# I'm actually building the boat! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517 "2007-06-11T00:32:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/21 "2007-06-13T21:36:16Z")
Thanks for all the positive input! I tacked up the last two seams today and it now looks more like a boat than ever. next step is to add some structural reinforcement, then lose the cable ties and start glass taping the seams. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/22 "2007-06-14T12:38:21Z")
Do you have an anticipated wet date? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/23 "2007-06-14T12:54:39Z")
Not yet. I reckon there’s a couple of weeks’ work left to do - so sometime in July if all goes well… ---
**Author:** ![badkittypriestess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8baadc/32.png) [@badkittypriestess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badkittypriestess)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/24 "2007-06-14T22:54:34Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I have to warn you that **badkittypriestess** could be hunting you down if I ever get any free time. I have the whole thing planned out - I’ll draw out the plans, buy 75% of the stuff I need, realize the 25% I didn’t buy is required to proceed past the stage that takes up the most room, and then see something shiny. But maybe I’ll tag along when she goes over to smack you for giving me the idea and I’ll get a trip out of it. Oh, and looking good! I had a lucky layoff a couple of years ago and bought a filthy big canoe, but it has no style compared to what you’re building. [/QUOTE] **lurking about looking for Mangetout** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/25 "2007-06-15T12:57:30Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Not yet. I reckon there’s a couple of weeks’ work left to do - so sometime in July if all goes well… [/QUOTE] Will you be posting a picture of the vessel in the water? What body of water are you planning for the maiden voyage? After work yesterday, I picked up my 13 yr old son and we took our kayaks out for a few hours. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/26 "2007-06-15T13:04:36Z")
Man, this is absolutely fascinating! I live near a lake/river and I’d love to give this a shot. I appear to have all the necessary tools (although I’m a basement woodworker – could be a problem). I haven’t read your whole site yet (though I will), but I’m wondering about the thickness of the ply. I think you state in your materials list that it’s 4 mm ply? That seems awfully thin to me (~3/16). I realize you’re not going to successfully bend and sew large 3/4-inch pieces of ply, but 4 mm? Did I read that right? Or is there something I’m missing? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/27 "2007-06-15T13:56:35Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] What body of water are you planning for the maiden voyage? [/QUOTE] I found it, I thought I had read this somewhere: > [@](#): > > I plan to start at Botley Quay (a little way downriver from the mill) and travel all the way down to Warsash, where there is a long gravel spit at the end of the beach. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/28 "2007-06-15T14:29:15Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] Man, this is absolutely fascinating! I live near a lake/river and I’d love to give this a shot. I appear to have all the necessary tools (although I’m a basement woodworker – could be a problem). I haven’t read your whole site yet (though I will), but I’m wondering about the thickness of the ply. I think you state in your materials list that it’s 4 mm ply? That seems awfully thin to me (~3/16). I realize you’re not going to successfully bend and sew large 3/4-inch pieces of ply, but 4 mm? Did I read that right? Or is there something I’m missing? [/QUOTE] No, you read it right - 4mm plywood - it is quite thin, but the curvature of the hull provides a great deal of strength - it will be reinforced with solid timber ribs in at least three places, small decks (which I might add a bulkhead to the front of and turn into closed buoyancy tanks) and the gunwale, when fitted, will give further strength and rigidity - particularly to stop it twisting. The glass tape and epoxy does a lot of work too - making it essentially into a single piece of material. Even though it’s only tacked with spots of epoxy at the moment, I’m pretty sure I could turn it over and stand on it without it breaking (I’m not going to try that though). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/29 "2007-06-15T14:31:00Z")
