Flats Stalker 18

[Shamrock kid]

Thanks, and yeah I don't get allot done around the house. But oh well gotta do something right. I'm not sure on the motor yet. Design says it rated up to a 25, but I think that's over doing it. Maybe a 15 or 20 mercury would be nice. I'd also like to do a jet drive but that's pricey. It will be tiller steer I think .

Ok building on, but I was limited on time tonight due to a diner I "had" to attend.
Got the side panels stitched onto the mold.

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It's amazing how it lines up. Guess that's why you have to do all that measuring and drawing.

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[Shamrock kid]

WOW.. I just reviewed 7 years of hard work. If I was doing it!!! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks I wish I could get in a full day on it. So far even my weekends are to busy. I need to call in sick to life.

[Shamrock kid]

This is killing me, it's the weekend and I can't even look at her. I'm in San Antonio for the weekend visiting family. But all I can think of is this build and wanting to continue on. Man this is killing me! Oh well the boat will be there when I get home. Guess I should enjoy my family while I can. But I'm still trying to find a way to get home early enough Sunday to get some tabbing done.

[Shamrock kid]

Had some time off but it's good to get back to it. I primed the edges with epoxy then filleted between the ties.

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Got the whole hull filleted.

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Hoping to get the seams tapped and the hull glassed this weekend.

[Shamrock kid]

Building on, even in this heat . Man it's hot today but got all the ties cut out and started sanding down the fillets.

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Now I need to fillet the remaining gaps and fill the holes.

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Starting to look like a boat.

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At least it doesn't look like a pissed off porcupine anymore.

[barditch]

You're getting with the program! Lookin' good!

[Shamrock kid]

You're getting with the program! Lookin' good!

Thanks I cannot wait to get her in the water. But I'm still so far off.

[makenmend]

Tip on the fillets, if you wait until they start to set up but still softish, a wet finger will smooth them out to where you may not want/need to sand. I'm Lazy.

MM

[Shamrock kid]

Tip on the fillets, if you wait until they start to set up but still softish, a wet finger will smooth them out to where you may not want/need to sand. I'm Lazy.

MM

Thanks MM, I will have to remember that. I just finished sanding the exterior hull. Today I sanded and sanded and sanded some more. This boat gets the seems tapped with 6" biaxial tape. In prep for that I layed it out and cut it to length. Then I marked where it layed on the hull. Tomorrow I will epoxy it in place.

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Pics of sanded hull.

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Rounded the edges so the tape will turn the corners easily. I will have to sharpen them up later with expoxy.

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[Shamrock kid]

Building on , this evening I taped up the seams. Took allot longer then I thought. I had the tape measured, cut, and labeled already. But it still took four hours to lay it out and wet it all out.
Here's some pics.

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The plan is to clean up the hull Friday. Then on Saturday lay out the cloth on the hull and wet it out. I wonder how long that will take

[Shamrock kid]

Proceeding on, today I got the hull cleaned up and feathered the edges of the seams. Then layed the cloth on the hull to fit it.

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The design calls for only the bottom and six inches past the chine to be glassed. That would leave the sides with not much protection. So I decided to cover everything instead. I overlapped the keel by eight or so inches.

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This will give the keel three layers instead of two. I figure its just more protection from oysters .

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I am going to let the cloth sit on her over night and fit itself better to the hull. I think . Anyway the plan is to epoxy it sat, or sun. Depending on when I'm not fishing. But all and all I think it's coming out well.

[Tombo]

I like your method better than suggested in directions. Can't hurt. What color and type of finish are you planning?

[Shamrock kid]

I like your method better than suggested in directions. Can't hurt. What color and type of finish are you planning?

Thanks Tombo, yeah I didn't want to leave the sides and transom uncovered. But now I'm going to have to order more cloth. I ended up using all 13 yards for the exterior hull. I'm not sure on the color yet but I was thinking of painting it with Sterling. I'm going to do some research on paints and see what I come up with.

Building on, today I was grassing the hull. I was suppose to have help but my helped didn't show up. Left me kind of worried as this is allot of epoxy to do by yourself. So I have a total of 13 yards of 12 oz biaxial cloth covering the hull. So I pre-measured 13, 12oz batches of epoxy.

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Then the fun began. I had several tools picked out for this job a 4 inch paint roller, two different types one foam roller, one cloth. Also had several rubber spreaders. I ended up using the 4 inch cloth roller the most it seemed to do the best job.

