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.
Making the Turn
The gunwale moldings are installed. The entire topsides was sanded, and another coat of epoxy was added. This morning the hull was flipped over so work can begin on the bottom. That will include filling the joints with thickened epoxy, applying fiberglass tape over them. Then the entire bottom will be covered with fiberglass cloth and finished out. There will be much sanding in the process.
Oak gunwale moldings installed. They will be finished natural.
Closer view of molding
Fill and tape joints on the bottom.
Applying Gunwale Moldings
I epoxied and clamped the gunwale moldings in place. They are white oak so should ad even more strength to the structure. I added the port side yesterday, so you can see how it adds a finished look to the hull.
Port side molding
The moldings on the gunwales are the last structural piece to be added to the topsides. Next I will give it a good sanding, add another coat of epoxy to everything, and flip it over.
Did I mention sanding?
I did a lot of sanding the last couple of days on the epoxy sanding filler I applied to the tape edges on the interior. Today I applied 3" fiberglass tape to the edges around the bow and stern decks and wet it out with epoxy. That will also have to be filled and sanded. This stage is not as much fun as the construction stages, but it's necessary to make the rat look nice. If there's anything I can't stand it's an ugly rat.
Fill and sand the tape edges around the decks. Give the entire boat topsides a thorough sanding. It will soon be time to flip it over and work on the bottom. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
It's a Boat
I glued the decks in place with thickened epoxy. The holes for the storage access inspection ports have been cut out, bow and stern. Thickened epoxy applied along edges of fiberglass tape. After that cures there will be a lot of sanding to do.
Sand, sand, sand. Apply 3" tape to joints around decks.
Finished Product Fittings installed in bow and stern decks. The Water Rat is all finished, named, and ready to launch. I am still working ...
