The Mallard Boat
- Thread starter Dave E
- Start date
Bill Burruss
Well-known member
Dave,
Wow- you are treally making good progress. Ought to be in the water by duck season.
Ditto what Todd said on the draing plug. Once you get the boat fiberglassed, drill a hole and 5200 in a brass drain tube. I used a hole saw (can't remember if it was 1" or slightly larger) to make the hole thru the transom, and a dremil to cut off the excess tube.
Keep the pics coming!
Take care,
Bill
Wow- you are treally making good progress. Ought to be in the water by duck season.
Ditto what Todd said on the draing plug. Once you get the boat fiberglassed, drill a hole and 5200 in a brass drain tube. I used a hole saw (can't remember if it was 1" or slightly larger) to make the hole thru the transom, and a dremil to cut off the excess tube.
Keep the pics coming!
Take care,
Bill
Kevin Beam
Active member
This is a really cool documentary that you'll be able to look back on in years to come, and guys like me love checking in on progress! You seem like you gotten a lot done, and fast. I can't imagine how long it'll take me to build one someday, my truck has been on jack stands for 2 days for a simple brake job!!!!!!!!!! (Long story...)
Please keep us up to date, best wishes.
Kevin
Please keep us up to date, best wishes.
Kevin
Ryan Werden
Well-known member
Making great progress. Kinda hard to tell by the pictures, but it looks like you tabbed your inside keel seam and it hasn't been taped yet. Do the plans call for laying in your bulkheads before taping the inside keel/chine seams?
Dave E
Active member
Today I worked on the transom. Sam Devlin gave me a couple of things to change when I went to see him and the transom was one of them. I moved the motor back 12 inches. This will allow the motor to clear the flotation chambers in the rear. It also creates an extra area just ahead of the transom to store small items. I could have just moved that bulkhead back a foot also, but that would have changed the curve of the side of the boat. I suppose I coiuld have figured it out, but this was easier. Here is a shot of it: View attachment transom2.jpg.
I also added the chambers for the rear flotation today. I moved them back one inch to allow for my 3 1/2 gallon tank. I did this on each side. View attachment floatation.jpg.
This is a shot of the back. Its hard to see the whole project with this camera I have. The neighbor came by tonight to have a look-see. I think I passed his muster. View attachment back.jpg
Tomorrow I go back to work. I will have enenings, except for the 4th. I work from 0600 to 2400 that day. I won't even have time to feed my dogs on that day! I have worked on the 4th of July now for 23 years in a row! I need to retire.
I also added the chambers for the rear flotation today. I moved them back one inch to allow for my 3 1/2 gallon tank. I did this on each side. View attachment floatation.jpg.
This is a shot of the back. Its hard to see the whole project with this camera I have. The neighbor came by tonight to have a look-see. I think I passed his muster. View attachment back.jpg
Tomorrow I go back to work. I will have enenings, except for the 4th. I work from 0600 to 2400 that day. I won't even have time to feed my dogs on that day! I have worked on the 4th of July now for 23 years in a row! I need to retire.
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Dave E
Active member
Yes, I stitched between the wires, then cut them out of the way. When I get back to this step, I will put more epoxy and wood flour down then run 4 inch tape over it while its wet. Then I will paint on just epoxy so it soaks into the fabric. That is a step or two away at this point. At least, that is how I plan to do it. Others may have slightly different ways of doing it. There are lots of ways to skin a cat.
After the 4 inch tape comes 6 inch tape. Once I get all of the seams done like that I will flip it over and glass the bottom. That will take many steps to complete. Glassing the inside comes much later.
I might have gotten to the taping part this evening, but I only had about 2 hours to work on this thing today. I got called in to work for awhile.
By the way, I have found that if you don't add enough wood flour, the epoxy runs all over the place after you go away. It's a good reason to have a disc grinder, or faster hardener.
After the 4 inch tape comes 6 inch tape. Once I get all of the seams done like that I will flip it over and glass the bottom. That will take many steps to complete. Glassing the inside comes much later.
I might have gotten to the taping part this evening, but I only had about 2 hours to work on this thing today. I got called in to work for awhile.
By the way, I have found that if you don't add enough wood flour, the epoxy runs all over the place after you go away. It's a good reason to have a disc grinder, or faster hardener.
