# First attempt at building a homemade skiff.



## shanerain55 (Aug 10, 2010)

Brand new member, but have been lurking for a few months. Was suppose to move, so I sold my 18 ft center console. Ended up not moving and man do I miss my boat. I have been eyeballing Gheenoes for a long time (yep, I am a Harley/Pugar fan), but just don't have the extra cash right now. So, I did what I thought was the next best thing, build my own skiff! Smart right, well maybe, we will have to wait to see how it turns out first. I started to buy a set of plans, but with almost every build I followed the builder changed, things, so I decided to just do my own thing. Like I said before, only time will tell. I will post updates slowly as I go. Thanks.


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## shanerain55 (Aug 10, 2010)

Could not figure out how to do more than one attachment at a time, so here is another pic.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Open up a Photobucket account (photobucket.com).
Upload your photos into that account, then just copy the codes that have the IMG tags.
Paste those codes into here, and there it is.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Always good to see another build start up.
Take lots of pics, post 'em so we can see 'em.
Welcome to the forum...


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## shanerain55 (Aug 10, 2010)

I am thinking about picking up this little 13ft mini-microskiff to tide me over until my build is complete. Not bad for $150.00, just need to fix the seat where it is delaminating. That is an easy bit of glass work there.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

Yea, welcome to the site and thanks for sharing your build process. looks like another flatiron/ indian river type hull build. You gonna put a platform on it? Your statement about "others changing the plans" is very true. I don't know if it's a function of the designer not being a fisherman or that most builders simply want to personalize. It's probably both! lol Anyway, what are the dimensions of your boat?












That would be a cool little design if it were about 16 feet long and maybe 48" wide. Who is the manufacture?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I'd pass on that boat, by the time you finish the repairs and fix it up you can be done with your build and on the water.



> Your statement about "others changing the plans" is very true. I don't know if it's a function of the designer not being a fisherman or that most builders simply want to personalize.


For me it was definately the function, every design is a compramise and will never be 100% what you want, so sometimes you need to change some things to better meet your needs. It would be 10 times easier if I could have bought plans, but...


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## Swamp (Jul 12, 2010)

Can't tell from the picture, but that may be more than just the seat delaminating. Those cracks look weird. Might be fine, but I'd check that they don't go into the hull.


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## shanerain55 (Aug 10, 2010)

The skiff I am building is 15'9'' long, 36 inches at transom and about 44" at widest point. I will add a poling platform if it ends up floating the way I want and is not to tippy.

As far as the delaminating on the small skiff, it is just the fiberglass tabs made into the seat that are coming loose. The hull is fine and it will be an easy repair. Thanks for the inputs though.


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## shanerain55 (Aug 10, 2010)

I am getting ready to fiberglass the outside of the hull. I am using polyesther resin. Since this is my first build I wanted to keep it as cheap as possible and learn from my mistakes for my next build. This hull will be a work boat grade finish, but I still would like to fair the hull and make it pretty smooth. My question is what what do you guys recommend for an economical fairing compound for polyesther resin?


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> I am getting ready to fiberglass the outside of the hull. I am using polyesther resin. Since this is my first build I wanted to keep it as cheap as possible and learn from my mistakes for my next build. This hull will be a work boat grade finish, but I still would like to fair the hull and make it pretty smooth. My question is what what do you guys recommend for an economical fairing compound for polyesther resin?


USC makes a Fairing putty.
I can't remember the name of it, but it's really easy to work with, and it comes in 5 gallon buckets.
If I recall, it's not expensive at all either. 

We used it at the boatyard when we were doing that contract with Carnival for their lifeboats. 

It's pretty much just Microballoons with polyester resin.
Add MEK before applying (obviously).


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