# Jealous of Shalla



## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I couldnt handle it any more.  I just had to have one. I  Curve fit a few lines in Excel over thanksgiving, cut out the stantions and wrapped them with cheapo 7$ per sheet chip board.  
I put 10 ~1/16" layers of sheet rock mud over the whole thing, and then got started fairing with a 4' board and a 30" blocking tool.  

Going to pop a mold off this thing in a few weeks hopefully.  I havent figured out the inside lay up.  Its 14' long and 41" wide pictures are kinda crummy because my shed is too small.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Sweet, youll probably finish before him too

Jk Shalla


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Sweet, youll probably finish before him too
> 
> Jk Shalla


jk...but...not really


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## LWalker (Aug 20, 2013)

Looking forward to this CW


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## Shalla Wata Rider (Aug 14, 2013)

You Are the Man C Dub...I'm sorry I burned the jig before you asked me to barrow it .... but you'll probably improve one the concept anyway... I'm lovin' what I see my Friend...PM me .... I've learned a few things that may help ...
As for all you lurkers ;D..........I'm Workin' On It .....Literallly ....tonight ;D ....


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Curtis. I'm really liking this build. I like the specs of the boat. What's it going to take to get you to build two of them?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I'll let you know after I get the first one out. But most likley another tarpon trip and a little cash to offset materials.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

That's a done deal. Let me know how much and when. It's looking really good. I'll call you next week to discuss the Keys.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Where you at? Any more progress?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I'm wet sanding and polishing this weekend. Laying up a mold next weekend.


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## rhettstark (Aug 13, 2014)

any updated pics?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

This is a picture of the final coat of polyurethane paint I put on it. I am not that good with an HVLP so I ended up having to wet sand and polish it after it cured. I ordered all my materials for the mold and will pick them up friday. Will make the mold this weekend and post pics the weekend of the 14th after its had plenty of time to cure and I pull it off the plug. Or most likley flip it over and tear the plug out of the mold.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Soooo this is between a small skiff and SUP board size wise? Looks awesome


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Yea, The plot on the first post is in inches. The plug is the same dimensions but with soft edges.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Curtis, that thing is looking amazing. You going to have it done by the Keys trip?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> Curtis, that thing is looking amazing. You going to have it done by the Keys trip?


Maybe, I have to make a mold for a transom and a deck and I will be out of commision for March and half of April with with a big project at work so it will be close.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Any updates?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> Any updates?



I got the gelcoat and 4 layers of matt on the mold.  I still have a few more layers to put on and then I will pull it off.  I would have finished it this weekend, but the shop I bought the materials from was short on glass mat.  

My gelcoat gatored in two small spots before I got the glass on so I will have a little repair work in the mold to do. Which is not that big of a deal. 

I used soft chines for turning on plane just like the solo, so hopefully it works well. If it dosent turn well I may be adding some strakes to my first boat and then making another mold off of it anyways.  

Its kinda nice working with such a small hull because making a new mold only costs 12 gal of resin, a roll of mat and a gallon of tooling gel.  Compared to my last boat which took 35gal of resin 2.5 rolls of matt and 3 gal of gel.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Update?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I'll post pics of the mold next week. It Gatored pretty good in a few areas so I am having to repair. There will not be any more progress until about mid April as I am going to be working 12hr days till then on a project.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I have been working nearly every day for 6 weeks now and finally got a weekend off.  I spent my overtime pay on a vacuum pump and wet bagged three test panels yesterday. They turned out alright for my first attempt at bagging.  Lesson learned though is do not put the suction hose on top of your laminate.  It bunched up the glass around it.  I will put it on the edge from now on.

First was a 1oz matt; 12oz biaxial, core, 12 oz biaxial it weighed 0.94lb / ft2   (70 lb boat)

Second was 1oz matt; 2ea- 12oz biaxial, core, 2ea-12 oz biaxial it weighed 1.21 lb/ft2  (90lb boat)

Third was 2ea- 12oz biaxial, core, 2ea-12 oz biaxial it weighed 1.08 lb/ft2  (81 lb boat).  Considerable pattern bleed too without the matt but its stronger and would save 10lbs on the whole boat.  The other thing that happened to this one was my bleeder (old bath towel) pulled too much resin out of it and there was a little dry spot on top.  The other two were perfect and I think its because the layer of matt held a little extra resin to keep the whole laminate saturated.


