Started Another Duck Boat Build

DaveP

DaveP

Active member
I've been working on the Bateau Duck Boat 15. I could not decide between the Bluebill or BB3. In the end I decided on the Bateau DB 15. I went with the Bateau because I wanted a boat under 14 feet. The Bateau DB 15 is actually 15.5'. In ordered the Bateau plan in metric and down sized it 10 percent. The boat will be about 13' 9" with a 5' 8" beam. Fames, bow and transom and molds were set on the jig yesterday. The transom took some time since I added a splash well to the inside of the transom. Eric thanks for your measurements. I was going to take pictures today of the transom, bow and frames on the jig, but my helper arrived early and we immediatily stated laying the hull panels on the frames. Plywood is 6 mm 5 ply Baltic Birch. In cutting the panels for some reason, I cut either the sponson plates that go onto the transom or the sponsom openning on the hull panel wrong which I'll have to correct. I also raised the front side panels 12 mm so I would have room for a below deck gas task in the front. Had no problem bending the Birch plywood.

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Thanks for the post and pictures. It is always fun to see what others are doing too. What is the intended end use of the boat you are starting here?I will keep watching with intereest.

Mark f. Cheney
 
Dave, Thanks for the pictures. Those of us not buildinig sure appreciate the chance to see what is going on. Good Luck.
 
Thanks for the post and pictures. It is always fun to see what others are doing too. What is the intended end use of the boat you are starting here?I will keep watching with intereest.

Mark f. Cheney
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Duck Boat!
 
Dave Spring is sprung. I see you have the garage doors open. That wouldn't have happened two weeks ago. Nice to see another boat being built. It looks good.
 
Thanks Wispete, Yes spring is here. Lucky for spring rains, then I can work on the boat otherwise my wife will have me doing yard work and a list of projects which I had to promise to do this year in order for her approval on another boat, like paint the house and add a concrete parking pad.
 
Hi Dave, Your plywood looks interesting. What's the source and is it Marine ply or not? I've only used Okume but I'm not sure it's necessary. Looks like a good start,she'll be in the water in no time.
John
 
John, It is Baltic Birch 6 mm 5 ply, guaranteed no void, exterior grade, phenolic glue, passes boil test. It is sold by Menards, $28.00 per sheet, as underlayment. It is about 25% heavier than okume, but about 30% stronger. Like okume, birch must be incapsuled in epoxy or it will rot. I would have used regular marine ply but it is difficult to get in North east WI, and the price is right and readily available. Here is the manufacture's web site for the MSDS on this product - http://www.halexcorp.com/underlayment_birch4.shtml .
 
Looks like you are making real progress with it.Other than myself, you are the only one I know that has ordered the plans. What is your opinion of the way the bulkheads are constructed?
 
Howard, I can't really comment on the bulkhead construction. This is the first boat that I'm building from plans. So I have nothing to compare the construction to. The plans called for 9mm plywood for the bulkheads. I used 6mm and laminated two layers together with epoxy glue. I figure that should be strong enough with the birch plywood, more so than Okume. The bow bulkhead I just cut one layer and then epoxyed 2" wide strips around the edge. The second bulkhead with the opening, I laminated three layers of 6mm plywood. The plan opening left 46mm all around the edge which did not leave much for and opening. So I went with three layers making 3/4" and wil open the opening up leaving about 30mm all around. I also loft in an addintional 12mm to the bulkhead height in the front of the boat.
 
Just an up date on my progress. Almost ready to start clothing the hull. One more strip to epoxy on each gunwhale and a little sanding and clean up on the seams.

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Dave
Boat looks great also looks like the birch worked out very well. Any trouble bending it? What kind of power are you going to use?
I got my DS15 plans but have been so busy I have not opened them yet.
 
Rob, The birch was very easy to bend, no problem at all. I had space cable ties every 12" but used less than half to pull it together. I've got a '93 Mec 15 hp 4 stroke and an '89 Mec 18 hp, 2 stroke, electric start in good condition. I'll try the 18 hp first see how it does.
 
That looks real good Dave. Your moving right along. I would like to get into some boat building but I got about ten projects going all a once. Finest one this week. If you get the Antigo Journal this sat paper will have a article on JW Smith my wifes Grandfather. A horticulturist he developed the Red Triumph potato. I didn't write the story but took all the pictures.
Then helping my neighbor. We enlarged the irrigation pond and laid out a mile of pipe and planted twenty thousand strawberry plants. For this I get free strawberries and get to use one of his tractors.
I cut down about ten aspen trees that were 18-20 inches on the stump I have to get them decked for a portable saw mill that is coming.
Been working on my work shop dry walling the ceiling. Going to insulate it. Got 15 sheets up a little less one forth done.
I don't understand when people retire they don't have any thing to do.
 
That looks real good Dave. Your moving right along. I would like to get into some boat building but I got about ten projects going all a once. Finest one this week. If you get the Antigo Journal this sat paper will have a article on JW Smith my wifes Grandfather. A horticulturist he developed the Red Triumph potato. I didn't write the story but took all the pictures.
Then helping my neighbor. We enlarged the irrigation pond and laid out a mile of pipe and planted twenty thousand strawberry plants. For this I get free strawberries and get to use one of his tractors.
I cut down about ten aspen trees that were 18-20 inches on the stump I have to get them decked for a portable saw mill that is coming.
Been working on my work shop dry walling the ceiling. Going to insulate it. Got 15 sheets up a little less one forth done.
I don't understand when people retire they don't have any thing to do.
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Wispete, That wouldn't be Mary's Berries your talking about in Antigo. Yah, I keep kicking those household projects down the road. Drywall don't mention that. I built my own house 5 years ago and did all the drywall myself; 1800 sf house, 900 sf garage, and 1400 sf apartment in a walkout basement. I've got maybe four sheets left to put up and the storage area of our basement and the drywalling it is completely finished. If it is cloudy in the morning I work on the boat. Today, I've got 4 acres of lawn to mow and repair my pheasant pen. I've got a two week old litter of pups and I'll be keeping a female, so I'll need pheasants for training. But first off today, I'm going to glass the transom and sponson sides. Next week the hull. Your right about being retired. I work more and harder now than when I worked.
 
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wispete
It's a good thing you are a duck hunter. It gets you away from all that work. I tried dry walling once and now know why plasterers drink.
wis boz
 
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