Mike`s Framed Drift Boat Build

Hi, started a build with no solid plans. Built my strongback, laying out the ribs, got the spacing but hoping someone could give me a idea what to go with for the height for the side ribs. I`m thinking 2 ft (or less) in the frt and tapering smaller to the transom? (but how much). Does that make sense to get 2 sides out of the 4` ply?

Also someone suggested I dado the ribs so I started doing that. I got 2 done and decided it was a bad idea when it comes time to attach the chine with no meat to screw too. Any thoughts?

Can anyone suggest how high to set the ribs for the rocker, I`m guessing starting in the center? Thanks much, Mike

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Permalink Reply by CWarmouth on September 14, 2015 at 9:59pm

Wow, Mike. Really nice work in every respect.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 19, 2015 at 5:44pm

Thanks CW. I rolled out the glass I got from Jamestown, and its got a bunch of flaw spots in it. I`m hoping that wont matter after I bury it in epoxy, and that those spots wont be seen. They are like snag holes where the fabric weave is broken. If someone sees this and thinks I shouldnt use it by tomorrow, let me know, other wise I`m gonna go for it tomorrow.

I wanted to bed it in on one side today, but decided to give the side one more coat of epoxy. Today though, I rolled it on with a west system roller cut in half and wow, that beat the heck out of brushing those sides. I should have rolled them from the start. Goes on way smoother and super fast. I got the rollers for the glass but thought I would try one out first.

I tipped the boat on its side, rough cut a pc of glass, but then decided to wait till tomorrow. It was kinda chilly today too so I put the kerosene heater in the garage to warn it up. Tomorrow I`ll do the same for the glass. I might not be able to get it as warm as it should be.

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on September 19, 2015 at 6:04pm

Mike,

When you add the glass with the flaws in it just make sure the glass is saturated with epoxy and the gap is pushed together on the first coat.  It should be ok.  Once the glass is buried in epoxy (2-3 additional coats) you'll have a hard time finding it.

I can't remember the source or the specific reason/effect but using a Kero heater add's a bunch of moisture to the atmosphere in your garage.  This does have an effect on the epoxy.  

Use electric heaters or bright lights which give off a bit of heat.  You can also tent the hull with plastic sheet to reduce the area/volume you are trying to heat.  Hang it from the ceiling.

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 19, 2015 at 6:18pm

Thanks Dorf, glad you logged on. I feel alot better now about using that glass. Suppose to start warming back up some tomorrow and into the next week and dry.

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on September 19, 2015 at 6:46pm

Mike,

I found this on another site.  It addresses the humidity issue I referred to above.  Take a look and be better informed.  Here's the link.  Lots of good information there.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/materials/effect-humidity-during-l...

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 20, 2015 at 10:41am

It looks like the flaws in the glass are not going to be a issue. I got up and warmed up the garage a little. Its suppose to get nice out today so I`m hoping I can get another coat of epoxy on it later today. I laid the glass on the side, started mixing up 5 pumps of epoxy at a time, which didnt roll out all that far. I think I mixed around 5 cups of 5 pumps to cover the side. It seemed to go on pretty nice, sure hope this works out. The wood is showing through nice at any rate. Gotta wait for it to kick to trim it off now.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 25, 2015 at 2:48pm

Repairing small screw divots in the plywood. Better to try to fill them in with epoxy trill they sand out, or make it up in the epifane? Trimmed off the glass around the edges with a razor blade as that bed coat set up pretty good, trimmed nice. I put about 4 coats of epoxy over the glass not counting the bed coat, 1st pic, was looking pretty good but had some runs and flaws and decided to sand it out some. I`m gonna move to get the glass on the other side tomorrow as the weather is holding on for me.

They are not too bad, and most of them flushed out nice with the glass. But I do have a handfull that are gonna show in the gloss finish. Not sure if you can see them in these pics. 2nd pic where they flushed out nice, 3rd pic with divots still showing.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 26, 2015 at 7:49pm

Was able to get the glass on the other side today, it set up nice in half a day or so and I got it trimmed and another coat of epoxy on it. The fabric I had left was about 4" short so I had to pc in some scrap, I think it will work out ok.

Permalink Reply by David Witton on October 2, 2015 at 6:55am

Mike

What did you use for a roller tray? and how bad was the cleanup of the roller holder afterwards?

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on October 2, 2015 at 2:50pm

David, I just used a paint tray and bought 3 of the plastic liners. I just kept mixing 5 pumps of epoxy at a time (could have went much more) and pouring them into the tray, spreading them on with the west system roller covers cut in half. Next day the epoxy in the tray was plenty hard and I used it over again, for 5 days in a row to put 5 coats over the glass.

I could have kept using the same tray liner but changed it out for the other side and did the same routine. The liners are cheap the roller covers not so cheap. Only get one day per cover. I started off removing the covers from the roller handle to make sure I could get it off, but found out I could stand it up in the tray and let it harden over night, it will pull off the plastic liner after its har

d, and still pull the cover off easy instead of getting messy doing it while the cover was wet still. The roller handle has faired well. Ive rolled 12 coats (6 per side including bedding the glass) and the little bit that on the plastic ends will just peel off the plastic, but even then its not to messed up anyway. I`ll make it through the bottom too and still have a nice roller handle :)

Got my glass for the bottom in the mail and a cpl drain plugs. I went with 12 oz biaxial for the bottom, its some pretty tough looking stuff. I`ll be getting that on this weekend, and sanding the epoxy on the sides real good. This pic got turned so the glass on the top is the 12 ox and the bottom is the standard 6 oz I used on the sides

The 2nd coat over the glass I tried the chip brush and the plastic squeegee spreader and the foam brush, I didnt care for how it worked out so I went back to the rollers, much better coating with the epoxy.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on October 2, 2015 at 3:04pm

That pc of glass I had to patch in on the back, turned out just fine after all the coats of epoxy. I sanded it just a little just now to see if it would come out flat, not bad at all.

I picked up a little white oak today too so I can make a nose for the frt and trim for the transom and my sheer rails, then I can trim that transom down and make the chine caps and finish off the bottom with the graphite, after I get the bottom glassed.

Not sure if I mentioned when I rolled the epoxy on the sides, I then went over it with a foam brush just to tip it off and remove the tiny bubbles left from when you mix the epoxy with the hardener. Those tiny bubbles roll right on, so tipping it smooths it out a little nicer.

Permalink Reply by David Witton on October 3, 2015 at 5:34am

Mike

Thanks for the info - I've been following your project, and it's clear you have spent a few years building stuff - good work!

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