The next step is to rip them into 2" strips and test them to see what the maximum allowable stress is.  This data wont be much good because I don't know what the moment needs to be,  but if the layup I pick works then I will have good data for future builds.











And here is a photo of the mold now that I filled all the gators with vinylester fairing putty.  The boat is not cambered as much as it looks in the pics.  This angle makes it look way more tear drop shaped than it actually is.


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## Shalla Wata Rider (Aug 14, 2013)

Lookin' Great Curtis...It would be cool if you beat me to the water..... ;D .....


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## eric_clune (May 2, 2012)

Really cool project, thanks for sharing


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## PaulSherwood (May 24, 2013)

I'm seriously impressed by this build. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind. 

What did you seal the drywall compound with? How durable do you think a plug built like this is? By chip board do you mean OSB? Are you going to build the deck the same way? What mold release agent did you use?

Thanks!


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> I'm seriously impressed by this build. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind.
> 
> What did you seal the drywall compound with? How durable do you think a plug built like this is? By chip board do you mean OSB? Are you going to build the deck the same way? What mold release agent did you use?
> 
> Thanks!


Yes, OSB.  The same stuff that the walls in the fore ground of my shed are made out of.  I painted the dry wall mud with thinned out kilz oil based primer.  I thinned it about 20% with mineral spirits so it would soak in and make the mud a little harder.  the blue paint was some expired 2 part polyurethane topside paint I got for free.99 from a local glass shop.  I waxed it about 10 times with mold release wax, and then dusted it with PVA and my HVLP about 10 times incase the polyester resin for some reason wanted to bind to it.  It busted up about 25% of it when I hooked my air compressor to it and  I de-molded it.  The areas could have been repaired but no need to since a mold is a one time thing. 

Decks, no.  I am just going to lay them up an a 5x12 sheet of formica.  I used an old counter top for my test panels and they released just fine. Used 5 coats of wax.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

I'm mclovin' this build Curtis. Can't wait to see the final product.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I vacuum bagged half of my top deck and the hull this weekend.  I will bag the other half of my deck and get started on two small stringers next weekend.  Still a few more weeks from a test ride.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I have all the parts made and am ready to assemble them this weekend.  Right now the boat, deck, and stringers weigh 75lbs.  I will probably use about 10lbs of glass and resin installing everything and then another 10 lbs gel coating the topside and installing hardware and a rub rail for a total weight of just under 100lbs.

The only flotation I have in the hull is the 1/2" divynal core in the deck and hull.  This volume of foam will provide about 100lbs of flotation.  I am going to have a completely solid cap with no way for water to get below deck except for a puncture.

Should I
A.)  Leave it as is because a 95lb boat would be sick and easy to get onto the roof racks.
B.)  Glass in a few compartments of foam below and add about 10lbs of foam increasing flotation to 300 lbs
C.) Fill the entire void below deck with foam bringing the total weight to ~120lbs but literally have an indestructible unsinkable surfboard type hull that will be difficult to get on roof racks.

I am leaning towards C, but an tempted by A.


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## tyler0421 (Jun 27, 2012)

I want one of these! I wish I had the knowledge to build something like this.

I would do B or C. To me 10-20lbs is worth the extra flotation.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

All the above


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Also,  I forgot to add I pulled the vacuum bag, bleeder and release film out this weekend.  There were two areas where the release film doubled over into a void filled with resin and became part of the hull.  

In an attempt to grind one spot out I went straight through the hull and into the mold.   [smiley=headbang2.gif]

So now I have a repair to make in both the hull and mold.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

I vote for B but I'm thinking any of the above would be cool as you'll make a second for yourself once you've spent some learning about the hull. 

In that case I think A and see how a 95lb boat runs w my 2.5hp on it. 

Or maybe play it safe and go C. 

Hope this helps.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Going with C. I think I just posted all that knowing good and well what I wanted. There were some fatalities this weekend in Mobile bay due to severe weather. Safety is at the top of my priorities where it should be. Going to put 7.5 cubic feet of foam in the boat and completely fill all void. The boat will displace 600lbs. 

