# Home made drift boats?



## STONE FLY

So I did a search and only found 1 post on here from 06, but the links for plans and info was long gone. Wondering if anyone has any info to share on getting plans, or building a drift boat. This is something I would really like take on myself. I think it would be alot more practical and versatile than building a canoe. Ive got extensive wood working skills and tools so that part is covered. A small plywood boat would be perfect.

I floated the PM once with Shoeman in 03 who at the time had I think a 13` drift boat and I had a 12` jon boat (which worked) but I was so impressed how that drift boat would just stand still in the current, and move about with ease. Hoping someone can share some info here


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## twowack

Clark Craft.
Boatdesign.com


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## michiganmaniac

I am just about done with my first driftboat build on a McKenzie double ender with a transom. If you buy the book "Drift Boats and River Dories" by Robert Fletcher, it includes all the details and detailed plans on building 10 different styles of drifters. Also, check out the site, woodenboatpeople.com, it was very helpful to me with my drift boat build.


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## michiganmaniac

Or you can go to the library and rent it, my library had it and after I looked through it, it convinced me to build.


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## RobW

Sounds as though you don't need as much as this guy offers. Posted for reference... http://gregboats.com/pages/driftboats.html


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## STONE FLY

wow, thanks for the info guys, sounds like more than a few have done this, awesome


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## STONE FLY

michiganmaniac said:


> I am just about done with my first driftboat build on a McKenzie double ender with a transom. If you buy the book "Drift Boats and River Dories" by Robert Fletcher, it includes all the details and detailed plans on building 10 different styles of drifters. Also, check out the site, woodenboatpeople.com, it was very helpful to me with my drift boat build.


Good stuff, I just called the library and they are getting it in for me
How long have you been working on it?


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## michiganmaniac

I started last year around Christmas time. I worked on it regularly for about a month and then lost steam and it sat for awhile. Near the end of the summer I started back up and nearly finished the boat. Now I just have to get the finishing hardware and oil the interior and it'll be good to go. Realistically, if you worked on it a few nights a week, actual build time should take a month or two. However before you build, I would advise that you do a lot of planning. Make sure you fully understand the construction and the types of wood you want to use, there are a lot of nuances. That will save you a lot of head rubbing during the building process.

A great source for wood is craigslist. White oak, the main wood used for frame construction, is not normally commercially available and I got it for really cheap off craigslist.


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## slickdragger

STONE FLY said:


> So I did a searh and only found 1 post on here from 06, but the links for plans and info was long gone. Wondering if anyone has any info to share on getting plans, or building a drift boat. This is something I would really like take on myself. I think it would be alot more practical and versatile than building a canoe. Ive got extensive wood working skills and tools so that part is covered. A small plywood boat would be perfect.
> 
> I floated the PM once with Shoeman in 03 who at the time had I think a 13` drift boat and I had a 12` jon boat (which worked) but I was so impressed how that drift boat would just stand still in the current, and move about with ease. Hoping someone can share some info here


ive thought about making the outside outta louon then filling the void with spray foan then putting louon on the inside sandwhiching the foam yhink it might make a decent beater boat i could drag through the woods and down hills


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## dmc1651

I've bought this guys plans:
http://www.boatdesigns.com/Driftboats/products/737/

I haven't built anything yet but I plan on making it my next project.


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## Duckiller

Glen-L has plans for drift boats of various lengths. Not sure of the site address. Google it.


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## STONE FLY

slickdragger said:


> ive thought about making the outside outta louon then filling the void with spray foan then putting louon on the inside sandwhiching the foam yhink it might make a decent beater boat i could drag through the woods and down hills


It might work using underlayment but in order for it to last more than a season, the cost of the glass and other materials is still alot. Might be better to use quality wood and have it last a long time. A small one could be drug all over, would still take a beating and could be repaired easy



dmc1651 said:


> I've bought this guys plans:
> http://www.boatdesigns.com/Driftboats/products/737/
> 
> I haven't built anything yet but I plan on making it my next project.


Thats a real nice simple boat, looks good and wouldnt be so involved. I`m gonna dwell on that design a little. That looks just like what I want, but maybe add a few things.

I got the book "drift boats and river dories" from the library. Just picked it up yesterday. It has some decent plans in it I can scan, but not the variety I was hoping for. Not much for glue and stitch, which I was thinking would be the way to go, but after seeing a awesome pic of a McKenzie being launched in the AuSable here in Mich, wow, what a work of art. Making me think a frame boat is not out of the question, though its a 16` and I want maybe 13`. 

So its looking like this is going to be a very hard choice to make.Theres a guy in town here thats made a few boats but hes not back from down south yet that I can talk to, and I have a guy I work with thats guides out of a 23` river boat that was made by him (glue and stitch) and its pretty sweet, but not what I want.

I`m looking around for marine plywood right now and getting my ducks in a row. Looks like its gonna be around a grand for materials. Got a woodstove set up in the garage last weekend and hoping to get a start on it before spring, maybe get it done by mid to late summer would be nice.


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## STONE FLY

Trying to scan a page, not sure if this will work. This is that McKenzie and a pic of Shoemans boat from 2001


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## dmc1651

Yep, I can't wait till the weather warms up a little and I can start on mine. I've got plans for the 16 Ft wide bottom, standard sides. I've heard that Menards carries marine grade plywood, but I've yet to verify that. Here's another supplier too. http://www.boulterplywood.com/MarinePlywood_4.htm
I hope you post some pictures of your boat once it's built. I will too... if it turns out alright that is. :lol:
http://www.boulterplywood.com/MarinePlywood_4.htm


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## brushbuster

Stonefly, rare earth hardwoods in TC. has okum and marine grade plywood.
edit. West marine also has west systems epoxy glass cloth and marine varnish.
one more thing. Nohas boat works is a great boat building forum

http://www.noahsmarine.com/forums/activity.php?


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## brushbuster

not quite what you intend to build but here are a couple of my builds


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## STONE FLY

dmc1651 said:


> Yep, I can't wait till the weather warms up a little and I can start on mine. I've got plans for the 16 Ft wide bottom, standard sides. I've heard that Menards carries marine grade plywood, but I've yet to verify that. Here's another supplier too. http://www.boulterplywood.com/MarinePlywood_4.htm
> I hope you post some pictures of your boat once it's built. I will too... if it turns out alright that is. :lol:
> http://www.boulterplywood.com/MarinePlywood_4.htm


I`ll check at Menards, just down the road. I`ll post pics of the build



brushbuster said:


> Stonefly, rare earth hardwoods in TC. has okum and marine grade plywood.
> edit. West marine also has west systems epoxy glass cloth and marine varnish.
> one more thing. Nohas boat works is a great boat building forum
> 
> http://www.noahsmarine.com/forums/activity.php?


I saw the Rare Earth online last night. Thanks for the link and very nice boats for sure. Thanks for posting up the pics. Pure inspiration !!


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## flyrodder46

Brushbuster,
Both are beautiful looking craft. Would love to get on the Au Sable again one of these days in an Au Sable boat, it has been awhile.

D


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## michiganmaniac

Menards has marine grade fir plywood but it is not that good of quality. Voids in the wood, and there are some hidden knots and on the B side of the plywood (It is AB plywood), all the knots are patched giving it poor appearance. Also Douglas fir WILL check with time so I recommend meranti, okume, or some other marine grade hardwood plywood. For epoxy I would recommend RAKA epoxy. It is far far cheaper than the west system epoxy and I like the look and portabilityworkabilityer. Using 3 gallons or better on a boat the savings add up quick


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## michiganmaniac

slickdragger said:


> ive thought about making the outside outta louon then filling the void with spray foan then putting louon on the inside sandwhiching the foam yhink it might make a decent beater boat i could drag through the woods and down hills


If you want a very durable boat, many people have coated the bottom and a little way up the sides with truck bedliner, making it virtually indestructible.

The only problem with this is that the life of the bedliner outlasts the life of the wood and if you ever have to replace panels, they are hard to separate because of th e strength of the bed liner, but it's still an idea


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## STONE FLY

Steve said:


> Man if I had the place to store one of those and the time and aptitude to build one.....


Aww, come on Steve, you know your having a hard time resisting, and there must be somewhere you can tuck away a small light boat  I`m getting tons of info and input, got my guide buddy checking on a local guy here that has built a ton of boats (and his 24` river boat) that I need to hook up with and talk to yet, but I`m getting more stoked every day. Got a book coming from a member here this week, which should be really helpful and hope to nail down a plan in the next couple weeks and get going on it.

SkiTown Sportsman, looking good man. What plywood is that? 

Heres a pic of that river boat my guide buddy uses


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## BassFisher91

Been thinking of building a drift boat myself for awhile and seeing this post made me decide im going to do it. Building a 14' canadian plans by spira. Cant wait to really get this thing underway. Heres the strongback...we'll see if this upload works.


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## STONE FLY

BassFisher91 said:


> Been thinking of building a drift boat myself for awhile and seeing this post made me decide im going to do it. Building a 14' canadian plans by spira. Cant wait to really get this thing underway. Heres the strongback...we'll see if this upload works.
> 
> View attachment 75270


Nice. I looked at that boat and the other ones by Spira. Thats a good choice for a 14`, I thought about that too and I still might go with that. I dont think I can get away with no plans, but Ive still got some resources to explore.

Your one step farther than me. The strong back is what I`m gonna do too.

I really like the 14` Mckezie by Greg Tatman boats, but it looks like its only kit boats. I like the stripping deck and knee brackets on the frt, need the transom for a small outboard. The dates on his site are really old, not sure if its still around.
http://gregboats.com/catalog.pdf


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## BassFisher91

Ya I was researching the Mckenzie as well, but for mainly fishing the AuSable I think the canadian works for me. Really looking forward to getting this thing underway, making the frame starts tomorrow. Even though I have a ways to go I need to figure out how to do the interior still. I want to fish 2 guys comfortably but have room for 3 for jumping spot to spot. Id also like as much storage space as possible for coleman grill, lantern, fishing gear, lifevests etc.

The big problem now is how Im going to get back to my truck after Im done on the river. 99% of the time I have noone to fish with so I go alone. Before Id just lock my canoe up at the takeout spot and bike back to my truck. I wont be locking this thing up at the takeout, it would get taken.


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## SkiTownSportsman

Congrats! Spiras plans for the ribs were a little confusing at first. A piece of clean drywall, a t square and a ruler is what you need to start mapping the ribs out. Have fun!


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## STONE FLY

Hey Ive got some really good stiff heavy pattern paper. The roll is 3 ft tall and I can cut off whatever length you need. Would be alot nicer to work with than drywall.


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## SkiTownSportsman

I drew my templates on the drywall (each rib stacked on one another) then I layed my 1x4 and scribed the lines on to each piece. Went really well


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## SkiTownSportsman

One thing I learned is overbuild build your strong back so it supports each rib solid. Your boat will be much more symmetrical and square. If you build like spira says once you start adding weight to one side (chines,plywood) It tweaks the entire boat. Throwing your level and square off.


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## BassFisher91

Thanks for the tip SkiTown. I'll support the strongback more tomorrow. Probably just put some 2x4's under it and notch them out accordingly so the strongback cant bow down.


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## SkiTownSportsman

This is how I supported each rib. It got the job done but halfway through I was really wishing I spent more time on the strong back. When I would sand or rasp the entire boat front to back would rock back and forth.


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## BassFisher91

Only got two ribs done tonight. Taking a little more time than I though, but I want to be as exact as possible. 1/8" here and 1/16" there Im afraid may cause big problems in the long run with the ply, so Im measuring everything several times to make sure. Skitown, before you put the keelson on and attached the ribs to the jig did you sand the ribs smooth? Or wait until I flip the boat over?


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## STONE FLY

Picked up a sheet of plywood and some 2x4`s to get started on the strongback. Went with 5/8" b/c ply. Ive decided on a 14` Mckenzie style boat, the bottom will be 4`x12` so I made the back 12` long. The keel and transom will bring it to approx 14`and will hang down. This should be a nice size for most rivers around here. I left the ends open underneath just in case I ever wanted to extend it to be longer for a bigger boat. Next I have to build 3 supports for the strongback with the 2x4`s and I`ll be ready. 

I ripped all the parts with a circular saw, and used the miter box to cut ribs square, and a jig saw to make a couple cuts. A counter sink, a lrg and small square, and a handfull of clamps were the tools used.

It came out really straight and square and should be really good support for the ribs and to work on. I still have a 4` pc of ply ripped from the top of the box, which I might just make another box to sit on top of the back for the center ribs, and make it the height I go with for the rocker.


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## antlergeek23

Look up croff craft drift boats. My buddy does a great job


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## STONE FLY

Very nice. I really like the cedar strip boats. Maybe my next one I`ll try that.

well, I set out to build my 3 stackable saw horse supports for the strong back, but changed my design to a I beam top instead of a T top and left myself short a couple legs of the last support. Its pretty rock solid and stable with just 2 but I`ll have 3. One more trip to HD. 

I found a lumber mill right down the road, they have all the stuff you cant get at HD, ash, white oak, ext fir plywood ect. So I`ll get some 1x4 fir next to start on the ribs. I still dont have a solid plan,(I am getting some plan and help from a member) but I`m gonna go for it.

Hows those couple Spira boat builds going guys?


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## Steve

Will be really fun to watch this thread develop.


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## flyrodder46

Looking good, keep us updated. There is not a better feeling than using something that you have built or made yourself.

D


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## STONE FLY

flyrodder46 said:


> Looking good, keep us updated. There is not a better feeling than using something that you have built or made yourself.
> 
> D


Absolutely, I feel the same way

Got a couple scraps of 2x4 from work and got the 3rd horse done. Now, to just build a boat :idea:

Steve, the last pic in this thread might be me sitting in a wood bath tub on some shore line :yikes:


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## STONE FLY

Picked up a couple pc`s of 1x fir to get a start on some ribs. I used the design of Mike, a member here to make the center and rear transom rib. I think I`m gonna have to set up the center and ends then bend some molding to get my widths for the rest of the ribs. Also not sure on the spacing yet either, and suggestions are welcome. The bottom will be 4`x12`, then from stem to stern will be about 14`

This build-on-the-fly (no pun intended) might be a little harder than getting some proven plans. I`m gonna press on though.

So to build the ribs, I went with a 20 deg angle for the sides, then I set up the router table and dado`d the bottom and sides to fit real nice. My 3/4 straight bit is a little dull, so to keep from chipping out the wood, I started a cut in the edge and used the old door trimming trick to razor knife a line on the edge. Any chipping stops at the cut. These will get glued and screwed with stainless. 

I free handed the angle cuts of the sides of ribs on the little table saw and cleaned them up nice with the belt sander, then a light sand and broke the edges with a vari-orbit sander.

Cut a couple drain holes in the bottom of the rib with a hole saw. I still have to lay out the chine notches at the bottom corners, then I can assemble them.


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## STONE FLY

This might take a while, besides being old and poor, my sister says I have OCD, hmmmm, she might be right. 

The "Lumber Shed" on Garfield Rd. in Traverse has plenty of nice looking fir. I`ll be making lots of trips there before I`m done.


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## STONE FLY

Not really making any waves so far. Trying to figure out some spacing and widths of ribs. I think I have spacing ok for the bench seats, floor areas, frt stripping line deck and a small seat in the very back, which will also allow for storage space under seats and decks. Need to figure out heights of ribs too. Any pointers are welcome from anyone with any experience.


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## STONE FLY

Gotta dig up some old drafting stuff I think. Any cad guys out there that could input some numbers? Ive got solid plans for a 16` but I need to knock it down for a 14`


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## STONE FLY

Got the width of the bottom of the boat ribs set by bending a straight edge from the middle to the frt stem, and the middle to the transom. Hoping this will work. Need to figure out the height of the rib sides, then the rocker curve of the bottom.

Ive got a set of plans for a (16`) McKenzie drift boat if anyone wants to try to tackle it. They are not to scale, but all the parts are there with measurements. 4 pages in pdf.


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## STONE FLY

Worked on the ribs again today but ran short on wood to finish them all. Just have them tacked together. Once I get all the pc`s I`ll work on the strongback to raise the ribs and get some rocker into it. Still need to cut the drain holes and notch for the chine. I also need to cut some notches for the sheer rails on the tops. I half lapped the ribs and will glue them with epoxy and use some stainless fastners. Still doing research and trying to figure out how to make this work.

Ive also got a set of plans for a cedar strip canoe from a old popular mechanics if anyone wants them


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## the dashman

Figured I would join in on this convo it has inspired me to try my hand at the building process. I haven't started yet but would like to network so I can be successful. I bought the book Drift Boats and River Dories and started building a model to get some working knowledge. It has been fun and educational and can't wait to get some wood to start the real thing


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## STONE FLY

the dashman said:


> Figured I would join in on this convo it has inspired me to try my hand at the building process. I haven't started yet but would like to network so I can be successful. I bought the book Drift Boats and River Dories and started building a model to get some working knowledge. It has been fun and educational and can't wait to get some wood to start the real thing


Hey that looks just like a drift boat!!! Nice job. Well its been slow going for me due to weather and other things, but I`m back at it. As it turns out Ive been running into alot of guys that have built boats and picked up alot of tips from them. As it turns out if there is a ridiculous impossible way to go about building a boat, then thats the path I go cause thats just how I roll :cwm27:
I found out you dont call them ribs, they are frames. OK...A guy down the road here is building what use to be a Tatman, but hes making the bottoms pretty much flat except for a ft. on the frt and rear with about a 2" at best rocker. They work just fine for him here in Mich. He has built a McKenzie and other Tatmans and a few others but now he just does glue and stitch and they look like this.


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## Honyuk96

Nice looking boat


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## STONE FLY

If your gonna build a boat, best thing to do is get some plans, unlike me just doing my own thing. I decided I was going to half lap all my frames, as it turns out once they are epoxied they are stronger than just stacking the sides to the bottom, but alot more work of course. 

I went with a steady angle for the side frames of 20degrees, thats more like a pram boat, but I wanted the shape with the point in frt and a decent transom for a small motor and frames like the McKenzie so this might be a "Thomas McPramzie". I decided to go with a smaller rocker then the McKenzie as there are no class 5 white water situations in the rivers here in Mich. I picked a rocker shape and will straight edge the bottom and the sides to get my bevels then hit them with the power hand planer for the plywood to sit nice. 

I`m going with the West System epoxy and thats coming up real fast to glue my frames and cover them with epoxy. I`m gonna remove the screws the frames are tacked together with and drill for wood dowels. Then I can notch for my chine rails and get those in place, and mount a stem and get the transom together. Gonna paint the outside and clear the inside. Found a local place to get marine plywood and thats coming up fast too once the chines, stem and transom are done. 

So still baby steps right now. The sun right now made it hard to take good pics


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## STONE FLY

Honyuk96 said:


> Nice looking boat


This old guy building these is a blast, glad I met him. If theres a 1/2" gap he fills it with filler. He`s all about fishing, not making show boats. And his boats fish. He has built some show boats too though, with exotic woods. He donated one to charity and it sold for 10 grand, but any more hes not much into the show thing. He doesnt scarf his plywood any more either, just buts the factory edges together and backs up the joint. He`s never had a problem with it. He has a great shop and loves makin boats if hes not out fly fishing


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## STONE FLY

I`ll say one thing, this strongback is rock solid. Its going to be a great workstation for the project, and worth putting a litte time into making it. I`m sure I`ll use it again on a future build. I`ll cut my teeth on this boat for fishing then maybe shoot for a show boat. Heres how I braced the frames for the rocker in the bottom.


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## the dashman

The book I bought has several different plans in it for me to use. I put my drafting skills that I learned 15 years ago in school to use. Oh boy was that ever fun to look at the prints and then lay things out. Pretty much the reason I started building the model which has been a blast to build. The boat I am going to build first will probably be way over my head and skill set but I will gratefully accept the challenge as I have a passion for building things. I have up fishing probably about 10 years ago and have been reintroduced back into it and have enjoyed floating down the rivers in my brothers inflatable pontoons with shore lunches but the problem is not everyone can stay together that way and the comradery is kind of lost with that method. What you have completed looks fantastic and I am sure it is going to catch some eyes when you are done. What type of plywood ad about how much is it. I have found places that sell all sorts but I will have to make a few hour trip to Ohio to get.


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## STONE FLY

I had that book here for 6 weeks from the local library. I scanned the 16 ft McKenzie plans, but I didnt want that big of a boat, but that is the coolest boat. I did drafting all through school, but that was old day stuff before computers and cad. I did trim carpentry for 20 yrs or so, millwork and cabinets so I`m into wood working. The epoxy and stuff is all new to me though.

Rare Earth hardwoods here has marine plywood for about $100 a sheet. A few pages back Ski said Manards has some for alot less. I`m still gonna check at our local Menards here, but the guy down the road uses Rare Earth for all his ply. There is also a place in town here that sell West System stuff, but he gave me a catalog he had where he orders all his epoxy stuff. Jamestown Distributors. They also offer all the fastners of every type. He gets his stuff in 3 days. He has a line on hardware here in Mich too but I forgot who it was.

