# Microbudget Skiff... build notes and pictures



## ckrawlin (Oct 9, 2009)

This is follow-on from a *“General Discussion”* post titled *“Microbudget ideas for home-built skiffs”*, where there is discussion about building a skiff for $500 in 5 weekends.  I got a bunch of request for construction details from my skiff… so here you have it. The build was ~4 years ago… so some of the detail is lost.

First of all, thanks for the compliments in the other post… it really is much uglier in real life. Secondly, I am not a professional boat builder, so I am sure there is room for improvement on my plans. Please don’t hold back… if I could have done something better, I’d appreciate the lesson. 

Construction is basic stitch and glue (see picts below): 

1. Assemble bulkheads on a strongback jig.  Boat is bottom side up. 

2. Cut bottom and side panels to fit (I used a flexible piece of door skin to get the rough developed shape on the side panels, since I did not have plans). Use wire twists to pull panels together. Tack panels together with dabs of epoxy. Disconnect from strong-back jig, flip right side up, and remove wires. 

3. Remove bulkheads. Use temporary spaces to hold hull open in lieu of bulkheads. Fillet the chines with wood flower. Glass interior. Tab in bulkheads with glass tape. Epoxy in chine clamps.

4. Coat underside of deck with epoxy. Affix deck with epoxy/cabosil… temporary screws into chine clamp. Glass deck. Trim deck to shape. Flip bottom-side up.

5. Epoxy on keel. Glass exterior, with overlap at keel. Add additional glass on keel.

6. Fair and Paint… this is where I saved the time.  I put one coat of micro-balloon fairing compound on, and spent 2 hours sanding, then paint.  I knew the skiff would be used for hard service, so effort getting a mirror finish was wasted.  

Have Fun!
CR



























































































That is it! Easy to build, fun to use, and not much cash!


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## tguasjr (Mar 9, 2009)

Thanks for sharing your build!


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

So when do you start the next build? I want to watch... 
I'll bet you miss the sawdust and epoxy residues in the wind.
I concur with your idea of it being a boat to use and not a showroom toy. Saves a lot of time spent fairing.
Did you include floatation chambers in the build, or underdeck foam?


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

that's cool, great job on the whole effort, easy instructions too.


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

whats cool about it is that you made it and can maybe pass it on to your kids, if it were mine though they could bury me in it  looks like the perfect size too


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## FSUfisher (Jul 16, 2007)

Awesome post! I think now even a five-year-old can build a skiff with those plans! [smiley=1-thumbsup1.gif]


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## tguasjr (Mar 9, 2009)

Can you post some more pics of the boat from different angles? I'm revamping what I designed and need to get more ideas.


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## Cracka (Jul 1, 2007)

[smiley=1-beer.gif] to you for posting that up, that is great, easy to follow as well.

Mick


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## Niko (Apr 7, 2013)

That is a great looking skiff. Very nice job.


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## tyler0421 (Jun 27, 2012)

What kind of plywood is that? Did you just use regular pine plywood? Assuming not pressure treated. Was in heat treated or anyhting else?


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## bugmcw (Aug 23, 2012)

> What kind of plywood is that? Did you just use regular pine plywood? Assuming not pressure treated. Was in heat treated or anyhting else?


This thread is 3.5+ years old and it seems Salerno hasn't been online since then- might not be getting a response!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

From the grain it looks like okoume or mahogany. Since he refers to $500 my guess would be he did not use mahogany.


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Beautiful build!!!!!


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## ckrawlin (Oct 9, 2009)

"Hello" after being dormant for 3 years. I'll start by saying "sorry" for the silence. Life became very busy with 2 new children and a temporary move to Switzerland (not a big microskiff community in the Alps). It was not until I saw this post, and finally logged in that I realized that I failed to respond to so many persons showing interest. Again... Sorry.

So... to answer some recent questions above. Skiff is made from Merranti... the next cheapest marine ply above Douglas fir.

A quick update on this skiff: It has been a work-horse. It was several years old when the post above was published, so I am guessing it is ~7 years old now. It shows some wear, but no tear. Still as sound as the day it was built. Luckily, it was always ugly... so nothing new to report there. The boat conservatively has over 500hrs on the water, painted 1 once, and cleaned 0 times. Gets regular use to this day. Easily the fishiest boat I have ever owned... probably because I spend more time using it, less time cleaning it. Having owned expensive production boats before, I can honestly say that having a $500 beater skiff has been tremendously liberating. 

Which brings up my next topic... this skiff is looking for a good home. I am building a larger skiff now that is better suited to family duty, and expect to be done in the next month. The budget micro is getting kicked out of the garage, and I could not bear to see it rot in the backyard. It has been a great boat for me, and I would like to see it get used and abused some more. Obviously not going to ask significant money for it. My biggest concern is that if I give it away, someone will grab it and park in the yard... or worse yet, flip it for profit. All my fishing buddies have nice boats, so I have no where to send it.

I am open to suggestions... I might start a separate thread... "skiff give away contest". Looking for ideas on how I can find this boat the best possible home.


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## bugmcw (Aug 23, 2012)

I stand corrected, welcome back OP! If you really need a good home for her, I'd be way more than happy to bring her to Charleston, hard to find a fishable skiff in these parts on a shoestring budget-


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## DHS (Sep 26, 2010)

Awesome little skiff, I too would give her a lifetime home. When you get started on your next build please do keep us updated, I do not post often but I do enjoy reading and learning from the rest of the guys here. 

I would like to build a skiff a little bigger than my 11' just curious what would you change if you had to do it all over?


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## tyler0421 (Jun 27, 2012)

I'm interested if you decide to give it away. I would just have to find someway to get it here.


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## ckrawlin (Oct 9, 2009)

Things I would do differently: 
- extend the keel to the forward most cockpit bulkhead... currently the bottom just aft of this bulkhead is less stiff than the rest of the hull, and breaths in a hard chop.  Nothing out of the norm, just would do differently.
- bottom tapers from 36 inches wide at the midship station down to ~32 at the transom. I did this because I saw it in the ECC Gladesman... In hindsight, I wish I left transom a couple inches wider to reduce squatting during running. The original table of offsets provided above would have been great if I had left it alone.

Things I would do again :
- added a half inch lip around the cockpit... Goes a really long way to keeping water out... Just runs off the deck instead. Important since I don't have a bilge pump.
-Kept the transom really high - 18 inches on 15 shaft motor. I expected to have to cut it down to prevent cavitation, but works fine with my evinrude 9.9.
- leaving the deck overhang at the bow by 3 in locally made a great spray rail.
- Aft compartment is completely sealed. Water bails out of a single side plug on the starboard side at the drivers feet. I created a small lip on the exterior side of the hole... Which is enough to get it to bail. This setup turned out great. It drains easily, and keeps the aft compartment completely sealed for dry storage and bouyancy.


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## ckrawlin (Oct 9, 2009)

One other thing... Will try to post some pics of the drain configuration when I go out this weekend.

For those interested in inheriting this skiff... I'll probably post something in the next month once my new skiff is done. Don't want to be left empty handed in case it takes me longer than hoped.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

You live real close to me!
I live off a1a and indian st


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