Me at 130 + 55lb motor + 50lbs of miscellaneous gear on the bow should be about rigght


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

I vote "C" as well for fat guys everywhere.


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## rhettstark (Aug 13, 2014)

C. For sure, mind me asking about how much you have invested into this?


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## BayStYat (Sep 12, 2012)

Curtis, 

that sukka will be bad ass.

lets get together this summer.  I have a spot to show you in MS.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> C. For sure, mind me asking about how much you have invested into this?



In the plug, molds, shed mods, vacuum pump, 3Hp air compressor, grinder, polisher, sprayers, screw ups, experiments, hull, and motor.  About $6K, 12 weekends, and countless nights.  

The hull has taken 8 full days and cost is about $1500 in materials because I have vacuum bagged every part.  Its going to be a monolithic hull.  I still have ~3-4 days left to complete it.   I imagine I will get faster building them with time.  I could probably hand lay one with stringers instead of core for half the cost but an extra 20-40lbs.

The monolithic part is very time intensive.  Solo and Ambush are just two molded parts that are glued together with a shoebox joint.   I will be able to take the motor off mine and roll it in the surf at the beach just like a surf board. (I hope to get a video of this) Try that with a Solo or Ambush!

Even if I got good enough to cut the build time in half. (which is unlikely)  Say to 6-8 full days or ~50-70hours.  I could not compete with Solo and Ambush building them like this. Just too much labor.   I would have to ditch the core, and make a deck mold then epoxy / bolt the two together.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Sick I'm glad u went with plan c.
It will be like a 13 whalers little brother


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Updated Photos after bagging material was removed. Tabbing in the stringers with hot glue in prepairation to glass them in.


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## jdpber1 (Aug 21, 2013)

agree.. the added flotation will be nice. and it will also absorb some of the acoustics that will be generated by that large of a hollow cavity.. drop a jig head and it will sound like a kettle drum on the water to the fish.. you need some to break up that sound. while also adding flotation.


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## cturner149 (Jul 3, 2012)

Sweet. Looking great!


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments guys! 

Another note on cost. This is my second boat and I have done a much better job on this one as a result of learnings from the first. I feel I have doubled my knowledge of composites on this boat as I continue to learn through out this build. I have learned lessons both the hard way and the easy way. However, I am beginning to learn most of the lessons the easy way, because i have finally learned enough of the basics to be able to comprehend the advice I have so generousesly received from the pro's on this site. 

After the first hull was complete I was excited, but I was slightly uncertain if the time, cost, and effort was worth it for a less than professional hull. During this second build I have reached the point where I'm ready to declare that building your own boat is as much if not more fun than fishing.

If your contemplating building your own, know that it will cost more than buying a brand new hull and likely take a year or more to complete but the excitement of a new hull wears off after a year or so and the pride of doing it yourself never goes away!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Dude, that's the way to do it! [smiley=headbang.gif] Coring the hull bottom then glassing over it adds so much strength and rigidness.

Looking good CW. Keep us updated! Some of these guys might be playas for boat 3, 4, 5..... That'll pay you back for all the money spent!


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## Shalla Wata Rider (Aug 14, 2013)

Looks Great Curtis,..... I must Agree with You,,,


> If your contemplating building your own, know that it will cost more than buying a brand new hull and likely take a year or more to complete but the excitement of a new hull wears off after a year or so and the pride of doing it yourself never goes away!


I'll bet you lunch you beat me to the water....  ;D ;D
keep up the good work ...


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Ran it today. 

The bad.
When I decided to void fill the entire boat I dropped the deck down 1" to reduce foam weight. There is not enough freeboard to stand back there and pull start the motor. I see now why the motor on the solo is so far forward. Also 6hp is a bit much. It runs fine up to about 15mph but starts to chine walk at full throttle. Must be sitting or kneeling to run wot.

The good.
It gets on plane with little effort and the soft chines grip the water in turns better than strakes. It's also surprisingly stable. I would have no problems standing on a cooler in the middle. The hull has serious potential and is fun to run, I just had to start it at the dock.

To come.
I either have to increase freeboard or move the motor forward. Moving the motor forward would be the lightest but I don't want to have to completely copy the solo skiff. Can any ambush owners out there comment on how they crank the motor without flooding the cockpit?