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Dave E
Active member
I just re-read your question. I am not sure if the plans call for it that way or not. Actually, they are sort of vague. In Sam's DVD he mentions that once the seams are taped and epoxied, the boat is "locked in place." Installing the bulkheads requires bending and stretching the sides and bottom a bit. I believe once all the major parts are in place, the seams can be locked down. I didn't want to do that until I had all the parts where they were supposed to go. I have no idea it that is the right way or not. I used to work on machinery. When installing large parts, such as a cylinder head, or transmission valve body, I always used to start all the bolts, then tighten them bit by bit. I guess that held over in my boat building also. Make sense?
Ryan Werden
Well-known member
Dave,
The way I built mine and the advice I received was to tape the inside seams prior to installing the bulkheads. That way you have one solid fillet and 3 layers of continuous glass tape which should be very structurally sound. I don't think you'll have any issues. The only part you will not have glass inside is directly under the bulkheads which are still epoxied in place, in addition to the layers of glass on the outside.
The way I built mine and the advice I received was to tape the inside seams prior to installing the bulkheads. That way you have one solid fillet and 3 layers of continuous glass tape which should be very structurally sound. I don't think you'll have any issues. The only part you will not have glass inside is directly under the bulkheads which are still epoxied in place, in addition to the layers of glass on the outside.
Dave E
Active member
I got the inside taped today. View attachment inside.jpg View attachment sponson.jpg.
I took a break between batches of epoxy to tale a couple of pictures. First I used epoxy mixed with wood flour as a base, then I wetted it out with just epoxy and a brush. I put 6 inch tape over the 4 inch stuff. I just have 4 inch tape inside of the sponsons so far.
I most likely will not get much time to work on this for the next couple of weeks. Next weekend I am taking my motorcycle on a 3 day trip.
Dave
I took a break between batches of epoxy to tale a couple of pictures. First I used epoxy mixed with wood flour as a base, then I wetted it out with just epoxy and a brush. I put 6 inch tape over the 4 inch stuff. I just have 4 inch tape inside of the sponsons so far.
I most likely will not get much time to work on this for the next couple of weeks. Next weekend I am taking my motorcycle on a 3 day trip.
Dave
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Dave E
Active member
I had my son help me turn the boat upside down and I cut the chine today with a plane. It has a nice sharp edge. I found it hard to take a shot to show the before/after difference. My plane was very sharp, it only took about 20 minutes to cut both sides. My dad was a stickler for sharp tools. He used to make me stone the blade by hand then it would have to cut the hair on his arm, or I wasn't done yet.
have a look-see:
View attachment upsidedown.jpg
View attachment chine1.jpg
View attachment chine2.jpg
View attachment chine3.jpg
have a look-see:
View attachment upsidedown.jpg
View attachment chine1.jpg
View attachment chine2.jpg
View attachment chine3.jpg
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Dave E
Active member
Greetings, a bit of an update for you: I have run out of epoxy and have 7 1/2 gallons on order along with 22 yards of fabric. That wont be here until the 20th. The other day I plugged all the "wire holes" with epoxy and wood flour. Today I sanded all of that smooth. When my materials get here (US Composits in Florida - I live in Washington State) I will fill a couple more holes then begin glassing the outside. I am wondering if I should do the outside seams with tape, like the inside. If so, does that go on before the fiberglass cloth or after?
After all of that is on and smoothed out (a few coats, I would guess) it will be time for the keel. My plans talk about a keel made out of plywood, filled with epoxy and lead shot or cement. HOWEVER the bill of materials mention using 3/4 stock made of hardwood for the keel. I notice most of the pictures I have seen on this site look like they are made of the latter. I plan to use Oak the the three keels (or whatever one calls the other two on the sides of the middle one).
The bill of materials call for 2 fir and 2 hardwood: 3/4 by 6 by 16 feet long boards. This is for the Coamings, deck knees and keel. How big should I cut the strip for the main keel? One half inch? One inch? And the other two... the same? Since I have to cut the deck coaming (is that the part that surrounds the cockpit?), I don't want to use too much up on the bottom. the plans I have seem incomplete, not addressing several things, I have found.
After the keels, I plan on doing the prep for painting the bottom, then flipping it over and buying a trailer so I can move it around while I work on the rest of it. I am hoping to have all of that stuff done in about 3 weeks. After that I have to go to Canada and shoot in the World Games. That will use up more time. I am shooting nearly every day now. That takes time too. I wish I could buy some.
