# Indian River Skiff Build - Bateau Plans Modified



## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Getting the pieces to sit straight was a challenge and I am guessing it still isn't perfect but we finally got her together.










So a bit of fast forwarding... sorry for the lack of photo's in between but we did our fillets, bulkheads, and rub rail supports over the past month. We have the decks and hatches cut and are being glassed. As you can see we have built flotation into the bow compartments and center floor. We used PVC tubes to support the floor along with the foam. Some of the PVC is for support while two others are wire chases and a drain tube for any water that makes its way under the front deck.










I have a bow mounted trolling motor that will be put on the bow cap and have purchased two tone ocean grip (olive over black) that will cover the decks, floor, and Yeti. The 9.9 Evinrude that I purchased from my neighbor will sit on a fixed jack plate that I purchased used as well. The interior of the boat will remain a natural wood and the outside will be a combination of black (graphite epoxy mix) and natural wood.


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## Recidivists (May 9, 2011)

Something to be proud of. Good call on the graphite epoxy bottom.


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Tanks Recid. I am actually going to run the graphite about 2/3 of the way up to just below the gunwales. Not only some extra durability but it will serve as "paint" as well.


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Nice work, Unless you are using uv resistant epoxy where it will be exposed to the weather, you may want to think about a clear coat.


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## larryg (Dec 11, 2013)

awesome! did you use marine plywood?


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Tomahawk.... several coats of marine varnish pending! 

I did not use Marine Plywood. I was on a very tight budget for the boat so I had to settle for exterior grade plywood from Lowe's. I may regret that decision down the road but sometimes you have to make the best of the situation that you have.


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## larryg (Dec 11, 2013)

i built a small boat with a friend of mine a while back and we made the same mistake, boat it held up great.  you just have to make sure it is sealed well and any new holes you drill are carefully resealed.


by the end of our build, we could have probably bought a small boat for the same price, but we had something that nobody else had. I hope yours turns out well, it was really fun and something youll always remember.

p.s. we named ours, "Ark"
p.p.s. yours looks alot more practical and better than mine!


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Incoming... Love the ARK! After this I am toying with the idea of building a "Gheenoe" style boat as well. I have to laugh when I look back at my original budget for what I thought I could build it for... I am just about double that number already.


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## larryg (Dec 11, 2013)

haha, it adds up real quick... best of luck!

only other advice I have is don't rush. take your time and it will be well worth it. better to do it right, than to be thinking about that one(or more) imperfections you thought wouldnt matter...(they will)


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

There have been a good number of people on this site who have used exterior grade. I'm sure one of them will tune in with long term comments. If I were you, I would add an extra layer of fiberglass on the bottom though. Maybe even a layer of Xynole. That will help keep scars from getting through to the wood. Especially if you like to run some of those granite/ flint bottom rivers at low water. The Xynole will not add structural strength but it will help fight abrasion damage. 

Here are my concerns after looking at your pictures:

1.) traditional S&G construction means that after you pull the hull panels together and tie them up. You add filler to the joints, pull the ties and complete the filler. Then you add fiberglass tape over the joints. Do a rough sanding then add *biaxial* glass over the whole hull. It looks like you did not do it this way. Looks like you also used woven instead of biax. This is a No-NO for S&G construction! Your fillets look tiny or non existing. I know you wrote that you added fillits but I can't see them for the life of me on the exterior of the hull. I should not be able to see the end grain of your ply at the transom at all. That whole edge should be thickened epoxy with tape over it.

2.)  Do you plan to add a sole over the PVC? You may have some delamination issues in your near future with that setup If your sole will be laminated to the PVC and foam. Where's Brett???????


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Oyster,

I did put fillets (pretty large ones) on the inside. The ones on the outside I tried to keep flush with the seam. I have taped the inside of the boat but I have not taped and glassed the outside yet at all. I was going to do that after I turned her over.

I am using the fiberglass tape that they folks at Chesapeake Light Craft sold me... Did I purchase the wrong stuff? To be honest, I am not sure what the difference between the two is... (wow do I sound inexperienced) After I tape the seems I was planning on another layer of glass across the entire bottom of the hull and then epoxy/graphite.

Is the other stuff you are talking about like the products they use on airboats? Would the graphite serve the same purpose?

Thanks,

Lee


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Oyster, 

Also as far as the sole, I was planning on filleting the sole to the side panels and then laying down a rail of quarter round type wood and then glassing it in so it couldn't "life up around the edges".... am I heading for disaster with this plan?


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Thats why I decided to build mine as per the plans. Initially, I was going to lose the mid seat and put stringers and a sole in it. Then I figured since it was my first boat, the designer probably knew more than me and I had read plenty of threads where the boats were dogs when they were seriously modified, so I just built it to the plans with the recommended material.
There is a thread over on Bateau about a GF-12 that was modified with a tunnel, sponsons, center console and all kinds of fancy aluminum. It is a beautiful boat but it wont hardly plane with a new 20 HP Yamaha after trying multiple props, compression plates etc...Reading that thread was the turning point for me.
Good luck and I'll be watching your progress


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## BMPDave2013 (Nov 12, 2013)

Way cool! I bought those plans for the indian river 15 in 1998 but never got around to building it. Probably wont now that I take delivery of my new Native 17 on June 28. I had made drawings for adding decks just like yours. Looking forward to watching you build it so please keep the pictures coming!


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

I've always like the Indian River Skiff from Bateau.
Proven design that when built per plan can take a lot of abuse.

I see a worry when I look at this pic











Not enough cross frames to prevent the flat bottom from oil canning.
Over time it'll result in stress fractures at the joint where the bottom meets the sides.

On the Slipper that oil canning flex cracked the fillets at two spots










Which required repair and reinforcing.
Something that'll be hard to do with a foamed undersole.










At least you used exterior plywood,
the Slipper is built from 1/4 inch luan.
6 years old and still banging around in the oyster creeks.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

Not all tape is equal but that's not saying that what you used is inferior! Most places sell fiberglass that is applicable to the plans they sell. Chesapeake sells kayak plans and therefore sells light weight tape that is used to build kayaks. You built a boat. Check to see what weight your tape was. Look at your plans and see what type of tape it requires.

Also, you say that you have not taped your outside of your hull yet but it looks like you did apply epoxy to it! That's out of order per the bataue system of S&G. You need to talk to Jacques and get his input.

Well, back to the xynole. Xynole is far superior to graphite for abrasion, not even in the same league. However, I suggest that you sort out all of your current standard S&G delimas and ignore my talk of xynole. It will only complicate things. If you haven't already, start a post on Boatbuilder and fully detail what you have done so far. They will sort you out pretty fast I think...


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## mrbrownliner (Jun 30, 2012)

Thanks Dave. I was looking for something that would be easy to build and something that would be easy to manage fishing solo which I do often.  Hopefully some new pics this week.  I just drilled my transom holes and filled them w epoxy an wood flour.  Should be able to redrill in a few days when I get back home.


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