Pictures to follow


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Light hulls behave much better once loaded, so don't start cutting on it yet.  We all wet test them empty for obvious reasons, but my hull squats horribly when empty.  I can dip the rubrail when starting the motor while empty. It is much happier with a standard load and another person on the front deck. 

If yours doesn't come around, it seems the most practical option is sponsons at this stage.  Once you get a design that works, you could change the mold. You could go with a smaller motor, but I suspect your body weight shifting toward the stern is more important than motor weight of a 6 hp.  

Get those pics up. We're dying to see it!

Nate


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I have some action shots on my friends phone I will post when he sends them to me.  I am going to take a break for a month or so to fish and think about the build.  I think in the long run, unfortunately, I am going to have to copy the Solo.  If you are reading this, I am sorry Tom, I tried to do it a different way but I have to be able to safely get to the motor in deep water.  Split tail it is.  

I played around with buckets of water yesterday and figured out where the load needs to be.  I also practiced dumping a bunch of water in the bow to see how well it drained.  Once I get the motor where I like it I am going to likely have to build a cap to keep water out of the bow and increase impact resistance on the sides.  I know I bashed a little on shoe box joints earlier in the thread. I have officially been humbled by the inevitable.  It will be a rainy day project only from now until the season is over in December.  Maybe by next spring I will have it all figured out with a cap.

I also stood it up on a bathroom scale.  124lbs.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Split tail it, cap it, and go on to the next one. It's still an awesome build. 

You coming down for Tarpon this year?


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## rhettstark (Aug 13, 2014)

that thing is sick, i wish i had the time to build a boat but i will one day


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I say cap it with a flat divicel/1708/epoxy deck and foam fill the whole thing.  Then mount a coffin and a Yeti and go fish it.      

Call it the *Hulk* of SUP's   ;D


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> I say cap it with a flat divicel/1708/epoxy deck and foam fill the whole thing.  Then mount a coffin and a Yeti and go fish it.
> 
> Call it the *Hulk* of SUP's   ;D


Its not going to be an SUP.  Its going to be an SUM (Stand Up Motor)   ;D   That's what the deck is now.  Vacuum bagged divynal and 12oz biaxial.  I have to rip it all out to move it up.  Its glassed to my stringers so I have to cut it out in strips.   

500$ and three weekends to change.  Oh well its all part of it.  I should be able to save most of my foam and reuse the old stringers.  Just make a little extender for them! All the mods will add weight, but I have to get it to work. once I get it working I will be able to make another. Maybe with carbon/kevlar...


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## tyler0421 (Jun 27, 2012)

What if you just left as is and decked the front? Maybe put a hatch in? I can't tell how much room there is. You could put a step down. Would that kind of level it out?


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I played around with weights Sunday. Transom is 4" tall. I could bring it up to the full 6" but it would add 20 lbs of foam. It also would not support anyone over 140lbs back there cranking the motor.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Maybe this is what you need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S80UOhDm2aQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bz-fGFjRuw

No relation!   

They have them in a 6hp or a glider kit that you can put your own motor on and extend the handle and use an electric start (with a light weight motorcycle battery).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErREm8Kcjuw

I've got a friend that has been all over hell and back for years in the Everglades with one of these. I'm thinking when I'm done with my shiff build, I will have one where I can take my outboard off and throw one of these on for running in the slop.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Its been a month since I ran it.   After a few weekends of dreading grinding fiberglass I got started on the operation.  Below is a photo of my expert fiberglass friend running it. Mike Lasarge is the Alabama version of Flip Pallot.  He has a line of boats similar to the Salt Marsh that are built like a hells bay that are a staple in the Delta up here. He has been building them for 30 years.









This is what 3" of foam sandwiched between vacuumed bagged divynal cell looks like.  Its super strong and light.










It was kinda nice having the boat there to cut and trim until the motor fit.

















After the motor fit, I marked the dimensions and then cut out the rest to gain access to glass in the new part.  Below is a picture of the boat sitting back in the mold with a plug for the sponsons. 









It will take me a weekend or two to get this faired into the mold and then lay up the new rear end.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

That's real sweet! I like it. It sucks that you have to go with the sponsons instead of the flat back but you do have a really good point there!