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What worried me about this is from studying other people's build of this same boat. They say it takes ten hours to glass the bottom. This is my first build and I was worried cause once you start you can't really stop from what I understand. I was a little pissed that my helper flaked on me. But oh we'll some times you just have to figure it out on your own. But I was still worried cause this isn't cheap epoxy or cloth. I didn't want to mess this up. But I seem to of made short work of it. I started at 8:00 and by 12:30 it was complete. I was very happy with the result. I did end up mixing two more patches of epoxy for a total of 15, 12oz batches I figure my inexperience plus the waste in the cups, rollers, and pan make up some of it. Either way its close to 50/50 cloth, epoxy. So I think it will be ok.

[Shamrock kid]

I really like the look of this flats stalker.

[Tombo]

I really like the look of this flats stalker.

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Who built that? I should have come to Corpus today and help/learn. A boat builder I knew would have a gallon jug of Acetone with a small pin hole on the cap. When needed he would tip it on its side to clean off resin from whatever.

[Shamrock kid]

http://www.wetconcepts.com/FS18.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here is the the link. Really cool build, came out great.

I should have come to Corpus today and help/learn.

I thought about giving you a call, but it was short notice.

That's a good tip on the acetone. I'll have to get some.

[Shamrock kid]

Building on but not much to show tonight. Ripped out the 1 1/2 " strips of 1/4" marine plywood to make up the rub rails. The rub rails are made out of three strips laminated together. Also made the skeg for the keel. I made it out of 1"X1" oak. Took a couple of pics but I just noticed the all the pics on this thread are turned sideways. Not sure why but it may be that I'm using an iPhone camera and posting on an ipad. I dunno But I need to fix it.

[Shamrock kid]

Building on, got the skeg glued on. I used screws to hold it in place. After the glue dries ill remove the screws and drill out the holes. Then fill them with epoxy. The pic isn't that great do to low light in the shop.

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Also got some sanding and other stuff done but nothing photo worthy. The next step besides finishing the skeg is to add the rub rails that I ripped out earlier. But I'm debating on this step. If I do it now like the designer wants when I flip the hull over I cannot adjust the sheer line. The reason for installing them now is to hold the hull position when the frames are removed after turning. Idk

[Shamrock kid]

Building on, I layed two layers of 6" fiberglass tape over the skeg. But forgot to take pictures of it.

[Shamrock kid]

Building on

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Sharpened the transom leading edge with epoxy and wood mix. That way it will have a sharp 90 degree angle at the transom edge.

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Another pic of the sharpened edge.

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Sanded the hull in prep for fairing.

I'm having pic problems. Now photobucket is making them to little.

[Shamrock kid]

First layer of fairing compound it's a mix of epoxy and blended filler.

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Now I have to let it dry and sand down the high spots. Then add a second coat to fill the low spots. And on and on till I think I have a smooth hull.

[Shamrock kid]

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Building on, I made a couple fairing boards out of some left over 1/4" plywood, 2X4 pieces, and a couple strips of yogo mat. Picked up a couple different size belt sander belts at HomeDepot. 24", and 36" 50, and 80 grit. I used the 24" today and it seems to work well. The 2"X4" are just glued on with titebond, then the yogo mat is glued on with 3M spray adhesive. The same spray adhesive was used to glue on the belt after it was cut in half. The belts are 4" wide they also have 3" wide.

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They cut real fast and made short work of sanding down the first coat of fairing. Saved a ton of money doing it this way. If you've ever priced fairing board they run about $50. The redneck in me said I can make those. well I did for $5. the wood was scrap and I had the glue already. Just bought the belts.

[Shamrock kid]

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Fairing board at work using the 24"er. The 36" may be overkill idk we'll see if I use it.

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Those Diablo belts work good. Cuts down the high spots revealing the low spots quickly. After boarding it I went all around with the da sander, then cleaned it up with water and a rag to get all the dust off it.

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Lots of dust in the air on this photo. Sorry . I do wear a respirator when doing any sanding on it. This dust is some nasty stuff.

[Shamrock kid]

I put on another coat of fairing compound ( epoxy / blended filler ) early this morning. Then sanded it down tonight. I think someone mentioned that fairing sucks. Well they are right its not my favorite thing to do.

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Not much different looking
It looks like there is a big low spot but its just wet. After sanding I like to wash her down to remove the dust.

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I did find a use for the 36" board. It works great on the sides. Its more flexible and can bend around the curves. Thats two coats down I think I might switch to quick fair next and see how that works.

Back to side ways pics I don't know whats going on. Sorry

[Shamrock kid]

Finding the time to work on her is getting harder. But I fit in what I can when I can.

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I flipped her over because I was going to cut down the sheer line before glueing on the rub rails. But after flipping and looking at it I decided to leave the sheer the way the designed intended it. But I was able to use my block plane to clean up the sheer.
I just like the look of this pic.