JEM Watercraft

Hi Mick,
I think we want to see it wet more than you do.
I managed to start marking out today, so hoping start cutting out over the weekend.

Thanks guys,

I am getting real excited with this one too.

I got up early this morning, real early and gave her a light sand and another lick of varnish efore going off to work. I was planning to give her another lick tonight but am too tired now.

My varnish has highlighted some mistakes I have made. nothing structural but where I overlapped some fibre-glass cloth, the top layer of cloth seems not to have not wet out properly or has some air trappedi in the fibres or something.

At any rate, it is detracting from the looks of the boat and if she paddles as well as I think she will, I will probably sand that visible cloth out and re do it. Not sure yet.

I am as dissappointed as hell and just don't understand how I missed this till now. I only saw it when I down loaded the last couple of piccies and this is probably the price I will have to pay for being too miserable and using off-cuts where ever I could

I just couldn't believe my eyes when I downloaded the image and had to go down and check for myself. the piccie wasn't lying.



Nevermind, it is only fibre-glass and epoxy and they are still making sanding discs.

Oh yeah, in an attempt to save a little ply, I used what was left of my Gaboon but didn't have enough for the entire boat. One side panel is what another mob call Pacific Maple BS1088 and stamped with the Lloyds stamp. Magnificent looking stuff raw and great to work with but when you apply the resin, it just doesn't have the stand out grain structure of gaboon and is nowhere near as attractive to my eye as the gaboon. One side of the boat now looks very different to the other. When I get the boat outside into true light will show you what I mean. Again, I am paying the price for my miserliness.

For now, however, I am pretty burnt out from boat building and it is high time I started paddling them. I will probably get to fixing this later in the year when things cool down. as well as varnishing my Southwind and Sasquatch. I store them inside so felt there was no real hurry to slap some varnish on.

Don't stress Mick. It's only wood and fiberglass. You can fix it up.

Or....some of the better looking boats I've seen are the ones with painted sides and wood deck. Reminds me of the wood-canvas canoes.

G'day Matt, thank mate.

I got her out in the true light today and those bemishes dissappeared. So I will leave as is for now.

She is done!! a few piccies,

My back hatch,



My version of a takwell insert thingy





Rear, flushmount rod holders.

Looks great. Are the flush mount rod holders the Scotty brand (aka Cabelas)?

Seat back band with tie back lugs.



The back band is one commercially available here from a plastic kayak manufacturer at around 50 bucks. The factory is only a couple of hours down the road and they are good people. I like them because they are very comfortable and real easy to mount in Matt's designs.



Duckworks foot braces. I LOVE these footbraces.



Underside of my Cabelas rod holder mounts.

Top side of front rod holder mount,



Rod holder installed,



There is one on either side of the boat.

Front hatch,





and my hairy handles, quick, simple to make and effective.

Out in the yard,

Thanks mate, The rear flushmounts are just cheapies I picked up at a local tackle shop.

The front adjustable ones are Cabelas and the mounts are Scotties. Brilliant kit and the best rod holders I have ever used.

If the weather clears up a bit, will be taking her for a lil walk tomorrow. All the local rivers are in mild flood so not real sure where to go just now.

Outstanding as always Mick.
I've been thinking about a removable esky/ livewell design for mine. Yours is a bit different to what I was thinking but interesting none the less.
I'll be interested in your assessment of this design on the water. My next build will need to be offshore friendly & capable of long distance paddling. This may fit the bill.
Certainly pleasing to the eye.

Al