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

Dumb question. Anyone thought of adapting the small engine jet combo from a jet ski to one of these small hulls*


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

> Dumb question.  Anyone thought of adapting the small engine jet combo from a jet ski to one of these small hulls*


I think by the time you adapt it it would be way to heavy and bulky. Not to mention a grass flat killer. 

Now put one in a jon boat and let me go hurt my self in lake and I'm alllll for it!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Steelheader, nothing lightweight, simple, easy, inexpensive and efficient about a jet ski motor/jet drive.

CW, don't change your original mold. You can sell the _ell out of it as a fishing SUP on roids! Think about it.

I'm with Oysterbreath and really wish you didn't have to turn it into a sponson boat. Would have loved to see what those little mud motors would have done on that skiff. Think about it, the ultimate shalla runner!


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

I have a buddy who has a 14 aluminum John boat with a jet ski drive train built by a company in ID. We used to run it up and down the south fork of the snake and it drafted just a few inches. It is why I asked... but yes, jets are inefficient, and would be bulky.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I saw a jet ski motor in a boat the other day on the river. He did a good job putting it in a glass boat but he had to add a tunnel to accommodate it


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> Steelheader, nothing lightweight, simple, easy, inexpensive and efficient about a jet ski motor/jet drive.
> 
> CW, don't change your original mold.  You can sell the _ell out of it as a fishing SUP on roids!  Think about it.
> 
> I'm with Oysterbreath and really wish you didn't have to turn it into a sponson boat.  Would have loved to see what those little mud motors would have done on that skiff.  Think about it, the ultimate shalla runner!



Thank you for the input.  It will be easier to build a removable insert than an entirely new mold anyways. I'm not a big duck hunter but have friends that are.  With a 5hp long tail in could build a transom bracket about 30" forward of the stern and not have a split tail.  I plan to do this with the next one.  If you know anyone with a 5hp long tail, $1200,  and a few free weekends in the winter I'll do the work for free just to see it happen.

I also have a few plus sized friends that cannot get on an sup,  but could get on this thing.  The problem is is that it's a planing hull and doesn't have any rocker so it's not efficient to paddle at all.  

I'm going to get this one tweaked and fish it this summer with no cap.  Once proven I'm going to increase the sheer by 1" vertical to accommodate a shoe box joint and build a cap for it.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> Dumb question.  Anyone thought of adapting the small engine jet combo from a jet ski to one of these small hulls*


I have never seen one that small.  The smallest I have seen is around 40hp.  I suppose if you could build one it would work,  but you would have to come up with a way to mount controls.  It could get complicated.  I think it will be best fit with a light tiller or surface drive.

The hull is so light that it's not safe to run above ~12 in a light chop Or ~18 in slick calm water.  With some strakes and another 200 pounds you could probably get into the upper 20s with a 9.9,  but with that weight and power I would be outside the realm of what this thing was designed to do.

Like the solo and ambush,  all I want to do is be able to launch anywhere and drive a mile or two to my home flats and fish when I can't find someone else to go with.  

To run with a jet ski engine you have to have a lower center of gravity,  install controls, make much softer chines and add more defined planing strakes.  If you were to begin modifying this hull to run with a 40+ hp jet,  when you finished the product would look eerily similar to a late 80's  seadoo


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

That thing will run in spit not 18". My big fat flats boat runs in 17" with the engine jacked up. Your boat weighs as about as my engine alone

Just sayen


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> That thing will run in spit not 18". My big fat flats boat runs in 17" with the engine jacked up. Your boat weighs as about as my engine alone
> 
> Just sayen



Should have put mph up there after the 12 and 18. Yea, the boat drafts about 1" per 120lbs of total weight.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

CW, I am a duck hunter and I don't think your thoughts of a mount ahead of the stern would work. 

There are times that you need to dig the motor into the mud to get off vegetation and the stern would prevent this. The split would not be good either if the tail goes between them.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> CW, I am a duck hunter and I don't think your thoughts of a mount ahead of the stern would work.
> 
> There are times that you need to dig the motor into the mud to get off vegetation and the stern would prevent this.  The split would not be good either if the tail goes between them.


Didn't know that. Thanks. What angle do you think the shaft of the motor needs to be able to reach? I guess just enough to get into the mud?