No pictures today, sorry. (it looks the same anyway, just sanded smooth)
Dave
After all of that is on and smoothed out (a few coats, I would guess) it will be time for the keel. My plans talk about a keel made out of plywood, filled with epoxy and lead shot or cement. HOWEVER the bill of materials mention using 3/4 stock made of hardwood for the keel. I notice most of the pictures I have seen on this site look like they are made of the latter. I plan to use Oak the the three keels (or whatever one calls the other two on the sides of the middle one).
The bill of materials call for 2 fir and 2 hardwood: 3/4 by 6 by 16 feet long boards. This is for the Coamings, deck knees and keel. How big should I cut the strip for the main keel? One half inch? One inch? And the other two... the same? Since I have to cut the deck coaming (is that the part that surrounds the cockpit?), I don't want to use too much up on the bottom. the plans I have seem incomplete, not addressing several things, I have found.
After the keels, I plan on doing the prep for painting the bottom, then flipping it over and buying a trailer so I can move it around while I work on the rest of it. I am hoping to have all of that stuff done in about 3 weeks. After that I have to go to Canada and shoot in the World Games. That will use up more time. I am shooting nearly every day now. That takes time too. I wish I could buy some.
No pictures today, sorry. (it looks the same anyway, just sanded smooth)
Dave
Ray
Well-known member
On my BB3 the keel and keelsons were square on the plans. I think their dimensions were in text somewhere, but not on the drawings.
I used 4/4 stock that was finished planed to 7/8 of an inch. I cut the keel square to 7/8 of an inch. I routed a 1/4 inch wide by 1/8 inch deep groove down the center of the keel to allow it to fit over the joint peak. I filled the groove with thickened epoxy prior to setting it in place.
After the keel was cured I found that there was no distance listed for how far the keelsons were to be away from the keel. I noted the scale on the plans and determined the distance that way. I cut sticks to hold the keelsons off the keel the correct distance. No grooves in the bottom of the keelsons since they mate to a flat surface.
My keel and keelsons are faced with 3/4 inch flat Al stock bonded with 5200 and SS screws. I recommend taking the time to fit a metal face onto the leading edge/angle of the keelsons. I thought that I would never hunt in ice since we go from liquid water to ice skating in a few days up here. The Global Warming Conspiracy has allowed me to hunt in skim ice the last two seaons and my un faced keelson leading faces have taken a beating. next year I will grind them down and face them with the flat stock.
I used 4/4 stock that was finished planed to 7/8 of an inch. I cut the keel square to 7/8 of an inch. I routed a 1/4 inch wide by 1/8 inch deep groove down the center of the keel to allow it to fit over the joint peak. I filled the groove with thickened epoxy prior to setting it in place.
After the keel was cured I found that there was no distance listed for how far the keelsons were to be away from the keel. I noted the scale on the plans and determined the distance that way. I cut sticks to hold the keelsons off the keel the correct distance. No grooves in the bottom of the keelsons since they mate to a flat surface.
My keel and keelsons are faced with 3/4 inch flat Al stock bonded with 5200 and SS screws. I recommend taking the time to fit a metal face onto the leading edge/angle of the keelsons. I thought that I would never hunt in ice since we go from liquid water to ice skating in a few days up here. The Global Warming Conspiracy has allowed me to hunt in skim ice the last two seaons and my un faced keelson leading faces have taken a beating. next year I will grind them down and face them with the flat stock.
Dave E
Active member
I got a delivery of 23 yards of fiberglass fabric today... no resin, just fabric (the resin is still on the way and should be here Monday). My fabric is 60 inches wide. The bottom of the boat is wider than that. I am trying to decide how to apply it. I mean, make the seam in the center of the boat (keel) or do the bottom of the boat, trim it then do the sides etc. Should I tape the edges and corners after the main paart of the fabric? With 4 inch then 6 inch tape, or is just 4 inch enough? How does one keep the boat smooth? Feather the edges between coats?
I would like to hear what others have had success with (or mayby not so much success)
What do you suggest I do?
Dave E
By the way, my fabric has no salvage edge, just raw edges. It looks like ti would unravel if I get too rough with it, but make less of a "bump" at the seam.
I would like to hear what others have had success with (or mayby not so much success)
What do you suggest I do?
Dave E
By the way, my fabric has no salvage edge, just raw edges. It looks like ti would unravel if I get too rough with it, but make less of a "bump" at the seam.
