JEM Watercraft

Order in the "post" for the Southwind...

looks like me and olsnappa are gonna have parrallel builds again (I did the DK at the same time as his Capefear) and between us we still won't build as many boats as the Hairy one...

Tor

aim for completion: Easter 2009 for camping trip at Point Leo...

G'day Tor. Good luck with the build. I'll be watching with interest.
If we sneak up north to Hairy Land we could weld his shed doors shut. Done properly it might hold him up enough for us to catch up.......what d'ya reckon?

Snaps he'd just but more 'poxy and build in the yard

Well I've read my plans 3 or 4 times and I'm so excited about it I've shown 3 or 4 people the plans (usually accompanied by a silly grin on my dial).

I'll be starting at the beginning of Feb when we get back from our hols (taking the DK for a river trip).

I was toying with getting the panels cut but the company I wanted to do the work ain't interested so I'll do it the long (but more satisfying) way.

I have big plans for this boat I want to "install" removable thwarts for a small sail, or an electric motor, or rod holders. A boat for all occasions and to do many things, first and foremost a boat for paddling.

I have a lot of links for bits and pieces and I'm certain that there will be many questions along the way I know where I'm going but I may get lost on the way .

I'm also going to use West epoxy to see if I have less of a reaction to it and I'll be installing a rudder (that'll have something to do with the sail bit).

I'm thinking Easter may be optimistic, but I'll need to move into Mick's shed if I want to work on it after it starts cooling down (don't worry Mick I will bring some beer and we can make more between coats of Epoxy.. )

I'm off for two weeks so don't have too much fun whilst I'm gone.

Tor

Well Easter came and went and the boat didn't start however...

I have the ply in the shed

I have just placed an order for the epoxy and the glass

I have a 3 day weekend with very little planned

I might just make a start...

Watch this space.

OK just a big wow for Boatcraft Pacific here down under.

Placed an order for 20 meters of 1.4 metre wide glass, 12 litres of resin and some other bits and pieces on Monday night and it arrived lunchtime Friday in Melbourne and the best bit is the glass is rolled not folded.

So happy am I (sorry been watching Star Wars).

Any way made the frames out of 9mm mdf, and will attach to a long straight bit of wood over the weekend.

Found some squeegees in Bunnings at Heathmont at 2 bucks each, bought 9 they look like they'll do a really good job but it'll be a few Weeks before I get to test them.

Tor.

Tor,

You are going to LOVE this boat mate.

Don't worry about finish dates mate................ I learnt from my first build not to rush but go with the flow

The second build is so much better cos you get to capitalise on what you learnt from all the bloody mistakes you made on the first one

Biggest mistake I made was trying to rush things...........just let it grow and think thru the processes.........the old ..measure twice cut once..

AND DON'T THEY LOOK AND PADDLE GOOD WHEN THEIR DONE

I've made a good start.

All the panels are cut and all but 4 joins are made, I should get these done during the week and start stitching next weekend. I made a small mistake when cutting and rather than fixing it up I figured it wasn't going to be a big deal to cut another panel so I did, there's no compromise with this build.

I am struggling with the coming, in that the panels I have marked don't seem to be the same shape and don't sit neatly on top of each other, so I've decided that I'll wait until the decks are joined and use this as a template to build the coming, not quite sure how I'm going to do this yet but marking them up ain't working.

No pictures yet as there's nothing exciting to see...

Tor

Apologies if this comes through twice, I couldn't see it the first time I posted (or thought I did)

Build is well and truly underway I've broken two drill bits already as I'm using a 1mm bit and 20 gauge wire to stitch (I have quite sore fingers too)

Although not the best picture it does illustrate the curves that this boat has and I like it already...




The second panels don't fit as snuggly as I'd like, this could well be that I have put the frames in yet and I've been a little enthusiastic with tightening some of the stitches if I slacken some of the stitches and (once the frames are in) tighten them in a more controlled manner should these gaps disappear?

I assume I do no sanding of the high spots until the whole hull is assembled?



Tor