New - Boat build advice

HenryHawthorne said:
Yep, perfect. That's what I expected, but wanted to be sure I was visualizing it correctly. Many thanks.
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Since I'm having such a fun time posting (avoiding working on lecture), I *think" I've never posted this pic before or at least in a long while. This is how, when you are young and broke, you extend your plywood supply. This is the rear cockpit bulkhead, port side, long hidden in epoxy, glass and paint.

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Forgot to mention, re:flotation. Sam must have been paying attention to all the concerns about pour-in flotation. He no longer recommends that. Plans call for using cheap, orange pfds- a specified number in each compartment.
 
HenryHawthorne said:
Forgot to mention, re:flotation. Sam must have been paying attention to all the concerns about pour-in flotation. He no longer recommends that. Plans call for using cheap, orange pfds- a specified number in each compartment.
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Lotta foamed compartments have ended up with water in them (don't ask me how).

Also, just to keep in mind, a fair number blow out due to air pressure changes as well, so that can't be perfectly sealed and sit in the hot sun. I can think of at least 2 maybe 3 that the top seam separated on. I like having the hatches to take a peek in there every now and then.
 
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My boats were built back in the day when two-part foam was the standard. I haven't had any issues but sure as heck wouldn't build another using that stuff. Deck hatches and removable flotation material is the way to go.

As for the increase from 3/8" to 1/2" ply I suspect the flexing in the hull and delaminations/cracks is the reason for that. If someone is still using 3/8" on a larger boat like the Snowgoose I'd say they need to reinforce by some means, such as Tod's floor configuration.
 
One other comment. Since this site was started a lot of use-time and data has rolled in. Sam, along with us, has incorporated that into the new designs and builds. We are smarter today than in 1998 when this all started for us. My Scaup build was improved upon when I built my Broadbill and Brant. Folks that are willing to listen to the advice of those of us who have kept up with the builds, like Tod, and seen the good and bad will make even better boats. We are all smarter today than 25 years ago when it comes to this stuff.
 
Eric Patterson said:
Ed

My advice for no foam or sealed areas under the floor is based on physics, not CG regs. I've had people disagree with me over they years, but I'm not changing my position. Archimedes was no idiot, and Jeff Smith walked me through the principles many years ago. In a conversation with Sam Devlin he too agreed flotation has no business below the floor. His designs all use three point flotation.

You may remember the tragedy on Saginaw Bay some 30 years ago when Jim Cripe's top heavy Outlaw boat was swamped and capsized killing all the occupants. Guess where he put his flotation. Yep, under the floor. Jeff Smith discussed with Jim his foam placement and the risk involved over the phone about the time the Outlaw boat was introduced to the duck hunting market. Jim Cripe touted his Purdue engineering degree to Jeff and argued how foam did the most good if it was the first thing submerged. Jeff told him he was an idiot. Jeff, son of a Stanford physicist, had an IQ of over 175 and an incredible knowledge of college physics and engineering principles. His argument had far more merit than Jim's, and the result speaks for itself.
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Eric
I remember this well as I was interested in purchasing one back some 10 years and the discussion we had on that boat here that changed my mind.
 
Eric Patterson said:
One other comment. Since this site was started a lot of use-time and data has rolled in. Sam, along with us, has incorporated that into the new designs and builds. We are smarter today than in 1998 when this all started for us. My Scaup build was improved upon when I built my Broadbill and Brant. Folks that are willing to listen to the advice of those of us who have kept up with the builds, like Tod, and seen the good and bad will make even better boats. We are all smarter today than 25 years ago when it comes to this stuff.
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I greatly appreciate forums like this so all can benefit from the experience of those who've gone before. I think I've mentioned I enjoy working on old cars. That was a later in life discovery for me, and would have been impossible without similar resources and ability to interact with highly experienced folks.

Pictured below is my current "toy", a 65 Lotus Seven. I've rebuilt front and rear suspension, gearbox, and engine. Though I did hire out skimming the block and found a retired local mechanic with old car experience to guide me through taking the engine apart and inspecting parts, most of the engine build I did myself (a first). These old cars are pretty simple, but an online community experienced in these cars and engines helped me avoid learning a lot of things the hard way.

Tod - if the SnowGoose is like driving a surfboard on the water, this little Lotus is like driving a skateboard on the road. 60 feels like 100. Seated in it, I can reach my arm over the side and flat palm the road.

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HenryHawthorne said:
I greatly appreciate forums like this so all can benefit from the experience of those who've gone before. I think I've mentioned I enjoy working on old cars. That was a later in life discovery for me, and would have been impossible without similar resources and ability to interact with highly experienced folks.

Pictured below is my current "toy", a 65 Lotus Seven. I've rebuilt front and rear suspension, gearbox, and engine. Though I did hire out skimming the block and found a retired local mechanic with old car experience to guide me through taking the engine apart and inspecting parts, most of the engine build I did myself (a first). These old cars are pretty simple, but an online community experienced in these cars and engines helped me avoid learning a lot of things the hard way.

Tod - if the SnowGoose is like driving a surfboard on the water, this little Lotus is like driving a skateboard on the road. 60 feels like 100. Seated in it, I can reach my arm over the side and flat palm the road.

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I think you should go with an inboard in that case with all that motor experience!
 
Keep forgetting to ask, Tod - do you hunt with a dog? Been thinking through where I'd want the dog and getting her back into the boat - but before I reinvent the wheel, thought I'd see what you and others have come up with.
 
Henry, I have been giving that question alot of thought myself and have not come up with a solution for the Devlin poleboat. On a square stern such as the Snowgoose I have seen photos of old screw on deerstands attached to the stern like a swim deck except the platform is further underwater. Pretty clever as it folds up when underway. Richard
 
RM Anderson said:
Henry, I have been giving that question alot of thought myself and have not come up with a solution for the Devlin poleboat. On a square stern such as the Snowgoose I have seen photos of old screw on deerstands attached to the stern like a swim deck except the platform is further underwater. Pretty clever as it folds up when underway. Richard
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I've had a similar concept in mind, though the deer stand idea is an interesting one. Something to ponder.

I'm of 2 minds on dog location when hunting. 1 is on the front deck, hidden by a dodger or blind material. A bit out of the wind, and would be behind me if pulled up into the marsh and shooting over the stern. Though that brings the dog (and a lot of water) through the boat if access is via the stern. 2 is on/just inside the stern, depending on how I make the rear deck. Less travel through the boat, but would have to move her if shooting over the stern. In a small boat like this, I feel like a dog needs to have and be trained to a certain spot to avoid chaos.
 
HenryHawthorne said:
Keep forgetting to ask, Tod - do you hunt with a dog? Been thinking through where I'd want the dog and getting her back into the boat - but before I reinvent the wheel, thought I'd see what you and others have come up with.
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I thought I answered this, maybe in a PM, but I'm not seeing it. The sides of the boat are low enough to get a dog in over the side, the three dogs I've had when I had the boat had no problem. As far as working the dog, the stern flotation compartments as designed is too small, but you could for sure fix that.

Just me, but I dislike any sort of dog ramp and wouldn't consider one because they just aren't needed.
 
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