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 Phillip Westendorf on September 8, 2015 at 6:14am

Mike,

She's looking mighty nice!

If your bottom is 3/8" (mine is 1/2") you might get away with putting a patch on the bottom of the boat in the area where the plug is.  A thin piece of hardwood 3/16"- 1/4" thick maybe 3"-4" wide and about 6" long with feathered edges.  Locate the plug centered in it.  

It shouldn't add much if any drag on the bottom and solves the problem of the thinner bottom. You can do this before the bottom is glassed (add the patch).  I added the plug well after the bottom was complete and just added a couple of coats of epoxy after the hole was drilled to seal the edgewood exposed by the hole.

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on September 8, 2015 at 9:00am

Take a look at the second pic on the home page (Phillip Davey). He did exactly that but put the piece on the inside.

Mike

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 8, 2015 at 6:28pm

Ahh, good ideas guys. A thin patch on the outside wouldnt hurt, not sure if I would want the patch on the inside, might leave standing water, but really it wouldnt be much that could be swabbed up. Mike, I did look at Phillips pic and saw his patch in the rear of the boat. I`m guessing thats the pic you were referring too. I`m going to put my drain hole in the middle of the boat, maybe off to one side. I better get that plug ordered tonight so I`ll have it on hand. Ive got my 5200 and screws and I`m getting excited to get the bottom on :)

So I`m making final preparations to secure the bottom on the boat. I got the inside of the bottom plywood sanded real good and just filled the screw holes I made securing the frames to the strongback for the build, with some thickened epoxy leaving the middle frame still attached, and the stem in the frt. just for stability. Sanded the frames a little where they were screwed to the strongback too. Once i get the bottom on I`ll have to sneak under it and remove the 2 screws in the middle frame and the bracket I made securing the stem in the frt, and it will be loose of the strongback for the first time. Then I can tip it to the side for glassing. Might make a couple support racks to set it on.

Hey Dorf, if you see this, just thinking ahead a little, I`ll glass the sides and bottom then make the nose pc for the frt of the stem. Will the glass come out straight enough on both sides to do that or is there a better idea. I dont think I would want to glass over the nose pc. (I`ll use white oak or ash) It will look just like the pc of ash I have in frt of that cherry in this pic, only smaller.

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on September 8, 2015 at 7:29pm

Two drain plugs seem to work the best to rid your boat of water. Because roads are crowned the right side of your boat is commonly lower on the way home for water to drain. When you load your boat the drain plug in the center rear bottom helps to drain water as the boat goes on the trailer and if it is parked with the bow high.

Rick N

PS use lots of care when it comes time to screw the bottom to the frames. It is easy to miss a frame.

You can also make a cart to roll your boat around on. Four 2 x 6's and four casters and bob's yer uncle!

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on September 8, 2015 at 7:50pm

Mike,

When you glass the sides trim the glass at the stem even with the end of the plywood. Don't try to wrap it around the corner.  After the first coat of epoxy starts to kick (1:45-2:00 hrs) trim it flush with a razor blade.  

The semi stiff epoxy will cut with a clean edge.  When you add the 2 nd., third and possible fourth coats it'll build up on the plywood edge and the stem.  Then you can sand it nice and flat to add the outer stem cap.  Make sure the stem cap has a couple of coats of epoxy before you glue (thickened epoxy) & screw it on.

She's looking better every day.

Dorf

ps: One drain plug in middle on starboard side worked for me.

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on September 9, 2015 at 5:03am

I store my boat outside and keep it propped up with a cover on it. The rear drain also allows any water that might get through the cover to drain.

Rick

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on September 10, 2015 at 6:24pm

Mike,

Today I was in Northwood's in Pinconning and saw the brass plugs for $ 6.99 ea.  They had a bunch.

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 13, 2015 at 7:41pm

Oh cool, thanks Dorf, I was just looking online at some too. Maybe I`ll look that place up and call them.

I had intentions of getting some pics of putting the bottom on, but in the heat of battle I totally forgot.So, what I did was, I set the bottom plywood in position on the frames, once I got it where I wanted it I drilled 2 holes on each side, about 2 ft apart along the very outside edge of the plywood, in the middle of the boat where its somewhat flat, set some 3/4 screws and checked it out one last time to make sure I had all the edges covered, and I did. Removed the 4 screws and removed the plywood from the bottom, set it aside.