I started out trying to scale that 16 ft down to a 14 ft. but kinda gave up on it. I`m gonna run with what I have going and see how it goes. I did use some of the dimensions from that book for like my side heights for the frames. I made my bottom to come in just under 4`x12` for the bottom. My length at the sheer will be around 14`. 

Once I get the chine, transom and stem done I`ll make a full size pattern of the sides and see how it lays out. Want to get both sides from 4`x16` plywood (2 sheets scarfed together) and I`ll have to scarf 2 sheets for the bottom. He uses 3/8" for the sides, but doesnt glass the sides, I think I`m still going 1/4" and glassing, and 1/2" for the bottom in the norm. He also said its easy to sink 2 grand into a boat build before its said and done.


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## brushbuster

STONE FLY said:


> I had that book here for 6 weeks from the local library. I scanned the 16 ft McKenzie plans, but I didnt want that big of a boat, but that is the coolest boat. I did drafting all through school, but that was old day stuff before computers and cad. I did trim carpentry for 20 yrs or so, millwork and cabinets so I`m into wood working. The epoxy and stuff is all new to me though.
> 
> Rare Earth hardwoods here has marine plywood for about $100 a sheet. A few pages back Ski said Manards has some for alot less. I`m still gonna check at our local Menards here, but the guy down the road uses Rare Earth for all his ply. There is also a place in town here that sell West System stuff, but he gave me a catalog he had where he orders all his epoxy stuff. Jamestown Distributors. They also offer all the fastners of every type. He gets his stuff in 3 days. He has a line on hardware here in Mich too but I forgot who it was.
> 
> I started out trying to scale that 16 ft down to a 14 ft. but kinda gave up on it. I`m gonna run with what I have going and see how it goes. I did use some of the dimensions from that book for like my side heights for the frames. I made my bottom to come in just under 4`x12` for the bottom. My length at the sheer will be around 14`.
> 
> Once I get the chine, transom and stem done I`ll make a full size pattern of the sides and see how it lays out. Want to get both sides from 4`x16` plywood (2 sheets scarfed together) and I`ll have to scarf 2 sheets for the bottom. He uses 3/8" for the sides, but doesnt glass the sides, I think I`m still going 1/4" and glassing, and 1/2" for the bottom in the norm. He also said its easy to sink 2 grand into a boat build before its said and done.


 Are you glassing the bottom and sidewalls or just the corners and seams?


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## SkiTownSportsman

I was happy with the menards plywood I used. The "marine" means the glue they use to hold the plys is waterproof. Nowadays all of it uses waterproof glue. I ran 1/4 on the sides and 1/2 on the bottom. And we did two layers of fiberglass over the entire exterior. Then added graphite to epoxy and put a layer on the bottom and on the plywood seams. I chose to keep things inexpensive and build a boat for fishing not one for show. 600 to 800 for a painted/glassed hull. 350 for a set of Sawyer oars. Trailer, anchor system, interior. The price adds up quick


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## STONE FLY

brushbuster said:


> Are you glassing the bottom and sidewalls or just the corners and seams?


 I`m planning on glassing the sides and bottom. That way I can go 1/4" on the sides and just paint it so I wont need 2 good sides on the ply. I`m gonna clear the entire inside though. Ive learned that even though the entire interior is covered with the epoxy, it still has to be covered with marine grade varnish to protect the wood. Anything marine grade is pricy.When I was a kid, (cpl yrs ago) used to pay $40 a qt. for Valspar marine paint and varnish for my wood boats.After 40 yrs (oops slipped) I think its still in the ball park price wise



SkiTownSportsman said:


> I was happy with the menards plywood I used. The "marine" means the glue they use to hold the plys is waterproof. Nowadays all of it uses waterproof glue. I ran 1/4 on the sides and 1/2 on the bottom. And we did two layers of fiberglass over the entire exterior. Then added graphite to epoxy and put a layer on the bottom and on the plywood seams. I chose to keep things inexpensive and build a boat for fishing not one for show. 600 to 800 for a painted/glassed hull. 350 for a set of Sawyer oars. Trailer, anchor system, interior. The price adds up quick


Marine also means no voids in the plys. This guy over here also uses the graphite and likes it, and also recommends using it for the bottom. He doesnt even glass his boats, graphites the bottom. Reminds me I`m calling Menards right now :idea: Post up some pics Ski for inspiration!! I just want a fishin boat myself. Thanks Ski for the stem and transom angles.

Stopped by the wood shed today and got a chunk of wood for my stem. Had to go with ash, thats all they had in a small length, and they just gave it to me...

Mernards here in Traverse has 1/2" fir marine A/B for around $50 a sheet in stock, can order in the 1/4", takes about a week and around $40 a sheet. Cool


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## brushbuster

I put graphite on the bottom of my river boat and it has held up quite nicely. 

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## STONE FLY

Went and picked up a litttle bit of West System stuff just to get me going. Ouch,,,,this is what $250 gets ya. And its just a start. This stuff will allow me to glue my frames together and put a coat of clear epoxy over the entire frames. It will also probably put a clear coat on the plywood once I get to that point.

The guy at the place was doggin Menards marine plywood saying its "marine like" plywood. I`m still on the fence as I think it will be just fine, and the price is right.


----------



## the dashman

That hurts the pocket book a little. I looked online and researched Menards marine plywood and couldn't find what type of wood it was even made from. If you go with that option let me know if it is good enough to stain. Thanks


----------



## STONE FLY

the dashman said:


> That hurts the pocket book a little. I looked online and researched Menards marine plywood and couldn't find what type of wood it was even made from. If you go with that option let me know if it is good enough to stain. Thanks


The Menards ply is douglas fir. The old boat builder down the road said he would never stain a boat. I need to ask him again why as I dont remember his reason. It might be because you have to seal the wood with the epoxy first. Not sure how stain would take to the wood after that, or how the epoxy would take if you tried stain first. A clear varnish or paint takes to it good over the epoxy. He`s trout fishing this weekend so he wont be around to ask


----------



## jampg

STONE FLY said:


> The Menards ply is douglas fir. The old boat builder down the road said he would never stain a boat. I need to ask him again why as I dont remember his reason. It might be because you have to seal the wood with the epoxy first. Not sure how stain would take to the wood after that, or how the epoxy would take if you tried stain first. A clear varnish or paint takes to it good over the epoxy. He`s trout fishing this weekend so he wont be around to ask


Great project you have going here!
My brother and I restore Chris Craft wood boats but a drift is something I would like to build when I can make some time. Love to flyfish....

As far as staining, we work mostly with mahogany but the stain needs to go on first before the sealer. It wont soak into the wood if you seal it first.
We seal 24 hours later after the stain. Smith's Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer is what we use.
You can then lightly sand the sealer and varnish.


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## STONE FLY

Good to know. I restored 2 wood boats, using mahogany marine plywood and solid mahogany stained when I was young, but didnt have epoxy,just high build vanish. 

As far as a great project, not so sure yet, its a learning curve. One guy said my boat wont work. So far I`m not seeing any reason why it wont. It wont be a reproduction McKenzie, but if it floats down the river, rows ok, and I`m fishing then its a success. Time will tell I guess

OK, the old builder said staining all the parts inside the boat, once you sand them after staining he just ended up with a mess, and too much trouble for him. So it could be done, but I`ll just clear the inside and call it good


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## STONE FLY

Thought about gluing my frames with the 207 hardener but am going to wait and get some faster 205 hardener for that. Did get the angles straight for the transom, still need to work on the stem. still baby steps


----------



## slickdragger

STONE FLY said:


> Went and picked up a litttle bit of West System stuff just to get me going. Ouch,,,,this is what $250 gets ya. And its just a start. This stuff will allow me to glue my frames together and put a coat of clear epoxy over the entire frames. It will also probably put a clear coat on the plywood once I get to that point.
> 
> The guy at the place was doggin Menards marine plywood saying its "marine like" plywood. I`m still on the fence as I think it will be just fine, and the price is right.


I wouldnt go with anything from menatds personally im in carpentry by trade and from my expierence everything from menard seems to be factory defect that is why its cheap and quality sucks but thats just my 2 ¢`s


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## brushbuster

STONE FLY said:


> Thought about gluing my frames with the 207 hardener but am going to wait and get some faster 205 hardener for that. Did get the angles straight for the transom, still need to work on the stem. still baby steps


 I use that west systems on just about all my glueups in the shop. It's fantastic stuff, definately want to use the 205.


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## STONE FLY

brushbuster said:


> I use that west systems on just about all my glueups in the shop. It's fantastic stuff, definately want to use the 205.


Did just that. Got the 205 hardener, plastic and wood stir sticks, latex gloves, chip and foam brushes, and a free West Systems guide online from JamesTown Distributors,(another $100) and a package of plastic cups from walmart to mix in, and started gluing my frames using some 403 microfibers in the epoxy. Thats some really tough stuff, gotta think its stronger than the wood. I only had enough clamps to do 6 joints at a time. Did 3 frames yesterday and 3 tonight plus the transom frame with some bar clamps, and I`ll do the last 3 tomorrow. Next up is beveling all the frames and notching for the trapezoid shaped chine logs around the bottom.


----------



## swampbuck

West systems epoxy is amazing stuff, and the variety of additives and primers even better.


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## STONE FLY

Got all the frames glued up. Used a batten strip I cut to figure out all the bevel angles for the sides of frames and the bottom rocker shape and planed them all, so thats all done too. Hard way to go for sure, but it worked out nice. Still thinking about drilling and gluing dowels in my temp screw holes I put in the frames instead of just filling them and I`ll have to fill those grooves along my half laps. The fir I bought was sanded all 4 sides with broken edges, which was nice to work with. But I should have ripped them to get rid of the broken edges for tighter joints. Oh well...they will fill.

Started laying out my notches for the chine log around the bottom. Gonna pic up some rift sawn white oak in the next couple days so I can work on the chines this weekend. Also need to sand it all and get a coat of the 105/207 special clear epoxy mix on the frames and chines too. Really excited to get that done cause plywood will be next.


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## wintrrun

Look forward to seeing the progress, stonefly.


----------



## STONE FLY

wintrrun said:


> Look forward to seeing the progress, stonefly.


Ha, had big plans to get the chine logs done this weekend, and my temp screw holes plugged with dowels too, well....I picked up some dowel rods at HD but didnt even get a start on those yet.

I picked up a board of white oak for the chines, a pc of walnut and a pc of mahogany. On the transom I`m gonna laminate 4" walnut down the center/ 3/4" stripe of whit oak each side of that/ mahogany on the outsides, just to add a little character.

Last night though I did cut up the white oak into strips and spliced both sides to get the length I needed. I couldnt get the length I wanted on the chine scarf joints with my little table saw (wish I still had the big table saw, would make things go alot better) but I got a decent length cut on the miter box and glued them with some tightbond III and clamped them over night. Seems like it will hold up nice, so far anyway. 

Today I ripped the strips into trapazoids and started notching one side of the boat. Notching the stem and the transom are some tough angles to figure out. Getting that oak to bend is gonna be a real chore. Ended up just tying it off tonight in hopes it might start to hold some shape over a couple days.

Tomorrow I`ll get the other side notches cut and try to dowel my screw holes maybe. Thought I didnt have much angle on the back of the boat till I started trying to bend that oak, its still a pretty good curve I guess.


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## STONE FLY

One step forward, one back. Instead of trying to fit the chines, I pulled them off to drill out my screw holes and dowel them with Tightbond III, and to finish my notches on the other side frames. To lay out those notches I cut a small pc of chine to use as a gauge, layed it on the top at the angle of the bevel and marked it, layed it on the side and marked it, then used a preset bevel tool to mark all the side lines. I cut some with the hand saw, but most with a jigsaw. 

The stem and transom angles were tough, I layed them out and cut them with the hand saw. You can see on the stem, I notched the first layer of cherry to receive the chine, then the ash will over lay that and the plywood will run over the ash, then I`ll make a nose pc to cover the ply edges on the frt and for a bumper strip.


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## STONE FLY

Next up I`ll get the frames all sanded nice (a normal person would have just sunk some screws into the frames) and the 2 insides of the chines and get a coat of the 207 clear/105 epoxy on everything. Then I can go at getting the chine logs installed on the frames. Got the guy down the road to run my mahogany and walnut through his planer today, so I can get working at jointing all that together for the transom.


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## STONE FLY

Heres a step back, removed all the frames from the strongback to sand and coat with the special clear 207/105 epoxy. Its making the douglas fir look like a light oak color, I like it. Once I get past this I can start building again, and it will be ready for varnish and assembly.


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## the dashman

Looking good looking real good


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## STONE FLY

Thanks Dashman, got the rest of the frames coated tonight, tomorrow I`ll sand and coat the chine logs, hoping this weekend to start putting it back together again, and I`ll be back to where I was a week or so ago :/ 

The epoxy is a little hard to paint with. It was warm today and it didnt give me much time to work with it. I ended up, after wasting a little, mixing small amounts in plastic cups, enough for maybe 2 frames at best and applying it with some throw away foam on a stick brushes. 

What they say about that stuff getting hot as it cures is no joke. When it starts to set up it gets pipin hot, enough to melt the plastic cup and they say it can start fires if you throw it in the trash before it cures and cools down. 

Ive got some small drops and a couple small runs on the first couple from yesterday, but I`m sure it will sand. The stuff soaked into the wood kind of uneven too, but its sealed good.

Thats wax paper on the saw horses, keeps the epoxy from sticking to the wood. Seams to work good


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## FISHCATCHER1

I just have to say I've been creeping this thread hard and you guys are awesome! I can't wait to see it on the river in one of these pictures!


----------



## STONE FLY

FISHCATCHER1 said:


> I just have to say I've been creeping this thread hard and you guys are awesome! I can't wait to see it on the river in one of these pictures!


I hope so too!!!!
I decided to make it a long day today, got home from work and sanded all the frames and the chines, got a 2nd coat on all the frames and a coat on the chines. Tonight I used a chip brush and cut 1/2" off the end of the bristles, it worked out better than the foam brushes, as it pushed the epoxy better. 1 chip brush did all that where as I went through about 6 or more foam brushes just to do the frames.

Wow, the frames came out alot smoother this time around and super shiny. They also got a little deeper in color. The douglas fir looks like aged pine that was clear coated, the white oak chines in the background are super light in color. I might have to use more white oak inside to mix up the colors better. The wax paper works great to keep the epoxy from sticking.

I wanted to get this done so tomorrow I can 2nd coat the chines, and start putting it back together this weekend. I`m getting a little antzy to get this thing going, as Ive really been taking my time so far. Its turned out to be a pretty decent size project, course Ive done everything the long hard way. Theres much faster ways to make a boat :16suspect


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## STONE FLY

Cold and rainy today, big difference in the drying time of the epoxy. I sanded and gave the chine logs a 2nd coat today and they have stayed tacky all day. Mounted the frames back on the strongback, so now I`m back to where I was a couple weeks ago it seems. Picked up some stainless steel screws today. Still hoping to start mounting the chines tomorrow. Next couple nights in the 30`s? Really?


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## STONE FLY

Didnt get as far as was hoping, but got a good start installing the chines. The white oak is stout stuff, and tuff to bend at 2 angles, makes for a challenge. My splice joints in them I made with the Tightbond III held up just fine, but I located them between a couple frames toward the rear that are not under heavy stress. 

After drilling a few holes on a angle through the top down (as recommended in the Tatman plans), it was not going good at all. Switched to drilling though the outside at a angle, much better. I`ll epoxy those few holes. Some of my notches werent good enough so I had to trim a couple, and the transom and stem notches though really close, need a small touch up I didnt get to either. Once I get them all the way on and happy with it, I`ll remove them again and set them back in place with the epoxy for the last time. Then its on to plywood!!! The framing is starting to look like a boat shape at least


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## brushbuster

Lines are looking nice and fair stonefly, good job!


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## STONE FLY

brushbuster said:


> Lines are looking nice and fair stonefly, good job!


Thanks. Looking "fair" is some of the new boat building lingo Ive learned!! Almost flush cut the chines off at the transom tonight, but part way into the first cut, I stopped and decided to leave them long for leverage, as I have to pull them off and set them in epoxy yet.

I started cutting up the transom tonight. Ive got walnut/white oak strips/mahogany on the outsides. Layed some pc`s of scrap over it just to get a idea of the shape. I`ll joint these together and set it aside till I get the plywood on. Just needed something to play with for a little bit after work.


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## STONE FLY

Biscuit jointed the transom boards today and got them glued up. I decided to just use the Tightbond III, for more working time to get them all together and clamped up. They will get sealed in at least few coats of epoxy and varnish. Should work out ok


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## STONE FLY

Guess I wasnt thinking straight on the transom. I`m gonna have to install that transom to the frame first once I cut those chines off, then the plywood will end on the edge of the transom, then down the road the trim will go on the very back to cover the plywood edge. Glad I started getting that transom board together. I`ll have to fit it, bevel the angles, remove and epoxy it then re install it.


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## rwenglish1

I hope this lag in reports is because you are making progress with the boat. If not get busy and make a post with more photographs, I am starting to get withdrawals, the coffee doesn't help either. This is a cool and educational post. rw


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## STONE FLY

Sorry RW, this wont help much, will still need coffee !! Ive got a sister that lives in Mt Morris, my mom and dad were there during their last years too.

Been a tough week but I got a little bit done. The transom board project went pretty good, but I couldnt get it as flat as I wanted so I took it to the wood shed store and had them run it through the 36" belt sander just to clean it up a little and get it super flat (quick $20). 

I did get the back half of the chines on both sides removed and set back in place with epoxy and stainless screws, 5 frames + the transom frame, got the chines cut off at the rear and rough cut the transom board leaving it a little proud on the sides to be finish planed to match the bevel of the transom frame and epoxied it to the frame. 

Tomorrow I`ll remove the clamps and get that planed then I`ll give it a coat of epoxy inside and out. I also left the transom frame and board a little long (hanging down, which will be the top of the transom) and at some point when it gets turned over I`ll cut the height and shape so it flows with the plywood sides.

Still having a hard time trying to get the stem into position to finish setting the frt half of the chines. Need to cut the strongback back a little to clear the plywood and make a block to hold the stem in place tomorrow and press on getting ready for plywood.

Going to pick up a cpl sheets of plywood for the sides in the next week or so, but the guy down the road that has a jig for scarfing is taking off fishing for a week or so, ( I think he has a place on the Big Man) which btw, I havent been fishing at all  

A ton of boats along the shore in Grand Traverse Bay today chasing sm bass, lots of rain for the last week, heard the rivers are high and trout fishing slow up here right now.


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## Honyuk96

Been following this thread a bit too. Nice work Stonelfy !


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> This is a cool and educational post. rw


Thanks Honyuk96

As far as educational, what you should learn from all of this is not to try to build a boat the way I am  Buy some proven plans, follow them closely. At this point I still think my boat will work, but I`ll have to sweat a little to figure out how to make a couple things work. Like the inside of the top sheer rails from not beveling the insides of the frames, and leaving the transom frame square instead of tapered like the rest. All I can do is wait till I get to that point and bust out the thinking cap. 

But for just winging it, at best, I`m out to prove it can be done, still time will tell. And I set out to make a interesting post for the forum, so if nothing else, sounds like that worked. I havent been getting bashed, I expected some :16suspect

Today I planed the transom bevels, and packed a couple biscuit voids with some epoxy


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## STONE FLY

Made a angled bracket and clamped it in place, cut off the frt of the strongback, worked on the angles of the stem, making a couple changes in the angles and was able to remove the chine logs on the frt of the boat, 4 frames+the stem, and get them all re set in epoxy with stainless screws. I`ll have to wait for that to dry before I can cut off the chines and epoxy the frt half of the stem to the existing stem. I had to 2 pc it to get the thickness I needed using a pc of cherry I had and a pc of ash. Wont really see much of the cherry on the inside as the fly line deck will cover most of it up, but oh well. I think it will work. (need to clean up the garage)


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## Honyuk96

STONE FLY said:


> Biscuit jointed the transom boards today and got them glued up. I decided to just use the Tightbond III, for more working time to get them all together and clamped up. They will get sealed in at least few coats of epoxy and varnish. Should work out ok


Stonefly... You seem awfully handy woodworking so I may be preaching to the choir here. When doing glue ups, if you alternate clamps from top to bottom of your material, you will get the best, most uniform clamping pressure. You can often times eliminate the need to use cross boards to keep material flat and from cupping. You've done some really nice work here, just thought I'd mention that.


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## STONE FLY

Thank you. Its been a while since I got into a decent wood working project, last little thing was the rod racks. I used to do cabinets and counters, finish trimmed houses for a while too, but its been a long time now. Never messed with the epoxy before now, its pretty nice stuff. Not sure that I will joint any more parts for this but I`ll keep that in mind. I might try some inlay stuff on the inside if it turns out ok and doesnt go into the fire pit :tdo12:


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## Honyuk96

Your glue up is beautiful, I was only making a suggestion you may find useful. I built log homes and timber frames for quite a while. We did everything from frame to finish, right up until major back surgery. My carpentry days are now over. I've been following this thread from the start and it's been awesome ! I hope to see you out on the water sometime so I can check out your boat firsthand. If you were closer to me I'd ask to check out your project in progress. Keep at it, it's obvious you are very detail oriented. Your boat will be fabulous and it's something to be quite proud of. Best
Matt


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## STONE FLY

Matt, your suggestions are absolutely welcome !!

