Author Topic: Setting up my schedule to build my GA  (Read 9931 times)

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Cannon

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Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« on: February 01, 2013, 10:53:19 AM »
Hey all, just a brief note and and a few questions:
I am starting my 26' GA build mid month. I have been working to clean out my shop and take care of some of the honey do's around the house so there is not too much animosity when I take up residence in the shop for three months... I have also been installing a wood stove so I can control the temp a little better.

I have read almost every post, both here and the Tolman site as well as reading both of Rhenn's books and numerous other related books in preparation for this event. I have a 24 x 36 foot shop with 14' eves and a 10' OHD, and I was a little worried about being able to get the boat out of the shop once I built her so I did a little CAD work to make shure I could make the corner and then clear the corner of my house. The good news is no worries! I wont have to add another door in the end of the shop to get the boat out once she is done.

I have been a building contractor/carpenter for almost forty years so I have all of the tools required and the general carpentry knowledge to make it happen.

I have been shopping around for materials and have come down to two sources for my Epoxy. Raka and Aeromarine. It looks like Raka has free shipping and I can also get the sticky stuff pump/dispenser from them as well (Free shipping). Have any of you done business with Raka? Also having never done any fiberglass work, what should i purchase as far as: slow, medium or fast?

I am also planning on powering the boat with a single Honda 150. I have run Honda for some time now after using some of the others and I am extremely happy with the performance.

Anyway, looking forward to the project.
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

Brian.Dixon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2013, 11:44:14 AM »
Congratulations on starting your 'new love' right around Valentine's ...assuming a SO ...does she know about your wayward ways?   :-*   ;D

Epoxy speed:  I don't like working with FAST in cooler temperatures because the viscosity ends up being too high for my taste, even though it does cure alright.  When wetting out glass or coating wood, higher viscosity (think "thick sticky pancake syrup") is harder to work with ...I recommend having a jug of FAST hardener around, but use it for emergencies not as a main deal.  Instead, I would recommend figuring out how to keep the shop 60-ish plus or minus, then use the standard MEDIUM hardener.  You'll enjoy working with it much more and your life will be easier.  Note also that epoxy can survive freezing and overheating once it has been mixed and applied ...the cure rate slows to zero when it cools off, but this doesn't hurt it.  It continues it's cure when it's warmed up again.  If risking working in cool temperatures (especially if humid), make sure you go with a no-blush type of epoxy for sure.  Knowing how epoxy cures, you can plan to heat your shop when necessary and when you can let it cool down.  Note also that you want to overheat the shop for 3 or 4 hours prior to working if you can, and then let the shop cool as you work.  Wood that is heating up while working with epoxy can sometimes out-gas into the epoxy and create little bubbles, but wood that is cooling as the epoxy is curing tends to suck the epoxy into the wood ...this creates a more waterproof barrier, no bubbles, and a stronger bond to the wood.  Don't use SLOW hardener until you actually prove to yourself that your MEDIUM just plain can't be used in the current (hot) temperatures if that occurs.  I never buy SLOW ...but hey, it never gets hot in Alaska!

Between RAKA and Aeromarine epoxies, I'd double check on the blush/no-blush qualities of each (I can't remember which is what) ...but otherwise would probably go with Aeromarine if your shop temperatures might be on the cool side since RAKA has a higher viscosity than Aeromarine.  If I recall, Aeromarine is a "shop temperature" epoxy, with 60 F the minimum shop temperature ...but this is fine (noting what I wrote above).

Unless you are going to load your boat pretty heavily, the 150 Honda will work fine.  I like the 175 Suzi (as an example) for the best all 'round motor for a GA, but there is already one GA running around with a 140 Suzi on it and doing fine.  For the bigger/heavier versions of the boat, 200 hp is ideal.  Sometimes the larger displacement motors get better mileage than the smaller ones since they can turn lower rpms and use a higher pitch (and/or larger diameter) prop.  With 4-strokes, they tend to get better mileage as rpms drop lower, but 2-strokers tend to have an 'optimum band' for efficiency instead.  It's all good...

Brian

« Last Edit: February 01, 2013, 12:06:20 PM by Brian.Dixon »
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Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2013, 02:04:59 PM »
Well Brian, I have been in AK when it was pretty dang warm although I know that is not the norm.

Thanks for the input on the Epoxy as well. It is very temperate here in Salem OR, and we don't get near the rain you do up there. truth be told, we haven't really had any snow to speak of for the last couple of years.

As are as the size of motor goes, I can upsize at this time so that is not a big deal. I am running a Honda 135 four stroke on my river boat and really like the performance.
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

adam_k

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2013, 06:48:44 PM »
I used RAKA exclusively for my Widebody build.  Never had a problem with their products, I would be careful using the fast cure hardener # 610, because it has a tendency to blush in cold damp conditions.  If you know anything about epoxy, you would know that anything between 60 and 80 degrees, with low humidity is the sweet spot.  So I don't hold anything against them for it.  I found that the Raka slow cure # 606 was more resistant to blushing than the fast hardener, so I stuck with it through the build.  If I were building today, I would look at their no blush hardener # 350.  # 127 is the resin is used with any style of hardener.  Here is their epoxy page for reference.
http://raka.com/epoxy.html

adam_k

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2013, 09:59:03 PM »
I think that the Micheals engineering pump is great.  Very convienient to use, you will never screw up a batch of epoxy because you didn't measure correctly.  You can meter out a large batch of epoxy quickly but it will also dispense a very small amount of epoxy.  It is a simple mechanism so it seldom needs any service.  I have had mine for over 5 years, and it is still going strong, forget about using pre marked cups for mixing, who wants a whole bunch of sticky cups with uncured epoxy sitting around the shop.   

