microskiffers around up here. We could even have a little just for fun redfish tourney Maryland style at PLO or Piney Pt. Assuming the fish keep showing up!


Thank you and count me in for meeting up with other microskiffers from the area. I see you are from Herndon - I have an office in Reston, just off Hunter Mill and the toll road and I'm up there a few times a week. As far as the fish showing up, my son and I found a school of slot sized redfish pushing water in the shallows like only redfish do. Couldn't get them to hit anything, but they are here already. The water still hasn't cleared up since the big rain this past week, but we'll try again as soon as visibility improves.


----------



## Rosco

Here's a video update. Actual proof that I'm back at it ;D

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjN7IJiavw8[/media]


----------



## permitchaser

Am I missing something...no video


----------



## CedarCreek

> Rosco, hey, I haven't posted in your thread until today but watching your build come along is one of the reasons I got involved in this site. Cant wait to see the finished product. Its great that your son has been involved from the beginning. I have a 9-year old and twin 6 year old sons but they haven't fully made that transition from Mom quite yet. When you get that beauty finished we should think about a Microskiff "North" meet and greet.  Theres a few of us microskiffers around up here. We could even have a little just for fun redfish tourney Maryland style at PLO or Piney Pt. Assuming the fish keep showing up!
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you and count me in for meeting up with other microskiffers from the area.   I see you are from Herndon - I have an office in Reston, just off Hunter Mill and the toll road and I'm up there a few times a week.   As far as the fish showing up, my son and I found a school of slot sized redfish pushing water in the shallows like only redfish do.  Couldn't get them to hit anything, but they are here already.   The water still hasn't cleared up since the big rain this past week, but we'll try again as soon as visibility improves.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I live out near FFX County Pkwy and West Ox. That's great to hear that the fish are stirring. My buddy that lives down your way didnt get any last week but with the temps coming up things should be improving. I might give it a go later this week. Been a long winter and now with the rain and wind it may be awhile before things clear up. Looks like you got a lot done on your last video.


----------



## DuckNut

> Am I missing something...no video


Yes. Put your mouse over the pic in his post and click it. The video will play right there.


----------



## Rosco

Made a little more progress today. Two layers of the cap are now laminated together. I will pull the entire cap off and glass the underside for additional strength before mounting the cap permanently.


----------



## LWalker

Looking good Rosco! What screws are you using? I am getting ready to start planking mine.


----------



## Rosco

I've been through a bunch of different screws during this project. The ones I like the best are TEK brand lathe screws with the big heads. They are the only ones that haven't broken on me yet. Only problem there is that I recommended them to someone else and they had them break. I'm looking forward to seeing the planking on your build, it is coming along great.


----------



## Rosco

Cap is laminated and I pulled it off this evening for glass on the underside. I should actually say we pulled it off as it was too big for me to handle solo.


----------



## Rosco

another video update...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh9c9WsSvtA[/media]


----------



## Rosco

A little more work on the boat the last couple of days. Rounding over hatch openings, routed recesses for hinges and the beginnings of the hatch covers. I'm really digging the Gemlux friction hinges which eliminate the need for hatch springs and gas shocks.


----------



## LWalker

Good stuff. Will the hatches have a lip on the bottom edge? Are they made of 1/2"?


----------



## Rosco

Yeah, they'll get a lip. I decided to mount the hinges so I could get the hatch reveal the way I want it. Once I get them them shaped the way I want, I will get a sheet of melamine and use the base for a template to create the lip. It'll probably make more sense once I do it and post pics ;D Hatches will be 3/8 wood core with H60 divinycell on top shaped to match the crown of the deck. Maybe some carbon fiber on the base if it doesn't feel rigid enough. That carbon fiber is expensive though so I may just go with a top hat stringer system on the bottom of the hatch to create some rigidity. I'll figure it out as I go and maybe PM Shalla for advise.


----------



## permitchaser

I think you could glass on another square of wood under the lid that is 2-3" smaller in diameter that will help with rigidity


----------



## jdpber1

looking great


----------



## Rosco

> I think you could glass on another square of wood under the lid that is 2-3" smaller in diameter that will help with rigidity


Yep, I think I am going to do exactly that. Hope to try to get some work done this week as the weekend is shot. I turned earlier 41 this year and a couple of my buddies decided that this summer is the summer for second weddings/marriages  I'm lucky as I'm still doing good on my first one as long as I don't track too much dust into the house or put my sanding clothes in the regular hamper after a boat building session.