Got home today and had been thinking about that stem all day so I sanded up the 2 parts, got a coat of epoxy on the cherry, then mixed up another batch of thickened epoxy and got the 2 parts glued up. That stem was really holding things up. I sanded the chines a bit and couldnt resist getting a coat of the 105/207 special clear epoxy on that transom board and the chines I sanded, brought out some color, sure is pretty 

Still a little work to do on the stem, but its close now. I`ll sand all the frames as much as I can and get the thing ready for some plywood.

Started out planning on a 14` boat, but had to extend the angle of the stem a little more than planned, and not sure what else happened, so its now about a 15` boat. Little more room for storage I guess which wont be bad. I`m thinking I might not be able to use my Jon trailer for the DB.

Might just make a pattern of the sides with some heavy pattern paper I have, not sure if I`ll be able to get both sides from a 4`x16` sheet of plywood but I hope so. Also the guy down the road strongly suggests 3/8" ply for the sides and no glass, vs. 1/4" ply with glass. 3/8" wont bend as easy but it would be less expensive than glassing. Not sure what to do there. Either way just gonna paint the outside, clear the inside.


----------



## Honyuk96

Nice !! The transom board is beautiful.


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## STONE FLY

Thanks, with the 2nd coat of epoxy on it, it looks like glass. I might have got a little carried away with it. I should have been more selective on the stem wood instead of using scrap stuff cause when I cut it off on the top, the grains wont be too pretty. Might be able to cut it down and make a cap of sorts, but I dont know. Ive got a couple ideas to make the gunnels work out on the inside of the boat. Not looking for a work of art here, just a fishin boat with a little character. 

I cant seem to find time during work to get to the plywood place. Might have to feel sick one morning and go in late to work..cough cough 

Gonna be a little time lapse here. Need to order some fastners, maybe some fairing compound, graphite for the bottom and try to get some plywood and work on the scarfing. I know theres alot of stuff I havent thought about yet.

Late at night when I walk into the garage I can almost here water slurping past the boat and fish splashing along the shore wanting me to cast a fly. Oh ya...:chillin:


----------



## STONE FLY

Picked up a new sander today, one of the little triangle sander/cutter tools that have become popular. Ive never had a good enough reason to get one as I own a bunch of types of sanders, but this one will allow me to get into the corners of the frame/chine and other areas to aid in sanding the epoxy in preparation of varnish. Ive not tried it yet but the cutter blade is supppose to be handy too, maybe for trimming the plywood

Gonna try to make that paper pattern of the side of the boat tomorrow. Then I can lay it out and see if I can get those 2 sides from one 4`x16` of plywood. Ive decided to use 1/4" ply for the sides and I`m gonna try my hand at glassing it.

I need to make a scarfing jig. Ive got one idea, anyone out there have a idea that has worked good?


----------



## STONE FLY

So I tried to make a pattern of the side, even though the pattern paper was real heavy, it did good around the bottom chine rail(top of the boat in the pic) but gave me a hard time between the frames. I still got a pretty good idea of the size and shape so if I was to cut it a inch bigger all the way around I should be good.

However, looking at it, I dont think I can get 2 sides out of 4`x16` ply, maybe, not sure. If I cant, its just another $100 for 2 more sheets of 1/4".

Had a chance today to stop in to Rare Earth Hardwoods to see what I could get for marine plywood. Not a happy scene at all. They have 1/4" (6mm) in Okume I could use for the sides, but no 1/2" for the bottom. They do have 3/8" and have had it around for a long time because it cost more than the mahogany so people didnt buy it, and they are not going to re order any more of it. Not sure how the color would look with clear on it either.

The mahogany would go great with my transom. They are out of 1/4" and 1/2" mahogany and looking at maybe 5+weeks out to get more (i was hoping to be almost done in 5+weeks)

So I`ll have to ask the wood boat people if I might get away with a 3/8" bottom and heavier glass, or if I`ll have to figure something else out


----------



## twowack

Always makes me smile to look at this thread,Well done Stone!
Any thoughts on what river gets the maiden voyage.


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## rwenglish1

I think you ought to offer a raffle for a person who gets to go with you on the first float, I would sell tickets, or you could just have an auction. This would help cover some of your cost and someone with the bug to build one would be ruined after the float ride. It would prompt them to start their journey to building one.
*My Grandpa use to say:" If work is slow go fishing, that way your not wearing out your equipment or your body when money is slow, but you will still have both in good condition."*




STONE FLY said:


> So I tried to make a pattern of the side, even though the pattern paper was real heavy, it did good around the bottom chine rail(top of the boat in the pic) but gave me a hard time between the frames. I still got a pretty good idea of the size and shape so if I was to cut it a inch bigger all the way around I should be good.
> 
> However, looking at it, I dont think I can get 2 sides out of 4`x16` ply, maybe, not sure. If I cant, its just another $100 for 2 more sheets of 1/4".
> 
> Had a chance today to stop in to Rare Earth Hardwoods to see what I could get for marine plywood. Not a happy scene at all. They have 1/4" (6mm) in Okume I could use for the sides, but no 1/2" for the bottom. They do have 3/8" and have had it around for a long time because it cost more than the mahogany so people didnt buy it, and they are not going to re order any more of it. Not sure how the color would look with clear on it either.
> 
> The mahogany would go great with my transom. They are out of 1/4" and 1/2" mahogany and looking at maybe 5+weeks out to get more (i was hoping to be almost done in 5+weeks)
> 
> So I`ll have to ask the wood boat people if I might get away with a 3/8" bottom and heavier glass, or if I`ll have to figure something else out


----------



## STONE FLY

twowack said:


> Always makes me smile to look at this thread,Well done Stone!
> Any thoughts on what river gets the maiden voyage.


Wow, will ya look at the new site !!! It took a minute to figure out how to multi quote the message, but even this old guy got it  Thank you- Keep smiling, thats a great thing and glad I could help. Honestly I have not thought about it yet. Today though my job took me right by the Gates Lodge in Grayling right on ther Holy Water...It was kinda raining but that place was hoppin. Stopped into the fly shop and got a nice map worthy of framing for the fihsing room.


rwenglish1 said:


> I think you ought to offer a raffle for a person who gets to go with you on the first float, I would sell tickets, or you could just have an auction. This would help cover some of your cost and someone with the bug to build one would be ruined after the float ride. It would prompt them to start their journey to building one.


Haha...not a bad idea but really, I`ll be beggin to get anyone to float with me. I dont have anyone around here that would want to go. Not sure when the day will come, still a ways away. Everytime I think I`m getting closer I figure out how much is really left. 

So progress has been slow, I wasted a cpl weeks doing other stuff, but....I got my order of stainless screws, bolts, nuts washers and enough fiberglass to do the insides of the plywood before I attach it to the framing, and I went ahead and picked up the Okume 1/4" and 3/8" marine plywood. Its pretty good looking stuff. They had no idea when they would get the cheaper mahogany ply in, and they arent gonna order any more Okume cause the stuff is about $100 a sheet so no one bought it; however they gave me the mahogany price so I took the bait, so to speak. 

My B-in law dropped off 2- 1"x1"x5` pcs of alum pipe for my scarfing jig so I need to get to work on that. I`ll post up a pic of it once I get it made. Got a pretty simple plan from a guy, looks like it should work good. Once I get past the scarf, get a layer of glass on the insides, get it screwed to the frames, its gonna start turning into a boat finally. That 3/8" bottom with some heavier glass and graphite in the epoxy will be just fine for Michigan rivers. No idea what the ply will look like clear coated, but It really doesnt matter to me, it should be cool regardless. I sure hope I can get it done by fall steelhead. Wow, now we can put full images into the posts from the pc


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## STONE FLY

Started making a scarfing jig tonight. I cut the blocks out of some cherry, but a regular 2x4 would work just fine too. I notched it out for the 1x1 tubes and made 2 cutouts so it can be used for a 10:1 or 12:1 angle. I got this jig idea from one of the wooden boat people. Still need to get a pc of wood for the router base, and to cut a couple blocks to fit over the upper tube to clamp it down.


----------



## STONE FLY

Welp, got the scarf jig done. Havent figured out how to set up the plywood yet to use it but I`m gonna try it for the first time this weekend and see how it goes. (I hope it works!!) The wood blocks are stop blocks that will keep the router bit from hitting the tubing. I barely made this thing wide enough to cover the 4 ft ply, but I think I`m good for 1 in. past on each side max.


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## brushbuster

Nice looking jig. Whats the height difference between top of the tube in of space #1 and the top of the tube space # 13? The thicknes of the ply?


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## STONE FLY

[/ATTACH] brushbuster said: ↑
Nice looking jig. Whats the height difference between top of the tube in of space #1 and the top of the tube space # 13? The thicknes of the ply?


No, its exactly 1" from where the router base rides on the frt of tube one to where it rides on the frt of tube 13, and exactly 12 inches in length there giving it a 12:1 ratio. I also notched it for a 10:1, but any of the squares could be cut out for other angles too.

Now, in theory, this is a really neat set up, and would produce perfect angles. The table has to be 5` across for the jig and 4` plywood to fit into. And I do think it could work, however, 1/4" ply (6mm) is so thin, and a 12:1 ratio is so steep, for it to work you would need a super solid, perfect flat table. Also I used a really flat pc of mica board for the router base, I`m gonna get a pc of solid wood and make a new base as the router is heavy and it might have flexed. I squared the jig and plywood, made shims to compensate for any waves in the set up and to hold the plywood down, supported the plywood underneath really good all the way across with straight solid 2" cherry, secured everything really good, and my scarfs were coming out so bad I just stopped where I was at.

The bottom pc of ply can be saved and fixed, and really was coming out fairly well, the top layer of ply however got really messed up to where I will have to square the edge again and just start over with it. I should have just tried 1 pc at a time instead of going for 2 layers of ply at once.

I think this would work good for scarfing the 1x sheers and rails and other parts, and I`m gonna try it again with the 3/8 bottom plywood too. But my new idea is to lay a steel straightedge at the frt end of the plywood, mark a line 3" back from the edge, and use a sanding block I made out of 3"x3/4" pc of wood with a 3"x21" belt sander belt stretched tight over the block and just do it by hand. I`ll let you know how that works out.

Theres bunches of other methods, different planes from hand to power, belt sanders, saw set ups, but I think once I get this first scarf done I`m gonna think "why did I go through all that",lol....Learning curve I guess














[/ATTACH]


----------



## brushbuster

I would think you could plane a scarf joint on quarter in. ply rather quickly with a sharp jack or box plane. Probably just a couple inches back from the edge. And then just true it up with a 80 grit sanding board.


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## STONE FLY

Ya, all the methods sound good. Rather than digging out my old planes and having to work on those, I chose to just go at it with the belt sander, then hit it with the sanding block.








You can see how messed up that top sheet was. (epic fail) I had to square the sheet, cut off the edge, then start over. You can see when I was getting toward the other side how far off it is, then after I got to the end with the belt sander. I`ll have to clear out the garage to make room for the 16 ft x 4ft and then I`ll see how it dry fits.I think I over sanded a couple spots but the epoxy with micro fibers will fill it in nice. If its close I`ll get some epoxy on it.


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## STONE FLY

Well, the good and the bad. First the "good". After dry fitting my scarf joint together, its better than I ever thought possible, better than alot of pics I have seen of others. I can hold it down and its just a nice fine line, but I couldnt hold it down and get a pic, but still you can get a idea.








Now for the "bad". I laid my not too accurate paper pattern on it, and I can only get 1 side out of it. Another guy I saw building a similar boat scarfed 3ft pc`s together for each side. So I`m thinking about cutting the sheets before I epoxy them together and I`ll have a couple 8ft scraps instead of a 16ft strip that I cant store. Then I`ll glue up the scarfs, and I`ll just have to get 2 more sheets of 1/4" for the other side.








Then I`m almost thinking I`ll just cut it oversize a little of the pattern, then I`ll have to trim it after its attached to the frame. Which leads to a couple issues. If I glass the inside of the ply before I attach it to the frames, I`m wondering how hard it will be to trim? I think that triangle dremel I got with a cutting blade should work great, but Ive never tried it yet. 

Also the bottom, transom and the stem should be not too bad to deal with, but for the top edge, I might have to make up the top rails and tack them in place on the outsides along the top edge, and then trim the plywood and frame tops if needed. I sure wish I had someone to help with advise. The boat guy down the road is never around and its not looking like I can get him to stop by. Arrghhh :/


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## Steve

Definitely one of my favorite recent threads.


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## STONE FLY

Steve said:


> Definitely one of my favorite recent threads.


Thanks Steve. I know its a little off "fish" topic, but I hope it might help others with building a fly fishing boat by showing my downfalls, ideas, and things that (might) work  Still trying to learn how to use the new site. Thanks so much for all your time and work with the site, and setting this up, its awesome


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## Steve

STONE FLY said:


> Thanks Steve. I know its a little off "fish" topic, but I hope it might help others with building a fly fishing boat by showing my downfalls, ideas, and things that (might) work  Still trying to learn how to use the new site. Thanks so much for all your time and work with the site, and setting this up, its awesome


It is not off topic at all.


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## brushbuster

STONE FLY said:


> Well, the good and the bad. First the "good". After dry fitting my scarf joint together, its better than I ever thought possible, better than alot of pics I have seen of others. I can hold it down and its just a nice fine line, but I couldnt hold it down and get a pic, but still you can get a idea.
> View attachment 185531
> 
> Now for the "bad". I laid my not too accurate paper pattern on it, and I can only get 1 side out of it. Another guy I saw building a similar boat scarfed 3ft pc`s together for each side. So I`m thinking about cutting the sheets before I epoxy them together and I`ll have a couple 8ft scraps instead of a 16ft strip that I cant store. Then I`ll glue up the scarfs, and I`ll just have to get 2 more sheets of 1/4" for the other side.
> View attachment 185532
> 
> Then I`m almost thinking I`ll just cut it oversize a little of the pattern, then I`ll have to trim it after its attached to the frame. Which leads to a couple issues. If I glass the inside of the ply before I attach it to the frames, I`m wondering how hard it will be to trim? I think that triangle dremel I got with a cutting blade should work great, but Ive never tried it yet.
> 
> Also the bottom, transom and the stem should be not too bad to deal with, but for the top edge, I might have to make up the top rails and tack them in place on the outsides along the top edge, and then trim the plywood and frame tops if needed. I sure wish I had someone to help with advise. The boat guy down the road is never around and its not looking like I can get him to stop by. Arrghhh :/


 It will be no problem to trim. I have planed glassed wood, cut it with a router, jig saw table saw and sanded it to fit.


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## STONE FLY

Good to know about the glassed wood, thanks.

New plan for the plywood. After thinking this out for a bit, and looking at some other boat plans. I decided to just cut the ply in half, but not before making a pattern of half the plywood and checking it out. It works out pretty good except for the frt is longer than my stem, and the frt frames are a bit too long and making them shorter will be good. They were a best guess when I made them to begin with. The back 2 frames hit real good making the transom around 19" tall. Tomorrow I`m gonna get a hand to re adjust the pattern, raising it up just a little more on the frt and maybe moving it forward some more, that will shorten the height on the stem by a inch and shouldnt effect the frt frames too much more. I`ll cut the frames down a little, re taper them on the inside if needed after its flipped over and end up with a nice straight edge for the gunnels. Then I can cut the angles on the pattern for the stem and transom and transfer that onto the plywood and get them ready for glass.

This way there will be no waste on the plywood, although I wont have any strips to make my bumper rails on the bottom outside. Still if I have to buy 1 more sheet of 1/4", better than 2 more sheets. I already have enough 6 oz. glass for the insides of the sides and bottom. Once i get going on the glass I`ll get to learn how far the epoxy will go, I`m sure another gal. will be in order. 

So this weekend I`m gonna get the scarf joint glued up on the 1/4", cut the plywood for the sides, and maybe get the 3/8" bottom sheets scarfed and glued (epoxied). The extra 3-4ft of 3/8" will give me wood for the frt fly line deck. Might have to wait for the next weekend to be able to have a good long day for multiple coats of epoxy over the glass. Also need to sand all the frames (they have 2 coats of epoxy) so I wont have to sand them after the plywood, and they will be ready for varnish on the inside once I flip it over. No shortage of things to do. I`m starting to get a little anxious to get this project rolling again.

Now that I`m feeling better about the plywood, I`ll need to order some more glass for the outsides, and some graphite to add to the epoxy for the bottom, and probably another gal. of epoxy and hardener. Actually looking forward to getting some more white oak for the outside trim. Sure is alot to plan out for this project. No matter how much you try to think ahead, more and more stuff comes up.


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## Honyuk96

STONE FLY said:


> Good to know about the glassed wood, thanks.
> 
> New plan for the plywood. After thinking this out for a bit, and looking at some other boat plans. I decided to just cut the ply in half, but not before making a pattern of half the plywood and checking it out. It works out pretty good except for the frt is longer than my stem, and the frt frames are a bit too long and making them shorter will be good. They were a best guess when I made them to begin with. The back 2 frames hit real good making the transom around 19" tall. Tomorrow I`m gonna get a hand to re adjust the pattern, raising it up just a little more on the frt and maybe moving it forward some more, that will shorten the height on the stem by a inch and shouldnt effect the frt frames too much more. I`ll cut the frames down a little, re taper them on the inside if needed after its flipped over and end up with a nice straight edge for the gunnels. Then I can cut the angles on the pattern for the stem and transom and transfer that onto the plywood and get them ready for glass.
> 
> This way there will be no waste on the plywood, although I wont have any strips to make my bumper rails on the bottom outside. Still if I have to buy 1 more sheet of 1/4", better than 2 more sheets. I already have enough 6 oz. glass for the insides of the sides and bottom. Once i get going on the glass I`ll get to learn how far the epoxy will go, I`m sure another gal. will be in order.
> 
> So this weekend I`m gonna get the scarf joint glued up on the 1/4", cut the plywood for the sides, and maybe get the 3/8" bottom sheets scarfed and glued (epoxied). The extra 3-4ft of 3/8" will give me wood for the frt fly line deck. Might have to wait for the next weekend to be able to have a good long day for multiple coats of epoxy over the glass. Also need to sand all the frames (they have 2 coats of epoxy) so I wont have to sand them after the plywood, and they will be ready for varnish on the inside once I flip it over. No shortage of things to do. I`m starting to get a little anxious to get this project rolling again.
> 
> Now that I`m feeling better about the plywood, I`ll need to order some more glass for the outsides, and some graphite to add to the epoxy for the bottom, and probably another gal. of epoxy and hardener. Actually looking forward to getting some more white oak for the outside trim. Sure is alot to plan out for this project. No matter how much you try to think ahead, more and more stuff comes up.
> View attachment 185681
> View attachment 185682


Haven't been here in quite some time, a new format will do that to some. Cool stuff happening w your project. Will have to start checking this thread again.


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## STONE FLY

Welp, plans changed again, progress slowed but back on track now none the less. I wanted to let that scarf joint sit for a day or so, so it really slowed the progress from what I had planned on getting done. Someone talked me into not glassing the insides of the plywood and save alot of time and money, sounded good to me. So I got the 1/4" scarf epoxied. The finished joint did not come out nearly as nice as the dry fit, but its gonna work out ok. I clamped the ends and put some weight on the joint (after putting wax paper under and on top, I also ran some packing tape along the ends of the scarf to peel off some squeeze out to lessen some sanding but not sure it helped all that much.)








Then I cut the plywood in half and got a coat of epoxy on it. It came out super rough and nasty, but a sanding and another coat of epoxy came out pretty nice and I was able to work my scarf joint a little better with the epoxy coats.


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## STONE FLY

Sanded the epoxy coated frames on one side of the boat, and sanded one of the epoxy coated plywood sides and got the sheet clamped in place. I`m going to start screwing it to the frames and then I`ll get to the other side. Looking forward to getting past this point, then I can get on to the bottom. I`ll have to do a bunch of trimming along the chine rails and stem and transom, shouldnt be a problem. Another change I`m thinking about is leaving the outside natural instead of painting. This plywood looks really good with the epoxy on it and would blend with the transom nice, so I`m thinking about coating the outside sides with a couple coats of epoxy and then glassing it and then using varnish instead of paint. I`ll have to see how it come out. If it doesnt look that great, I can then prime and paint it. (also paint would be less maintenance than varnish, but it sure looks pretty)

Really happy with the beveled frames I did by just using a batten strip and a hand power planer, the plywood sits really nice up against the frames.


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## STONE FLY

Tonight I got to try out the new Dremel sander with a wood cutting blade in it. Wow, in this 1/4" plywood it cuts like buttter, and is easy to control. I liked the sander part but this cutting thing is great. I had to trim along the chine rail so I could get a good center on the frame member from the bottom of the boat to the top, to get a good center line for screws.
















