Ozark Float boat build-along

[dawallace45]

On another post I said I'd post the progress of the Ozark float boat , I haven't done that so far so I'd better start , didn't know where on Ozbow to post it but seeing as how Boat building is a traditional craft I figure I'll post it here unless Jeff has a problem with it

Well the Float boat has been started , I'm not rushing it as I have other stuff to do and I'm just slotting this in as I have time , here s progress so far

After I marked out and cut out the panels I had to join the bottom and the side panels using fiberglass tape and epoxy , when it's all finished it will all be quite strong , the plans call for 9mm ply and just taping the seams using 100 mm glass tape but I'm using 4mm marine ply and will eventually cover the whole inside and outside with fiberglass cloth , should still be light but also strong and more abrasion resistant





Panels are stitched together using small zip ties about every 100mm then a bead of epoxy thickened with wood dust is run into the seam ,





I've run some epoxy to hold it together and put some glass tape on the edges







Now when I set the frames up on the jig I spent a lot of time making sure every thing was straight , even , square and dead level , it was a few days before I was able to get back to it because of heavy rain and then heat with about 100% humidity , seems that in that time the jig warped slightly so the frames have moved a couple of Milimetres , wouldn't be noticeable except I made marks for them to line up , will have to move them just slightly , been thinking about making hatches in the front deck and the rear seat but think maybe round water proof plastic hatches will be better for added flotation rather than a top opening hatch

Have turned it over so I can run the inside fillets and give a saturation coat of epoxy , will need to order some glass cloth soon and probably some more epoxy , I have about 2 litres left and it won't be enough , I run all the inside seems yesterday and was surprised how much thickened epoxy it took , will post pictures of that later

David

[Gringa Bows]

Looking good Davo,you may need it if the rain does'nt stop soon,it looks like it will be stable enough to stand and shoot a bow .................Rod

[dawallace45]

Rod

Yeah , I'm thinking bow fishing

David

[Gringa Bows]

how long is it .................Rod

[dawallace45]

Rod

It's 15'9" long , 35" wide and 13" high , built to the plans with 9mm ply it should come in at about 41 KG , mine should be much lighter , should draw about 4" with two men on board [ 200 kg ]

David

[Gringa Bows]

or in my case one and a half people 200 kg.. .................Rod

[dawallace45]

Yeah , know what that's like but I'm now down to 103 KG and still loosing

David

[longbow steve]

Thanks Dave, very interesting. I was just talking about wooden boat building with my Dad on our trip so I will show him this thread as it progress'.
In your last photos I would have said you looked pretty fit, 103kgs you must be tall? I am on a fitness kick at the moment and need to drop 10kg's, 1.5 kg's down so far but heaps fitter already .
The term fillets? do you mean the seams? Are you using an epoxy adhesive or resin?
Thanks for the photos of the process, I have learnt heaps already

[Gringa Bows]

-Steve, those last photo's weren't of Dave with the bow .............Rod

[dawallace45]

Steve

Yeah , that's definitely not me , that is my neighbor from up the road and he's more than 10 years younger than me and while we have the same hair cut we definitely couldn't be mistaken for each other , I'm about a 1/2" taller , a bit thicker set and a lot fatter than him


Fillets , where I'm going to run a fillet of Thickened epoxy , that is epoxy thickened with wood dust , into a join like between the bottom and side panels I run masking tape about 10mm out from each side of the join and then put the thickened epoxy [ Polyester resin doesn't stick to timber long term ] into a zip lock plastic bag , clip the corner off and use it like a icing bag then using a tongue depressor or the back of a plastic spoon I smooth out the seam , after the seam is smoothed out the tape comes off , using the tape saves a lot of sanding , generally at the point the seam is hardened but still slightly tacky I'll run some fiberglass tape but as I'm going to cover the lot with glass cloth I won't do that

When I stitch a seam using cable ties I drill a 1/8" hole 5mm back from the edge I also cut a pile of little timber pieces about 30mm long and 5mm x 5mm and I put one behind each stitch , that makes sure that the stitch holds the panels edge corner to edge corner so I can get a good epoxy bead on the outside edge , if your unsure what I mean let me know and I'll cut some scrap and stitch it up and take a pic

David

[Chase N. Nocks]

Brilliant. I'm absolutely facinated David. Can't wait to see more.

