You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Winter Projects
- Thread starter bburgin
- Start date
bburgin":2uunfdhk said:Removed alcohol stove,and foot pump,and faucet for water system.Installed pressure water system,and don't need the stove,it has never been used,if someone needs these items let me know.Building new counter top now.
I have a question about how you are rebuilding the countertop. Did you remove the teak fiddles and disassemble the top of the cabinet? If so, I would be interested in how you removed the fiddles and any problems you encountered along the way.
I already have an alky stove, so will pass on that.
Thanks.
Warren
I too am in the middle of doing this. There is another alcohol stove available for someone in the willamette valley or nearby. I have the stove out and a piece of 3/4" plywood fitted but not glued in as yet. 20 degrees is not the temperature I want to work in out in the boat. An employee recently made me aware of a product that some may want to consider, it is a paint on refinishing product for redoing formica. Sand the surface of the existing and paint it on. It is available at Home Depot and seemed pretty reasonably priced. If it wasn't for the large hole prep I would probably consider this. I did check on the fiddle on the front of the counter and mine seems to be a little loose so potentially it is held on only by screws and a mild adhesive. It flexes so I am hopeful. I bought a used sheet of formica at a bargain barn for $3 that closely matches what was there so I have to pull off the top and remove the sink and faucet and "git er dun". Just waiting for spring. Or something closer to it than what we have now.
matt_unique
New member
I too have a winter project underway. I'm building (another) wooden dinghy.
It is dramatically cheaper to go to West Marine and pay $500 for a plastic dinghy but if you want a great project and the reward of building a vessel yourself from scratch it's a great project. I have to upload more updated pictures but I have a few on page 3 of my photo album. I purchased the plans and have been chipping away at it over the last month or so.
It is dramatically cheaper to go to West Marine and pay $500 for a plastic dinghy but if you want a great project and the reward of building a vessel yourself from scratch it's a great project. I have to upload more updated pictures but I have a few on page 3 of my photo album. I purchased the plans and have been chipping away at it over the last month or so.
matt_unique
New member
I purchased them from a designer in Maine called Shoestring Shipyard (www.shoestringshipyard.com). As a caveat, I found the owner to be quite rude and condescending. The plans were missing several important pieces of data including dimensions, wood stock required for the build but missing in the bill of materials, etc. I would not do business with him again. My dinghy has come out great so far but I had to figure out quite a bit due to the poor plans.
I have worked with another boat plan company in the past called Bateau. www.beateau.com They provided excellent customer service and support and the plans were complete. (I tried Shoestring this time around because I was referred to them as a provider of plans for the 'glue and screw' method of building - I had previously built boats via 'stitch and glue' plans and I wanted to try a new method).
The materials (Okuma, S2S fir, SS screws, West System epoxy, etc.) cost about $650. You could do it for less if you purchased regular AC exterior ply from Home Depot but this wood has voids, does not use waterproof glue, etc. Okume is the best you can buy, has virtually no voids, waterproof glue used in construction, Lloyds certified, etc.
It's very satisfying to know you built the buggy keeping you dry and safe returning to shore.
I have worked with another boat plan company in the past called Bateau. www.beateau.com They provided excellent customer service and support and the plans were complete. (I tried Shoestring this time around because I was referred to them as a provider of plans for the 'glue and screw' method of building - I had previously built boats via 'stitch and glue' plans and I wanted to try a new method).
The materials (Okuma, S2S fir, SS screws, West System epoxy, etc.) cost about $650. You could do it for less if you purchased regular AC exterior ply from Home Depot but this wood has voids, does not use waterproof glue, etc. Okume is the best you can buy, has virtually no voids, waterproof glue used in construction, Lloyds certified, etc.
It's very satisfying to know you built the buggy keeping you dry and safe returning to shore.
matt_unique
New member
Hi Warren,
I don't plan to put this on top of Napoleon. I can lift it by myself in the shop, but you would need a lift to get this on a roof on the water. You would also need padding to prevent scratches and such. If I were to estimate, I would say it weighs 75 pounds...(I admit I am not a good judge of weight except with women - ha)
I will continue to use my small inflatable for long trips that may require a dinghy. I can hoist it up and down from the roof pretty easily with two people.
I don't plan to put this on top of Napoleon. I can lift it by myself in the shop, but you would need a lift to get this on a roof on the water. You would also need padding to prevent scratches and such. If I were to estimate, I would say it weighs 75 pounds...(I admit I am not a good judge of weight except with women - ha)
I will continue to use my small inflatable for long trips that may require a dinghy. I can hoist it up and down from the roof pretty easily with two people.
Kelly Lynn
New member
Sounds great....Can you post pictures of the project please.