When I add 1" of freeboard to it and then set the deck flush with the gunnels it will increase displacement some. Maybe I could get by with moving it forward just a few inches.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

A small distance could work, but not the way you have it.

The mud motors are balanced on the transom not hanging off the transom, so the weight will be forward of that of an outboard. They also change the pressure on the transom. They push in on the transom and an outboard pulls outward on it. They will lift the stern and push down the bow.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for pointing that out


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

A few updated Photos of the progress. I also added a divynal cell cored gunnel to the top that was quite complicated and required a few weekends to glass. Photo's to come of the top side once I gel coat it.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Does anyone want to borrow the mold and make a hull out of it?  I am not going to have time to make the modifications that I intended to for a while.  I am not ready to sell it because at some point I want to build one with a cap. I would enjoy having my shop back for other projects this winter and would like to support a fellow microskiffer that wants to do it themselves.


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## fsae99 (Apr 8, 2010)

The motor and jet out of Mokai would be neat.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

I do, if the builder/designer comes with it.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

> Does anyone want to borrow the mold and make a hull out of it?  I am not going to have time to make the modifications that I intended to for a while.  I am not ready to sell it because at some point I want to build one with a cap.  I would  enjoy having my shop back for other projects this winter and would like to support a fellow microskiffer that wants to do it themselves.


That's a very generous offer! Your plug construction is different, but really nice. Drywall mud sands down fast and it's cheap. One day I'm going to build my own little boat.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> > Does anyone want to borrow the mold and make a hull out of it?  I am not going to have time to make the modifications that I intended to for a while.  I am not ready to sell it because at some point I want to build one with a cap.  I would  enjoy having my shop back for other projects this winter and would like to support a fellow microskiffer that wants to do it themselves.
> 
> 
> That's a very generous offer! Your plug construction is different, but really nice. Drywall mud sands down fast and it's cheap. One day I'm going to build my own little boat.



Its really easy to fair sheet rock mud. If you know your going to get it right the first time and not have to make any modifications to the mold its the way to go. If your just going to build one boat and don't need the mold its probably better to build a 1 off. 

With sheetrock you only get one shot and the plug is toast after you pull the mold off.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

One offs end up with to many different layers and most are secondary mechanical bond. I like the idea of everything getting chemically bonded in a mold.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Steelheader, the Snake has a solid rocky bottom and clear, debris free water. Shalla will be running it in the mud and silt and everything and it's mother will get sucked up into the impellers and clog it up!

Btw, I 2nd RunningonEmpty....


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> One offs end up with to many different layers and most are  secondary mechanical bond. I like the idea of everything getting chemically bonded in a mold.


It is much better out of a mold, but all the decks are mechanically bonded. I have found that if you prep the surface with styrene it makes it a little sticky and improves bonding.


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## timemachine (Sep 1, 2014)

> One offs end up with to many different layers and most are  secondary mechanical bond. I like the idea of everything getting chemically bonded in a mold.


If you can conceive an idea perfectly without need for revision, you could just build final tooling right from the start. But almost all design is an iterative process, and the first built reflects that. It's just the nature of "tweaking" that results in secondary bonds; and it seems to me that the fun and learning in this project is in the tweaking.

Looks to me like a super nice project


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

I have also thought about building a disposable mold. If the boat turns out nice it could be used as a plug aka splashed to create a real mold. For now I'm doing ok with my cheap chopper gun boat. The sides are very thin and weak. You get what you pay for.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> I have also thought about building a disposable mold. If the boat turns out nice it could be used as a plug aka splashed to create a real mold. For now I'm doing ok with my cheap chopper gun boat. The sides are very thin and weak. You get what you pay for.


My first boat was done this way. Plug made from drywall and a disposable mold popped off of it. (4 layers of chopped strand Matt). It worked perfectly. I ended up selling the mold too for what I had in it!  This one will work fine without the sponsons if I raise the freeboard an inch or so.   Right now I have 4" with the transom cut out.  I would have had to pull out the deck and stringers and re do them at a cost of about 700$.  It was cheaper for me to notch the hull on this one.  I want to add an inch to the edge of the mold and make a full cap with 7" of freeboard and then you can have a transom mount motor.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Done. Saving my pennies for a 3.5 tohatsu and a trailer now.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Yes, yes, and yes. I'm loving it. What size trailer are you looking for. There are normally a ton jet ski trailers down here that I could pick up in the cheap.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

> Yes, yes, and yes. I'm loving it. What size trailer are you looking for. There are normally a ton jet ski trailers down here that I could pick up in the cheap.