----------



## larryg

any updates? this boat came along sooo nicely


----------



## Rosco

> any updates? this boat came along sooo nicely


Sorry, nothing significant to report at this time ;D I'll get back on it soon though


----------



## Rosco

Sorry, we've been down in the Keys. Boat Building resumes this week.


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Very nice feesh!

Aren't you concerned about developing unrealistic expectations in your son? You need to point to pictures of big, beautiful fish in warm, clear tropical waters and say "See that big, beautiful fish? You'll never catch one. Now let's pick up some Vienna Sausages, pickled eggs and pig lips on the way to the ramp, wash it down with some unpasteurized whole milk and troll in frigid dishwasher slop until you start puking over the side. We'll save on chum." That is how memories are made!

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Nah, I think he'll be alright. We have plenty of of dud trips around here and fishing the Chesapeake all the time can get mundane after a while. You can only catch so many stripers and blues before your mind wonders away to far off places.


----------



## Rosco

mostly sanding the bilge for me  :-/  It must be done so there I am cramping and cussing for about 2 minutes    Here is the latest update video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWivniWbuQ[/media]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWivniWbuQ


----------



## DuckNut

Geez Rosco, you're complaining about sanding for a whopping 2 minutes   [smiley=40s.gif]


----------



## LWalker

And 14 wardrobe changes!


----------



## DuckNut

If the guy wouldn't be afraid of working in dirty clothes, he might actually get some work done.


----------



## Rosco

LOL - all those wardrobe changes without a single malfunction! I won't say how many hours were actually spent sanding that area of the boat. Anyway, it's all primed now and I'll try to get a it painted before leaving town yet again.


----------



## Rosco

Finally done messing around with the bilge. I wouldn't have messed with it so much, but I decided I wanted my hatch boxes to lift out then I wanted so I wanted it to look decent underneath.


----------



## LWalker

Looks great! What paint did you use? Alexseal? Bilgekote?


----------



## Rosco

All of the above  ;D  Man, what a mess this was.   I used Bilgekote way back when I did the keel section for the fuel tank beds and it was great.   I tried it again on the bilge area and it kept fighting me!  It really turned out to be a real mess as it wouldn't cure properly.   I had to sand everything off and start over to get where I am and eventually finished it off with Alexseal waterborne topcoat.   

I'm happy to be done with it as no man should have to completely sand and fair their bilge twice in one month.


----------



## LWalker

I am considering leaving mine clear epoxy but that sure looks good. I will likely not build out hatch containers and just finish the inside to keep weight down. Lots of time before I have to make that decision. What are your thoughts on paint vs neat epoxy on the areas covered by the deck?


----------



## Rosco

If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't have spent as much time on the areas that would never been seen again but you learn as you go. Clear epoxy would have been fine in many of those areas in hindsight and I'll do that on the next build. This whole process has really been a labor of love and this boat didn't need to take this long. 

My next boat will be way awesomer ;D


----------



## tomahawk

> I am considering leaving mine clear epoxy but that sure looks good. I will likely not build out hatch containers and just finish the inside to keep weight down. Lots of time before I have to make that decision. What are your thoughts on paint vs neat epoxy on the areas covered by the deck?


I used white tinted epoxy on mine. If I was doing it again I would use gray or tan for better coverage.

She's looking great. I think you secretly don't want to finish her... ;D


----------



## Rosco

> I used white tinted epoxy on mine. If I was doing it again I would use gray or tan for better coverage.
> 
> She's looking great. I think you secretly don't want to finish her... ;D


Thanks and I really do want to finish her someday ;D Here are a few more update pics from today. Finished installing all of the livewell plumbing fixtures and started installing the rod storage tubes (permanently this time).


----------



## Rosco

Just completed another update video.   I'm getting pretty close to mounting the cap permanently

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOYLQ8qOW_s&feature=youtu.be[/media]


----------



## 8loco

What's your estimated weight at completion?


----------



## Rosco

I think she'll end up around 1300lbs with motor.


----------



## Rosco

I think I'll have the cap on by tomorrow evening. So close


----------



## DuckNut

I don't see the hidden troller hatch!

Get it shipped to Cut. 

Beautiful Rosco.


----------



## Rosco

> I don't see the hidden troller hatch!
> 
> Get it shipped to Cut.
> 
> Beautiful Rosco.


Hmmm, I wonder where I put that thing ;D I wasn't completely ready to glue top cap on so it will have to wait until after the boy gets home from school tomorrow.


----------



## Rosco

Cap is now permanent!   

