My First Build (Freestone Guide)

Well, I decided to start building a boat around two months ago. I entertained this idea a few years back but never pursued the idea. I started fly fishing and saw the need for a boat. I could have bought a used boat for around the same overall cost, after you include a trailer. But what fun is that? No beauty in a boat like that.

I decided on the Freestone Guide. I have already modified my side panels adding a recurve. I couldnt get exact dimensions on this so I had to wing it. Who knows how she will shape up. I can always take more out if I dont like it.

Here is a photo of the work area, my dads shop. We will have to tear down a wall to get the boat out! His idea, I only obliged to it being a good one!

Views: 5950

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by tungsten on March 19, 2013 at 6:05pm

Remember to wet out the biax on a bench then lift and lay on your fillet.The stuff is amazing for laying flat around curves.One step further you can cover with peelply to give a nice bubble free surface that won't need any sanding prior to paint.

Permalink Reply by Josh Wieschowski on March 19, 2013 at 6:11pm

Thanks Tungsten, I just returned home from running the biaxial tape on the outer chines. Yeah, I used some scrap luan for an epoxy "pallet" and wet all the tape out on that. Your right, that stuff molds nicely.

To late for the peelply though. Good idea and on the next boat thats what Ill do! Tomorrow Ill flip the boat back over and sand the interior chines.

All in all, it has went very smooth!

Permalink Reply by tungsten on March 19, 2013 at 6:39pm

The one big advantage I've noticed is without the peelply the stiching stands proud after cure so  you have to fill the weave a few times then sand.With peelply it seams to fill everything in one coat,not sure why but it leaves an almost perfict surface and the best is no sanding.

 

Another good tip is to roll out the tape on the bench with one of those rollers, looks like a row of nickels with a dime inbetween each nickel.this gets rid of any air and lets the goo soak in.

Happy sanding!

Permalink Reply by Josh Wieschowski on March 20, 2013 at 11:31am

Yes your right about the tape standing proud. It will take a little time to taper it nicely into the hull after filling the weave with another flow coat. Here a few pics of my work after we flipped the boat and did the outer chine.

This is just after fairing the chine with a block plane, we then rounded the chine slightly while sanding.

The stem has 1 1/4" of deflection from chine up to the sheer. That was difficult to stitch up and we had to use some screws to get it tight. To me it was well worth the effort. I love the look of it!

All the biaxial tape is ran, now on to tapering the transition and adding a light flow coat over the tape to finish filling any unfilled weave. Ill be doing that tonight! Good Day!

Permalink Reply by Dave Z on March 20, 2013 at 3:00pm

You sure are making fast work of her.  Keep at it!

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on March 20, 2013 at 5:21pm

Josh,

Looking sweet too!

phil w.

Permalink Reply by tungsten on March 21, 2013 at 6:18am

looks good, an agreed the curved stem makes the difference.

Permalink Reply by Guy Fredrickson on March 21, 2013 at 1:23pm

Josh,

I agree with Tungsten.  Your boat is looking fantastic.  Excellent work!

Guy

Permalink Reply by Josh Wieschowski on March 21, 2013 at 1:59pm

Guy, I dont know if I thanked you for the suggestion of tapering the rear chine. That was a simple solution and it created a little flare and it looks amazing!

Permalink Reply by Josh Wieschowski on March 21, 2013 at 1:56pm

Thanks guys!!

Short day today, all I could do was a light sanding and another flow coat over the weave and transition. Ill have to wait until Saturday before I can sand again. Hopefully I can flip er back over and sand the inside chines as well.

I guess Ill cut and laminate my pedestal seats and figure out what kind of dry boxes Ill build. I like the Guide design but I like to create more than duplicate so Im going to create something of my own that allows free movement fore and aft, or at least try to. Something like the Kingfisher, but again.......my own design.

Im also waiting for my curly maple/ tiger maple and black walnut to arrive so I can start building my own net. I found a source for net bags but they are rather expensive. Maybe a little more digging and I can find a cheaper one.

Happy Boat Building!

One Boat at a Time!!

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on March 27, 2013 at 8:29pm

Josh,

I have been looking around mid-Michigan for Sitka Spruce or Douglas Fir for Oars.  Haven't been too succcessful.  Haven't found anything yet, a maybe after the first of April.  Where'd you find the Maple and Walnut, up your way?

Any of you guys out West have any wood suppliers who could supply Sitka Spruce.  I am looking for D-Select or better in 4/4 by 8 ft. rough sawn or 3/4 finished 2 sides.  Qty of BF approx 15-20.

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Tom Anderson on March 28, 2013 at 5:45am

Dorf . . .

Here in the Pacific NW, one of the best suppliers is Crosscut Hardwoods.  They have stores in Portland (where I go), Eugene, and Seattle.  I've pasted a link below.  Can not say if they ship, but sure would be worth a call.  On their website, under products, they list all of the species they sell (see link).  They have Sitka Spruce in both 4/4 and 8/4.  Oddly enough, Doug Fir is so common here that they don't usually stock it as far as I recall.

Crosscut Hardwoods, species list

Tom

RSS

© 2024   Created by Randy Dersham.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service