I held that cut about 1/8"-3/16" away from the chine rail cause I didnt know how it would cut and I didnt want to get into the chine or cut a angle below the chine. Now that I got a clue how it cuts, I might go back and cut it closer then flush it with the belt sander that I already know how to use


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## STONE FLY

So I set up my tapered drill bit with the counter sink stop on it to sink the screw heads flush with the plywood and started sinking some screws. No turning back now. Nice to have 2 drills set up to work with. Ive had these 2-9.6v. for about 25 years, with zillions of hours, many batteries over the years. One came with a old style key chuck with I replaced with a keyless chuck. They still work great.
















That posted upside down, but thats ok. So I got a center line down the middle frame, It worked out good because it split the scarf joint on that frame, and I think that epoxy joint is stronger than the wood anyhow. Little tricky to get the head perfectly flush (I`m getting better now) but I think it will be fine. (gotta think its a fishing boat not a grandfather clock)








Heres something to think about, the center frames are pretty square, but forward and aft (boat talk) the frames are beveled for the plywood to sit flush, so I started going off center to catch more meat on the frame. As they get even more bevel, I`ll have to watch that they dont break through the frame by moving more off center, and the most beveled frames I might have to use shorter screws. This pic is exaggerated a bit but you get the point. Also always wear good work shoes when working with tools.


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## STONE FLY

I`ll also put some screws into the chine rail, but I`ll have to plan that out just right. The sides, the bottom and the chine strips that go on in the end will all have to have a spot on that chine rail. I`ll map it out so I know where all the screws are after its covered up and cant see them in the end. I can really sense the strength the side is getting with some screws. With epoxy and glass its gonna be really strong.








Its taking shape a little. The stem and the transom will get double rows of screws staggered 3" on center. My next post will have the entire side screwed off and the stem and transom trimmed. I`ll be starting on the other side soon.


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## twowack

Well it doesn't make me smile anymore,,I just weep with happiness.LOL!


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## Honyuk96

Cool stuff stonefly. Question: do the screws remain in the ply permanently ?


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## STONE FLY

Yep, those screws stay where they are. They get buried in epoxy and glass. I was gonna paint the outside (still might) thats why I bought stainless steel instead of brass or silicon bronze. I thought about changing them, but they shouldnt be all that noticeable anyway.


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## STONE FLY

twowack said:


> Well it doesn't make me smile anymore,,I just weep with happiness.LOL!


haha, I might be weeping in the end if this thing doesnt work out. I`m still thinking it will at this point.I`m already thinking I should have done a few things different. The bottom is 46 1/2" wide, I should have pushed it to just under 48". The top is about 60" wide, I should have went with a little more angle on the frames.


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## STONE FLY

So I mixed up some thickened epoxy, 105/205/micro fibers and glued the plywood to the stem and transom. I maybe should have tried to glue the frames to the sides, but there was no way it would have stayed on the frames trying to work that 16` noodle pc of plywood to get it positioned. That caulk would have been all over.

With the screws every 3" it should be pretty strong, and I can run a fillet of epoxy along each frame on the inside. That will help keep water out and strengthen some. I still havent figured out my screw pattern for the chine rails, but thought I would try to get the other side in position after sanding the frames down prior. Tomorrow I`ll dbl check the position of that other side and start screwing it on. Next up will be scarfing the bottom plywood.


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## STONE FLY

limige said:


> Now 5200 is an awesome product but im curious why you are using it instead of epoxy resin with a filler?


It would have been very hard to mix and spread the thickened epoxy onto the frames and the chine and get the bottom in place without making a huge mess that would have to be all sanded off. I had a couple choices besides the 5200. One is like a epoxy in a tube thats suppose to be pretty good (I forgot what its called) and then there is bedding compound in a tube(which is a little more like caulk), and I got some of that too for gluing on the chine caps(trim strip) around the outside bottom, its better in case that strip gets beat up it can actually be removed to replace it, but the 5200 is structural once it sets up. I`m sure there are more products out there too that would work great. Some boat builders I talked to really like the 5200 for securing the plywood so I thought I would just try it out.

Note: I`m not really saying anyone should use any of these methods or materials, or doing any of this like I did, this thread is only for fun and maybe a idea or two for the next guy 

OH YEAH!,,,,,there will be no mistake for sure, Ive got a little something up my sleeve I`m saving 

It worked out my 3" scarf joint spanned a frame on boh sides (I may have mentioned that prior, I`m getting old) Tonight I`m gonna rough cut off the frames just past the plywood on the sides and do some more sanding inside. 

I`m faced with a tough choice too, because I had to use 3/8" plywood for the bottom instead of 1/2", I need to attach a patch pc of plywood, maybe the 1/4"x4"x6"....either on the outside before I glass, or on the inside to support the drain plug(s). It would be easier on the inside, but that leaves standing water inside, not much but still....outside it will have a little bump, which wouldnt effect the operation of the boat at all....what to do?


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## STONE FLY

Didnt end up doing much tonight. I went and talked to the old boat builder down the road for a while. Hes 75, has built 28 boats, but only does stitch and glue now, no more frame boats for him. It was the guy I posted a while back with the red boats.

So I did trim the frames down a bit, but still left a little long just in case.....Before I turned this over I just wasnt seeing what I wanted to see, but now it does look like a drift boat. A little more point than I wanted on the frt, a little longer than I wanted too. Aside from that, it should be a good floater and should hold 3 people. Just looking at the frames tonight, I`m gonna build a seat bench on the very back, then 2 benches that will slide on pipes forward and back, the little fly line deck in the frt and floor boards throughout.


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## BassFisher91

I need to get back to building mine this fall/winter. With summer time all my spare time was spent fishing.


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## Honyuk96

Haven't visited here in a bit. Mike, your boat is looking great, something to be very proud of. I hope I get a chance to see this sucker on the water sometime. Awesome stuff buddy !
Matt


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## STONE FLY

Thanks guys, I hope you get to see me on the water too  That would be a good thing. So I unrolled the glass I got from Jamestown and it had some flaws in it that I wasnt too happy about








So I laid it on the boat to cut to length, it was a little chilly so I fired up the kerosene heater for a while and then decided to just put another coat of epoxy on the side just to make sure the color of the wood was nice after sanding before I did the glass








Only this time I used one of the west system roller covers (7") cut in half on a 3" roller frame and wow, this was the way to go. I will never brush epoxy on a big surface again. It went on so nice and smooth, thin layer, used way less epoxy and was very fast to roll that side. This is the way to go for sure
















Sure is pretty with that shiny coat of epoxy, hoping it will look like that after the glass and that I get a good transparent coating


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## STONE FLY

Got up this morning and fired the heater back up. Its suppose to be alot nicer outside today, so I`m thinking I might get the glass bedded on one side, and be able to roll another coat of epoxy later tonight. Ive been sweating this part of the project (just like making the stem, the scarfing and some other stuff) but now its just another notch on my belt so to speak. Got it warmed up to about 70 or so (should be warmer for the glass but oh well) and laid the glass back on the side again. This time I started mixing up 5 pumps of the epoxy and hardener, most Ive done to this point at one time, and poured it into the paint tray. Spreading it out in the tray makes it stay workable longer than using it out of the mixing cup. I started wetting it out in the middle of the boat. Also, those 5 pumps did not go very far rolling it on the glass. I lost count but I think I mixed about 5 more 5 pump cups to cover the one side.(I went to west marine yesterday and bought another gallon of 105 resin and a can of 207 special clear hardener, some more roller cover, paint tray liners, a roller handle and there went another $200)








Worked a little to the rear, then a little to the frt, then finished off the rear and then the frt. The flaws in the glass kinda went away once the resin went on and I worked the spots together a little. So far looking good








The wood finish is looking good through the glass, doesnt seam to be foggy at all, I guess some time will tell but so far I`m liking it.
















So a few more coats of epoxy and it should fill in the weave of the glass and be looking good (I`m hoping anyway) and then on to the other side, then the bottom. Heres what the weave looks like after wetting it in


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## wintrrun

My hats off to you Stone Fly.
The boat is looking great and I have enjoyed you sharing your journey with us.
Thanks for taking the time.


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## STONE FLY

wintrrun said:


> My hats off to you Stone Fly.
> The boat is looking great and I have enjoyed you sharing your journey with us.
> Thanks for taking the time.


Hey cool man, thanks for hanging around the thread. I get kinda excited now when I have something to add to the journey. And now being able to post decent pics in the posts is awesome (thank you Steve)

Since I last checked in, trimmed the glass around the edges after that bed coat set up some with a razor blade and I got another coat of epoxy on the glass yesterday, and another coat just now when I got home. Can still see the weave, but not as much. The surface looks crappy again, gonna need a good sanding at some point. A good sand and 1 last coat of epoxy should look pretty good.

Then its sanding and varnish after that. I think 2 more coats and I`ll stop and get the glass on the other side while the weather this week is decent during the days. I dont know if its just me, the lighting or the sun slippin in, but the side does look lighter in color. Not sure if its normal, but maybe I didnt get that transparent covering I was hoping for. Either way, it is what it is. Its gonna be sealed really well, and a little stronger.

Then it will be time for the bottom. That should be pretty cool adding the graphite to the last few coats of epoxy to make it black. (and stronger)

Decided I`m gonna add a couple small patches of plywood on the inside to support the drain holes. I`ll just swab the tiny bit of water that cant make it out the drain. I dont think I want the patches on the outside (bottom) of the boat making it not flat and open to getting banged up. Gonna order the 2 brass drain plugs tonight. I`ll mount one in the middle and one in the back.


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## limige

I've always used squeegees doing my glass work. It stretches it out but it makes for a thin layer and no bubbles.

Your boats looking very nice! I can't wait until I can do one myself


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## STONE FLY

limige said:


> I've always used squeegees doing my glass work. It stretches it out but it makes for a thin layer and no bubbles.
> 
> Your boats looking very nice! I can't wait until I can do one myself


Thanks. Rolling it on, worked great, there were some tiny surface bubbles from the roller like what the epoxy gets when you mix it, but as I went I used a foam brush on a stick to just tip it off, and that worked really well too. Gets a nice smooth coating, no bubbles. I didnt get any floating glass from too much epoxy. Heres a real good writeup on glassing a wood boat
http://www.laughingloon.com/epoxy.html


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## limige

Thanks for the link ill look for any tips i havent come across. 
I bought a nice roller but failed to clean it right away now it's gummed up with resin. I can't think of any way to remove the epoxy so I've just stuck with the plastic squeegee.


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## STONE FLY

limige said:


> Thanks for the link ill look for any tips i havent come across.
> I bought a nice roller but failed to clean it right away now it's gummed up with resin. I can't think of any way to remove the epoxy so I've just stuck with the plastic squeegee.


Thats a nice little read, not too long. ya, the rollers are a one time roll. Theres no way to clean them. Getting the 7" and cutting them in half doubles things at least. Thats the nice thing about the plastic, you can use it over and over. Those rollers are a little pricy too. That guy in that link is pretty fussy, but his projects sure do look nice. I dont have the luxury of the temps he uses but oh well. This weekend glass is going on the other side.


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## Lamarsh

A buddy of mine's uncle did a homemade Au Sable river boat. It came out awesome. He made it just by mimicking one he already owned, so no plans (sorry, kind of non-responsive to this thread). It would be awesome to hear of a way to get plans for an Au Sable boat. I've been fishing out of those boats since I was a kid, and they are just so awesome to fish from, and are also just beautiful to see.


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## STONE FLY

Lamarsh said:


> A buddy of mine's uncle did a homemade Au Sable river boat. It came out awesome. He made it just by mimicking one he already owned, so no plans (sorry, kind of non-responsive to this thread). It would be awesome to hear of a way to get plans for an Au Sable boat. I've been fishing out of those boats since I was a kid, and they are just so awesome to fish from, and are also just beautiful to see.


My guide buddy has one a guy in the area built for him. I`ll poke around some and see if there are any kind of plans to be had. Hes guiding a bird hunt in the UP this week but I`ll ask him next week. His is stitch and glue, I dont think it would be too hard to just look at one and make up your own plans though. Ive posted this boat before but it sure is pretty


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## STONE FLY

So I sanded that first side down after 4 or 5 coats of epoxy over the glass and it looks pretty good except for a handful of screws in the side that still have a slight divot from sinking them. May or may not try to fill them in a little more. Top pic shows the screws covered nice, bottom pic, bottom screw shows shiny spot around screw.

















Today was my chance to get the glass on the other side so I turned the boat over and got the glass on it. The pc of fabric I had left was about 4 or 5 inches short so I had to just pc in a cutoff scrap. I think it will work out ok in the end. It set up really nice in half a day, so was able to trim it off and tonight I got another coat of epoxy over the glass. I used a chip brush, plastic spreader and a foam brush to spread it. Went on ok, but I think I`m going back to the roller tomorrow for another coat. Its alot faster and covers good, not to thin, not to thick. Ive only got 1 left so I`ll need a few more. I put 6 oz fabric on the sides, I`m going to put 12 oz on the bottom.


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## Steve

She's a real beut.


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## STONE FLY

Steve said:


> She's a real beut.


Thanks Steve, man its still got so far to go. Sometimes I think I`m gaining on it, then I think about all thats left. The bottom will go good now that I know what I`m doing with the glass, then alot of trim work will start, and a boat load (no pun intended) of varnishing. Part of whats held things back is the financial part. At some point I`ll have to tally things up and see what Ive got into it so far.

Ordered the fabric for the bottom and the 2 drain plugs last night. Should get here as I`m getting this side buttoned up and I`ll get right on it. Once the bottom has glass on it, then its back to the top side to start doing trim. I`ll have to get the nose pc for the frt on, and the transom trim so I can run the chine caps around the bottom, then I can flip it back over again and finish the bottom with some coats of epoxy with the graphite in it. Then I`ll get it right side up again and work on the gunnels, it should look pretty cool after those are on. Once those are on I can finally cut the transom to size then its just fly line deck, seats, floors, oar locks, knee braces, storage spots, misc. trim, hardware, ect. ect. (all the wood trim will need a couple coats of epoxy and sanding, then varnish too)

Got a couple coats of epoxy on the 2nd side glass today, that patch spot line in the back is starting to fade away a little. A light sand on that spot and a couple more coats of epoxy and it should be gone. I was checking out the epifanes last night, they make a matte finish that can go on over 4 or 5 coats of gloss epifane. Kinda thinking about doing the outside in a matte finish.


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## STONE FLY

That side came out pretty good. Got it sanded down nice and flipped the boat back over again (seems just like it was last month) this time to get the glass on the bottom.


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## STONE FLY

So I got 12 oz biaxial glass for the bottom. Gotta say this stuff is tough big time and thick. The 12 oz is on the top, the bottom is the 6 oz I used on the sides.
It took alot more resin and time to wet this stuff in than the sides took. Its not near as clear either but that doesnt matter. And of course the bottom is 12`7" and they cut it at 3 yards (12`) exactly so I had to add a scrap pc to the bottom too. It came out ok.


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## STONE FLY

Once it set up some I trimmed off the excess fabric with a razor blade. Little harder to trim this thick stuff too. Its really got a rough texture but I`m sure its gonna be good for the bottom. A few coats of epoxy and I`ll flip the boat back over and start on the trim wood. After that I`ll go upside down again and do the last couple coats of epoxy with graphite in it. Huge milestone again having the outside glassed.


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## brushbuster

I havent checked this thread in awhile, Looks like a boat now man! Great job!


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## STONE FLY

I put 4 or 5 coats of epoxy on that rough 12 oz glass on the bottom, and it was still as rough as Lk. St. Clair on a windy day. That used up alot of epoxy ($$$) so I put a sanding on it to smooth it out a little bit and flipped the boat back over to start on the trim. Cut the top of the stem down, and ready to make a nose pc.

Ive got a array of woods going on, that will be different colors but hope it will look ok. This stem is cherry inside the boat, then ash towards the frt for strength. So the sides will be a dark shade inside and out. The fir frames are on the light side. I`m gonna use white oak for the trim around the top, bottom and on the transom( light color). Probly white oak for the seat benches. Maybe fir for the floor boards, and theres walnut, white oak and mahogany on the transom. 








Decided that since I had the walnut stripe on the transom, might be cool to have a little walnut strip for a nose just for a little character. But I needed white oak on the nose so I can run the white oak double sheer rail trim ( around the top edge) and the white oak chine caps (strips around the bottom of the boat where the sides hit the bottom), to tie in nice at the frt so I glued up a couple strips of white oak with a walnut strip in the center. Figured if it didnt work out good I would try something else.








Got home today and worked that strip to clean it up, then cut the angles on the sides and sanded it. Fits really good. That white oak was so sharp it cut my finger and ended up with some blood into the job.
















I`ll get a few coats of epoxy on it and the colors will come alive. Then I`ll glue it to the stem with thickened epoxy and get some screws in it. I needed enough flat on the frt for a eye loop, and I think this will work out. Doesnt look like much all sanded, but it will all come alive with some varnish on it.


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## STONE FLY

Hit the nose with a couple coats of epoxy, sanded and mounted on the boat with thickened epoxy and screws. I`ll be able to trim it and sand it tomorrow.
















Got a bunch of white oak ripped on the little table saw, cut 4 pc`s to make the top outer sheer rails, 4 pc`s to make the bottom chine caps, and a couple pc`s for transom and other trim or braces.



















Cut some cherry for the frt inner sheer rails. Still have to rip a angle, but wow, now I`m into a bunch of compound angles for the frt., transom trim and sheer rails and chine caps.


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## STONE FLY

Heres the cherry blocks I started on, they will get a angle cut yet and a notch cut out for the inner rail. That sheer rail will have to get spliced with a scarf joint to get long enough pc`s to run the length of the boat, then the frt will get a compound cut and rounded off at the frt, then the same at the rear of the boat. Its gonna start looking pretty cool with some trim on it.
















Started cutting the trim for the transom. The bottom pc is compound angles, Ive got the side pc`s cut too but not shown. Still thinking about glassing the transom before doing the trim. Its the only side not glassed, might help seal the plywood edge from the sides metting the transom.


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## STONE FLY

I cut that stem off with my circular saw holding it against the sides of the boat and it came out decent. So the little tiny nose strip should be no problem doing it the same way...nope...cut one side, great, went to cut the other side and I felt the saw dig in wrong. By that time it was too late. So I played around trying to cut a scrap pc to epoxy on so I could re-cut it, worked out ok, but the walnut lines dont line up on one side. Its such a small thing no one would notice as I float down a river, but things happen. I thought I took a pic but I guess I didnt. You can see the walnut line in one of these pics though. I`m sure other things will fail before its all done.

Ive been playing just a little dry fitting some trim just to see how it will look before I get too carried away. The inner and outer top rails will get routered on the corner with a round over bit, the frt edges will get lightly rounded along with the tip of the nose. The cheery blocks will get notched out and the inner rails will bolt into them, with the edges rounded to match the rail. The lower chine cap will get slightly rounded off on the corners too.








Once all those pc`s are epoxied together I`ll sand it all to even it all out.


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## STONE FLY

In betwwen blowing leaves and working on the snow blower, I did manage to get the white oak tops and chine cap moldings routered with a round over bit, the transom trim cut and all of them sealed on the backs with epoxy and the transom rough cut to shape. I got the transom trim and one top outside rail attached with thickened epoxy. Next I`ll get the chine cap on that side, then go to the other side. The inner top rails will take a bunch of work, making up the custom blocks for frt and rear and doubling up the frame tops and notched for the rails.
















I didnt really have enough clamps so as I went (frt to rear) I added some 3/4" stainless screws through the inside into the rails. It really helped to squeeze that thickened epoxy nice. Ran the belt sander along the edge to clean it up a little.


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## STONE FLY




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## michiganmaniac

Beautiful boat! I really like the transom on your boat. I just used plywood for mine and it doesnt look nearly as nice. I wonder how many people have wooden drift boats? I know out west they have wooden boat get togethers and things of that nature, that would be cool to do here in mi.


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## SkiTownSportsman

here's mine


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## STONE FLY

michiganmaniac said:


> Beautiful boat! I really like the transom on your boat. I just used plywood for mine and it doesnt look nearly as nice. I wonder how many people have wooden drift boats? I know out west they have wooden boat get togethers and things of that nature, that would be cool to do here in mi.


Thanks, I got a little carried away with the transom. I used that mahogany on the outside of it cause I was going to use mahogany for the plywood but then couldnt get it. Hoping it will still look ok when it gets finished.

That would be pretty cool doing a get together. I`d like to get something like that together next year. I know theres a bunch of people with drift boats. In 2001 when this site started, we used to do get together outings and take over a campground for a weekend and go fishing, and have big camp dinners at night, a little party action and stories, it was great.
The cool thing about out west is they have some really big rivers that can handle a bunch of boats. I think they get into crashing the white water and busting up boats more than anything and a little fishing.



SkiTownSportsman said:


> View attachment 195048
> here's mine


Very nice boat. It looks really good how you did the brightwork, and that inside looks like it would have been tough in between the frames. Do you have a pic of the inside so I can see what you did for seats? I`m still up in the air what I want to do, but I`m leaning toward some cushy folding boat seats for comfort. You did put alot of rocker in that boat, I know you added a little for looks and would be good for going out west with. I went the other way and made less rocker for the rivers here, but still enough it should work well in the current (time will tell). I did put more than needed into this boat with the wood, glass, alot of epoxy but I`m past that now so it is what it is.

