I have been thinking, talking about building a boat for several years. Attended the 2009 boat show with my wife and that only made it worse. Well today I started my Rapid Robert. The ribs are out of CVG Fir I picked up at work and the stem is cut out of a CVG 4X4 that had been sitting in the warehouse since 93.
Russ I remember talking to you and your wife at the 2009 boat show. You talked about the Rapid Robert at the time. My first Rapid Roberts was thirty eight years ago. I did the aluminum thing and lost interest in fishing and the river over the years. After attending that boat show, I built one, I love drifting my home river Nestucca, and I don't care if I even get a bite. Enjoy your build. Let us come along, with lots of pictures. Rick
Chris; Looking good and thanks
Rick; I remember you and that conversation. The pictures of your RR on here are what finally got me going, I didn't put the two of you together untill now. I have all of the frames cut out, and all but #3 put together( should get that tonight) I'll cut the chine notches out tonight also. It's been fun so far, and got alot easier since I figured out the difference between cutting on the right side of my power miter box is 2 degrees. I'd get the right side close to perfect, but the left was always a little off, finaly put a square on the table and figured it out. My joitery isn't perfect, but I beleive it will work. I'll try to post some pictures tonight.
Stem Transom and frames cut out and assembled. I'll start scarfing plywood tomorrow. The only plane I have is a block plane, so I'll be cutting them with a belt sander, I hooked my little shop vac up to it, so maybe it will keep down the mess.
nice work Russ. One item missing in your photo, a few empty beer bottles. Evan if you don't partake could you please prop a few for the next update photo so we don't feel over consuming. And I did notice your folgers can. KEEP THAT, you'll need it in the boat when it's finished.
I quit the idea of cutting the scarf joints with a belt sander. I built a jig to cut the joint with my router and a dado bit, that failed miserably. I put a bigger base on the router and used 2 pcs of wood for a guide. the pictures will descriibe it better than I can with words.
I plan on putting 22 oz glass on the bottom, 6 oz glass on the inside and 12 oz on the sides, any idea how much epoxy I'll need to do that?
Looks good. I am jealous. Still at the "talking, planning, dreaming" stage. "The Book" was supposed to arrive Friday for today's 41st birthday but of course, it didn't.