# 1969 14' build thread



## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Hi all, I've read a lot of posts here trying to learn as much as I could about rebuilding a boat. So now I'm giving it a go. My boat is a 1969 14 foot fiberglass hull. The registration says the manufacturer is "FLZ". Anybody have any info on it? 

I just built the cradle for it to sit on yesterday and today started grinding on it. I'm hoping to have the template for my transom done today and start the coring tomorrow. I got a 1/2 in sheet of coosa and plan to double it up.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

FLZ = Florida Home-Made Boat title. Looks to be one of the Johnsen /Mitchel style boats. Good luck!


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Got my fiberglass station set up today, and almost have the coosa ready to be laminated to the old outside skin. 

Should I put down a fresh layer of glass on the inside of the old skin before laminating in the coosa, or just use thickened epoxy?


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

John K said:


> Got my fiberglass station set up today, and almost have the coosa ready to be laminated to the old outside skin.
> 
> Should I put down a fresh layer of glass on the inside of the old skin before laminating in the coosa, or just use thickened epoxy?


You should be fine as far as skin if you didn't grind off to much. I would do the thicken epoxy and clamp the coosa board to the boat to get that nice tight fit.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

10-4 on the skin. Here it is all ground back and ready to go.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Well the coosa is in! Hopefully I didn't mess it up too bad. Had a lot of squeeze out from everywhere so I think it's in there pretty tight.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

John K said:


> Well the coosa is in! Hopefully I didn't mess it up too bad. Had a lot of squeeze out from everywhere so I think it's in there pretty tight.


Excellent, just how I did mine and it turned out solid.


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## FishermanSailor (Jul 24, 2016)

Looking good. Hopefully, I get started on my build this spring.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Between holidays, being sick and having to replace the steering system and cables in my other boat I haven't made any progress on this build in a while. But today I did fillet the transom and hope to glass it tomorrow. After that I'll be cutting out the rest of the seats and prepping to add the floor and bow/stern decks.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

I finally did a little more work on this project now that I have the house to myself. I think I did the layup schedule wrong or at least different than most, but oh well. I put one layer of 6" 1708 tape around the top bottom and sides of the transom and then a layer of 1708 on the whole thing. Tomorrow I'll do another layer and call it done.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

After a very extended break from getting anything done on the boat, I have finally got back at it and finished the transom. It was just a hair too thin for the 15hp tohatsu to clamp tightly onto so I added a pad with some extra coosa I had and glassed it on. Now all is well. 

I liked the small bilge area that Yabota did on his build so I coppied it. I’ve got the outside of the bilge well fully glassed. Now I just have to do the inside. 

I’ve also started making some of the small bulkheads that will help support the floor. The underside of the floor will be fully foamed. Just ordered the 3lb density kit this morning.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

John,

I'm taking notes. I'm about to start a very similar layout (Sears Gamefisher) that has a similar arrangement of transverse seat coffins (hull is fiberglass-polyethylene hybrid...weird). I am new to Coosa board and other foam core hybrids. I have multiple questions: 

You used Coosa for the transom; what did you use for the small ribs to support the floor? 
Are those mock up patterns that you will reproduce in Coosa Board? 
I notice no longitudinal members in the hull to help support the floor. Is this intentional seeing you are going to pour expandable foam in the open spaces. 
Also, is the floor going to be Coosa as well? 
Who's epoxy are you using? 
Do you have a reasonable source for the resin, board, cloth, safety stuff like Tyvex ?

Sorry for so many questions but I build things like an airplane so I'm really meticulous and want to end up with a work of art. 
Good job you are doing. Should be one nice skiff!!

Tight lines,
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

I’m probably not the best one to take note from. This is my first build and my fiberglass work is rough at best. If you look, you can see the bubbles in the latest work I’ve done on the bilge well. I’ll answer your questions the best I can though.

1) I am using a 1/2” foam sheet that I bought from fiberglass Florida. I don’t remember the exact name as I bought it almost a year ago. But there will be zero wood on this boat.

2) No those will be glassed in place then foamed in. I will be using the same 1/2 in material for the floor and decks. It will be glassed with at least one layer of 1208 on both sides.

3) Correct, I am not putting stringers in this hull. I thought the small bulkheads and false floor would be more benificial since I’m removing the three bench seets that were originally in the hull.

4) No it will be the same poly foam as the bulkhead material.

5) I’m using epoxy from U.S. Composits.

6) U.S. Composits and fiberglass Florida have everything I could ever need. Fiberglass fl is 20 minutes from my house so that’s a definite plus.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Thanks!!!! I’ll stay in the loop and monitor your progress. Let u know when I start. 
Be well!