[longbow steve]

So there was me thinking your a Navy Seal when you are actually a Walrus Sorry
Thanks for the fillet description and the piping bag method, no doubt there are many other little techniques you have developed to make the job neater/quicker.
I understand the stitching bit i believe so no need to put the scraps together. Thanks again for taking the time. Steve

[dawallace45]

Steve

Yup , more like a walrus , but if it's any consolation to you back before I got broken I weighed in at 92 kg and could bench press 120 kg , now of course I can barely bench press 30 kg before my left shoulder folds up

David

[dawallace45]

Well finally got around to ordering more epoxy and some glass cloth and I must admit that I've been a bit slack with it , haven't been home a lot so progress has been slow



I turned it over so I could have another look and just placed the seats and front deck in place to make sure every thing was going to line up and to see how it was going to look



Any way I run the glass on the hull and gave it about 4 coats of epoxy , I then screwed on the keel runners , I picked up some pine ceiling battens last time I was down Maryborough , didn't have the trailer on the car at the time so I cut them in half and put them on the roof racks , that of course meant that i had to scarf join them but I used polyurethane glue for that to make it easier , worked out well





The Pine in the battens is reasonably clear in comparison to what I could buy locally so they worked out fine after I cut them down and put them through the plainer , next up I removed the screws I used to hold down the keel runners and filled the holes with thickened epoxy and bamboo tooth picks



In between I put the outside gunnel's on





And then put a bit of 18mm ply on the transom to strengthen it up



I run some thickened epoxy along the sides of the keel runners to seal out any moisture from getting between them and the bottom of the boat but before that I run a saturation coat of epoxy mixed with timber preservative , this stuff is made to keep out pests and dry rot as well as thin the epoxy so it penetrates into the timber better , for some reason fresh epoxy is extremely attractive to fly and bugs



In between doing stuff on the boat I've been doing another bow









The bow is now pretty much finished but have spent the last week spraying it and then rubbing it back the next day and spraying it again as every time I spray the bloody rain starts half way through and the finish goes milky

This being Easter I of course had to take some time out for a bit of exploring , about 10 miles or so up the back of me just over the top of the range there is a little creek called cave creek











There are fish in the creek , probably just Spangled perch but I've heard that they some times get Jungle perch this far south , will have to take a pack rod up there and find out

Any way thats all for now probably won't get back to it until after easter

David

[Stickbow Hunter]

You have been busy Dave. The boat and bow look like they are coming along well. That creek looks a beautiful spot and no doubt a good place for a dip when it is hot.

Jeff

[longbow steve]

Looking good Dave, is the white poly pipe a make shift clamp? Steve

[dawallace45]

Jeff

yeah it is a nice creek , I always enjoy going there

Steve

yeah , just cut off pieces of poly pipe , I put one inside the other to give them more strength

David

[Gringa Bows]

lookin good Davo...............Rod

[dawallace45]

Rod

yeah and it's going to be just big enough to fit you in too

David

[Gringa Bows]

Sorry Dave as you know i've got boattitus ............................Rod

[dawallace45]

Rod

you do remember what I was telling you about hunting from a canoe being productive

David

[dawallace45]

Well I turned it over to fiberglass the inside , first up was to cut the glass to size and lay it in place ready to epoxy



A closer view of the glass in place



Glassing finished , I haven't posted any pictures of applying the epoxy because when I'm working with epoxy I'm working against the clock , one tip though if your working with a large batch of epoxy put it into a wide shallow tray to slow the process , most of the bow builders here will no doubt already know this , when spreading large amounts of epoxy on the glass I use both the small foam rollers and also the cheap plastic windscreen squeegees





It all needs to be sanded and another coat of epoxy then sanded again and another coat of epoxy , won't be today though , infected sinuses , feel like crap

David

[looseplucker]

Brilliant stuff Dave

Do you have plans for that or something - or making from scratch?

[dawallace45]

John
The plans come from http://www.boatplans.dk/boat_plans.asp?id=34 , my particular set come from a mate in the USA who bought a set and never got around to making it and so sent it to me so that he could see one built

David

[dawallace45]

Well all the coats of epoxy have been finished , I've started putting in a bit of framing to hold the deck and the seats , if I'd gone to 9mm ply instead of the 4mm stuff I'm using I could have got away with less framing but it will still work out light





All the framing in place and waiting for the epoxy to harden





Epoxy hard and the clamps off



Deck and seats on , just need to run a bead of thickened epoxy around the seams to seal them off and add a bit of strength give a bit of a sand and start on the inside gunnel



David

[Gringa Bows]

Looking good Dave,you forgot to put a cabin on it,and maybe some deck chairs ... Rod

[Stickbow Hunter]

How many clamps do you own Dave?

It is coming along well mate.

Jeff

[dawallace45]

Rod

Don't need a cabin , although I do often think of building a houseboat

But do have to admit that my wife wants me to put in padded folding boat seats

Jeff

How many clamps ? don't know for sure , but how ever many I have it's not near enough , really do need to get a lot more

David

[Stickbow Hunter]

How many clamps ? don't know for sure , but how ever many I have it's not near enough , really do need to get a lot more

With those sorts of projects I can understand why you could do with more.

Jeff

[dawallace45]

Well in amongst the other stuff I've been doing I've pretty much finished the Float boat



The Gunnels are on





Lots of sanding and plaining of the gunnels







The gunnels come out good and really stiffened it up



It's looking good , have now given it several coats of clear in the inside and two on the bottom , will give another coat this afternoon or tomorrow and that will be enough , bought some seats for the boat yesterday , plastic folding seats , I need the back support , will post some more pictures of it finished in a few days

David