I got the other outside rail fixed to the boat yesterday, cut off the extra lengths and cleaned it up a little tonight with the belt sander. I rough cut the transom down but I cant go any further till I get the inside rails done, then I can finish it off and get it all sanded for final finish.I need to get the chine caps on next, and the inner top rails which will be involved as I want to add some character. (prior pics) The white oak should really stand out with the sides being dark wood, and the transom.


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## SkiTownSportsman

I actually purchased this boat off craigslist, I am building another one, which all it needs is to be glassed. Plan on finishing it over the winter. Got a great deal on this boat so I guess I will have two!


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## SkiTownSportsman




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## STONE FLY

haa, I thought that was the boat you had started on in the beginning of this thread. Nice having a real drift boat trailer. I might try buiIding one. So I started on mine around last April. I havent gone crazy trying to get it done but still worked on a somewhat steady pace, but there was alot of research and planning time involved, and getting materials together. If I didnt have to work a job and take car of living stuff, I guess I could have had it done. I figure about a year, so I`m on track and maybe a little less.


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## STONE FLY

Tonight I wanted to get a start on the chine caps. To not have to worry about hitting side and floor screws with the chine cap screws, I ran some tape on the side and marked where the side screws are with a line, and the bottom screws with a B using the line in the B as the mark. This worked out really good. Glad I didnt have graphite on the bottom yet so I could see the screws through the glass. You can see how I used less screws on the bottom since I used the 5200 on the bottom of the frames and chine logs.

I set this chine cap in place with the screws, and I`ll do the other side next, then remove them and put the bedding compound on them and screw them back on. This should make it easier and less chance of a mess with the caulk. I used a jack stand to hold the 16` strip for me while I bent the strip with one hand and drilled and set a srew with the other hand. Theres a couple angles going on here with the curve of the bottom and the angle of the side, but a little elbow grease and it bent and each screw held it in place as I moved along.


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## STONE FLY

Tonight I got the other chine cap in place (around the bottom). This is a good feeling and is kinda fun stuff. The traditional boats for crashing white water through bolders needed a 3/4"x 1 1/2" chine cap, and often a metal strip over that to hold up against the rocks, and 3/4" for transom trim. I cut mine about 1/2" thick x 1 1/4" which will be just fine for here in Mich. I used that same size for the transom trim.
















This weekend I`ll remove them, do just a little sanding, add some bedding compound (Sikaflex) and re install them for good. The reason for using that instead of epoxy is for in case they ever need to be removed and repaired or replaced. The chine caps are there to take the beating and protect the boat. Once they are glued back on, I`ll trim the ends off. After that I can also flip it back over and add more epoxy with graphite for the final finish to the bottom. If I can I`ll pick up some more white oak to make the inside top rails tomorrow. I`m second thinking the cherry blocks on the frt for the rails, and might just run the rails to the frt stem. I`m finally feeling like I`m past half way with the build.


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## STONE FLY

Didnt get much done this weekend, had to rebuild the carb and install a friction wheel on my 1970`s ariens snow thrower, and blow leaves.
I got a nasty rough pc of rift sawn white oak (thats a special cut board where the grain runs the length of the board, best chance of being able to bend that cut) last fri to make my 4 pcs for the inside rails this weekend, but it turned out I could only get 3 out of the 4 pcs I needed. I`ll have to srarf 2 pcs together for each side.








Using this rough cut wood is tuff without a shaper and planer. I have to cut it on my little table saw and then belt sand it to get nice parts. First I draw a straight line on one edge then cut it freehand on the table saw to get a somewhat straight edge. Then I run that along the fence (cutting strip a little over size) then I put the nice cut edge along the fence to size it. After that first cut I can rip strips that come out ok. The rough cut wood comes about a inch thick too so then I have to rip it to 3/4" cutting both sides to get it clean.









I did remove the chine caps and re installed them with the bedding compound. That stuff was like super tough black rubbery adhesive that was really hard to squeeze out of the caulk gun. My hand still hurts from runing those couple beads. Stuff is super messy too like the 5200. I tried to go easy with it to not have squeeze out, but I still got a little near ther screws. I tried to clean up one spot but it just smears and wont clean. I`m hoping now that its hardening up I can scrape or sand it off so the varnish will stick. That stuff dried over night and I cut those tail ends off at the transom.


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## STONE FLY

Got some more white oak, and finished cutting all 4 of the strips of white oak at the same time for the inside top rails. I`ll try to get them scarfed together tomorrow. I also cut some cherry blocks with compound angles for the rear of the boat for those rail strips, and I`ll notch them like the frt. That should work out nice other than trying to cut the lengths just right to fit into them. Or I might wait till I get the rail in place and then cut the notch in the back blocks and try to get lucky with the fit  








If you look at this pic, and the one below, you can see a couple reasons I`m jammed up on how to deal with the transom. I cut the arch on the transom at 90 degrees from the back surface. That needs to be like that to clamp a motor on someday. The angle where the top rails meet the back are on a different angle. Most guys belt sand the rail area flat them kinda blend the top edge into that 90 degree top edge. I can do that but the jam up will be the top edge of the transom. I want to add a board across the top on the inside to get a good thickness and to have a clamping surface for a motor, but the top edge is gonna look like a mess. 

Always trying to plan ahead before doing things is nice, but this might be one of those situations where I`ll just have to roll with it and hope for the best. Ive been trying to plan this area out and come up with a idea for a long time now and I got nothing. Even if the top edge looks crappy, the transom will look cool from the back. Maybe once the rails are in place something will come to me in a vision while I`m sleeping 








Getting past this inside rail will be huge, then I can flip the boat over and graphite the bottom. At that time will be another milestone and the boat will be structurally done, and I can start thinking about varnish inside and out before I work on the inside furniture.
I`m also doing some planning to build a drift boat trailer from scratch. Been getting suppliers for parts and steel together, and hoping my little 220v. mig welder will do the job. My plan is still to get this project done over the winter.


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## STONE FLY

Finally had a chance to get back to it a little. Some tedious stuff here. Decided to put little blocks along each frame. This will make for a more solid build, the douglas fir is kinda soft, and when I drill the holes through the top rails for the stainless bolts it will be easier on the sharp angle frames.
















After the epoxy set up, those blocks had to be notched out for the rail.


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## STONE FLY

Got those cherry blocks routered, notched and sanded then set in epoxy on the frt and rear (bow and stern in boat talk), sanded the epoxy on the blocks, then for the tough part trying to get that rail bent inside the boat and fitting into those cherry blocks. As it turned out there is no way to get a perfect fit. I kept trimming till I had it really close but still a 1/8" long then I tapped it into the rear block, and when it was in it left a tiny gap. (that I filled with epoxy). Once the rail was in place, pried the rail out of each block and got some epoxy in all the block joints using a putty knife. All the epoxy was thickened. Close enough.











































So, one side done, I`ll get the other side in place this weekend.


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## STONE FLY

Heres a pc of that frt detail, should look nice once it gets varnsihed.


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## lodge lounger

Done some woodworking in my time, and one of the best tips I ever got came from a guy who had built a suite of nursery furniture for his first baby. I was oohing and ahhing over his handiwork and he said, "I know where all the mistakes are...and I ain't tellin'!"


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## STONE FLY

lodge lounger said:


> Done some woodworking in my time, and one of the best tips I ever got came from a guy who had built a suite of nursery furniture for his first baby. I was oohing and ahhing over his handiwork and he said, "I know where all the mistakes are...and I ain't tellin'!"


Haha, I like that.....but really, I dont mind sharing any mistakes Ive made with the forum to help someone else from doing the same. Course it would have to be in a PM  JK
So I didnt want to get the fire going tonight so I went out in the cold garage and sealed all 42 chine cap screws with bedding compound and reinstalled them. This is the messiest stuff, its kinda like the 5200, super goo and no matter what you do it gets on everything. Heres a tip: WEAR GLOVES!! I didnt and Marge from Pomolive would shoo me out the door 

So I coated them and screwed them in, trying to wipe the ooze out was a real mess, once it gets on the rag, it get on everything. Need many rags. I got the most off, then what was left cleaned it up with a rag with acetone (and my fingers, the drill, the drill driver tip, the workbench, and caulk gun, the floor, the ceiling, you get the picture)

I`ll let that nasty stuff set up and I`ll sand and coat the chine caps with more epoxy over the screws, then many coats of varnish over that. It should be sealed pretty well. This boat should last my grandkid most of his life.


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## JimP

lodge lounger said:


> Done some woodworking in my time, and one of the best tips I ever got came from a guy who had built a suite of nursery furniture for his first baby. I was oohing and ahhing over his handiwork and he said,_ "I know where all the mistakes are...and I ain't tellin'!"_


I see you had a minor cut earlier Stone Fly, I always add to the above: _"And I know every board I bled on"._ Great online documentary of the project and many well deserved accolades on your talent and craftsmanship. I'm especially impressed at your finding so many wood types with such beautiful grains...that detail makes the big difference in aesthetics.


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## 80 Acres

I agree with LL coments. You have inspired me to seriously consider a drift boat project. Thanks for the heads up on the Fly Fishing Film Tour, sound interisting.


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## STONE FLY

jimp said:


> I see you had a minor cut earlier Stone Fly, I always add to the above: _"And I know every board I bled on"._ Great online documentary of the project and many well deserved accolades on your talent and craftsmanship. I'm especially impressed at your finding so many wood types with such beautiful grains...that detail makes the big difference in aesthetics.


Wow I do have a little blood into this. But you would not believe some of the builds Ive read about, ER visits, stitches, broken safety glasses and worse, most often table saw mishaps. Ive done pretty good!!(so far)

My wood choices I was thinking is one of my mistakes. I should have been more selective. I used some woods like the cherry, just cause I had it on hand. My white oak rails dont match up cause I had to use different boards and didnt want to re cut parts, I put the mahogany in the transom, but then couldnt get the mahogany plywood I wanted, doohh...but it is all wood!! Heres a hardcore statement from a wood boat guy:











80 Acres said:


> I agree with LL coments. You have inspired me to seriously consider a drift boat project. Thanks for the heads up on the Fly Fishing Film Tour, sound interisting.


Perfect, thats why I did this thread, just for ideas. It could be done way better, way cheaper, way faster. Also coming up soon, will be the building of a drift boat trailer from scratch (with the help of some friends Ive met doing this boat) so that should be interesting too.

Ive got the wood stove fired up and waiting for it to warm up a little and I`ll be in the shop for the night. Still lots to do, but I hope to get the deck glued in for good, more sanding, another coat of epoxy on the chine caps so it will be dry by tomorrow and more than anything I want to start on some varnish. This weekend I want to get the graphite on the bottom so thats done too, and start on the construction of the bench seats. Now lets see what I can actually get done 

That last movie was pretty good. $15 is a little high, but proceeds are suppose to go to good use. Maybe its just me, but I found the ballerina turn to get the flyline untangled from around the person and fly rod to be pretty funny, (not that Ive ever had to do that, ya right  Or someone so in tune with the rod and fly, then loose a nice fish, to throw a $1000 rod and reel into the creek, or someone spending 30 minutes getting into waders and all the gear then having to go to the bathroom,lol...I know I might be a little warped...lol


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Haha, I like that.....but really, I dont mind sharing any mistakes Ive made with the forum to help someone else from doing the same. Course it would have to be in a PM  JK
> So I didnt want to get the fire going tonight so I went out in the cold garage and sealed all 42 chine cap screws with bedding compound and reinstalled them. This is the messiest stuff, its kinda like the 5200, super goo and no matter what you do it gets on everything. Heres a tip: WEAR GLOVES!! I didnt and Marge from Pomolive would shoo me out the door
> 
> So I coated them and screwed them in, trying to wipe the ooze out was a real mess, once it gets on the rag, it get on everything. Need many rags. I got the most off, then what was left cleaned it up with a rag with acetone (and my fingers, the drill, the drill driver tip, the workbench, and caulk gun, the floor, the ceiling, you get the picture)
> 
> I`ll let that nasty stuff set up and I`ll sand and coat the chine caps with more epoxy over the screws, then many coats of varnish over that. It should be sealed pretty well. This boat should last my grandkid most of his life.
> View attachment 201630
> 
> View attachment 201631
> 
> View attachment 201632


Try to find some of these you can then put the product in the screw hole first if you are drilling a pilot hole. I use them for putting caulk in small places with bird and fish taxidermy. Wasco and other taxidermy supplies have them you can also get them off some dental supply companies.


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> Try to find some of these you can then put the product in the screw hole first if you are drilling a pilot hole. I use them for putting caulk in small places with bird and fish taxidermy. Wasco and other taxidermy supplies have them you can also get them off some dental supply companies.


Ive got a couple of those from back when I used to load ink into my printer cartridges, and West Marine sells them too. This bedding compound though is thicker and more gooey than roofing tar. Its some crazy stuff. Takes 2 hands to squeeze it out of the caulk gun. Those things do come in super handy though for lots of stuff.

Winter storm moving in up here tonight, great time to be out in the shop with the boat.

Stayed up late last night, got the fly line deck glued in with thickened epoxy, and mixed up some fillet/epoxy and ran a bead around the deck using the west system plastic stir stick so it would all harden over night. Phil, I was gonna use your talc method but decided to just go get some of this compound. Its sands easy and it has some wood color to it. I used 205 hardener instead of the 207 clear though and it got a little dark (oops) I also did more sanding on the sheer rails, man those are hard to sand, sanded till both my arms gave out (drawing the line....)


























So this morning it looked pretty bad. I didnt mask it off (like I should have) and besides being a mess, one side had a 1/16" gap that it sank down into. So I sanded it up nice and gave it another bead using a wood tongue depressor(smaller radius), looks alot better and should sand up nice.









So back to last night, once I had that stuff setting up and the rails sanded, I couldnt hold off any longer and mixed some of the Epifanes varnish with 50% thinner and hit the rails, the transom and some of the interior side panels and frames.










This morning after I got the 2nd fillet coat on the deck I got inside the boat and gave the bow area a coat of that 50% varnish (sorry no pic) and the little floor board section that go in the frt and rear of the boat. So that stuff has to set 24 hours or more before it can be sanded and re coated, and I want to get a coat of the 50% on the enite boat first anyway, so I decided to flip the boat over and get on the epoxy/graphite for the bottom.


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## STONE FLY

This was interesting being a first time using this stuff, it went of looking pretty weak in color so I hope that is normal. I used the required amount of graphite. Too much and it makes it brittle which we dont want. I ran some of the blue painters tape around the chine cap (which has epoxy on it right now), that tape kinds sucks. That black bled through it but it cleaned up nice with a rag and some acetone. I hope to get anopther coat on late tonight. Hoping the next coat will be black and done. So while I wait on that to set up, I`m headed back out to sand the chine caps a little and get a coat of the 50% varnish mix on the sides


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## STONE FLY

Using the 205 fast hardener really sets up fast. The 2nd coat of graphite came out pretty black and more even. I didnt spend much time getting the bottom smooth but thats ok, its just the bottom. That 12 oz glass on the bottom was tough compared to the sides. What the last couple coats on the bottom did do is seal the chine cap nice around the bottom. Bending that chine cap around 2 angles is hard to get it to be flush on the sides and bottom, so there were a few small gaps on the bottom that are now filled and sealed.

Got the first 50% coat of varnish on the sides. Doing this I noticed a couple things that could have been done better but oh well, its a fishing boat. Not sure if its the lighting in the garage, but the plywood is not near as dark as I was hoping, but it looks ok. I was checking out a couple builds online that makes my boat look like junk. But they arent working a full time job and trying to squeeze in a boat either. I think while floating down the river alot of stuff wont really matter 







Tomorrow I`ll get it turned back over and then I can start on seats and finishing the inside. Finally feels like its coming along. I should have it done within a month 

Unrelated, my sister made me some curtain today for my bedroom windows, she`s so good to me


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## 80 Acres

You are 100% correct floating down the river with a fish on those so called flaws will not make a difference and will not matter. Great job.


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## STONE FLY

Over the weekend, I had to break down and take my 20% off coupon over to Harbor Freight, yep the "always take a chance on anything you get" place, and I picked up a planer. Ive got to build some seat benches and so far Ive got away with just cutting the rough sawn lumber on the little table saw and belt sanding boards, but I cant make 1x6 stocks like that and for this phase I didnt want to mess around.

I got it home yesterday and hooked a pillow case on it as a dust collector and ran a few white oak boards through it to check it out. Wow, nice. And the pillow case? Worked great. So now I`m gonna pick up a king size pillow cover with a zipper and have my sister sew me a 3" hole to connect it. Custom baby!!!









Today I picked up some mahogany, walnut and white oak, nasty looking rough cut stuff, I`m trying to figure out what I want to do with the benches, but my thought is the transom is the only combo of these woods so I really want to do something with the benches to match and give it some character. I also want some storage spaces in them. Think, think, think...So inside this nasty looking pc of wood is a beautiful pc of mahogany. Hard to picture huh?
















All I could think about was getting that wood home and running it through the planer, but instead had to blow snow ARGHHH, and I got the b-in law to help me turn the boat right side up. Too late to get any heat in the shop. Oh well I need to do some planning anyway. Having the boat back up on the topside, its looking pretty good all in all.


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## wintrrun

STONE FLY said:


> Over the weekend, I had to break down and take my 20% off coupon over to Harbor Freight, yep the "always take a chance on anything you get" place, and I picked up a planer. Ive got to build some seat benches and so far Ive got away with just cutting the rough sawn lumber on the little table saw and belt sanding boards, but I cant make 1x6 stocks like that and for this phase I didnt want to mess around.
> 
> I got it home yesterday and hooked a pillow case on it as a dust collector and ran a few white oak boards through it to check it out. Wow, nice. And the pillow case? Worked great. So now I`m gonna pick up a king size pillow cover with a zipper and have my sister sew me a 3" hole to connect it. Custom baby!!!
> View attachment 201931
> 
> 
> Today I picked up some mahogany, walnut and white oak, nasty looking rough cut stuff, I`m trying to figure out what I want to do with the benches, but my thought is the transom is the only combo of these woods so I really want to do something with the benches to match and give it some character. I also want some storage spaces in them. Think, think, think...So inside this nasty looking pc of wood is a beautiful pc of mahogany. Hard to picture huh?
> View attachment 201933
> 
> View attachment 201934
> 
> All I could think about was getting that wood home and running it through the planer, but instead had to blow snow ARGHHH, and I got the b-in law to help me turn the boat right side up. Too late to get any heat in the shop. Oh well I need to do some planning anyway. Having the boat back up on the topside, its looking pretty good all in all.


I zip tied a king size pillow case to my JET dust collector and it worked in a pinch. However I would not make it my go to. The force of the air coming in and the particulates will stretch the weave. All is well then it will be oh ****.
Those boards look pretty decent. They will clean up well in the planing process.
Boats looking good Stonefly.
If I did not own so much fiberglass and aluminum I would be doing a boat build off with ya.lol
Hope ya a have time to warm up the shop and get back to it.


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## brushbuster

That boats a beauty, man!


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## STONE FLY

Thanks, hoping it ends up ok. Either way, I WILL be fishing out of it this year and if it looks good wouldnt be a bad thing  Yesterday I cut some wood up but it was too cold to get any real heat in the garage, but tonight I did a little. Heres some of those rough boards planed down. I`m diggin the planer, its doing a nice job. Now that I have it, I`m gonna plane the floor boards down to 1/2" thick. Also the middle section is going to get brackets under it to screw 4 legs onto it so I can use it for a streamside table. Thats a idea from the out west guys, and I like it.








Ive been trying to figure out how to do the seat benches, and now I think I have a idea. Still mocking things up, and one of the pc`s of white oak I was gonna use for the rails had a crack and wasnt long enough so I couldnt get all the parts I need. Ive been looking at pics of benches for a few weeks and am going to use a few ideas I picked up. The benches will get notches on the rails and slide on the gavl pipe. When I figure out the height, those mock blocks will get refined and mounted to the frames to secure the pipe into. Another trip to the woodshed....








The traditional seats are wood bench in the frt with wood backrest and a rope seat for the rowers seat. I want low back swivel seats like in my jon boat. So even though Ive been shooting for a traditional look I`m going for comfort.

The fly line deck fillet came out ok and it would have looked really good but I sanded into the wood a little. Most of the mistakes Ive made have been from lack of good sanding skills.


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## STONE FLY

Well I will say the pillow protector works way better than the pillow case, now I can just set a bag under it and unzip it to empty. My sister is gonna sew up the hole to make it stronger that goes onto the machine, but its working out good.(2.99) Got all the floor boards planed down to 1/2" thick and put back together.








Started making up the seat frames. Got the compartments cut in but still have a bunch to do to them. Thinking about adding some drop down boxes under for more storage, maybe...Ive still got a little 3/8" marine plywood to make the bottoms and maybe enough to do the drop down areas.