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaETkd7uF0g[/media]


----------



## makin moves

Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Looks great!!


----------



## Rosco

> Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Looks great!!


Thanks, it's starting to feel that way and I'm getting a second wind. Maybe that's a 5th wind by now, but I've put a lot of hours on it that last couple of days. Heck, I might have enough for Flats Boat Build part 57 by the weekend. ;D


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Lookin' good.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Nate. I think I'm ready to glass now.


----------



## makin moves

Wow what a work of art.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Too Cool for words......... [smiley=eyepopping.gif]
Great work!


----------



## cutrunner

Bam!!

Wow thats top notch


----------



## Net 30

It's got a better ass than Kim Kardashian!

Beautiful work…….


----------



## Rosco

Thank you very much! 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F9u8Ks1dcQ[/media]


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Great video....You are the fastest boatbuilder that I have ever seen ....and you change clothes in the blink of an eye.....You sure you're not superman ;D
Great to see junior helpin'...


----------



## LWalker

Oh man, she is so close!!! What an adventure! Looks phenomenal!


----------



## Rosco

Thanks guys. It does feel like I'm getting closer and the boy is happy to help as long as there isn't uncured epoxy around ;D


----------



## Rosco

I'm glassing the cap tomorrow. Will be a true labor day ;D


----------



## WhiteDog70810

I really like what you are doing here, but it needs more water. Do something about that.

Nate


----------



## oysterbreath

She's coming along very fine there bro!


----------



## LWalker

> I'm glassing the cap tomorrow.   Will be a true labor day  ;D


Pics or it didn't happen!


----------



## Rosco

> I'm glassing the cap tomorrow.   Will be a true labor day  ;D
> 
> 
> 
> Pics or it didn't happen!
Click to expand...

Ok, here is a pic  Glassed with flood coat. I really meant to use peel ply on the deck, but the epoxy kicked faster than I wanted with really high temperatures yesterday so I had to go with the flood coat to fill the weave as a plan B. 

I won't have any time to work on it until this weekend, but I hope to get some high build primer on the deck this weekend.


----------



## Rosco

Oyster - thanks man. I'm missing your progress updates, but I understand how life get's in the way. Looking back at my updates, I think I only really have about 57 weeks of actual building on mine. The rest is just filler and life


----------



## WhiteDog70810

> She's coming along very fine there bro!


He lives!

Nate


----------



## oysterbreath

Yeah...I'm still around. Boat has a layer of dust and dirt on it but I'm about to get back on it so that I can hit the fall reds. Rosco, indeed it is AMAZING how much time is actually spent NOT BUILDING! Boat building either requires a ton of patience or a single person doing the work! Yours is looking incredible though. Nate...soooooo how does it feel owning a home build boat? Some of us just have boat-like objects in our garages! lol


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Oyster, 

I like it, but you will happy to know that you are never really done. You don't need to worry that you will be empty nesting because your baby is all grown up.

Once it floats, I got to fiddle with the motor. Once the motor was running, I got to start accessorizing it. Once I get it tricked out, I have to go back and fix all the stuff I have broken in the mean time and give it another coat of paint. Once that is done, I get to revisit my trailer and set it up right. Once that is done I 'll hopefully have another motor which I will then have to tune to the hull. That is just my anticipated to-do list. Goodness knows what will sneak up on me.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Applied high build primer today and here's another update video. I'm looking forward to seeing LWalkers video as well.










[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb4tofTXcEM[/media]


----------



## LWalker

Hey, its in my thread! I posted it a few hours ago.


----------



## SteelHeaderTx

Any updates? This boat is a thing of beauty.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks! I spent about 6 hours working on it today pulling fairing compound on the deck and fairing the gutters. It's been so long since I worked on it, I forgot to turn on the camera. I did take a few months off, but I plan on spending every weekend working on it until she's done.


----------



## Rosco

Merry Christmas folks.   Here are a few update pics.  Starting to make progress again....


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Looking good.  You've installed the hatches so I guess this means you have the bilge faired to your satisfaction.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

> Looking good.  You've installed the hatches so I guess this means you have the bilge faired to your satisfaction.
> 
> Nate


LOL - bilge is good.


----------



## TidewateR

she's a beaut!


----------



## LWalker

How do you like those friction hinges? Are you using them on both hinges or just one? I plan on using them on my build, but didn't know if both hinges was overkill for a small hatch.


----------



## Rosco

Thanks TidewateR.

