"AYE DOCK" Boat Build

The project started with one really big piece of tracing paper and a full size set of plans.

I cut through two sheets of marine plywood at the same time so both sides would match. This was the concept the plans led me to believe.

Once encapsulated with epoxy resin they were all butt glued together. It still dosen't look like a boat. I am now committed at this point and my wife seems to have some doubts. (I have never done this before.)

I placed the floor of the boat on some elevated stands. This was so l could get underneath to stitch it together. At this point my wife was thinking I had lost it.

It actually worked. Both sides came together just like the plans said they would. I was glad Keith was around or it would never have happened. Diane wasn't sure this would be a boat she would want go out in.

Let me introduce Keith. You have to have a VERY good friend and partner in crime to pull this off. I think Keith was having some doubts at this point because he had never built a boat before either.

One central rib was used to bend the plywood around so the shape of the boat would be symmetrical. The stern section was added with some difficulty but finally fit. Now it was starting to look like a boat. Held together with a prayer and MANY copper stitches. We next leveled and squared up the stern and sides.

Now I spread a fillit material of epoxy resin, micro spheres and silica between the stitches. Diane still had her doubts.

A second spread of epoxy was added to cover the stitches. Now the copper stitches were removed and a fiberglass cloth covering was added. For the first time I was beginning to think this might work. Diane wasn't sure.

Interior frame work for the bow area was held into place with epoxy and fiberglass. The interior work would give the boat strength so ribbing was not needed. The plans said so. I believed them and move ahead. Diane wasn't sure.

The bow section interior is now complete and it was time to start on the stern section.

I changed the seat sections from the plans to allow more leg room and gave them a Sapele Mahogany trim. I thought it looked good and gave more support to the design.

I had to design the stern section. This was not in the plans and the boat needed more seating if we were to have friends aboard for sunset cruses. Diane was thinking it might work maybe.

I added foam flotation to the bow section. This was not in the plans but thought it might me a good idea. This Diane did agree with.

The interior is finished and it does look like a boat is taking shape. For the first time Diane is thinking I might pull this off. In my mind I am wondering if the whole thing would collapse when we rolled it over on its side to turn it over.

The stern seat sections were given the same treatment. I decided to go ahead and paint the interior seat compartments thinking it would be easier to do now.

I got my son-in-law with three of his weight lifting friends to move the boat off the stands. Another set of stands were made to place the boat upside down on to finish the hull.

Would you believe it worked and the boat did not collapse. All went well. I was a wreck worrying about it. Diane was happy.

When the fililt material was smooth two types of fiberglass cloth were cut to be epoxied over the seams.

Now all the open seams had to be filled with the fillit material and sanded. Actually I sanded and sanded and sanded with my little Ryobi 5 inch orbital sander.

More fillit material was applied to smooth out the fiberglass seams. More sanding and sanding and sanding. Diane was getting tired of the dust and her car was outside. She had no idea how much more sanding was to come.

Keith and I had never fiberglassed this much material before. We were committed. We placed on our breathers and went to work as a team.

Keith mixed the epoxy and I spread it with a roller. It actually went easier than we had expected.

Would you believe we finished in about two hours and it looked great. Diane by the way left for the day.

Yet another spread of fillit material was applied and sanded again to finally make the hull smooth.

While Jim was working on the motor mount I was painting and sanding the hull with five coats of marine paint. The hull is now complete and ready to be turned once again and placed on the trailer for final completion.

This is Ormend with his weight lifting friends once again to flip the boat onto a custom trailer that was made. Diane got into the act and was taking the pictures of the event. She was thinking is was really going to happen and she could once again place her car in the garage..

The boat flipped with little trouble and was lifted up on the trailer. At this point the hull we think weighted about 600 lbs.

What you are looking at is what is called the outer sheer and the inner carling. They had to be level to hold the decking that was to be placed on next. The wood plane is my great grandfathers that I inherited when my father passed away. It worked great and I had tears in may eyes when finished. This was when the boat started to take on a personality and became a work of art and part of me.

Laminates added just like the port side. Diane and I worked together every evening over about a two week period with this project.

Would you believe the clamps. The port gunnel is laminated and almost complete. No nails are used in this process. The wood has epoxy applied and clamped together over night.

The first piece of one inch square white oak is epoxied to the outer sheer to start the gunnel on the port side of the boat. Diane could not believe how many clamps we were buying. Diane was helping every evening adding the pieces. The port side is the left side of the boat facing the front or bow. Called the port because that was the side that in times past would be brought up to the dock for unloading.

Starborad side going on just like the port side. The starboard side is the right side of the boat looking at the front or bow. It was called the starboard side because it was the steering side of the boat long ago. That is why the port side had to come to the dock.

I decided to add mahogany sides to the cockpit area so this is the attachment of those pieces. This is the last time I would use all my clamps.

I used sapele mahogany for the decking to give an accent and a little character. Each piece had to be hand fitted and sanded into place. This is the bow section clamped down with epoxy to dry.

The same decking would be done for the stern section using sapele mahogany. Now the stern section is clamped down with epoxy to dry.

Eventually I had to face the fact that somehow all the port laminated pieces had to be cut square for the starboard side to go on. Held my breath and made the cut. Went fine and justified the new special saw to make the cut. .

After hours and hours of sanding the deck and gunnels are now complete. Diane was excited that most of the sanding was now done. The boat still dosen't have a name but is taking on a personality of its own.

After considerable research a plan eventually developed in my mind as to how it would work. These are my drawings for Jim to make the motor mount with a belt to act as a V drive.

All the fittings came in form Glen L marine in California. I purchased the Lo Volt plans from them and posted on a forum so others around the world could give advice on the build. It was about this time I spoke with Mr Whitt the Navel architect who designed the boat. This particular design of the boat had never built before. He assured me it would float and others around the world were now watching.

The strut came in and was positioned in place on the mock up. Now I was ready to design the electric motor hook up to the shaft.

Jim at Charles Sackett Repairs in Orlando, FL really got into the project of an electric boat motor mount. Without his advice and input to the plans it would have never happened. You meet the greatest people to help you when doing a project like this.

This is close up of the motor on the mock up bench as it was finally competed. Keith and I would need to take it off the mock up and place it exactly into the boat.

The rudder was cast for the boat at the Glen L foundry. Glen L was also working on the strut since it had to be made also. This is the mock up of the keel section. I made an exact duplicate of the boat to make practice holes and figure things out before committing to the actual boat.

Keith and I were really tired after setting the motor. It took almost an entire day. It looked good and seemed like it would perform as expected. Diane was worried about the boat sinking now because of all the holes we had placed into the hull.

This is the shaft hole with shaft log bronze water tite fitting in place. The stainless steel one inch shaft is in place for the motor mount assembly.

Eventually the rudder and all the parts from the mock up have to be transfer to the real boat. I really agonized over this one. The first real hole I was going to make through the hull. I only had one shot at it. It had to be centered and perfect. I spent a whole week measuring and remeasuring before I did it. The rudder hole was perfect!!!!

The electric motor is now remounted off the mock up and into the boat.

The bronze rudder stuffing box in place ready for the rudder shaft and rudder.