JEM Watercraft

Will be my first build, and first work at all with fiberglass. I have been reading thru forum and although I still have zero experience I have learned much from experiences shared here and have confidence I could make a decent boat.

Got my plans, been studying and thinking abouts mods before starting. I got a few more honeydos to knock off before getting some sawdust on the floor but will be starting soon. Ordering glass and epoxy tomorrow and probably pick up ply this weekend.

This will 100% be a solo fishing craft for slow creeks/streams, usually shallow to knee/hip deep. Spinning for smallies and learning to flyfish (starting with bream since I have a 3wt).

Possible mods (some I need to decide on before I even start):

1.) Thinking about shortening it down to 13' (I'm about 160lbs but not sure how much the 2' will cut capacity and increase draft). I may scale width some but not proportionally to length reduction, so I may give up some "efficiency" but I float more than paddle so more concerned with stability and keeping draft shallow than glide. I would cut even shorter (11') if I didn't think it would cause draft to be unacceptable. Main reason for wanting to cut length is I just don't see the need (don't need the room), and would be easier to load/haul on truck bed and may be slightly better for smaller creeks. I currently float a 10' plastic SOT and works great.

2.) Create front bulkhead and deck front portion all the way to wherever my feet will be and angle that bulkhead to also double as a foot rest/brace. May include round hatch in angled face also.

3.) Not sure whether to add keel or not. Float some pretty shallow areas and keel would cause some issues there. Will have to decide before graphite.

4.) Other things would just be attachment points for tool holders, rod holder, etc that I think I can add after building.


Anyway, I went ahead and posted before starting to say hello, throw some ideas out there for feedback and to psuh myself into getting started. I will post pics as I get going and do appreciate any feedback you guys want to give as well as the abundance of info you have already shared on this forum.

More to come....

cut bottom and side pieces


stained the outer faces of my sides. (Will leave the inside natural)



We have a cold snap coming in and I still have lots to do in the house before I devote much time, but feels good to be started.

Nice lookin' color.

oooo.... I like.

That's going to look great with the natural colour inside.....Nice choice slider

Okay, after cutting up the wood (nothing new there for me),and procrastinating for a couple of weeks after that, I finally dove in and did my first fiberglass work - splicing the panels. Came out okay (I think), definitely didn't seem difficult but I will see if I can make it smooth when all is said and done.

I also just couldn't help myself and after asking for and getting good feedback from you good folks here I went against what you said (and what I said) and decided to do a vee bottom. Keep advice, comments and feedback coming though because I still need it and am not always stubborn , it's just not in me to follow plans.

Anyway we will see how it comes out. Will be kind of like a Touring Pirouge/undecked, asymmetrical Laker hybrid.

slider wrote: Anyway we will see how it comes out. Will be kind of like a Touring Pirouge/undecked, asymmetrical Laker hybrid.

So in other words it's going to be a TV

Yep, it's a TP-V w/o T ?????

I wired it together tonight and took back apart - didn't think the edges of the bottom panel were true enough and I misjudged one of my frames that needed some trimming. Nothing major and I really liked how it is going to come out, just needed some tweaks.

I hope to fix tomorrow and get stitched back together. Might even get crazy and tack weld - will post pics.

Feel like I made some progress today. May be my last chance to work on it for a while, wife is not liking this project - Daddy is not supposed to have time for stupid, self-indulgent things that do not involve working on her honey-do list


Frames in:


Stiched together and spaced. I may call this the Touring Porcupine. Or do you take those out before you go paddling??


Yes gbinga, that's Ultraply. I originally had oak ply and screwed up my bottom pieces when I cut them in half to do the vee. Anyway, I saw the Ultra and thought I would give it a try.

Outside fillets done:


Overall I am pleased with the shape. The rocker seems to be fine and I also like the shallow vee. The boat is approx 12' long and 24" wide at it's widest part of the bottom. Doesn't look like it in pic, but it is aymmetrical.

Biggest problem now is that I am really going to have time conflicts when this bad boy is finished and it is time to go fishin.

Glassed + 2 coats, a couple of shots:





Looks pretty good in the pics, but up close the finish is not yet what I was hoping for. Still got a few coats to go....

Doing the outside glass was good practice, but I am definitely not looking forward to doing the inside.