Matt - I think the link you meant to post for bateau boats is http://www.bateau.com/
matt_unique
New member
rogerbum":1dk1lrsw said:Matt - I think the link you meant to post for bateau boats is http://www.bateau.com/
Yes - thanks for the correction.
I added two more pictures in my album (page 3). It's coming along nicely.
By the way, I did not mean to hijack the thread with my dinghy. I know many other C-Brat craftsman are either working on or planning for winter modifications.
bburgin":1x0bhkkh said:the fiddles were barley held on with a little glue and brad nails,as far as the counter top,I got a sheet of 3/4 luon plywood,not sure if that is the correct spelling,it has teak veneer on one side,varnished it looks very good
Wikipedia":1x0bhkkh said:Lauan, also spelled as Luan, a medium-grade mahogany veneer plywood
Sounds very nice. I have some Decraguard that I thought I would use for a countertop mostly because that is what the factory uses (or used -- Scott, do you still use Decraguard?)
Warren
I've removed the fuel tanks to re-route and upgrade some hoses and wires in the stern/transom area. One thing always leads to another....
I discovered "abandoned" screw holes in the floor from original fuel tanks, cleats and such. Including the screw holes currently in use, there were 60+ improperly sealed holes, most of them permitting water intrusion to some extent. I drilled them out, cleaned them up and filled with epoxy.
jd
I discovered "abandoned" screw holes in the floor from original fuel tanks, cleats and such. Including the screw holes currently in use, there were 60+ improperly sealed holes, most of them permitting water intrusion to some extent. I drilled them out, cleaned them up and filled with epoxy.
jd
matt_unique
New member
rogerbum":wsyhct7z said:Matt - I did visit the shoestringshipyard site. If you read his blog it make explain a little about his attitude. Can't say for sure, but you might just have caught him at a bad time. Doesn't excuse rudeness or a condescending nature, but it might explain a little about his "business".
Interesting read...a bit surprising though considering the cost for his plans. The total cost for his plans was $75. The plans from Bateau for example cost $20 and are much better.
As an aside, he told me I was the first person to 'ever notice the missing dimensions and missing stock on the bill of materials'. You would laugh if I told you everything he had written when I asked him questions and requested the missing portions of the plans. Definitely not someone concerned with repeat customers.
Levitation
New member
A couple of years back I built a pair of 7.5 foot rowing dingys for the grand kids... The plans were better than you describe but the dingy sides, when cut using his paper template, were all wrong... I did have a discussion with him through the selling agent and he said he found I was right and the he would correct the plans... He said he built the first dingy for a customer right out of his head and then measured the pieces after it was assembled and must have written the side hull dimensions incorrectly... They also claimed I was the first person to complain...
Apparently there are a lot of boat plans sold that are never actually built - because when you waste a full sheet of expensive plywood due to a template that is wrong I would expect many complaints...
Two sheets in my case because I was building two at a time and cut the pieces ahead in the simple belief that such a nice set of plans must be right. After that discovery I put the plans away and finished the boats with a story pole and my eye... Never the less he designs nice boats and I would buy plans from him again - I would measure before cutting expensive plywood however...
Apparently there are a lot of boat plans sold that are never actually built - because when you waste a full sheet of expensive plywood due to a template that is wrong I would expect many complaints...
Two sheets in my case because I was building two at a time and cut the pieces ahead in the simple belief that such a nice set of plans must be right. After that discovery I put the plans away and finished the boats with a story pole and my eye... Never the less he designs nice boats and I would buy plans from him again - I would measure before cutting expensive plywood however...
matt_unique
New member
You bought plans from Shoestring as well? Too funny we had a similar experience and similar comments from him. Thankfully I did not ruin a piece of $100 4X8 Okume!
I have a book, "Building the Weekend Skiff" that is also pretty good and has several different ways to configure the skiff as well (motor, rowing, sailing) There is a complement to it, "Building the Weekend Canoe." It uses seam and stitch construction.
It is next to impossible to do in a weekend despite the books claims, but it is still doable. A friend's son's scout troop built 3 skiffs (all at the same time) over a period of a month.
Here is the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Building-Weekend-Skiff-William-Montague/dp/1888671106
My winter projects on Litl Tug will be installing two batteries, some 12V outlets, maybe a new GPS, and new carpet.
It is next to impossible to do in a weekend despite the books claims, but it is still doable. A friend's son's scout troop built 3 skiffs (all at the same time) over a period of a month.
Here is the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Building-Weekend-Skiff-William-Montague/dp/1888671106
My winter projects on Litl Tug will be installing two batteries, some 12V outlets, maybe a new GPS, and new carpet.