LWalker, the friction hinges are awesome! All of the hatches are double friction hinged as I never even thought about doing 1 friction/ 1 non-friction - but that is a great idea! Especially for the smaller hatches.


----------



## Shalla Wata Rider

Very nice work... as usual ...


----------



## WhiteDog70810

Rosco,

I used my boat as an icebreaker today. As I listened to the ice grind along my hull while I ran doughnuts to clear a hole for my decoys, I thought of you.

Nate


----------



## Rosco

Thanks Bryan. You make it look so easy with your beautiful rig that you are building. Somehow, the fingernail on my index finger is missing from sanding a hatch gutter. ;D


Nate, My boat is not to be used in water under 3 feet or in duck hunting conditions  This winter, I invested in new rods with microwave casting technology so I could cast wayyy into the shallows without scratching the boat ;D Any luck with the ducks? Eastern or Western shore? The creek behind my house is completely frozen but the duck hunters are having a blast out in the river. Nothing like waking up to multiple salvos of gunshots every morning.


----------



## Rosco

Got some work in the last couple of days. Hatch covers are glassed and I'm hoping it warms up soon so I can spray some high build primer soon.


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## WhiteDog70810

The ducks are currently winning.

Nate


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## WhiteDog70810

I'm hunting part of Fishing Bay WMA on the Eastern Shore. It is the Elliott Island Marsh between the south side of the bay and the Naticoke River.

>3'? Good lord man! Live a little. That being said, I have already found that getting shallow is over-rated here. You'll definitely have the better boat for Maryland... ...once you get that princess built and in the water. Call me if you need a hand lifting it once the time comes.

Nate


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## Rosco

Nate, I'll give you a call for the maiden voyage weekend. I am going to wait for it to warm up a bit before final paint, but I'm looking forward to splashing it. It's been a while since I last posted one of these....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBLsEy5WofE[/media]


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## Shalla Wata Rider

Awesome post......only the flash and superman can change clothes and move as fast as you buddy...Will be happy for you and the family when it's done but will miss the awesome build.... looks spectacular.... 
Two questions... What are you feeding junior (looks like he grew 6 inches at least) and what was the balloon in the hatch latch hole for??? I think I know and if I'm right .........you're a pro posing as a weekend worrier...  
Again... Great Work!


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## Rosco

Thanks! My son has grown 8.5 inches since the start of this build  I need to finish it before he gets taller than me. 

The balloons in the latch holes were used to keep the fiberglass cloth pressed against the outside of the hole while curing. First time I tried it and it worked great. I'm pretty sure I stole that idea from someone on this site ;D


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## Rosco

Little bit more progress this evening.


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## Rosco

Quick question.... I am thinking about ordering a push pole from Temple Fork Outfitters and push pole holders from V Marine products. I don't think I'll be doing a lot of poling, but I certainly want one on the boat. I also want to keep the deck as flush as possible, so I like the removable holders from V marine. Should I be considering anyone else?


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## LWalker

I like the VMarines too, but this is another oprtion: http://shop.acconmarine.com/products/44-push-pole-holder.aspx

You could contact carbon marine and see if they will send you an unassembled multi-piece pole.


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## Rosco

> I like the VMarines too, but this is another oprtion: http://shop.acconmarine.com/products/44-push-pole-holder.aspx
> 
> You could contact carbon marine and see if they will send you an unassembled multi-piece pole.


Thanks - I will check them out.   Do you know if I need to have the push pole in order to properly place the holders or is there a rule of thumb for installing the holders?  

I started dry fitting some more hardware this evening and I'm also online ordering more stuff that needs to be installed.  She is starting to look like a real boat. I will be adding to toe rail this week


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## LWalker

No, I don't think you need the pole. You can use a 20' section of PVC to emulate it. Put the PVC straight on the boat and mark for your front and rear holders, then move your middle holder out from the the line created by the front and rear holders until you have a slight arc. It doesn't take much, maybe 2" max off center to hold the poles in place.


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## WhiteDog70810

You're gonna have fun keeping as much of the pole inside the boat and inboard of the rubrail as possible while not interferring with that (presumably) right rear hatch or the imminent toe rail up front (the recessed holders look too low to keep the pole above the toe rail). I'd mock-up with wood blocks and clamps and place the pole into the mock-up a few times, fiddle with it until it feels right, then check that hatch, then let it set overnight and reconsider it the next day. Repeat this a few times before you commit to cutting the holes for the recessed holders. Just bear in mind that PVC will flex much more than your actual pole, so 2" of offset at the middle holder might feel like too little. Greater flex will also make it easier to keep more of the pole inside the boat while still easily clearing that hatch. Avoid this. If you over flex that carbon pole, it will be clunky to get in and out of the holders. I am nervous that my holders are too offset for my "next" pushpole

After further thought, I have a caveat to add to my my previous offer to help you launch this thing. I'll help you load it on the trailer and launch it, but I am not getting into this boat until you have ground it along its first pylon and dropped the anchor on the deck a few times. I think my idea of a superficial scuff might overlap with your idea of a disfiguring disaster.