Ed Snyder

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2013, 11:29:54 PM »
Hay! easy..... nothing wrong with 149 tins of cured epoxy loitering around the boat shed....  :P
Not waving....... Drowning!

Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2015, 09:13:49 PM »
Well, it has been a long time in coming, but I am ready to pull the trigger. Had a few life issues get in the way so I had to put off my build.
I am going to cut everything in advance, since it is fairly cool here right now, in any event that will give me a head start once it warms up. I was going to only go 26', but Grady300 got me to thinking and Dave Collette kind of sealed the deal when he said he would go as long as he could if he had it to do over. My main reasoning is that when the bar is closed to small craft, you can usually come in if you are 30' or more...
I am sure that Brian is going to stress a little, but it is what it is... ;D
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

Saxe Point

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2015, 09:55:20 PM »
Pictures and details of your build would be great for those of us coming up behind you and still planning.

Dave Collett-Paule

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2015, 07:47:56 AM »
Cannon, best of luck with your build.  That deck plan looks great!  I agree that medium hardener is the best all-around choice.  When I built the Pau Hana, I tried all three hardeners and found that the slow was pretty useless and having a small quantity of fast was helpful.  I also found that the hardeners can be combined (I used system 3).  I used graduated paper mixing cups for the entire 60+ gallons on my build and had no problems.

You might want to take a look at the Yamaha 200.  Seems like it has good power to weight ratio.  The big Honda 225 is 100 lbs heavier but I love it.

Post pics as you go and keep the questions coming.

Dave in Homer

Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2015, 09:16:13 AM »
I have a Honda main on my current boat as well as the kicker. Love the performance, hate the weight. I am thinking Suzuki or Tohatsu in 225hp
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2015, 03:08:30 PM »
I made some adjustments Per Brian's suggestions. Having never designed a boat before, I am a little green. I have drawn and built hundreds of houses, but this is a little outside the norm for me :)
I took about 2'2" out of the cuddy and enlarged the wheel house enough to do what I originally envisioned and made the fish deck larger as well.
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

Brian.Dixon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2015, 03:35:26 PM »
Looks awesome, Redneck!  You know the standard rule around here, right?  Every time that I give feed back, hurtful OR helpful, I get a free fishing trip in your boat when it's done... Don't question it.  It's just one of those rules in life that you just follow ...don't over-think it  ;D 8)

With that long cockpit, do make sure that you provide sufficient scuppers ...getting water out fast only happens through big scuppers, pumps are for rain water :)  You may also consider coaming around the cockpit sides and along the f'w'd edge of the dry well too ...it gives you several more degrees of roll (heeling) before water comes in, and rain/spray/water running down the sheer decks much more likely to flow back over the side instead of into the boat.  In Oregon, you're at the downwind end of the world's largest ocean... I grew up there and know all about it.  Boats that shed water best are the best boats for Oregon...

Brian

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Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2015, 05:02:02 PM »
The deck will be raised 3 1/2 inches. Channels down Starboard and the port with 3 inch scuppers draining to the stern. There will be coaming around all open rail. Cabin roof will have a diverter at the rear channelling water off the wheel house to either side. The rail on either side will have diverter a to push the water off the rail.
As far as fishing goes, I go every day it is not too lumpy. Brian, you are welcome anytime, I try to spend at least three days a week on the water... I have an awesome wife who understands 😱
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.

jim shula

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2015, 09:03:35 PM »
I used RAKA epoxy on my first Tolman build.  As Dave says, the slow and fast hardeners can be mixed to get a custom cure time to match conditions in the shop.  Having used Aeromarine for my last two skiffs, I like the workability of it better than the RAKA, but the last time I ordered a 15 gal kit from Aero the shipping to Maine was almost $100.  I think Aero only offers one standard hardener, but I was able to use it all last winter.  I'd turn the heat in the shop down to 40 degrees at night and although sometimes I had to wait two days to sand, it gave me longer open time to get wet on wet layers of epoxy.

Cannon, if you're putting a water diverter at the rear of the pilothouse roof, consider making it a good shape for a hand to grip.  Passengers on my pilothouse skiff who aren't riding inside the house seem to like standing at the rear pilothouse bulkhead and grab the diverter to hold on.


Cannon

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Re: Setting up my schedule to build my GA
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2015, 10:12:40 PM »
I used RAKA epoxy on my first Tolman build.  As Dave says, the slow and fast hardeners can be mixed to get a custom cure time to match conditions in the shop.  Having used Aeromarine for my last two skiffs, I like the workability of it better than the RAKA, but the last time I ordered a 15 gal kit from Aero the shipping to Maine was almost $100.  I think Aero only offers one standard hardener, but I was able to use it all last winter.  I'd turn the heat in the shop down to 40 degrees at night and although sometimes I had to wait two days to sand, it gave me longer open time to get wet on wet layers of epoxy.

Cannon, if you're putting a water diverter at the rear of the pilothouse roof, consider making it a good shape for a hand to grip.  Passengers on my pilothouse skiff who aren't riding inside the house seem to like standing at the rear pilothouse bulkhead and grab the diverter to hold on.
I am planning on using Aero for the build but I am going to pick it up. Momma wants a road trip.
I am 6' 4" tall, so the inside will be at a minimum 6'5" to 6'6" inside. If they can reach it, more power to them 👀
Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Started building Paula J the 2nd Week of June 2015, finished her the second week of July 2016.