Just Build It!

Posted by Mike Morse on May 18, 2004

Reviewing this Forum a while back some one wrote - Just Build IT !. Best advice ever! I started last Friday and as of last night I have a complete C-14 in my garage waiting for deck stain & Glass. Here is my story,

Two weeks ago I ordered plans (C-14 for son and C-17 for me- changed mind and send C-17 plans back for MC-16.5 so daughter can ride with me)

Thursday. Went to pick up wood. called ahead to confirm they had 3 & 4 mm 1088 ply. they did and best prices too! got there no 3mm (they don't stock it, just qoute prices if you want to order 200 sheets. only one piece of 4mm.

Friday. Went to other supplier got 9 sheets of 4 mm (Nobody stocks 3mm in SF Bay Area + one sheet of 6 mm - got 10 sheet discount woo hoo paid 80% cash & 20% on card so wife won't know how much plywood costs. Stopped at hardware store no 18 guage copper wire got 14 guage. No three inch tape, got 2 inch tape..

Friday night-movie night, started movie for kids (3 kids). Did lay out & cutting. 3 year old came out and helped me draw lines with sharpie. Had to explain to wife that the most of the lines she had on her body, a lot, would come off in a few days. Glued bottom & side sections together -butt joint with 2 in 6oz cloth, one side

Saturday morning. Glued sheer claims on used air stapler to hold in place (nice to have) while setting clamps. No scarfing shear clamps ripped and planed from 4/4 18' spruce

Interruption : Went to coach daughter's t-ball game (other daughter) and sons baseball game, I got back to work in the afternoon. Son went to BB Party and daughter had a "Play date" Stiched panel sections together, installed bulkheads (staples again- no wires)- filleted? and glass taped seams using 2 inch tape I use fast hardner- never had a problem

Sunday - Glassed cockpit and coated all compartments with epoxy. Installed deck beam previously laminated. Swam with kids, put second coat of epoxy in cockpit with white pigment. ate dinner,tirned boat over and noticed smal hollow in bow and stern, starboard bottom panal where the meet at end. Faired with marine fairing compound (like bondo) then glassed hull.

Watched Lord of the Rings movie with Kids put them to bed and watched The Last Samuri. felt inspired and rolled on second coat with barrier coat additive and cab-o-sil( makes a tough bottom)

Monday - Day off work- Planned shear clamps- Did partial end pour made little table and filled with epoxy. one let go- quickly stapled together and to shear clamp ends, refilled with expoxy from bottom. Fitted and cut rear & front... rather, stern & bow sections of deck. Installed stern deck. - no ring nails to be found - used 3/4 & 1 inch bronze screws leftover from Chris Craft restoration and ... staples. ( Ah.. the things you can do with air tools ...) Looked at rear bulkhead when done fastning and saw 1/2 gap on top of bulkhead. Scribed curved 4mm plate and glued in place.(will fill from other side when hatch hole cut)

Fitted Installed bow deck - used brain and screwed ply to deck brace first. screwed and nailed bow deck down. No hitches and deck fit deck beam and bulkhead well. Planned deck to sides & sanded deck with 80 grit.

Stopped at 3:00 to take kids to swim team..

I plan to sand deck tonight to 220, bleach deck using Boartz 2 part bleach and use a neutral paste filler with a bit of golden oak to get a "blond deck kayak". The bottom and side are to be painted bright orange (son's color choice- after all it will be his boat, then his sisters (She wants it painted to look like a ladybug because a ladybig is stuck in the front compartment in epocy for eternty.

Plan on having in water next weekend then starting my MC-16.5

The moral of this tome, if there is one, is that when you jump in and just build it without getting hung up over the little things like finding 3mm ply, 3 inch tape insdead of 2 inch at the store, mistakes, etc. It is amazing how well they come out . I build a wood strip canoe and it took forever. I also had the "help" of my kids through the project, My Son can't wait to get out in the boat and was cutting wires, sanding, etc. my daughter put wire in all the holes and helped sand ( 2 min then got boared.) (She wants her own now as well)

I can't wait to get the fiinish on get out on the water. I will try to send a photo to post.

Happing building!

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Replies:

• Re: Just Build It! by Peter Lyons on May 18, 2004
  • Re: Just Build It! by Kurt Maurer on May 18, 2004
• Re: Just Build It! by Mac on May 18, 2004
  • Re: Just Build It! by RogerJ on May 19, 2004
    • Re: Just Build It! by Mike Morse on May 19, 2004
      • Re: Just Build It! by RogerJ on May 20, 2004