I did a little sanding on the frames and made the map of each frame and where the drain holes are located. I also put a pc of tape where each frame is and put a line on the tape for the edges of the frame and also the center of each frame, both sides of the boat. I ran a small bead of the 3M 5200 onto the chine log and along the bottoms of the frames. I heard horror stories about this caulk, and now I know why. This stuff is messy and it doesnt come off (of anything) if you get it on something.

Getting back to the plywood. I ran 4 -2 1/2" screws into those 4 holes I made earlier and screwed them all the way into the plywood. I got help lifting the bottom up over the boat and letting it down till the 4 long screws sat in the screw holes in the chine logs where I had originally screwed the plywood on keeping the plywood up in the air a couple inches above that 5200 sealant. Then I backed the screws out letting the plywood lower into the sealant till it was all the way down.

I replaced those long screws with some stainless 1" screws and secured them. I set some steel weights on the ends of the boat to hold the plywood down and used my nifty scribe tool to mark a line all the way around the boat edge.(it worked great BTW) I started in the middle and drilled holes and ran screws into the chine log about 3 ft forward, then 3 ft rearward and then went and did the same thing to the other side. Then I went back and finished off all the screws around the perimeter of the boat. Then I went back to my tape and lined up my center lines and marked a line across the bottom for each frame. Layed out my screw pattern to miss all the drain holes and drilled and set stainless screws into the frames.

Whoo-hoo, another milestone, the bottom is on the boat for good now. No turning back. I got under the boat to see how bad the mess was with the sealant. Turned out there is some squeeze out, just a little here and there. I tried to take a screw driver and scrape some off, nope, not gonna happen. Again, that stuff is tough to work with so I`m thinking its just gonna stay like it is. Its takes 7 days to fully cure, I might be able to cut it out later (maybe)

I cut the overhanging plywood off with the dremel tool then sanded it around the boat. I put a coat of epoxy on the edges of the bottom plywood to seal it.

I got under the boat and pulled the last couple screws securing it to the strongback so now its just sitting there. Next up is to lift it off the strongback, make a couple stands to hold the boat on its side so I can sand each side and get some fiberglass on the sides. Thats the next major hurdle.

Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on September 13, 2015 at 9:32pm

Hey Mike,

Some Lacquer thinner or Acetone will take off the 5200 even up to 24 hrs later.

Mike 

Permalink Reply by tungsten on September 14, 2015 at 7:01am

Nice work! I cant remember what your plan is but if you wan't to wrap glass around the bottom and up the sides it will need some rounding over.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 14, 2015 at 3:40pm

Thanks Mike, I`m sanding the sides down again right now ( didnt realize how saggy and runny that epoxy was till you start sanding it smooth) and then tonight I`ll flip it over and see how bad that 5200 really is. I think I did pretty good with the size bead of it I ran, but it could have been just a tiny bit smaller I guess. And thats what it was was just a guess. I saw a tiny bit of ooze around the chine log, didnt see any on the frames but I was upside down on the creeper with a flashlight looking around.

tungsten, I`m not gonna "wrap" per say with the glass. I was gonna just cover the sides first cutting it off flush on all the edges, then do the bottom last and flush that glass out with the sides. Then I might shoot for a stem nose pc so I can run the chine caps into it and then hold them down 1/16" and fill in the bottom with the graphite epoxy to the chine cap. Between all that epoxy/glass and the 5200 sealer, and the chine cap with bedding compound under it, it should be sealed pretty darn well.

One thing I`m wondering though, would it be best to trim all my frames that are hanging past the side plywood before I lay the glass? I`m gonna get it all ready and wait till Sat when I can have all day to roll epoxy on the glass side.

Permalink Reply by Mike Thomas on September 14, 2015 at 7:56pm

Tonight was pretty exciting for me. I got home from work and took the air powered DA sander to the sides. Little late now but that sander (6") works way better and faster than the Bosch 5" vari-orbit and used less than half the sandpaper. I should have been using it for the entire project. I`ll use it for sure doing the glass.

Back to the excitement, I got done sanding the outside and flipped the boat over off the strongback for the very first time. First time I got to get a look at the inside, and the over all look of the boat. I think I`m pretty happy about the boat. I`m really glad I did alot of sanding on the inside as I built it. Still have just a little to do, but I knocked out the majority. I got to see how much ooze out I had from the 5200 sealant. Turned out no ooze out on any of the frames, and just a tiny bit on the chine log around the outer floor and I can live with that. I didnt bust any screws through the frames screwing on the bottom,,,,sweet,,,,,so now I`m gonna shoot for this weekend to start glassing the sides. It was dark out when we got it flipped over and I should have waited till tomorrow in the daylight to get some pics, but just had to take a couple :)

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