Still have to figure out the pipes. I`ll have to do some digging to get into the jon boat (under 2` of snow) to get a seat out and make a temporary oar lock block, and use the 7` oars from the jon boat to do a mock up. I cut up the last of my wood, I`m done buying wood finally. Spent most of today cutting sizing and planing a boat load of pc`s for the bench seats. My vision was to use the woods from the transom since there was no where else to use them. This is either gonna come out really cool, or really stupid and I wasted alot of time and wood. The planer has opened a door for using rough lumber and making it all the same sizes.
















I must have sunk 100 or more notches for bisquits and I`m gonna get these glued up.I had ordered a 6ft pc of stainless piano hinge but the plan changed and now I wont have enough. I hate when that happens. So looks like these benches are the last of the big carpentry projects but will be time consuming. Then a few smaller things and its varnish city. Ive been waiting for the day when thats all that is left, getting closer


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## STONE FLY

Glued up the seat bench doors, and I blew it when I made them. I should have started out with thicker lumber, but I got carried away with the planer, and after I cleaned them up came up with less than 3/4" thick. Which is ok, I`ll just have to get 1 1/4" piano hinge. They are still really solid tops. I also forgot to sand the 2- 1x3" boards, no biggy. These will come alive with some epoxy and varnish. It was my only chance to have something on the boat that ties in with the transom.After blowing snow again, too late to work in the garage tonight.








Under this tarp is the jon boat that I need to get into and yank a seat out so I can do a mock up to get the seat height in order to finish the pipes and benches. Still have plenty to do though, hoping to get back at it tomorrow.


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## msfcarp

Love following your build Stone Fly, being I am a Carpenter and woodworker myself it makes me want to build one myself, lol!


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## STONE FLY

msfcarp said:


> Love following your build Stone Fly, being I am a Carpenter and woodworker myself it makes me want to build one myself, lol!


Hey cool, you should build one!!! lol, dang thats easy to say!!

Been a few back steps lately, like the floor boards and changing a couple things. The weather has been tough all week, blowing snow every day after work, but we got a little break today and tomorrow at least. Need to do some work on the vehicle this weekend too which is getting in the way of the boat project dang it. 

I`m getting excited cause I`m getting close to having it done, but this week, I scrapped my knee brace board (dash board for deck) trying to do a small inlay in the center, pattern broke, made a mess that I couldnt save. Tried a couple more times on the pattern, didnt work out either, bought new white oak to make another board, still trying to make it work, and I have enough for one more try if this one doesnt work out. I got the board routered out so if this inlay wont work, I might just fill that hole with epoxy/graphite mix and have a black inlay in the white oak instead of walnut. So it has not gone well this week, but stuff happens right? I wasnt super happy with that knee board anyway cause I cut it too short when I made it and had spliced 1/4" on each end (compound angles too) for length, but I was gonna live with it.

I am pleased with my seat bench glue ups, looking at that sanded wood cant really tell the mahogany from the white oak but it will light up with the epoxy. I`ll be working on them this weekend and get some epoxy on the parts to seal them. Need to dado out the bottoms of the seat frames to except bottoms in the storage compartments. I`m gonna dig out that seat from the jon boat this weekend so I can get the heights worked out and press on getting the pipes mounted, pipe brackets made and the benches finished. Hoping to post a few pics by the end of the weekend.

I guess I got a little carried away with a few things, I cant help myself, its just how I`m wired.


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## STONE FLY

After a few trys I managed to get that littler inlay done, and made up the new knee brace board. I got it fitted and a coat of epoxy on it, it didnt come out perfect, but I think it looks like a fish at least, and I was able to get it done with the walnut.


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## STONE FLY

I did manage to get the seat dug out of the jon boat to start working on the seat benches and figure out the heights. I got a coat of epoxy on the bench boards, not too happy with the mahogany but oh well it is what it is. I`ll make up some oarlock blocks this week and do a mock up with the 7` oars from the jon and try to make a guess how it will work out. Wont really know for sure till I get it in the water, but I should be close.


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> I did manage to get the seat dug out of the jon boat to start working on the seat benches and figure out the heights. I got a coat of epoxy on the bench boards, not too happy with the mahogany but oh well it is what it is. I`ll make up some oarlock blocks this week and do a mock up with the 7` oars from the jon and try to make a guess how it will work out. Wont really know for sure till I get it in the water, but I should be close.
> View attachment 203252
> 
> View attachment 203253
> 
> View attachment 203254



Real nice Stone fly it is really coming along, I hope your car does'nt hold a grudge not being in the garage this winter.


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> Real nice Stone fly it is really coming along, I hope your car does'nt hold a grudge not being in the garage this winter.


Thanks rwenglish1.....lol, I know....I actually feel really bad about looking at it like that, it got spoiled last year all dry and clean all winter. I had planned on having both in there and just moving the car out to work on the boat but I was in the heat of the boat then the snow came. At that point it was too late to bother. Next year I`ll get the drift boat and the car in there  

All I can focus on in any spare time right now is getting this boat done and building a trailer. I`m so close to just varnish. Its been a good project and kept me out of trouble, finding a new job, fishing, hunting, dating, and on and on. In fact the last girl I was dating loved going out in my little jon boat fishing but then decided building the boat was more important than her and dumped me. I dont need that kind of woman anyway.....


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Thanks rwenglish1.....lol, I know....I actually feel really bad about looking at it like that, it got spoiled last year all dry and clean all winter. I had planned on having both in there and just moving the car out to work on the boat but I was in the heat of the boat then the snow came. At that point it was too late to bother. Next year I`ll get the drift boat and the car in there
> 
> All I can focus on in any spare time right now is getting this boat done and building a trailer. I`m so close to just varnish. Its been a good project and kept me out of trouble, finding a new job, fishing, hunting, dating, and on and on. In fact the last girl I was dating loved going out in my little jon boat fishing but then decided building the boat was more important than her and dumped me. I dont need that kind of woman anyway.....


My Grandpa use to say, " When the right woman comes along you wont know, but when the good woman in her shows through, don't loose that one." They are out there, just stay on task in what your doing.


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> My Grandpa use to say, " When the right woman comes along you wont know, but when the good woman in her shows through, don't loose that one." They are out there, just stay on task in what your doing.


Good advice. I`m just gonna focus on the boat for now. I`m really stalled up again trying to figure out the seats and benches. I want the swivel seats, but the boat is really not designed for them, the seat and swivel are almost 4" thick, that means the benches need to be 4" lower than where they should be. Ive gotta make some choices soon. 

Started mocking things up though, I`m gonna drill some holes for oars in the temp blocks tomorrow and see what that looks like maybe go from there. Been trying to work on formulas for oar lengths and positions (more research) shooting for more progress by this weekend 

*****Dorf is looking for some input on the 2016 wood boat outing in the post he started, wanted to get something nailed down soon, even if its just a few of us. Hoping some of you drift boat people will have some. Still hoping McCool outdoors will chime in too.


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## Honyuk96

Looking good Mike, I really like the way the inlay came out. Are you planning on a foot brace in the rowing seat ? Something to think about in conjunction w your seat choice. A foot brace is essential IMO if you plan to row any technical water and it certainly eases the load on your back. I like the high backed tractor seats myself, again much easier on the back. I often stand up on my seats to get a better peek at the water I'm fishing, I would not want a swivel seat but I can see other times when one might be nice. Just a couple things I thought I'd mention. You figure out quick what you like and don't like in a boat, luckily for you, you seem like a smart fella.


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## STONE FLY

Honyuk96 said:


> Looking good Mike, I really like the way the inlay came out. Are you planning on a foot brace in the rowing seat ? Something to think about in conjunction w your seat choice. A foot brace is essential IMO if you plan to row any technical water and it certainly eases the load on your back. I like the high backed tractor seats myself, again much easier on the back. I often stand up on my seats to get a better peek at the water I'm fishing, I would not want a swivel seat but I can see other times when one might be nice. Just a couple things I thought I'd mention. You figure out quick what you like and don't like in a boat, luckily for you, you seem like a smart fella.


Some good points, though I`ll never see and white water.. This seat might look high, but its a low back boat seat out of my jon boat. I drilled some holes in the temp oar blocks and moved the oars way in with the lock clamps so theres about a 6" gap between the handles. As it turns out, if I cut some foot holes into the floor boards, it will lower my knees and I might be too low already with my seat mock up. I`m gonna pull the floor up then see how it works out. I might even clamp 2-3` of wood on the ends of these 6 ft oars and see how they would work in and out of the (imaginary) water. I might just be notching the seat supports and raising the pipes up a little which would be nice. Mocking this up is a must do.


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## Honyuk96

Gotcha. I think you'll need much longer oars for practical purposes. I've never measured, but I think the distance between my oars is about 4-5". I'd definitely encourage some sort of foot brace. Even on water such as the PM, the foot brace is a godsend when you really need to dig on the oars.


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## STONE FLY

Honyuk96 said:


> Gotcha. I think you'll need much longer oars for practical purposes. I've never measured, but I think the distance between my oars is about 4-5". I'd definitely encourage some sort of foot brace. Even on water such as the PM, the foot brace is a godsend when you really need to dig on the oars.


Yes on the oars. Those 6` are from my 12` jon boat, but its the only oars I have to use for a mock up. I`m thinking 8`6" should be about right. Ive got a pattern for a foothole in the floor boards from a Tatman drift boat. Pretty sure I`ll have to cut those in. I`m probably gonna have to make a set of oars, looking into that right now.
I hope your up for this small outing this next late spring! Who else can we target to post up on the outing thread?


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## Honyuk96

Yeah, I haven't followed the drift boat outing thread but depending on where it is and my schedule, I'd be in. I have my son every other weekend so these things can be hit or miss for me. The mighty MO's nice and close for me and Henning park in Newaygo is a nice campground. I have a glass boat too but I'd enjoy seeing your guys's pretty boats. I'd also love to see your homemade oars


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## STONE FLY

Honyuk96 said:


> Yeah, I haven't followed the drift boat outing thread but depending on where it is and my schedule, I'd be in. I have my son every other weekend so these things can be hit or miss for me. The mighty MO's nice and close for me and Henning park in Newaygo is a nice campground. I have a glass boat too but I'd enjoy seeing your guys's pretty boats. I'd also love to see your homemade oars


 Oars can run as much as $300 each, I cant go there on my budget, and one pc oars can run $100 a board to make them one pc. So I`m looking at these cheap oars I have for my jon boat, they are just shafts with laminated blades, so thats what I`m gonna try. I can always upgrade down the road if need be, but for now, thats the plan.

I would like to see anyone from MichiganSportsman show up and have a good time. Ya, we will get as many wood boats there as we can and have a little show of sorts, but just the same the more the merrier right? I know there are people on here that have built canoes too. Dorf has a cedar strip drift boat and a show worthy strip canoe too.


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## Honyuk96

That's cool Mike. My cousin built a cedar strip sea kayak, I believe a 17 footer. I'd invite him but that boat has never seen water, it's an absolute show piece. I wish I had some suggestions re: oars. They are incredibly spendy, a new pair of shoal cut Sawyers can set you back damn near a grand ! I'm using some composite wrapped jobs. I think they may be the original oars that came w my Hyde. Work fine for me. One bit of oar advise is definitely carry a spare. I've never needed mine, yet, but I'm glad I have one, I've seen many snapped while out on the water. I carry a spare anchor too. Maybe look at the blue shafted Carlyles. I had 9 footers on my old boat and they are a good affordable oar.


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## STONE FLY

Back on track and moving forward. Ive decided to go with the seat height I`m at, got the seat rail pipe mounts made, cut and threaded the pipes for caps to mount to the rail brackets, got the seat rails dado`d for the compartment bottoms and used a couple small Okume scaps for the small compartments. When I was cutting grooves on the table saw for the seat frame dividers I made a cut in the wrong place( oops again), and I had it marked too, but rather than scrap that white oak I cut a pc to repair that saw cut. It will never be seen.









































Ive got a little bit of the plywood left and I`m hoping its enough to make some center box compartments that will hang down a few inches in the center sections for extra storage. If not I`ll do something else. I`m gonna just mount those pipe brackets with a couple screws instead of using carriage bolts right now, just in case I want to move them, but need a trial float first. I`ll get some epoxy on them tomorrow and some of the other parts, get the seat frames screwed together and need to order up some piano hinge and oarlocks. I still would like to figure out a little bench seat for the rear too, and make some cherry oar lock blocks. Getting closer to varnish !!!


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## STONE FLY

I had just enough plywood left to get the pcs for the center box compartments for the benches and got them rough cut. They will hang down a few inches below the bench frames. Gotta build those boxes yet. Got my pipes cut and threaded, made some pipe supports for the middle of the pipe cause they had some flex. Those are 3/4" galv. pipe, about 59" long.


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## STONE FLY

Running low on firewood, so my last bit needs to be for the weekend for a all dayer. I`ll need to come up with some more to varnish, but alot of the woodwork left I dont need heat for. So being single and renting, next best thing is to turn the kitchen table into a epoxy bench!! Just got the back sides of the seat bench doors coated with epoxy. Gotta work on small things in the evenings.


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## Honyuk96

Was just looking this thread over a bit more. This has been an awesome project to watch unfold. Being a carpenter myself, I wish I would've done one of these myself a few years back. One thing I thought I'd mention. Please don't take this as a knock because I know exactly how much hard work has went into this and it,s just something you may want to consider. On my Hyde, my fly line deck has a weep hole in it to keep water from collecting in it. I know you went to great lengths fitting that piece, the fillets etc. not sure how much of a difference it would or wouldn't make, just thought I'd mention it. Mike, do you have a game plan for your anchor system ?


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## STONE FLY

Got it covered, but good point. I had to nip the corners of the fly line deck in order to get it between the frames to install it. I was gonna re attach the little pc`s I nipped off and install a couple drain grommets, but I think I`ll just leave those corners open. (simple construction and its done) 

There will be a molding strip that runs across the back of the knee lock board(dash) in between the frames on both sides so water wont get caught on the deck, and the water can run down the inside corner of the frame on each side to the floor  Ive got that board out tonight to epoxy the back side, but this is that inside corner edge of the flyline deck, and you can see the framer that the molding will run into.









For the anchor, I might have my nephew make me a aluminum back corner bracket, still thinking about that one. I had one water catcher spot on the bottom of the rear transom frame, where the square top of the frame made a catch spot, so I built that up with that fillet epoxy and gave it a drain angle. I`ll sand it a little and varnish it. I`m still planning on some sort of seat bench in the back so that will get hidden too


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## Honyuk96

I'm impressed w how well you've thought all this out. I didn't realize up till now how that deck was cut, good idea. So I would assume on a boat like this your anchor line would run along the side wall framing ? What a wealth of information here, cool stuff Mike.


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## STONE FLY

Honyuk96 said:


> I'm impressed w how well you've thought all this out. I didn't realize up till now how that deck was cut, good idea. So I would assume on a boat like this your anchor line would run along the side wall framing ? What a wealth of information here, cool stuff Mike.


Haha, not bad for a "old guy" right? Theres a few different anchor setups. Theres over the bow in the frt, Ive seen through the bow, theres over the top of the transom (thats how Dorf set his up), there is through the transom (which is a pretty good setup), all those setups most often have pulleys and rope running up or down the center bottom of the boats, then there is off the top of the transom corner on either side, which most often has pulleys and rope running along the top rail. I`m kinda leaning towards the last setup right now. They are expensive to buy, but I have a nephew who is a tig welding artist so I might have him make me something.


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## STONE FLY

Winter storm warning tonight so I thought what the heck, fired up the woodstove and got to it. I sanded all those set bench tops I epoxied the other night (burning out on the sanding thing, wow)








Then I got after that plywood I rough cut the other night too. I cut and fitted all the parts for the 2 storage boxes for the centers of the benches, dado`d (rabbited) them just using the little portable table saw, drilled the drain holes and chamfered all the bottom panels with the tiny bench drill press, and then gave them all a light sanding too. Was hoping to assemble them but that all took some time tonight. next step I`ll get them put together, and get the benches sanded and ready for some sealer. Ive got piano hinge coming this week from Jamestown Dist. then I can assemble the bench tops, and I ordered up some oar locks from Clacka craft should be here this week too. I ordered a bow eye from a wood boat builder too should be here any time.


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## Honyuk96

Serious amount of craftsmanship right there and this whole build !! Be interesting to see which way you go for the anchor setup. My Hyde has the floor kicker anchor system which runs ( is glassed in through a piece of conduit type stuff ) through the floor, up the transom and out. I'm not a big fan of this setup, but I have a very bad back. I've never tried the side cleat and pulley setup. Can't wait to see the progress. Nice work Mike !


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## Honyuk96

I have a Dierks setup off the bow too but I've never used it, other than a tie off type cleat.


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## STONE FLY

I found a place that has the rear top transom anchor bracket, and next week the guy is gonna check and see if he might have any used side pulleys to save me a few bucks. (I hope he does)

Last night and tonight I got a coat of 50/50 varnish/thinner on my seat bench parts and the compartment box parts. Got the 1 1/4" stainless piano hinge in he mail today, but looks like my #6 screws are a tad too big, might need to find #4`s. Anyone have a great method to cut that stuff? I`m thinking cutoff wheel and a die grinder.









I didnt want to use the green seats out of the jon boat but would if I had too, I can only find that seat in white,gray,green or blue so I dug out some other old boat seats Ive had stored for 20 years. I had pedestal posts on them, dug a little more and found the swivels they came with.








When I bought these seats they cost $22.97 at KMart and that was with swivels, I think now they are around $49...








Took em in he shower and gave them a bath (again benefit of renting and not have a woman living here right now) and other than being folded up for all these years, cleaned up nice and the brown will go with the boat nice, not to mention comfy...with the swivels on the bottom, they arent any thicker (for height) than those plastic ones which is good.








What I really want to do is sit back and watch the Wings game (they better do better than last nigh, first period we are getting killed already) but I`m gonna start making some oar lock blocks for the boat. Ive got the oar locks coming from Clacka tomorrow. Gotta get some steel ordered and parts for the trailer real soon. Spring is gonna sneak up fast !!


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## STONE FLY

Oar lock blocks. Cant bore any holes yet. I need the oarlocks, then I`m gonna want some plastic sleeves for them. One step at a time. Dang its cold out there tonight. Cut them out of some scraps of cherry, They will each get 2 holes in them for moving the rowing seat forward missed a bunch of scoring, Go Wings


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## STONE FLY

Took the benches apart, routered all the edges and put them back together with some glue on the cross braces. Got all the compartment bottoms glued in too, and made the big boxes for the center compartments. I`m thinking using those pop up magnet latches on the small compartments and some chrome boat hasps on the center ones. I made a bunch of wood plugs from some mahogany for the screw holes and glued them in. Tonight I`ll get all the plugs sanded down, I want to round the top edges of those center boxes.

I got a coat of varnish on the bench top parts last night so tonight I`ll get a coat on the bottom sides.I cut all the piano hinge up for the compartments using a die grinder with a cutoff wheel, trying to cut slow and not burn them up. Came out pretty good. All this little stuff is time consuming, but needs to get done. This is like the final carpentry and then maybe.....I`ll be on to varnishing the boat inside and out!!


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## twowack

I Weep with Happyness!
Shes Beautiful!
Thanks you!


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## STONE FLY

Haha, thanks very much but please dont cry  So I got as little done today but had to spend the afternoon putting balljoints in the old blazer. Did one side today upper and lower, 3 hours 

I started mounting the doors with the piano hinge onto the framework. I drilled all the holes for the hinges but only sunk a few screws to assemble. I`ll have to take it all apart to keep varnishing the parts, except for the parts that I attached to the frames, I`ll have to plug,sand and finish them in place.








The frt seat worked out really cool, I`ll have hidden cup holder cut into the bottom of one compartment, the rowers bench I might have to just cut them into the top of one of the doors.








I layed out the knee locks on the new knee lock board, that was a trick as I had already mounted them to the old board I scrapped so they had holes in them I wanted to use, and the board is a little different size but I managed to make some guesses and it worked out ok. Still have to remove those to varnish the parts, be glad to get it set in place for good (wont be long now!!)








Still need to make some kind of bench for the very rear, undecided what to do at this point, but the carpentry is getting less to have to do. Slowly I turn, step by step 








Gonna get some seat mounts ordered from Cabelas, gonna get the list together for steel and parts for the trailer, gonna get the anchor system ordered this week too. This thread should be coming to a end within the next 2 months


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Haha, thanks very much but please dont cry  So I got as little done today but had to spend the afternoon putting balljoints in the old blazer. Did one side today upper and lower, 3 hours
> 
> I started mounting the doors with the piano hinge onto the framework. I drilled all the holes for the hinges but only sunk a few screws to assemble. I`ll have to take it all apart to keep varnishing the parts, except for the parts that I attached to the frames, I`ll have to plug,sand and finish them in place.
> View attachment 204705
> 
> The frt seat worked out really cool, I`ll have hidden cup holder cut into the bottom of one compartment, the rowers bench I might have to just cut them into the top of one of the doors.
> View attachment 204706
> 
> I layed out the knee locks on the new knee lock board, that was a trick as I had already mounted them to the old board I scrapped so they had holes in them I wanted to use, and the board is a little different size but I managed to make some guesses and it worked out ok. Still have to remove those to varnish the parts, be glad to get it set in place for good (wont be long now!!)
> View attachment 204707
> 
> Still need to make some kind of bench for the very rear, undecided what to do at this point, but the carpentry is getting less to have to do. Slowly I turn, step by step
> View attachment 204708
> 
> Gonna get some seat mounts ordered from Cabelas, gonna get the list together for steel and parts for the trailer, gonna get the anchor system ordered this week too. This thread should be coming to a end within the next 2 months


I really like that outside shot it starting to look like you should just put it up on the wall. lol yeah like that is going to happen.