Nate


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## Rosco

Ah, c'mon - I'll be fine with any dings, scratches or dents. I know the builder and I'm sure he will repair them to his satisfaction ;D 

Thanks for the info on the pushpole and holders. I will get the toe rail cut and shaped this weekend and see what I have to work with.


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## larryg

WOW that thing is beautiful


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## Rosco

> WOW that thing is beautiful


Thank you. 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i54hAnHZrMo[/media]


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## el9surf

Nice work! What motor will you be hanging on the back?


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## Rosco

> Nice work! What motor will you be hanging on the back?


Thanks. I'm going with a 90 or 115 Suzuki. I planned on a 60hp, but some PM's from folks here on Microskiff convinced me to go higher.


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## permitchaser

Is that beauty going to have a push pole platform?


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## Rosco

> Is that beauty going to have a push pole platform?


Yes, I'll have it fabricated after the motor is installed. All of a sudden, i am in the expensive part of the build


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## Rosco

My wife has a great sense of humor. Here is my new birthday jack plate ;D


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## Godzuki86

> My wife has a great sense of humor.   Here is my new birthday jack plate  ;D



Bravo!


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## tomahawk

I like it, a little bling on it to... ;D


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## Rosco

Final fairing on the top deck before moving on to finish primer and toe rail installation. Wet rag and side lighting really helps show if I have any problem areas. Thanks to those here on Microskiff that told me to install lights on the side.


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## LWalker

I think I see some problem areas.........



nevermind


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## WhiteDog70810

> I think I see some problem areas.........
> 
> 
> 
> nevermind


No, you're right. I see it too. I hate it when guys cut corners and stop at 320 grit.

Nate


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## Rosco

Ok, I'll start over with the fairing 

Another question, I am going to order a jackplate and everything points me towards an Atlas MicroJacker with 4 inch setback. Does anyone know it will support a Powerpole bracket? If not, does the Bob's jackplate 4 inch set back support it? I tried using the configuration tool on the PowerPole website, but there isn't much help for custom boats.


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## 8loco

Bottom of page 3?


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## Rosco

> Bottom of page 3?



Sorry. I'm still making decent progress. Everything on the topsides is sanded out to 150 grit and ready for finish primer. I was going to spray finish primer on the topsides today, but it's a chilly 45 degrees with rain here today. If the temps make it into the 60's, I will spray tomorrow.


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## Rosco

Ran out of finish primer so I'll be spraying again next weekend.


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## Rosco

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR-eDiFHsAs[/media]


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## DuckNut

Come on Roscoe...we need "Sandy" updates.


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## WhiteDog70810

Rosco,

Sand faster.

I was betting you'd be ready as soon as the ice cleared. You're gonna need a few extra backs to launch that battleship and I am moving to Georgia this summer. I won't be around after mid-July. 
;D 

Nate


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## Rosco

Nate,

I really thought I would have launched a while ago too.   I needed our low temps to stay above 60 before I sprayed primer and you know that didn't happen until recently.   

Are you off to Ft. Gordon?   I'm sure I'll launch before you leave.  It's just pinholes and little stuff at this point.   I'm going to order my topcoat paint tomorrow.   The gray primer has grown on me over the years so I'm going with dark gray as the final color on the hull sides and cloud white on top.   I'm using a product called softsand for non-skid  from softsandrubber and I'm still trying to decide if I need to order flattening additive to the non-skid to cut down on glare.   I'm also going to mix in a little gray on the nonskid areas as well.

Ducknut,   Long time no chat ;D  Sorry, nothing picture worthy at this point besides the latest video.   Looks like I'll have to roll and tip paint into the cockpit gutter and the under gunwale rod holders.   No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get even coverage on those parts without the cup on the gun touching something or the hose dragging on something.


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## WhiteDog70810

Yup, I am moving to Gordon. It sounds like it will be fun. The duck hunting appears to be marginal at best, but I am liking the fishing reports I've heard so far and the quail and bacon harvesting opportunities are additional perks.

