ZTW Build beginning to end!

B

Bill Embacher

Well-known member
Started March, 2010, finished (or damn near anyway) October, 2011. I followed the book with the exception of that I cedar decked the topside rather than plywood per plan. Here it is from the start...enjoy!
the jig starting
1.jpg

the jig in entirety
4.jpg

sides in place
6.jpg

Bending them in
7.jpg

8.jpg

Jig for floor supports
11.jpg

Before....as a side note, i later went back and rebuilt these with marine ply and cedar
10.jpg

after
12.jpg

in place
13.jpg

15.jpg

marine ply going on
b2-1.jpg

b1.jpg

done
b3.jpg



I'll reply with more....
 
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time to turn it over
b6.jpg

b4.jpg

ribbed
b1-1.jpg

cockpit
boat1.jpg

cockpit in
3-1.jpg

the seemingly endless task of epoxying it smooth....sand/epoxy/repeat....
boata.jpg

glass laid out...I brought in a pro, I hate doing glass work and my buddy chris does it for a living...no brainer there.
glass2.jpg

working it in
glass3.jpg

done
glass5.jpg

glass sanded, holes filled, Ipe runners in place
runnersmount.jpg

deck stained the inside. Beginning to lay out the cedar
deck4.jpg

deck1-1.jpg

decking2.jpg

getting there
decking1.jpg

DONE
decking6.jpg

fold down oarlock....I like the coolness factor here, but having now used them, I am going to modify to accept a real brass oarlock
boat2-1.jpg

Lou's Paint....
boat4-1.jpg

boat5-2.jpg

and......SHE FLOATS!!
boat.jpg


so there you have it....I didn't want to post as I went because I am extremely hard headed and wanted to make mistakes and learn on my own. I can assure you what you see here is a shortened version, I un-built and re-built quite a few things on the boat. I am very happy with how it turned out, and can't wait to lay the first big fat greenhead on the deck.
 
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You did a great job on the Widgeon! I built one a few years back and have had a lot of fun with it. I'm sure you will enjoy using yours too.
 
Great job! Looks great! I like that you did the cedar deck. It adds that little extra touch. Good luck hunting her this year.
 
Bill,
Awsome. Thanks for sharing your build. I've always like the ZTW and every once in a while pull out the book and think maybe some day.... Do you have any idea what your completed boat weighs?

-Bill
 
Excellent build Bill - seems I get closer to doing one myself each year - your photos gave me a good idea of the general process - thanks for posting.
 
That is sooo cool!

I built one about twenty-five years ago. (There are pics of mine floating around somewhere on this site).

My Widgeon has been in storage for about the last fifteen years, but I recently brought her out for use this season. She got to be a little heavy for me to car-top, but I now have a little trailer. After a few needed repairs to her bottom, I am looking forward to getting her wet!

When I built mine, I did so in my basement, using all hand tools as well as the resourcinol glue as recomended. Whew. I think I had about 160 hours in her.

Since then I've amassed an entirely outfitted cabinet shop. I often wonder how fast I could throw one together using the available power tools and modern adhesives.

I really like the planking on the deck of your boat. I purposefully left the glass of the top of mine for the wood effect.

Are you adding decoy racks and a dodger? I have the racks, hope to add the dodger soon.

Here's a phone camera shot of her sitting on the trailer. I don't have anything fitted or adjusted here yet.

Photo0841.jpg


I often wonder how many of these nifty little boats are around and in use...

Thanks for the memories!

Jon
 
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thanks for the kind words everyone!

Bill,
Awsome. Thanks for sharing your build. I've always like the ZTW and every once in a while pull out the book and think maybe some day.... Do you have any idea what your completed boat weighs?

-Bill
Click to expand...

Not sure, but its fairly easy to throw around...if I were to throw it around of course haha...two of us can lift and move it very easily. I think the only reason you could not move it alone is the size, not the weight.
 
Are you adding decoy racks and a dodger? I have the racks, hope to add the dodger soon.
Click to expand...

I just ran out of cedar....and to be honest wanted a break! So decoy racks will be in place before too long. I did make a canvas dodger that folds down, but I forgot to take a pic with it up.
 
Awesome build.....Im about to deck a Zypher (Sam Devlin) and had been going back and forth between plywood or cedar.....Gonna do it in cedar...looks great!
 
Bill,

She looks SUPER! We need to push of getting boats added to the CWA Decoy day. Rowing and poling races and probably bailing competition too, base on the luck with picking rainy days.

Do post pictures of the spray shield, I want to see what you worked out. Are you going to grass her up? And have you guys started working on the old weedless 4 hp?

Loved the full set of pictures but you have to work on getting a prettier spokes model to show her off,
Scott
 
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Awesone build! Congrats! Perhaps this was the one I should have built instead of my Kara... Probably weighs about the same! Maybe even less! LOL!

What sort fo motor is the boat rated for? How well does this design handle open water? I was thinking of suggesting this design for a friend to build, to hunt the Jersey coastal zone with.

Anthony
 
Bill,
that is a great post and an awesome group of pictures as you went along. Very cool looking boat. I hope we cross paths this year. I would really like to see that rig in person. You should be very proud of your hard work.

Hope the ducks are plentiful for its Christining.


Bob
 
Great job Bill. Those are great little boats. I have one that just row around, picked up the hull already built, had no I dea what I had or how to finish it. Didn't even know this site existed until I was already done. It is great feeling putting that first bird on the deck. Here are two pictures, the first is the boat and the second, a picture of the first eiders that I collected on my first hunt out of mine. ENJOY and again Well Done!

SANY0274.jpg


SANY0046.jpg

 
Do post pictures of the spray shield, I want to see what you worked out. Are you going to grass her up? And have you guys started working on the old weedless 4 hp?

Loved the full set of pictures but you have to work on getting a prettier spokes model to show her off,
Scott
Click to expand...

Scott...I will post a pic of the spray shield soon....I will not post a pic of my lovely wife, stop trying haha.

Anthony, I used quarter inch ply on the hull, I think the boat says it will be good up to a 5hp....something small. If you used 3/8 on the hull you could go much higher.

Sincere thanks for all the kind words from everyone, I look forward to meeting you CT guys whom I haven't (come to a CWA event!). Troy, I Especially Love the eiders on the deck!
 
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