Ryan Werden
Well-known member
Dave,
Overlap the fabric at the keel. Lay your first piece down about 3" past the center of the keel and let it run all the way to the shear edge. On the other side let it overlap the first piece by 3" past the keel and again, let it run all the way to the shear edge. Now you have a 6" overlap running down the keel. Others may have done it differently but that's how I did mine. I liked the extra protection over the keel as well.
Ryan
Overlap the fabric at the keel. Lay your first piece down about 3" past the center of the keel and let it run all the way to the shear edge. On the other side let it overlap the first piece by 3" past the keel and again, let it run all the way to the shear edge. Now you have a 6" overlap running down the keel. Others may have done it differently but that's how I did mine. I liked the extra protection over the keel as well.
Ryan
Bill Burruss
Well-known member
Dave,
I did mine like Ryan, overlapped at keel. There are some different techniques for the epoxy work, but I layed the cloth out dry, then picked an end, and started working in one direction, working out wrinkles as I went. It really helps having a second person there to mix batches of epoxy. It's a long process, and best to do in one sitting.
Take care!
-Bill
I did mine like Ryan, overlapped at keel. There are some different techniques for the epoxy work, but I layed the cloth out dry, then picked an end, and started working in one direction, working out wrinkles as I went. It really helps having a second person there to mix batches of epoxy. It's a long process, and best to do in one sitting.
Take care!
-Bill
Ray
Well-known member
First off - your beautiful sharp chines will cause the cloth to pull up off the surface during the curing of the epoxy. They need to be rounded so that the cloth and tape will bend over them as the epoxy hardens. If you are using biased cloth and are running the strands at 45 degres to the chine they can bend over a smaller radius, but will still pull up off the surface if the chine is sharp. Once the cloth pulls up there will be thousands of air pockets (mostly on the sides below the chine) to be sanded out and re glassed.
Most of us Devlin builders put a small 3/8 radius (hull thickness) on the chine and then glassed it with cloth and tape. I had about 10 inches in one area that I had to sand down and glass over a patch even with the radius. The stands of the cloth were too stressed making the bend I guess and pulled up a little at the last stage of the cure.
If you want a sharp chine you can "point" the edge with thickened epoxy using a small scraper and lots of sanding.
Round chines slip over vegetation (and other things) easier than sharp ones.
Do the over lap on the keel like the others suggest. Towards the bow you will have a lot of material hanging down the sides compared to the transom but that is ok.
When I worked with some cut off pieces of cloth they unravelled when I worked them too many times with the squeege. They also unravelled when I had some sticky almost cured epoxy on the squeege. Keep your tools clean or change them out when they start to get sticky. I may not have time to clean them.
With open edges along the keel you may want to work the keel edge and then work down to the chine. Do one side then do the other. You might need some help laying out the top piece of cloth. I did one whole side and then the other. After the three fill coats and three layers of paint you can still see the "joint" but it is the bottom of the hull so I am not too concerned with it. The little bump is in line with the flow of water so it won't upset the balance of things. But if you are the kind of guy that likes the look of seven layers of lacquer on your Caddy then you are going to want to sand it down as smooth as possible. After finishing my boat I didn't go near a sander for two years. I used to not mind sanding.
Dave E
Active member
Thanks for the info. I will be sure to get some help when I wet out the fabric. Hopefully I can do that Monday.
Today I went to the lumber yard and picked up some Oak. Then I cut out the keel and keelsons.
View attachment me.jpg
I trimmed the center of the keel so it would sit flat on the bottom of the boat and rounded the edges with a router. It looks like it will be a good solid joint.
View attachment keel.jpg
Because the Oak is so stiff, I cut several crosscuts every two inches where it bends up to the front part of the boat. I will fill the saw kerf with thinkened epoxy when I set it.
View attachment croscutt.jpg
I checked out the fit to see how I did.
View attachment curve.jpg
That is as far as I could go today. Including going to the lumber yard and sweeping up the saw dust afterward, I spent about an hour and a half working on this today. It was hot here today and epoxy would have cured easily. I jumped on my bike and took off down the road for awhile. I would have rather worked on the boat.
Today I went to the lumber yard and picked up some Oak. Then I cut out the keel and keelsons.
View attachment me.jpg
I trimmed the center of the keel so it would sit flat on the bottom of the boat and rounded the edges with a router. It looks like it will be a good solid joint.