A jetski or small johnboat trailer. Basically anything that would fit a 13 gheenoe. I can get a new one from academy for $599, but I am keeping an eye on CL for a cheaper one.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2015)

Picked up a 3.5 and a new magic tilt trailer this weekend. Slimed it on the first fish/cast. I also got some love from multiple folks at the dock. Performance with the split tail was much better than with the flat back. My tiller extension is now 2' shorter than it use to be so I have much more range to steer. I didn't have a GPS with me but I assume that I am seeing the same numbers as others have posted on the solo. 10-12mph. Its stable enough for me to stand on my Yeti and cast/pole from it. I took a big wake over the bow with no issues. other than my paddle being washed overboard because it was not tied down. All in all its a success.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Fantastic CW


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

Sweet!


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Wow! I love the simplicity. I don't think I need one, but I want one anyway.

Nate


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2015)

awsome little build. congrats on your first slime on her


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)




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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Here is a link to some video. The web page isn't letting me post the MP4 file. 

http://vid1070.photobucket.com/albums/u495/curtwrig/IMG_0909_zpsf9vy5b5r.mp4


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

CurtisWright said:


> Here is a link to some video. The web page isn't letting me post the MP4 file.
> 
> http://vid1070.photobucket.com/albums/u495/curtwrig/IMG_0909_zpsf9vy5b5r.mp4


I'm jealous of CWright.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

CurtisWright said:


> Here is a link to some video. The web page isn't letting me post the MP4 file.
> 
> http://vid1070.photobucket.com/albums/u495/curtwrig/IMG_0909_zpsf9vy5b5r.mp4



Very cool! When do you start production? 

Btw, have you gone up in the skinny yet? Skinny grass? Would love to see that thing tool around in a few inches of water! 

it's a crossover between a microskiff and a SUP! Very cool!!!


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Backwater said:


> Very cool! When do you start production?
> 
> Btw, have you gone up in the skinny yet? Skinny grass? Would love to see that thing tool around in a few inches of water!
> 
> it's a crossover between a microskiff and a SUP! Very cool!!!


When ever you want one! 

The displacement is 1" per 100lbs total weight. The hull weighs 140lbs and the motor Weighs 41lbs. so about 2" without me and 3.5" with me. It goes as shallow as a slot red can swim.


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## pjordan (Jun 12, 2015)

man I'm in Mobile, I would LOVE to see that boat in person!


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## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Wow. What a wonderful boat. How does it stack up to this one? ( I just stumbled on this post on Facebook today)

http://www.3rdcoastboatworks.com/


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

richg99 said:


> Wow. What a wonderful boat. How does it stack up to this one? ( I just stumbled on this post on Facebook today)
> 
> http://www.3rdcoastboatworks.com/



About the same. They are all the same thought as the Solo and Ambush. I just wanted to build mine


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Any 


pjordan said:


> man I'm in Mobile, I would LOVE to see that boat in person!


time. Pm me.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Guys, I am starting Grad school in the fall and will be consumed with it for the next few years so I will not be able to build any more hulls. 

The mold and stand is for sale. $500obo. This is about half of what the materials cost and does not include my time. If you have ever wanted to build your own boat then there will never be a better deal than this.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Update: Free mold to any fellow microskiffer. Going to post on Craigslist July 11 so come get it.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

CurtisWright said:


> Update: Free mold to any fellow microskiffer. Going to post on Craigslist July 11 so come get it.


Curtis, I'm currently in Jackson and will be relocating to Gulfport in the next 2 weeks, but make my way back east pretty often. If no one comes to claim it before I make my next trip over (which may be this weekend), I'll take it off your hands.

Edit: If you'll hold it until Friday/if no one comes to claim it, I want it and will be there with bells on to pick it up.


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

Your killing me Curtis.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

8loco said:


> Your killing me Curtis.


It could be yours for $free.99. It's part of the going out of business sale.


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