Also, it’s good quality marine ply - quite considerably stronger, harder and less prone to mechanical failure/delamination, etc than ordinary construction ply. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/30 "2007-06-15T14:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] Will you be posting a picture of the vessel in the water? [/QUOTE] Definitely. I plan to take a cheap disposable camera on board with me and leave the digital one with the missus to photograph me setting off (and if possible, meet me at the other end to snap me arriving). Also, **si\_blakely** mentioned in the other thread that he might wander down and take a look. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/31 "2007-06-15T14:47:22Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Also, it’s good quality marine ply - quite considerably stronger, harder and less prone to mechanical failure/delamination, etc than ordinary construction ply. [/QUOTE] Ah, I think this is a key piece of information. The regular 4 mm ply that I’ve seen available at the box stores – well, let’s say that it doesn’t inspire confidence. But if marine ply is stronger, and you’re essentially adding another few laminations with the glue and tape, sounds good. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/32 "2007-06-15T15:08:21Z")
Yes, the ply is definitely good stuff, but having said that, [Hannu](http://www.gsahv.pp.fi/) (the guy whose website got me started out on this madness) builds a lot of his from ordinary 4mm birch ply. He’s an accomplished boatbuilder though. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/33 "2007-06-20T17:17:37Z")
I knew it would happen… Picked up two sheets of 1/4" last night and a small thing of epoxy (gotta find a better supplier or the epoxy is going to cost more than a new boat would). Youngest wants [this](http://www.gsahv.pp.fi/admhat/admhat.htm) but will probably end up with Hannu’s “Prism”. Might modify it slightly, decks or something, but not redesign on a **Mangetout** -scale ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/34 "2007-06-21T00:59:28Z")
Mwuhahahaha, I’ve infected you! You will need a lot of epoxy. If you’re doing stitch and tape construction, you will need ordinary epoxy, not the pre-thickened stuff you get in those double syringes. (pre-thickened is fine for general gluing and seam filling, but it won’t wet glass tape very well. I’m going to be using [this](http://shop.pinbax.com/items/SP106-web.jpg) for my glassing - I paid about £20 for mine, but I’m also going to be getting through two packs of the marine epoxy adhesive on this page: [http://www.tiflex.co.uk/marine/adhesives2/adhesives2.html](http://www.tiflex.co.uk/marine/adhesives2/adhesives2.html) Hannu’s original prism design requires less resin than mine though (fewer seams) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/35 "2007-06-21T01:01:26Z")
Ebay was a good place to get the glass tape, but the resin was cheapest at a little chandlery near my work - the guy was really friendly and gave me a discount. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/36 "2007-06-21T01:03:02Z")
Oh, and some disposable latex gloves. Never attempt anything without the gloves. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/37 "2007-06-21T04:03:08Z")
While I’m not entirely sure what a chandlery might be, I’m suspect that someone around here carries the stuff. I’ve got what I need to get started, and luckily I have a 48 hour automated script running at work so I can devote tomorrow to finding a dealer. Made a few cuts tonight, then remembered that protective glasses are still recommended when using power tools. Perhaps I’ll take a little trip to the doctor tomorrow instead of searching for epoxy if this eye doesn’t feel better. Perhaps I’ll take a trip to the doc if this eye doesn’t feel better instead of searching… Perhaps, if this eye doesn’t feel better, I’ll take a trip to the doc instead of searching. You know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/38 "2007-06-21T07:27:41Z")
A chandlery is a boat store (actually, the word means potentially any kind of store, but it has come to be associated with marine supply). These places are often found near marinas and the coast generally (I can’t decipher your location, so I don’t know if that applies to you) - but many of them sell their wares on the web now, or a search on eBay for ‘marine epoxy’ should be quite productive. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/39 "2007-06-21T07:29:32Z")
Ah… I just worked it out… you’re about as far away from the coast as it’s possible to get. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517/40 "2007-06-21T10:34:24Z")
I’ve ordered a huge tin of army surplus marine gloss paint from eBay - for the outside of the hull - it’s in a shade called ‘deep bronze green’ - I hope this is what I think it is - a sort of rich, dark forest green. I’ve also decided on a name for my boat, but I’m not going to reveal it yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-actually-building-the-boat/407517.md?page=3)