As a bit of warning, I have a pesky life-altering examinations on the 28th of June, so despite my professed enthusiasm to see this thing floating, I will flake out if you splash it that particular weekend. ...which pretty much dooms it to be ready on the 28th of June

I don't think you can go wrong flattening the paint of the non-skid areas.

Nate


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## Rosco

Don't worry Nate, I'll shoot for the 20th ;D I think I am going with the flattening additive. I painted my rod holders this evening and they were a bit shiny. I'm really worried about my front bulkhead and console looking that shiny so I'll add the additive.


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## Rosco

Ok, I might not be finished before Dr. Nate leaves for GA. I blame it on Mother's day weekend, Wife's birthday WEEK and catching up on honey do's and family time. I did get final primer on my hatch covers today tough. A bunch of micro projects left before final paint and rigging...


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## Rosco

Final fitting of the hatch covers. Recessed fuel fill and adjusted the width on the toe rail a bit. Should be fun shaping them later this week or weekend...


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## LWalker

Looking good Rosco! What material are you using for the tail rail? Is it bent to make that radius? If not can you showed how you joined it together?


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## Rosco

Thanks! I used Mahogany on the toe rails and it's the same piece of wood that I used on the transom and helm pod. It isn't bent, it's just cut to match the contour of the cap. The joints are just butt joints that will get glued with some epoxy with cabosil and mahogany dust. 

I've seen some fancy joints that are "S" shaped but I had a hard time wrapping my head around that. I just used butt joints and made small adjustments on the joint with a block sander to make the joints tight.


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## LWalker

Cool, can't wait to see the final shape!


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## Rosco

I plan to start on it Friday evening and I'll post pics. Wife and kids have a Saturday matinee of Jurassic Park planned so they will eat up part of the weekend but I hope to make good progress.


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## Rosco

Not the final shape yet but getting there. Still trying to decide if I want to taper the outside edge a little more.


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## WhiteDog70810

You're breaking my heart!

Nate


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## DuckNut

Good lord man...Finish this thing before we all name it "Dinosaur"

Fantastic job Roscoe...you going to keep the original name "Sandy"?


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## LWalker

Looks great. Can you take a pic to show the profile better?


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## Rosco

Sorry to disappoint Nate.   

Duck - Thanks and she will be named Sandy.   Wife/kids already refer to the boat as Sandy so it has stuck as the name.

Lwalker - Thanks, here are a few pics of the profile.    I didn't have time to mess with the boat today, but I should have time to work on it tomorrow evening.   I think I want to bring the outside edge down just a bit more before rounding it over.


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## LWalker

I don't know Rosco, that looks really good. Maybe run the round over on it as is...you can always take off more.


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## anytide

> Not the final shape yet but getting there.  Still trying to decide if I want to taper the outside edge a little more.



omg !


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## cutrunner

You do realize this is the highest quality build thread not only on this site but the hull truth, Florida sportsman, all of them..
The boat is a gem


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## Rosco

> You do realize this is the highest quality build thread not only on this site but the hull truth, Florida sportsman, all of them..
> The boat is a gem


Wow, thanks cut runner. I had a busy week for work but I should have a pretty open weekend where I can finish shaping the toe rails and get the first coats of epoxy on them. I should be able to post pics by Sunday night. 

Anytide, sorry I didn't respond sooner to your post. I wasn't sure if that was a omg - good or omg - bad


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## SilentHunter

i agree with CutRunner... nicest build in the history of the internet.


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## Rosco

Thanks again. I'm under a lot of pressure not to screw this up now  I did get some epoxy on the toe rails today and I think I got enough on to fill the pores. I'll get this sanded and a few more coats this week before we leave for vacation.


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## swampfox

Beautiful! 

Hope you get this on the water before your son graduates college ;D


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## LWalker

Looks great!! For finishing are you going with Alexseal clear or the Varnish route?


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## Rosco

Thanks Swampfox - I hope so too.   

Lwalker - Thanks to you as well.   I am going to clearcoat but haven't decided on which formulation yet.   I don't think I would use very much clear so I can't see spending all that money on Alexseal clear when I would only use a pint if that?  I am going to call a couple of nearby autobody places  that spray PPG and see if they will sell me a pre- mixed pint of clear.  I should be able to make it back home before the end of the induction period.   Not sure if that's a possibility but I'll ask.   

Anyway, we are off to Marathon this week so the boat will be on hold for a few weeks until we get back.