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> I really like that outside shot it starting to look like you should just put it up on the wall. lol yeah like that is going to happen.


Well, a guy I work with says I should not use it and just sell it when I get it done and build another one.....Thats not gonna happen either  I`m gonna use as much as I can this year and every ding and dent and scratch is gonna give it some character !! Not that I`ll abuse it, but stuff will happen and thats ok. Got those seat brackets ordered from Cabelas, gotta a cool bow eye in the mail yesterday, and some oarlocks came in the mail today. Slowly getting the hardware together.


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## STONE FLY

Too cold and not enough time to get the garage warmed up, so I went out there just enough to sand the seat door panels, and got another coat of varnish on the bottoms of them. They dont need a show finish on them, just sealed real well then I can varnish the tops and get them mounted back on the benches. Course I still have some work to do on the benches themselves. I`ll be on that this weekend.








I laid out and cut a seat lock, now I need to cut out 7 more and coat them with some epoxy. These simple parts cut out of marine plywood get mounted to the seat frames with a bolt on the top so they pivot over the galv pipes to lock the benches onto the pipes. They will keep the benches from coming off the pipes and also will have enough friction to stop the seat benches from sliding. This is something they came up with back in the olden day vintage boats. 









This is the anchor bracket I`m looking into. Turns out the guy I`ll end up getting it from is from is Tracy from Tracysboats in Newago, right where the outing will be. This part gets bolted onto the rear corner of the boat at the transom, then a couple pulleys on the side rail and then a rope cleat at the bench seat. He ran out of a couple parts so as soon as he gets them back in stock I`ll get them shipped to me.


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## brushbuster

That's a beauty, great job!


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## STONE FLY

I got the seat brackets from Cabela`s. Interesting event. The green plastic seats out of my jon boat have a 6 1/4" swivel. Someone recommended the brackets from Cabela`s, I went to the website and the description was very vague. There were 3 comments and a couple questions and answers. The Cabela expert stated the brackets fit 6 1/4" swivels. Someone else said the same thing in a comment, so I ordered them. They got here and first thing I noticed is they were kinda large, then I see the label that says fits 7" swivels....
So I check the swivels on the brown boat seats that I had decided to use and as luck has it they are 7" swivels. Problem was they would not slide into the brackets because of the shape of the steel. So I took a small grinder to the swivels till they did slide in. Problem solved.
I registered so I could leave a comment on the part at Cabela`s and they are not posting my comment. I titled it "very confused" and posted the real deal info to maybe help the next guy.
Cut out 7 more of those seat bench locks too.








These little plywood parts will bolt onto the seat frames and when swung down will lock the benches onto the pipes. They will also keep the benches from sliding on the pipes once they are adjusted for placement to balance ( trim ) out the boat. Heres a visual








Havent been up to much other than working on the seat benches. They are taking up alot of time right now but need to get done. Got all the screws on the frames plugged and sanded, another coat of varnish on them and the compartment doors. I`m working on a experiment for the floorboards. Going to varnish, then varnish with silica sand, then varnish over that again. I`m hoping it will turn into a non slip surface that will look good and require no maintenance.


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## STONE FLY

Decided to strip the inside out and get some varnish going. I already had a coat of 50/50 on it (50% thinner) so I sanded up the rails and a little inside, got it cleaned up and gave it a coat of varnish with around 30% thinner. Next time around I`ll go with almost full strength. I did get a coat of full strength on the deck and the knee lock board. My boat is small so really the knee locks are more like shin locks. I cant do the last transom space yet, need to try to remove the 1x2 brace I glued in with thickened epoxy. It was a brace for the rear seat but I mounted it too high. Should be a challenge to remove it.


































This is my experiment floor board. I had a coat of varnish on it, and added a coat with the silica sand tonight. I`ll put another coat of varnish over it and see how it works out....


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## STONE FLY

I dont know whos bright idea it was to go all natural with varnish inside and out....oh ya, my idea. Ive created a varnish monster. I keep telling myself its not a show boat, just a fishing boat, and I`m gonna come to terms with it at some point. In the meanwhile, I got a few coats on the bench parts and put them back together. They are far from perfect but good enough for now. Maybe after the weather breaks I can sand the entire boat and make it look better, or not !!!
























I got he anchor system ordered, I`ll have it later next week. I decided I like the silica sand in the varnish for the floor boards so I`m gonna press on with them. Getting the underside sealed right now, and I`ll start on the tops this weekend.


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## STONE FLY

Still got a very little bit of carpentry to do. That very rear seat is holding me up still, and need to drill the oarlock blocks, then get the seat rails back in the boat. A couple more coats of varnish on the inside and I`ll get it all together. Got another coat on the outside tonight, still using thinner in it, looks pretty shiny. Still needs a few more coats


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## msfcarp

Very pretty, you do some nice work.


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## STONE FLY

Didnt get the sand on the floorboards, but I decided to add a 3rd cross member to each section, and I did get them sealed good. Now I can start with the sand.








I finally had a vision how to make the rear bench, and be able to hinge it so it lift up, I think it will work. Bad part was that pc I epoxied on too high on the transom had to come off. Dorf gave me a good idea to cut slots in the pc before I tried to chisel the majority off. I used the Dremel tool with the wood bit and it worked great. Its been a good handy tool for the boat project. That Douglas Fir is some tough stuff. It doesnt break, it splinters and the grain is tough.
















I added another pc of fir and made a new brace, lowered it about 4"








I`m just gonna make some simple boards for the bench top, but I dont do simple too good so I made the center board out of walnut and added some white oak strips with biscuits and glued it up, I`ll add a mahogany board and white oak on the outsides to stay with the bench theme.


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## STONE FLY

Worked on the oar blocks a little. The plastic inserts were suppose to press into a 7/8" hole but there was no way. So I went out looking for a 15/16" bit and all I could find was this new fangle paddle bit at HD. This bit would probably work good for building a deck or something, but it said do not use in a drill press.
















The bit worked ok with drilling a pilot hole first in the wood blocks so the threaded point wouldnt grab, but the 15/16" turned out to be just a tiny bit big making the insert slightly loose still so I took the paddle bit to the bench grinder and ground it on both sides till I got a good tight fit. Worked out pretty good, so I got the 4 holes drilled. now I`ll get some epoxy on the blocks and get them ready for a final mock up of the seats/ oar locks/ oars before I mount the seat benches and lock blocks more permanent. When I think I have them where I need them, I`ll bolt the lock blocks through the double rails.


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## STONE FLY

So back to my simple back bench seat. Just wanted something fast and easy so I could get the back buttoned up. One thing about the boat is everything is compound angles. I got the simple boards made up, messed a couple up, trying to plane 1/16" off the planer chipped the walnut, then I ran the little trim router around a corner on the mahogany. I did manage to not break any screws off  Now I juist need to take it all apart and get some epoxy on it all, then I think I`m officially on varnishing the entire project. Go Wings


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## STONE FLY

Got the rear bench seat tore out and covered with epoxy last night. Put another coat of varnish on the top rails, still not happy with the dust in the finish. Its not gonna work doing it in the garage with the wood stove going. Probly have to wait till spring to get a nice finish on stuff. I put a 2nd coat of varnish with silica sand in it on the floor boards last night too, they are pretty gritty. I used a 4" roller and a pan to do the sections. Now I`ll get a coat or 2 of just varnish over that and I think they will be cool.
















I got the anchor system in the mail yesterday too. I was wondering how bad the angle would be on the rear bracket, and its pretty bad. It would work though like is, or my other option is to cut the welds, cut the bracket just a little and have my nephew re-weld it for me. Either way, I can drill the holes in it and bolt it to the rail, that part wont change even if I re work it a little. Ive got the rear bracket pulley, 2 side rail pulleys and a pulley for the jam cleat bracket. Also realized my hinged bench doesnt open as far with that bracket in place, I could notch it out more but I`m not gonna. It stills open plenty if I need to get into that area.















My boat building guy down the road has that same jam cleat setup in his boat. His is a glue and stitch boat, and his oarlock setup is just on a board. He bolted the bracket right through the side of his boat. His saying is "you gonna just take the boat to shows or are you gonna go fishing" !!,lol..He has a point. Still, I refuse to bolt it through my hull, and even hate to drill more holes through the rails too, but I`ll make a board that bolts between the top rails and hangs down to bolt that bracket to, maybe just behind my oarlock near the rowers bench, but heres how it works..Oh ya, just for the record, the anchor system does not come with any bolts at all, so I`ll be going to get some stainless bolts tomorrow from West Marine.


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## Fishsmith85

Haven't posted here before and also know nothing about drift boats but I've been following this thread for some time now and all I can say is WOW! I think the hardest part would be after its done trying to fish out of anything else but this boat. The amount of constant thought this demands is something to be proud of on its own. Awesome work and can't wait to see more.


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## junkman

All I can say is WOW you are one heck of a wood worker.


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## Shoeman

Better buy some tips for those, Mike


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## Honyuk96

Shoeman said:


> Better buy some tips for those, Mike


I couldn't agree more and was going to suggest this as well but didn't want to come across too harshly. The ash was a good idea as is the glass but I think you're gonna want more. I wonder is you could glass some Kevlar tips on those ? No doubt will spend your share of time digging those in the rocks as we all do....


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## Shoeman

I don't remember which river destroyed mine. Might have been the Upper Pine or the White. They looked like whisk brooms....lol


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## STONE FLY

Sawyer offer pro tips on their drifter oars, but dont sell the tip. I searched the interweb last night and they cant be found. The plastic covers that they do sell wont fit my oars. I guess thats the good thing about making them, Ive got $120 into the pair instead of $600. Some guys are using some of the graphite in epoxy on the edges. I guess when they get trashed I`ll build another set.


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## Shoeman

Found these for ya

I think the copper would be a nice touch and probably pliable enough to form


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## STONE FLY

Interesting. I saw a picture of one of those last night when I was searching online for oar tips. A guy on some forum found one of those, copper too, on a lake shore somewhere in Canada years back and was asking what it was. Ive been slacking the last couple days, with the spring/winter storm we got. WTH!! It went from 50 to a ft of snow, now back to 50 tomorrow, and looking like 60 by mid week. This was the first round, then we got that much more the next day.








I was hoping the boat seats would come in this past week from Bass Pro, so today the plastic swivel mounts showed up but no seats. Maybe they will come tomorrow. I need to pick up some stainless bolts and nuts for them. I`m not gonna drill any holes till I can set the seat on the bench (with the mounts). I do need to cut some notches in the benches (that I really didnt want to do) for the hasps I have from a old boat. They will serve a couple purposes, like keeping the bench from flipping back while leaning on the seat, or opening while bouncing down the road, and I could put a small lock on them to secure some stuff in the larger compartments. I need to pick up some cabinet latches for the smaller compartments this weekend too. My oar hardware didnt show up either, but I`m not ready for the donuts and grips anyway.








Tomorrow I`ll get back at it. I need to sand a little on the oars, get some more epoxy on them, work on the seat benches, might just push the boat out and start cutting some steel for the trailer. This trailer will be the last big part of this project to get done. Would have liked to been further along by April (making it 1 year) but oh well. I`ll get it all done pretty soon, and still plenty of time for fishing.


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## STONE FLY

The brown seats came today. Good and bad. The good part is I got them mounted, the brown is a odd off color brown, but they look ok. The bad is they sit a little higher on the swivel mounts than the other ones did. Sitting in the boat with the oars, I think I`m gonna have to make some new oar lock blocks that are a little higher. Another option is to go back to metal swivels, forget the removable mounts and just mount them permanently. Its nice that I can remove the seats from the boat, but this seat mount thing has been a real PITA.


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## Jimw

I don't know anything about fly fishing or drift boats, but that is one cool project! Very nice work!


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## STONE FLY

Jimw said:


> I don't know anything about fly fishing or drift boats, but that is one cool project! Very nice work!


Thanks Jim! I dont know much myself, so I just fake it  I got some magnet door catches for the compartments last night from HD, picked up some serious 2 sided carpet tape for the rope wraps on the oars, and looked at some barrel bolt latches to add to the floorboards to keep them from bouncing around on bumpy roads. I think I might have to do that at some point.


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## STONE FLY

Started making new oarlock blocks (small setback, not the first!)








Got most of that steel cut up today, now I get to play with the little welder real soon and see how that goes. I havent used it in forever so that should be interesting. Good thing I have a grinder  I need to take the rear pc to the fab shop and have them plasma cut 2 oval holes for lights. I`m using 11ga. which is 1/8" steel, and I had to settle for a pc of 1/4" for the 3x3 tongue pc. Thats serious heavy stuff. This trailer will weigh in about 10 times heavier than the boat. With that said though, with some tongue weight, and the weight on the leaf springs, it should make for a decent smooth riding trailer. The steel tubing was the cheapest part of the materials, so some day if it proves to be too heavy I can make a new frame, use the axle and parts on some 14 ga steel. Not gonna worry about it for now.


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## lodge lounger

What an incredible journey you have taken us on SF! I can only stand in awe, and wonder, if it was me, if I'd ever want to get the thing wet at all or just put it in my living room as a piece of furniture. Really nice work, and thanks for the sharing!


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## Chasingchrome

STONE FLY said:


> Haha, thanks very much but please dont cry  So I got as little done today but had to spend the afternoon putting balljoints in the old blazer. Did one side today upper and lower, 3 hours
> 
> I started mounting the doors with the piano hinge onto the framework. I drilled all the holes for the hinges but only sunk a few screws to assemble. I`ll have to take it all apart to keep varnishing the parts, except for the parts that I attached to the frames, I`ll have to plug,sand and finish them in place.
> View attachment 204705
> 
> The frt seat worked out really cool, I`ll have hidden cup holder cut into the bottom of one compartment, the rowers bench I might have to just cut them into the top of one of the doors.
> View attachment 204706
> 
> I layed out the knee locks on the new knee lock board, that was a trick as I had already mounted them to the old board I scrapped so they had holes in them I wanted to use, and the board is a little different size but I managed to make some guesses and it worked out ok. Still have to remove those to varnish the parts, be glad to get it set in place for good (wont be long now!!)
> View attachment 204707
> 
> Still need to make some kind of bench for the very rear, undecided what to do at this point, but the carpentry is getting less to have to do. Slowly I turn, step by step
> View attachment 204708
> 
> Gonna get some seat mounts ordered from Cabelas, gonna get the list together for steel and parts for the trailer, gonna get the anchor system ordered this week too. This thread should be coming to a end within the next 2 months


This is a wicked boat! Did not read every thread! Just curious on what the final $$ figure was on it?


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## STONE FLY

lodge lounger said:


> What an incredible journey you have taken us on SF! I can only stand in awe, and wonder, if it was me, if I'd ever want to get the thing wet at all or just put it in my living room as a piece of furniture. Really nice work, and thanks for the sharing!


Thanks LL, Its not all that, really. I think it looks better in the pictures maybe than in real life. Alot of first time stuff for me, and its not top notch by any means. I just wanted a small simple fast project boat, and of course I got carried away with some stuff. Pretty sure it will float, that will be a plus. When I stand back and look at it, its hard to believe I did all that though. Lotta steps, lotta trial and errors. It has been a fun challenge though, I`m glad I did it.



Chasingchrome said:


> This is a wicked boat! Did not read every thread! Just curious on what the final $$ figure was on it?


Right now I have no idea. I tried to add things up once and gave up. Its alot though. Trailer is gonna be around $600+. Boat maybe $2 grand+. One day when its all done I might go back and add it all up, I`ll have to anyway. In order to register a home made boat. I`ll have to list the material costs and how much I paid in taxes on the materials to get a reg#. If I dont use a motor, I wont have to have hull numbers on the boat. I am hoping to get a motor some day for it though.


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## Chasingchrome

It's a awesome boat!!! Don't ever let it go. Keep it in your family.


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## STONE FLY

Played with the steel a little today. Decided not to use that 3x3x1/4" steel for the tongue, and picked up a pc of 3x3x1/8". Did some more cutting, started tacking the pc`s together. Have to wait on tax return to get the axle,springs,hangers,fenders, wheels and tires. I`m gonna get the lights ordered tomorrow, so I can figure out how to mount them and run the wires. Then I`ll get this all welded up good, while I`m waiting on the other parts.

This weather is just like last weekend. 50 on Fri, few inches of snow again today. Had to go pick up some firewood to work in the garage this weekend. Got the new set of oar lock blocks made.The oars didnt come out too great, the glass layup on the blades did not come out too good. Ive got them sanded down though and I`m gonna leave them like they are for now. Started getting some varnish on them and the oar lock blocks. While I`m at that, I put some on the old jon boat oars too.


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## msfcarp

STONE FLY said:


> Played with the steel a little today. Decided not to use that 3x3x1/4" steel for the tongue, and picked up a pc of 3x3x1/8". Did some more cutting, started tacking the pc`s together. Have to wait on tax return to get the axle,springs,hangers,fenders, wheels and tires. I`m gonna get the lights ordered tomorrow, so I can figure out how to mount them and run the wires. Then I`ll get this all welded up good, while I`m waiting on the other parts.
> 
> This weather is just like last weekend. 50 on Fri, few inches of snow again today. Had to go pick up some firewood to work in the garage this weekend. Got the new set of oar lock blocks made.The oars didnt come out too great, the glass layup on the blades did not come out too good. Ive got them sanded down though and I`m gonna leave them like they are for now. Started getting some varnish on them and the oar lock blocks. While I`m at that, I put some on the old jon boat oars too.
> View attachment 210163
> 
> View attachment 210164
> 
> View attachment 210165
> 
> View attachment 210166
> 
> 
> View attachment 210167


Looking good Stonefly. As far as your light wiring, my father builds/rebuilds trailers and he uses emt conduit and fittings to run his wiring in, works good and is inexpensive.


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## STONE FLY

msfcarp said:


> Looking good Stonefly. As far as your light wiring, my father builds/rebuilds trailers and he uses emt conduit and fittings to run his wiring in, works good and is inexpensive.


Thanks, I really had my heart set at having the wires inside the framework. I will admit, I suck at metal fabricating. Having never built a trailer, I didnt realize till today half my pcs have the seam in the tubing on the outside. I guess it wont matter too much when I fly past you on the highway, you`ll never notice it!! I cut those 45 deg angle parts and one end on each tube came out perfect. The other ends, not so much. So after doing a bunch of grinding, Ive got them pretty close now. 
















Figured out how to be able to snake the wires through the frame. Once I get a hole in the very rear for the tail lights, I can snake straight up the side through the 45 and through the tongue to the frt.I can run across the back tube to the other tail light and half way up the other side to the 2 running lights. (I will have to drill a couple holes for the side running lights.I cut a couple of guide parts for the rear of the trailer too.
























One more thing I didnt think out well was on the back of the trailer, it will get a roller. Ideally, the bottom of the boat is almost 48"wide, so it would be nice to have the roller like 50", and it mounts on that rear tube. With that being said, I cut that rear pc at 60"(cause someone suggested thast size not naming any names PW), and the oval led tail lights are 6 1/2" each. So if I would have went 63-64" I could have got lights and the roller in the rear frame. So,,,I`m gonna cut and add a 2" pc of tubing on each side, making it 64". Then I can cut the tail lights into the rear frame on the ends.


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## STONE FLY

Cut that rear pipe off the trailer frame (it was only tacked together) and welded a 2" pc on each end. Actually made is easier to hole saw a couple holes through the back side to run wires, and to cut the oval holes for the lights, and to weld end caps on too before I put it back together. Was planning on cutting the oval holes tonight, but the Tigers were on early tonight (WIN) and then the wings game started ( WIN, GO WINGS!) so took a break tonight.
























The PW designer oars are looking pretty good. The glass layup on the blades didnt come out that great, but good enough to press on. I need to get 4 small rubber wheels and build a jig to spin the oars on to wrap the rope on them and get the donuts on, hoping to get that done this weekend, and press on with the trailer build. Starting to wonder now if the weather will ever get nice. We`re back to snow and ice up here again, and the next week or 2 doesnt look any better.


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## WILDCATWICK

Said it before and I'll say it again....best thread ever. Thanks again for taking us with ya! Learning a bunch.


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## STONE FLY

Looks like some good and bad again. Seems like there has been alot of that. A good bit of the project has been problem solving along the way. Keeps it interesting!! Bummer wings game tonight, so I worked in the garage. 