Angel


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Angel Sanchez-Figueras said:


> John,
> 
> I'm taking notes. I'm about to start a very similar layout (Sears Gamefisher) that has a similar arrangement of transverse seat coffins (hull is fiberglass-polyethylene hybrid...weird). I am new to Coosa board and other foam core hybrids. I have multiple questions:
> 
> ...


Angel,

I use MarinEpoxy from BoatBuilderCentral.com and find it really great to work with!

They have pretty good prices on epoxy, cloth, and coring material. I believe what John K is using is called "divinylcell" but I could be wrong.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

This is the stuff I’m using for the floor. It’s 1/2 inch thickness though. The guys there told me it should be fine as long as a glass both sides and support it fairly well. https://fiberglassflorida.com/fiberglass-knit-and-woven-core/1-4-x-8-urethane-foam-sheets.html

This is what I used for the transom and bilge well.
https://fiberglassflorida.com/fiberglass-knit-and-woven-core/coosa-board.html


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Superb. Thanks. Here in Los Angeles, between the distances involved and the traffic, it's a day's commitment to travel to a shop and get your supplies. I'll do more research this weekend on the nearest shop for this stuff. Let you all know when I start with a separate thread. 


Thanks!
Angel


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

BTW.........found a Coosa source really close to my home. Also resin and other composites sources as well. Demo has begun. 
Thanks!
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Not much progress since I last posted. I still have to make one more small bulkhead. But I did get most of the plumbing done. Baby steps I guess.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Wicked!!! Dual urinals??

LMAO!! 
I’ll be progressing at same rate. Have prefishing days scheduled for first tournament in january next year and it’s all dock fishing. That is why we fish out of this piece of flotsam. For open ocean fishing we have a nice Champion 21 CC.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Tonight I got that last floor support cut and in place and started filleting. My filleting skills are finally improving with the help of this pricy, well engineered piece of equipment.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Nice engineering John. You see, we are very different from monkeys!!! A chimp would never have thought of that. Amazing how inventive human beings are. Will have to save that nugget for future reference!!!!

Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

This morning I sanded down the fillets and glassed in the floor supports. I know I should have ground down to fresh glass for all of this. But since the only purpose of these are to support the floor. I figured I’d probably be okay if I just slapped some glass on it. Especially since it’s all getting foamed in. I will be taking it down to fresh material when I tab the floor in.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Coming along nicely. Are the hoses for live wells or built in bar?? 

Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Angel Sanchez-Figueras said:


> Coming along nicely. Are the hoses for live wells or built in bar??
> 
> Angel


The hoses are going to be deck drains


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

That’s interesting. Will they be draining from recessed drain “funnels” located up against a former or bulkhead? This is starting to get interesting. 

I will prefish next Saturday and then it goes into full rebuild mode. 

Tight lines
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Got a bit more work done this week, I made a template for the floor, cut the floor and fitted it. Then I glassed the underside of the floor and began filling the below deck space with foam. I still need to do one more poor of foam and some trimming but it seems like it’s gunna be pretty sweet. The 3lb density foam is a lot more ridged then I was expecting. I used 1708 for the underside of the floor, but could have easily gotten away with 1208 or even lighter cloth since the foam offers so much support.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

It may be too late, but drains are always best at the rear corners (or in your case by that rear motor well). Maybe you can still add them before the new sole goes in?


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Those drains are going to be in the back of the cockpit. There will be a bulkhead that is directly above the floor support there that will be where my stern deck stops. I just didn’t take that floor support/bulkhead all the way up because I thought it would be easier to do the floor as one piece rather then two....If that makes any sense..


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

John,
Still the same material for the deck as for the cross members, correct?
What did you glass with on the underside? Looks like one layer of 1708. Yes?

Thanks,
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Correct. Same foam as the deck supports with 1708.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Great. John some posts mention using "mat" and a layer of 1708. I believe 1708 has a layer of mat woven into one side of it (never seen it). Did you use the additional layer of mat or just one layer of 1708 on top and bottom, sandwiching the foam?

Got my pumps and epoxy yesterday. Slowly building the arsenal.
Thanks. Have a superb weekend.
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

The stern floor is in! Yesterday I finished the foam under the floor, cut the holes for the drains and sanded around them to sort of cup the floor around the drain. Then I layed down a bunch of thickened epoxy and weighted the floor down on top of the epoxy. 