View attachment keel.jpg
Because the Oak is so stiff, I cut several crosscuts every two inches where it bends up to the front part of the boat. I will fill the saw kerf with thinkened epoxy when I set it.
View attachment croscutt.jpg
I checked out the fit to see how I did.
View attachment curve.jpg
That is as far as I could go today. Including going to the lumber yard and sweeping up the saw dust afterward, I spent about an hour and a half working on this today. It was hot here today and epoxy would have cured easily. I jumped on my bike and took off down the road for awhile. I would have rather worked on the boat.
Dave E
Active member
My resin arrived today. US Composites. Five gallons of epoxy and 2 1/2 gallons of hardner, $270. I couldn't pass that up.
View attachment resin.jpg
I draped the cloth over the hull and smoothed it out.
View attachment cloth.jpg
Then I had to put the dogs away so they didn't get "sticky paw syndrome." Miss Mavis (8) on the left and her pup Buckshot (5) on the right. Buckshot has been professionally trained. I can toot a whistle or give a hand signal and he just does what I want (its a joy to watch). He is a great hunter, but he is one of those high-powered dogs. That is great when he is retrieving but when he gets bored, he can wreck stuff. He has chewed up things that make me nuts! I use Mavis for Pheasants mostly.
View attachment dogs.jpg
Then I mixed up some resin and pushed it around with a squeege. It always surprises me when the fabric is wetted. It is sort of a slow motion thing that happens. At least it looks that way. My neighbor John helped me get going and told me to start at one end and pull everything to the far end. This helps keep wrinkles out of the fabric. For those who have never done this, it took about 30 minutes or so to wet and smooth the fabric. I plan to let it harden up, then feather (sand) the edge before I lay the other half. I suppose I could have done it all at once, but I didn't want to go too fast and goof something up. I really didn't have enough confidence to push my luck.
After both halves are done, I will do the front and the rear. I decided to tackle those things one at a time. It doesn't show in the photo, but there is about a 3 inch overlap on the front. The glass sort of disappears when it is wet.
View attachment firsthalf.jpg
I will go out later tonight and check on things. I may put a second coat on it, I'll have to see how it goes. The temp here is right around 80 degrees today, but my shop is a bit cooler inside. I bought the slow hardner.
View attachment resin.jpg
I draped the cloth over the hull and smoothed it out.
View attachment cloth.jpg
Then I had to put the dogs away so they didn't get "sticky paw syndrome." Miss Mavis (8) on the left and her pup Buckshot (5) on the right. Buckshot has been professionally trained. I can toot a whistle or give a hand signal and he just does what I want (its a joy to watch). He is a great hunter, but he is one of those high-powered dogs. That is great when he is retrieving but when he gets bored, he can wreck stuff. He has chewed up things that make me nuts! I use Mavis for Pheasants mostly.
View attachment dogs.jpg
Then I mixed up some resin and pushed it around with a squeege. It always surprises me when the fabric is wetted. It is sort of a slow motion thing that happens. At least it looks that way. My neighbor John helped me get going and told me to start at one end and pull everything to the far end. This helps keep wrinkles out of the fabric. For those who have never done this, it took about 30 minutes or so to wet and smooth the fabric. I plan to let it harden up, then feather (sand) the edge before I lay the other half. I suppose I could have done it all at once, but I didn't want to go too fast and goof something up. I really didn't have enough confidence to push my luck.
After both halves are done, I will do the front and the rear. I decided to tackle those things one at a time. It doesn't show in the photo, but there is about a 3 inch overlap on the front. The glass sort of disappears when it is wet.
View attachment firsthalf.jpg
I will go out later tonight and check on things. I may put a second coat on it, I'll have to see how it goes. The temp here is right around 80 degrees today, but my shop is a bit cooler inside. I bought the slow hardner.
Ryan Werden
Well-known member
Dave,
After that has cured a bit (~4hrs or so) take a razor knife and trim the material away from the shear edge. It trims real clean if you time it right. Wait too long and it fully hardens you'll need to sand it. Not a big deal but the razor at the right time can make short work of it and save you some time later.
After that has cured a bit (~4hrs or so) take a razor knife and trim the material away from the shear edge. It trims real clean if you time it right. Wait too long and it fully hardens you'll need to sand it. Not a big deal but the razor at the right time can make short work of it and save you some time later.