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## DuckNut

Insert cricket noises...


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## Rosco

Yeah, I know. I suck. I didn't make as much progress as I wanted to this summer. Here is a quick summary of things that I did complete:

1. Finished the toe rail. Multiple coats of epoxy followed by multiple coats of Alexseal clear. 
2. Also sprayed clear on the transom and helm pod. I need to sand and spray the helm pod one more time as I screwed up and had some nasty runs. 
3. The starboard side of the boat was against the wall when it was upside down during the early part of the build and I was never really satisfied so I had to re-fair a few spots. The underside of the bumper and spray rails needed some work so they got re-worked as well. 
4. Reapplied finish primer on the starboard side I'll turn my attention to the port side soon. 
5. I'll turn my attention to the port side soon. It shouldn't take as long as I consider that side the pretty side


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## mtoddsolomon

Absolutely beautiful boat! Looks like a mini Jarrett Bay. Good on ya!


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## DuckNut

Amazing job Roscoe

Find someone who can make you chrome caps for your bumper...WOW (bling)


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## WhiteDog70810

Oh lawd! I thought you had surely finished this thing and were too busy fishing to post. I am starting to think you are scared of getting it wet

Nate


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## DuckNut

You might be right Nate.

On the other hand, if he finishes then he wont have an excuse to hang out in the garage and drink beer.


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## Rosco

Thanks guys. I thought I would be finished too. I guess I just had way more time on my hands when I started this project. Those spare moments are tough to come by these days.


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## anytide

does it float ?


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## Rosco

anytide said:


> does it float ?


I hope so. Her sister ship floated and ran great.


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## DuckNut

Rosco said:


> I hope so. Her sister ship floated and ran great.


That may be true but she had a much larger beam and way more displacement! But she is a real nice person.


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## WhiteDog70810

Rosco said:


> Thanks guys. I thought I would be finished too. I guess I just had way more time on my hands when I started this project. Those spare moments are tough to come by these days.


It surprised me how easy it was to find time at the early stages and how hard it was to find time towards the end. I suspect there is a correlation with the tediousness of the work. Strangely while I actually liked fairing the outside, I really, really hated filleting in the interior structures.

Nate


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## DuckNut

The last 10% takes 90% of the time.


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## Rosco

DuckNut said:


> The last 10% takes 90% of the time.


You got that right! So many little things. Anyway, I think I've completed major fairing operations and I just have some finish sanding left before paint.


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## Rosco

Not sure if that photo showed up on the last post


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## DuckNut

Not sure, but I think you are trying to hoodwink us!

That garage is way too clean to be a work site...you have some esplainin' to do.


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## Rosco

DuckNut said:


> Not sure, but I think you are trying to hoodwink us!
> 
> That garage is way too clean to be a work site...you have some esplainin' to do.


LOL - You married Duck? Maybe that's why this project has taken so long. A couple of hours of boat building followed by several hours of making sure I don't track dust into the house. Nothing like catching hell for tracking dust into the house.


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## Rosco

Here are a couple of update pics from the last week. I know I catch crap every time I post as this build has taken so long, but I'm still chugging away as time allows.


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## mtoddsolomon

Looks amazing. Are you going to make the deck non slip! It looks beautiful but I feel like my clumsy a*s would wind up on my rear after the first spray.


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## Rosco

mtoddsolomon said:


> Looks amazing. Are you going to make the deck non slip! It looks beautiful but I feel like my clumsy a*s would wind up on my rear after the first spray.


Thanks. Yep, nonskid will cover up all of that shine on the decks when I get a chance. All of that shine except for the water channels will be covered in non-skid. Looks like I'll have a nice painting window next Wednesday and Thursday so I'll have to decide if I'll paint the non-skid or the hull sides first.


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## devrep

Rosco said:


> Thanks. Yep, nonskid will cover up all of that shine on the decks when I get a chance. All of that shine except for the water channels will be covered in non-skid. Looks like I'll have a nice painting window next Wednesday and Thursday so I'll have to decide if I'll paint the non-skid or the hull sides first.


stunning workmanship my friend.


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## LWalker

Looking great! What is you plan for non-skid? Spraying? Rolling?


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## Rosco

LWalker said:


> Looking great! What is you plan for non-skid? Spraying? Rolling?


Thank you, I am going to roll it on. I'm going to try this stuff called Soft Sand and see how it goes. I'll try it on the console seat first and it it works out, I will do all of the nonskid areas. Here is a video of the stuff I'm using 



 I like the idea of roll and sprinkle method.


