The plans say all panels may be laid out on two sheets of 4X8 plywood with the very crowded nesting diagrams shown. The plywood I'm using is ABX marine grade fir plywood. I would prefer to have Okoume, but the fir is all that's available in my area. I have begun by applying two coats of Raka epoxy to both sides of the plywood.
What I Learned
It works better if the epoxy is applied in very thin coats. If it is too thick it causes small bubbles to appear which are difficult to remove by sanding. So when I rolled the epoxy on I forced it to cover all the area possible making a very thin coat. Two coats are being applied to each side. Additional coats will be applied to the various pieces as the boat is constructed.
Next Step
The the two panels will be joined together lengthwise making a 16 foot panel. All the pieces to assemble the Water Rat will be marked and cut from that large panel.
Lynn, we are FB "friends" probably because we both know Scott Bishop. (I went to high school with Scott and we both sorta grew up in Norris, TN). I built (and sailed) my first boat when I was 16 or 17 years old, 50 years ago. I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where a mortgage or rent payment is typically lower than dockage for a sailboat. I am looking for a sailable version of the water rat. Something that I could throw in the back of a truck, bolt on a rigged keel and rig in under an hour. ¶ Secondly, I do not know in what part of the country you live and the new FB does not want to tell me. ¶ I am also considering building something that floats with a polycarbonate (clear plastic) panel in the hull. You put it in the water at night and direct light beneath the boat. It's intended for my nieces, one of whom will probably end up as a jewelry designer and the other of whom will either be a sailor or an astronaut.
ReplyDeleteI hit 'enter' too quickly. Over they years I've build a handful of stitch-and-glue boats and I just wanted to tell you that your current water rat looks great. As I have mentioned, it looks so neat that I assumed you had a dust collection system in your workshop. I've also "been in charge of" a group of high school kids who design and zip-tie and 3M 5200 a boat in under 10 hours and race it the next day. Locally, the competition is sponsored by the South Florida Marine Manufacturers Association. The activity was lost to COVID this year, but I am sure the 5200 stains will still be on my T-shirt for next year. Just something you might want to think of doing.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a transparent bottom. I don't see why a sail rig couldn't be adapted to the Water Rat along with a small dagger board or bilge board. Perhaps you could communicate with the designer, Ross Lillistone, and he would share some ideas.
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