Today I ground down to fresh glass around the floor and started to fillet all the corners. I got about 3/4 of the way before my epoxy started to kick.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

The fillets


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Wow John. Good progress. Hope to fully demo mine this weekend. A bit of trepidation but what the heck. Leaning towards using 3/8” ply for the stringers and floor. On the fence about replacing the transom. Only issue i have with the foam is driving out to get it. Traffic here sucks. 

I’m sure once I dive in I’ll have a better idea of which direction to take. Won’t be in skinny water so draft not an issue. 

Angel


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

John when you bolted the new cosa transom on while bonding it to the old skin and hull, how did you keep the bolts from sticking to the bonding epoxy? Grease?


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Angel, I would do the transom if completely demoing the rest of your boat. I‎t has been the easiest part of the build for me so far. And I would hate to go through all the other work only to have a rotten transom in another couple years. 

The bolts I used to clamp the new core to the outer skin did stick but my impact wrench had no problem breaking the seal and freeing them.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Got a little more done this weekend but "life" called. Need to take a day off to really finish the demo. Piecemeal it's slow progress and set-up/tear-down time eats into total work time.. Thanks for your help sir. I'll post as soon as demos is done and it's ready for glass.
Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Well I’ve been slacking lately and still don’t have the floor top glassed in, but I did make a little progress today.

Have the rear deck bulkhead complete and got the deck itself started. Now I just need to get my ass in gear and get to glassing.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Nice John. Very nice.

Angel


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Got the floor tabbed in tonight. I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of this. I was actually able to get most of the bubbles out this time.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

John, did you only tab the floor in today? It's a bit easier to do the tabbing and floor layup at the same time and it achieves chemical bonding. You may know this already, but you will have to sand those tabbed tape sections before laying the floor glass down for a proper mechanical bond.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Yeah unfortunately I did just tab I‎t in. I’m still really slow and my epoxy always starts to kick before I finish and I‎t starts to get messy. So I’ve just been doing small sections at a time. I’ll sand and lay down the rest today after work. Thanks for the heads up though. Please feel free to chime in with anything else you see me doing wrong.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Even though the epoxy starts to kick quickly, chemical bonding can occur up to 6-8 hours. It looks like you are working indoors which is a good thing as the sun will make it go real fast! It may seem like you only have enough time for a small section, but you will basically have to spend that time again sanding/prepping for the next layup, so it sometimes is better to wait for enough time to do both the tabs and the rest of the panel 

Keep on rocking man! Can't wait to see the end result


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

What Yobata said!!!!!!!!


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Yobata, you were correct! When I’m ready to glass in the bow floor, I’ll definitely do all the glassing in one go round. At least the stern floor is done now though. 

I also got in some goodies for when I get a little farther along in the project.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

I’ve been busy lately with other projects for my big boat and spent a month in the Virgin Islands so progress has been very slow. Here is what I’ve got done though. 

Ended up getting rid of the middle bench seat. I originally thought the extra seat and storage would be nice. But I think a big cooler will work as well and look cleaner. 

I also got the bulkhead for the back deck glassed, filleted, and tabbed in. Sanded the inside of what will be that storage space, then primed and painted it. Next the top of the deck is going on. 

The deck is already glassed on both sides and sanded. All it needs is to be glued and tabbed on.


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## Angel Sanchez-Figueras (Sep 28, 2017)

Excellent. You are moving right along. My project on hold due to tournaments. Starting back up this Sunday. Buying stringer and sole material.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Got some of the supports for the forward floor fitted last night before bed.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Stern deck is in for good now. Hopefully I didn’t screw it up too badly.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Yesterday I sanded down the top and then hit all the edges with a roundover bit and my router.

Today I glassed it all. I’m still not very good at glassing but I think it should be okay. I did a layer of 6 inch 1208 tape, then a layer of 10 inch wide cloth that I think is around 4 or 6 oz. it gives a much nicer finish then the 1208 and requires less sanding.


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## Philip (Jan 6, 2018)

I like the cleets and bench lids. Where could I get my hands on something like that? I am doing a similar build. I’m glad I have threads like these to steer me in a better direction. Keep it up!


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Got some foam poured and the floor panels fitted as well as the forward deck fitted. It’s finally starting to look like the boat I had pictured in my mind.


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## John K (Dec 19, 2016)

Philip said:


> I like the cleets and bench lids. Where could I get my hands on something like that? I am doing a similar build. I’m glad I have threads like these to steer me in a better direction. Keep it up!


Philip, I got the cleats and lids on amazon. I can find the links if you’d like them.


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## Goldmine (Aug 29, 2017)

Any updates on this skiff?


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## Mike Haydon (Dec 19, 2019)

Did you ever finish this thing? It was looking cool!


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