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## WhiteDog70810

His breathe fogged the mirror. Rosco isn't dead! 

Nate


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## WhiteDog70810

Rosco said:


>


I really, really like this pic.

Nate


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## Rosco

WhiteDog70810 said:


> I really, really like this pic.
> 
> Nate


Thanks Nate (I'm alive) and thanks Devrep. Hope to have to have some more progress pics next week. It will be cold this weekend but next week just before Christmas might be paint weather around here.


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## permitchaser

That boats never going to see the water imho


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## Backwater

permitchaser said:


> That boats never going to see the water imho


Dude, yer right! With all that hard work, I'd be nervous about taking it out and scuffin it up!

Btw, permitchaser, what's up! Whatchu been up to these days? fishin too hard? lol Don't see ya chiming in to often lately! Come on man, I always like to see you throw your 2 cents in! lol


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## Guest

I've read all 36 pages and now decided to join microskiff.
your boat is jut amaizing, butifullllllll microskiff rosco & son.


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## Backwater

Jericho said:


> I've read all 36 pages and now decided to join microskiff.
> your boat is jut amaizing, butifullllllll microskiff rosco & son.


Welcome to the nuthouse!


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## Guest

Backwater said:


> Welcome to the nuthouse!


thanks
nice tarpon in the profile picture


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## Backwater

Jericho said:


> thanks
> nice tarpon in the profile picture


Thanks! Nice wood console in your pic too!


----------



## Guest

Backwater said:


> Thanks! Nice wood console in your pic too!


thank you

where has ROSCO gone, he hasn't posted much on his boat. is he giving TMs out these days like he did when the TM compartment wasn't long enough.


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## WhiteDog70810

In Rosco's defense, the last 1/8th of a build grinds along slowly. All the tedious detail work dissuades one from entering the garage and it is easy to find other things to do. I imagine you felt it after the first 10-15 coats of varnish.

Nate


----------



## Guest

WhiteDog70810 said:


> In Rosco's defense, the last 1/8th of a build grinds along slowly. All the tedious detail work dissuades one from entering the garage and it is easy to find other things to do. I imagine you felt it after the first 10-15 coats of varnish.
> 
> Nate


no no no, Nate, that is shearline's boat that Chip King built for Larry in my profile picture. I want to build a Jericho sort of like shearline's. I have yet to find myself doing the same thing as Rosco
look at my thread on bragging spot called garage built Jericho lobster skiff

once again, _great great great work *Rosco.*_ haven't seen a time laps i a while, their fun to watch, you must be panting and out of laundry after running around and changing so fast.


----------



## Rosco

I guess I haven't posted any update pics here in a while. Here are a couple of pictures from around Christmas. Hull sides are painted and the only paint left is the spray rails, hatch covers and non-skid. I'll need to wait for a warm spell in the 60's before I do that painting. Nate is 100% correct.


----------



## Guest

nice work! what a shine she has on that curved in transom. what do you call that curve. it is tumble then sumthin
great work rosco. i havent seen the jr. in a while


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## Backwater

That freaking boat is HOT!!!!


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## jdpber1

*DAMN IT! *i am ready to see this beauty in the marsh with fish on the deck. enough with the torture it has been going on for years now. i am ready and cannot wait any longer!


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## riptide

The boat really looks good if you haven't rolled the nonskid you should spray it
it comes out perfect every time the only draw back is masking the rest of the boat
I use course awlgrip and a primer gun .
once again the boat looks great


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## riptide

Hows the build going , with it that close to completion I'm sure you cant sleep at night


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## Rosco

riptide said:


> Hows the build going , with it that close to completion I'm sure you cant sleep at night


Hey Riptide, 

I've been busy with life the last couple of months, but I'll get on it soon and I'll post updates.


----------



## DuckNut

Hey guys...

Rosco went fishing and left the anchor in the garage!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## DuckNut

Rosco...we miss you!


----------



## JJHang20

Rosco said:


> Hey Riptide,
> 
> I've been busy with life the last couple of months, but I'll get on it soon and I'll post updates.


Hi Rosco, I just finished this thread, your 64 YouTube videos, and all I can say is WOW!
It is unbelievable this is your first built, your craftsmanship is impeccable and the boat looks amazing. It is a shame most of your original pictures are gone, it would have been great to see them earlier. 'Thank you for all your amazing posts and videos. I hope all is well and wish for updates.


----------



## DuckNut

Calling all Rosco's.....


----------

