Way over-due Cackler Update

[Bill Burruss]

All,

I may need to reintroduce this Cackler project. In 2015 my older son and I started a Cackler build and completed all the work up to and including flipping the boat. However, with work, schedule, and other silly excuses, we have not made progress in about 3 years. We are now getting moving again. As I stated before, we opted to lengthen the lofting stations to 12.75 inches and upsize all the plan dimensions by 12.75/12, which will yield a boat that a little over 15 feet. Thanks to all who responded to our epoxy questions- I did a test, and it seemed to cure normally, so we went to work Sunday and the boat is now sheathed with 3 coats of epoxy. The 3 year old epoxy set up and appears to be curing the same as it did back in 2015.

Thank goodness for the cooler temps the last couple of days. Hopefully it will hold as the plan is to install keelsons and aluminum covering this week.

Need to get this project done soon so we can get the truck back in the garage.



Take care!



-Bill



[strike][/strike]

 

[Phil Nowack]

Love the look of the glassed out wood! Beautiful.

3 years without the truck in the garage??? Not sure I could have tolerated that.... I am sure that would have even taxed the patience of my wife!

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Bill~


Nice work! I have long struggled to find a "reason" for building a Cackler - a sweet, practical design. If I still lived on the coast, it would be a must....


Best of luck with your project.


SJS

 

[Phil Nowack]

I just noticed that you have the sheer clamp on. Right or wrong... I never put the sheer clamp on until after I glass the sides, and flip it... actually

 

[Bill Burruss]

Phil,
Thanks. Yes, I decided to put the sheer clamps on before flipping. Did the Broadbill the way you describe, but on the BB2 decided to try this way as I wanted to glass the bottom of the sheer clamp where it meets the hull for added assurance against water intrusion. It actually works well on the bottom of the sheer, but there are some air pockets on the outside of the sheer that will have to come off. That surface will get good glass protection after the deck goes on.

Interesting to note that we are building off the 2014 Cackler plans. Devlin changed things up (at least from the older paper plans I have) to where the keelsons are 1-1/2 x 1-1/2. They call for attaching soft 1-1/2x 3/4 wood strips on the hull before sheathing. Once sheathed, a hardwood strip (purpleheart recommended) is bedded and screwed on top of that. I'm going with 1-1/2 x 1 pine on top of the hull sheathing with 1-1/2 x 1/8 aluminum strips bedded and screwed on top of the wood.

Take care,
Bill

 

[Phil Nowack]

I used Trex synthetic deck. Epoxy holds it and no screws. I put aluminum on it, on the Honker, but have sense quit putting anything on it. It wears very well, for keelsons

 

[Bill Burruss]

All,
Made a little more progress tonight- got the center keelson in place. Took several 50-75 lbs weights and a little tinkering to keep the bend, but pine was not too hard to work with. Plan is to glue the bilge keelsons tomorrow.

Take care!

-Bill

 

[Tom Barb]

Nice work bill. Good to see some boat builds going on again. The cackler is a sweet design. If I didn?t find my Garvey I would have wanted to build an extended cackler or honker myself.

 

[Bill Burruss]

Phil,
Thanks- had not considered Trex for the keelsons, but will definitely keep it mind if I do another big boat. I did us it on the keels on some of Lou Tish's Super Golden Eyes. No need to add additional weight, and tough as nails.

 

[Tom Scholberg]

Trex is some pretty good stuff. I used it for the keel of my poleboat when I built it and now this past winter machined some into gunnel strips replacing some rotten pine. It took a lot of trial and plenty of error to get it right but today I glassed the bottom first coat. Fall is coming fast.

 

[Bill Burruss]

All,

Another quick update- we have been working the fairly steady the last couple day to get the bildge keelsons on. Today we put 3 coats of epoxy on them and put a skim coat of fairing compound. Plan for tomorrow is to drill the 1/8 by 1-1/2 inch aluminum strips and bed them to the keelsons. So far we have been happy with the U.S. composites fiberglass and epoxy. Next test will be to see how their microballoons sand!

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http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee269/tdk717/Cackler/IMG_4455_zpskoh3enow.jpg[IMG]




Take care!



-Bill