Finished Product
Fittings installed in bow and stern decks. The Water Rat is all finished, named, and ready to launch. I am still working on a dolly made with PVC pipe, various nuts and washers, and Harbor Freight tires. That will make it easier for an old man like me to get it from the truck to the water.
Go rowing!!! Thanks for following.
Painting the topsides and installing the seat.
I have applied two coats of paint tp the topsides. The only thing left to be painted is the cockpit. I fabricated a mount for the seat.
Seat mount fabricated and glued in place
Seat dry-fitted
Fabricate a foot rest. Paint the cockpit. Go rowing.
Finally Painting
Painting covers a multitude of sins but also reveals some areas that need a little more sanding. So I will sand some more before adding a second coat. I've heard many boat builders say there comes a time when you just have to quit sanding. I can't wait to achieve that mindset.
Next Steps
Sanding, then add second coat on the bottom.
Installing the Skegs
Today I added thickened epoxy around the edges of the fiberglass cloth which was installed on the bottom yesterday. I also cut the skegs and installed them.
Tomorrow I will sand the filler around the edges of the fiberglass cloth. I will also install fiberglass around the skegs and wet it out.
Applying Fiberglass Cloth
After dry-fitting and trimming the fiberglass cloth, I started at the front folding it back in small sections. When the folds were near the stern, I folded the stern piece forward on top the other folds. Then starting at the stern I wet it out section by section unfolding as I went. Thank goodness for slow hardener.
Starting at the stern
Next Steps
Apply another coat of epoxy. Then fabricate the bottom skegs and stringers.
Cutting Cloth to fit
After a lot of filling and sanding of the bottom I have begun the process of fiberglassing the bottom. The fiberglass cloth has been draped over the boat and trimmed to fit. Tomorrow I will wet it out with epoxy.
Wet out the fiberglass cloth with epoxy.
Finished Product Fittings installed in bow and stern decks. The Water Rat is all finished, named, and ready to launch. I am still working ...