Got my taillight holes cut out. I was gonna use my plasma cutter, then realized I dont own a plasma cutter, so I used the jigsaw. Good news is I popped one of the lights in place to test fit the hole and I couldnt get it out, thought I was gonna break it. So now that I know they fit good and they hold in place really good I wont do that again till I`m done and wiring the trailer. Bad news is, the plastic bezel is about a heavy 1/8" wider than the 3" tubing. and I had a feeling that was gonna be the case. I might look into getting some 1/4" strips of steel to add a pc above and below the light.








I got the ends caps welded onto the tubing. All I can say is I`m lucky that someone invented the grinder  Actually came out half decent. Looking ahead, I have not figured out where the lic plate can go, let alone having a plate light.


















Jumping the gun, I picked up the trailer coupler. The weather is not on my side for varnishing, Suppose to start getting nicer in a couple weeks. I think its gonna come down to the wire to have it complete enough and legal for the outing. Alots gotta happen yet. The next 8 weeks is gonna go by fast.


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## STONE FLY

How to wrap a oar with rope.
Theres probably a right way, a wrong way and my way. This will be my way 
I went and got 4 rubber casters (not swivels) and mounted them to my saw horses. This worked out great BTW, for turning the oar with one hand and wrapping the rope with the other hand. Also a chair is nice cause this takes a little bit. I used some tape to mark off where I wanted the wrap.








Heres the materials I used. Some 550 parachute cord, got it at Michaels. Its 100ft for $10, and for a 16" wrap it took about 60-70ft. I got some indoor/outdoor fiberglass reinforced 2 sided carpet tape at Home Depot, I think it was around $6-7. This is some super sticky stuff and worked great.








I cut a 2ft pc of the rope off and tied it into a loop, and set it aside for the finish of the wrap. Then I cut a pc of the tape and applied it to the oar shaft. Its so sticky you only get one shot so make it count! Made it nice to hold the tag end of the rope, and you start it just like tying a fly, (started the wrap and moved the tape out of the way) and kept wrapping pulling the rope snug. The tape was a lifesaver because you could stop for a sec when your hand gets tired and it holds the rope tight. After a short bit I found a thin leather work glove is nice for the hand, that rope will blister your hand from pulling tight.
















You`ll want to keep that pile of rope from getting tangled on the floor. As you wrap, it gets all twisted up so stopping and un-twisting it helps. Keep wrapping....When you get a few inches or so from the end, tape that loop we made in the start to the oarshaft, and keep wrapping over it. I wrapped pretty snug over it, and it made it hard to tie off but made for a tight wrap. These pics arent in order but shows the idea.


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## STONE FLY

Once I got to the end, I left a 6" tag end, fed it through that loop and started pulling it through using a hammer handle to pull with. It takes alot of pull to pull that loop and tag through. Butting the oar handle into your leg and 2 hands on the hammer handle. I could only pull through 1 maybe 2 wraps at a time, and used a thin screwdriver to work each wrap over the loop/tag end and pulled some more.
















Once the tag end was pulled through I used a knife to trim it off. Tightened up the wraps just a little pushing them together, came out pretty nice.















Getting the rubber donut with the 1" hole over the 2 1/2" wrap wasnt too bad. I heated up a pan of water, dropped the donut in for a while, then started it over the handle. Once you get it to roll over onto the shaft, it rolls turning inside out while rolling. Took a little effort but once it got onto the rope I was able to use my thumbs to adjust where it was without turning it inside out.








Pretty cool!!! Ive still got the indexing rubber grips to get on, but I need to get some varnish on the handles in order to get them on, so they are on hold. I was gonna leave them bare wood and oil them, but I like the idea of the grips. I put a coat of varnish on to dry over night. Maybe tomorrow!!


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## STONE FLY

Started back on the trailer a little. I decided to build up around the taillights about 1/2" for that rubber light grommet to set on. I`ll do the tops now so I can lay it flat on the floor to get the entire frame welded together. Once I flip it to weld the axle on, I`ll add a strip under the lights. Thats gonna make that rubber seal good around the light, keep out the water some too. If I was to do it again, I would use 2"x4" tubing for that rear pc and the light would work out perfect. Oh well, too much time into it now to start over. A little more clean up and this will work ok. Tomorrow I hope to get most of the frame welded together. Then I`ll dabble with the boat a little while I`m waiting to get the axle and other parts.


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## STONE FLY

Got the new oarlock blocks made. About a inch taller and a little wider spread between bushings. I still have to drill some holes and get them bolted to the rails, but I think this time they are staying.








I did get the trailer frame welded together. I`ll be the first to admit my welding skills suck. But it will paint up and haul the boat. I flipped it over a little to aid in the welding (not real sure it helped!)
















I did run a couple decent beads (out of 20). For me anyway, for a real welder probly not so much.
















Hoping my tax returns come in this week so I can get the rest of the trailer parts I need, and get this thing "rolling", literally !
This is the last big part of the project, and I`m feeling some pressure with the time limit for the outing. The boat is pretty much done with the exception of a bunch of sanding and more coats of varnish (waiting on the weather still) but it has a few coats and could make the outing trip as is, pretty or not...Still need to bolt some hardware on too. Looks like its all on hold again for a bit.


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Got the new oarlock blocks made. About a inch taller and a little wider spread between bushings. I still have to drill some holes and get them bolted to the rails, but I think this time they are staying.
> View attachment 211024
> 
> I did get the trailer frame welded together. I`ll be the first to admit my welding skills suck. But it will paint up and haul the boat. I flipped it over a little to aid in the welding (not real sure it helped!)
> View attachment 211026
> 
> View attachment 211027
> 
> I did run a couple decent beads (out of 20). For me anyway, for a real welder probly not so much.
> View attachment 211028
> 
> View attachment 211029
> 
> Hoping my tax returns come in this week so I can get the rest of the trailer parts I need, and get this thing "rolling", literally !
> This is the last big part of the project, and I`m feeling some pressure with the time limit for the outing. The boat is pretty much done with the exception of a bunch of sanding and more coats of varnish (waiting on the weather still) but it has a few coats and could make the outing trip as is, pretty or not...Still need to bolt some hardware on too. Looks like its all on hold again for a bit.


Don't rush it, there will always be another outing, but you fub it up and it will haunt you every time you use it. So relax and do it right.
rw


----------



## Boardman Brookies

Not sure how I missed this thread but just went through it all. Awesome. Great project. Are you planning on using this on the Boardman all?


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## STONE FLY

Boardman Brookies said:


> Not sure how I missed this thread but just went through it all. Awesome. Great project. Are you planning on using this on the Boardman all?


Wow BB, thats alot of browsing, I started the boat about 1 yr ago this month. I`m not familiar enough with areas to float, but if it can be done, YEP!! Are you gonna float it with me? I`m gonna have to get one of those hatch charts at N. Anglers. I was just in there a couple days ago. Did you see our outing flyer on the pin board?

rw, I`m not worried anymore about fubbing it up, its just a fishin boat, not a show boat. Ive already worried about things more than I needed too. Its gonna get beat up, scratched up, well used and wore out. I`ll be at the outing in June.


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## Boardman Brookies

Heck yeah Id go. I think you could launch at Garfield and float down to Shumskys. I think it would kind of be tight in the upper river. I haven't been in there at all since last fall but I plan on it soon for some odds and ends. I will check it out.


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## STONE FLY

Boardman Brookies said:


> Heck yeah Id go. I think you could launch at Garfield and float down to Shumskys. I think it would kind of be tight in the upper river. I haven't been in there at all since last fall but I plan on it soon for some odds and ends. I will check it out.


Found out today, though that stretch is awesome for wading my boat wont make it through there. A raft or kayak would go under the bridges. There might be another stretch by ranch rudolf..I`ll have to check on that.


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## STONE FLY

Wanted to get the grips on the oars tonight. Nitemare!!! Wow. got them from Sawyer. The instruction sheet with them (a one liner) said tape the rope to the handle, heat them up with a hair dryer till pliable, and spray some hairspray on the handles, slip them on. Will fit most handles. Didnt say anything about dia of handles, or anything else. They could much improve on the instructions. I would not recommend these to anyone, but if you really wanted them good luck.

Ha, I used a commercial heat gun, they never did get pliable even when pipin hot, the 2nd one I tried the hot water in a pan trick, didnt help at all, jammed the oarblade (wrapped in a towel) into the brick hearth to push against, kept heating and spraying and pushing with both hands. Wore a huge chunk of skin off one hand, even with leather work gloves on, and after about all I had in me was able to get them on. The rope inside them is suppose to help index them in your hand. There was no mention of the best place to place the rope either.


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## Boardman Brookies

STONE FLY said:


> Found out today, though that stretch is awesome for wading my boat wont make it through there. A raft or kayak would go under the bridges. There might be another stretch by ranch rudolf..I`ll have to check on that.


I think it might be a little tight up by the ranch. Probably some trips down to the Manistee would be better. Now that I think about it I cant recall ever seeing a drift boat on the Boardman.


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Wow BB, thats alot of browsing, I started the boat about 1 yr ago this month. I`m not familiar enough with areas to float, but if it can be done, YEP!! Are you gonna float it with me? I`m gonna have to get one of those hatch charts at N. Anglers. I was just in there a couple days ago. Did you see our outing flyer on the pin board?
> 
> rw, I`m not worried anymore about fubbing it up, its just a fishin boat, not a show boat. Ive already worried about things more than I needed too. Its gonna get beat up, scratched up, well used and wore out. I`ll be at the outing in June.


I think I actually believe you when you are that matter of fact. lol That seems like the way life should be lived.


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## STONE FLY

Had to run down to Grand Rapids today for a tech class for Viking spas, so on the way back I swung through Newago and hit Tracys Riverboats, picked up a 30lb. anchor and finally got to meet Tracy. In the same building next door is the Muskegon Fly Shop. Someone took our flyer so I`m emailing him the PDF for the outing.


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## STONE FLY

Getting a little antsi now to get these trailer parts. Might just have to do some sanding this weekend for more varnish. Weather is 70`s today and tomorrow, then a little cooler this next week again, but still around 60`s. The fishing is suppose to turn on fast and hard!!


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## STONE FLY

Not much lately to post about. I ordered 3 wheels and tires,axle and springs, brackets hangers and fenders for the trailer from Kawkawlin Trailers in Bay City. Pretty sure I`m making the road trip this Sat to get the stuff.

Meanwhile, I tore the boat apart a little to do some sanding (I`m getting sick of sanding) and get some more varnish on it. Sanded the outside and got another coat on it, flyline deck and dash board. It has not been going good, getting alot of dirt in the varnish and just all round poor finish. I`m more concerned with just getting it sealed really well vs. pretty finish but I would like it to look somewhat nice. Got all summer for pretty, only 6 more weeks for sealing.

I came up with a clever idea for a couple removable wood brackets to mount in the boat to cradle the oars in for transport and started working on those.


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## STONE FLY

I even tipped the boat up to try to get the deck more level for the varnish to flow out better, helped a little. Quick as I can get the trailer ready, I`ll drop the boat in Spider Lk down the road and see how it floats, check out the oars, see what changes need to be made


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## STONE FLY

Today was kinda fun, made a road trip to Bay City and picked up the trailer parts. Killed most of the day but I couldnt resist doing a little bit to get it going. Got the spring brackets welded on, still have to clean them up some. 

I was running out of argon gas for the welder, then I ran out of wire so I switched it over to flux wire. Flux wire actually burns hotter, more like a arc welder, and was better for the spring brackets. Got great penetration. This trailer should come together pretty fast. Weather is rain and cold for the next few days so good garage project.

The owner at the trailer shop told me that any tube that is sealed off needs to have a hole or 2 drilled in the bottom so the tube section can breathe or it will rust out alot faster. I`ll be drilling a few holes.


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## Dorf-on-Steel

Looking pretty good Mike. Shouldn't be too much longer till she gets wet!
Dorf


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## STONE FLY

Dorf-on-Steel said:


> Looking pretty good Mike. Shouldn't be too much longer till she gets wet!
> Dorf


Thanks Phil, I`m hoping this week I can put a good dent in that trailer. Thanks for setting me up with that trailer shop.


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## STONE FLY

Did some dry fitting tonight. Had to guess at the axle placement so not sure how well it will work as is. Most often people have alot of boat hanging off the back and a short tongue. I kinda want just a little hanging off the back, but that might present issues for supporting the bottom of the boat.

I think before I press on with the fenders, I`ll set the boat on it and see what I can do to make it work. I still have to make a roller for the very back and a winch stand at the frt., but its looking pretty cool


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## Fabner1

Very Cool! Quite the Engineer!

Old Fred


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## STONE FLY

Fabner1 said:


> Very Cool! Quite the Engineer!
> 
> Old Fred


At best, I just try to make things work. Laid some 2x4`s on the trailer and set the boat on it just to see if its gonna work. I think it will work out just fine.So I went ahead and welded the fenders in place. Need to work on the fender steps and winch stand but I need more steel then I can clean it up and get some primer on it.


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## Fabner1

Stone Fly,

I am duly impressed! Your Drift Boat is a thing of beauty, a joy to behold! You Sir, are way beyond the average boatman!

We were fishing the Big Manistee one cold morning years ago. We were across from the High Bank which is in the Cow Pasture. A Chartered Drift Boat came though. Two guys across from us up on the bank were drinking from a whiskey bottle. One of the charter guys said to the Captain of the drift. "They have Alcohol, Why don't we have Alcohol?" It was very cute and the Drift Boat was amazing. How the Captain could hold it in the current was incredible! Again, a joy to behold!

Do I see water thought the woods?

Old Fred


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## STONE FLY

Ha, thanks, I dont have any alcohol either, maybe that would help!! No water out there, just the highway. Ive got a few small lakes within a mile, thats where I`m gonna drop this boat in to test it out, and Grand Traverse Bay is 5 miles or so away. I`m on the east bay side.

These pictures make the boat look way nicer than it really is. The finish right now is full of runs and dirt, some of the woodwork isnt just right ect., and this trailer wont be a showpiece either, but if it functions its all good. Its also a pretty small boat, just a tad over 14`. 

I had a bunch of it stripped apart already hoping that the weather will actually get nice at some point so I can get more varnish on it and pulled the seats and floors out to get it on the trailer. I left the boat out frt in the driveway over night, weather was suppose to be ok and partly sunny today, so I wake up to rain the the roof,,,arghh. 

Its been a fun project and I learned a bunch but now I just want to get it done, and I`m really close. This should be the last month of this thread (seems like I said that a few months ago) Ive got alot of other projects that are all on hold till this boat is done. 







Started working on this idea I had to transport the oars. Made a couple blocks out of some cherry that I could wing nut to the seats. Easy to take off, but the hatches will still open with the blocks in place too. I`m gonna put some felt in the slots and on the backs and I need to make some sort of strap, but I think they will work out good.


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## STONE FLY

Been working on the fender steps. Got both rears roughed in. Still need some tabs to rivet the diamond plate to.Drilled some holes to pull the side marker light wires through. I made the bunk rails out of some scrap cherry, I`ll drill and tap holes to mount them to the frames with stainless steel bolts and then carpet them. Got a pc of galv tubing for the rear roller and covered it with bunk carpet too. I used that wicked carpet tape I used on the oars and then stitched the seam with upholstery thread. Hoping to have a good bit of this trailer done by this next weekend.


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## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Been working on the fender steps. Got both rears roughed in. Still need some tabs to rivet the diamond plate to.Drilled some holes to pull the side marker light wires through. I made the bunk rails out of some scrap cherry, I`ll drill and tap holes to mount them to the frames with stainless steel bolts and then carpet them. Got a pc of galv tubing for the rear roller and covered it with bunk carpet too. I used that wicked carpet tape I used on the oars and then stitched the seam with upholstery thread. Hoping to have a good bit of this trailer done by this next weekend.
> View attachment 213317
> 
> View attachment 213318
> 
> 
> View attachment 213319
> 
> View attachment 213320
> 
> View attachment 213321



Stone Fly all I can say at this point is (" GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO.") I am a pulling for you don't the back stretch.


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## STONE FLY

rwenglish1 said:


> Stone Fly all I can say at this point is (" GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO,___ GO, GO, GO, GO,___GO, GO, GO, GO.") I am a pulling for you don't the back stretch.


haha, thats alot of pulling!! I think I suggested June for the outing..maybe subconsciously I needed the target date to push for, I dont know. Everything has taken longer than I thought but working full time doesnt leave alot of time left for projects. 

The weather is still not on my side, but now they are talking 70`s next week? I`m still doing ok, another week or so should have the trailer primed and painted with rustoleum, get the lights wired up and get it weighed and registered. Get the boat registered, its about ready to go even if I dont get to sand the runs and varnish some more before the outing. I`ll have all summer to mess with it. 

I sat in it the other day with the oars in place, I think raising the oar lock blocks that little bit helped with knee clearance, a quick water test will tell for sure. I`m getting a little antsi down the back stretch


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## STONE FLY

Pluckin along. Got the frt steps roughed in last night.

















Was gonna weld some tabs into the steps to mount the tops to tonight, but decided to do something easy tonight, just drill and tap some holes....So I drilled and tapped 6 1/4-20 holes for the bunk boards, "thought" that went good, and had the stainless steel flat head bolts to use, then instead of using the 10-24 bolts and locknuts I bought for the marker lights I thought for some crazy reason drilling and tapping the 8 10-24 holes for the marker lights on the steps might be a good idea. That should be easy enough and was going good for a couple lights,








Then everything went bad. I broke off my tap in one of the holes about flush with no way to get it out. I`m gonna see if the guy next door has a torch, I think if I can get it red hot I can drive the tap out with a punch (I hope), so I redrilled the rest of the holes for the bolts and nuts I was gonna use in the first place.

OK, so one thing went bad, had 3 of the 4 lights mounted, back to the bunk boards I had screwed down to the frames. Removed the rear board, thought maybe I would get the carpet on them, then wend to remove the frt bunk, first bolt came right out, and then the other 2 stainless bolts would not come out. Worked on it for a while with a pry bar and some vice grips and finally got them out but destroyed them. Arghh.. I retapped the holes and I`ll try it again tomorrow. Hoping to get the winch stand set up this weekend and keep moving forward


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## Dorf-on-Steel

Mike, I bet you used a four flute tap,eh. Don't waste your $ on them, get machine taps (they were called gun taps when I worked in machine shop in the 70's). I always drill one letter size oversize too and use a drill w/ clutch set low as possible. Haven't broke a tap in years.
Trailer is lookin good too!
pw


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## Fabner1

Stonefly,

Sounds like my kind of luck!

Old


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## STONE FLY

Dorf-on-Steel said:


> Mike, I bet you used a four flute tap,eh. Don't waste your $ on them, get machine taps (they were called gun taps when I worked in machine shop in the 70's). I always drill one letter size oversize too and use a drill w/ clutch set low as possible. Haven't broke a tap in years.
> Trailer is lookin good too!
> pw


Ya, it was a 4 flute, that 2" is cold rolled too and I should have went a size bigger drill. After beating it enough to shatter it out of the hole, I proceeded to drill all the holes to use the bolts and locknuts I was gonna use to begin with for the marker lights. 
I wrapped the 2 bunk boards with bunk carpet, used a carpet staple gun and galv staples. I still have to sew the ends of the frt bunk, and I`m gonna carpet the little angle guides in the back yet. I bolted them on just to get the boat on the trailer again to work on the winch stand which I thought I could get done today. 
Ended up running for some 5"x3/8" stainless bolts and washers to get the bow eye on the boat before I could figure out the winch stand. That worked out good but took some time. I set it in Sikaflex bedding compound which is tough to work with but seals good. 

















Got the tabs welded on to rivet the fender steps to after paint and cut a fender off and re welded it as it was a little crooked. That was a step backwards.
















As for the winch stand, this is as far as I got, got the parts cut and drilled, so tomorrow I`ll get it welded up mount it on the trailer and see about making the bracket for the rubber V block. I had bought a winch from Harbor freight, but then picked up a Reese winch from a trailer shop so I`ll return the HF winch. Hoping to start getting some primer on this thing tomorrow too.


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## STONE FLY

Got the winch stand together today. I made it a inch or so too short, but I`m gonna run with it and see how it works. 
















Because of the angle I went with for the stand, I couldnt fit the frt bolt and nut in place for the winch so I had to cut a notch at the top of the stand, and because of that I cut a small weep hole in the bottom
















Installed this nifty bracket for the safety tow chain


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## STONE FLY

Got some primer on the winch stand and then remembered the bow eye safety chain loop, so I welded that on








I also remembered I needed to make a couple side guide brackets that will center the boat on the trailer and not allow it to move sideways, so I got those made, then primed and painted them. I didnt get the boat off the trailer today, maybe tomnorrow.








Once I gert it off, I`ll drill and tap the holes for these brackets, weld on a couple tie down loops.....then I can get some primer on the trailer. Sure is alot of little details that come into play. Gotta just keep pluckin away


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## Steve

What a work of art.


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## STONE FLY

Steve said:


> What a work of art.


Thanks Steve, its no work of art, you`ll see that when you see it in person. It is still pretty cool though  Tonight I made up the brackets for that roller I had started on for the rear of the trailer. Now I think I`m ready to strip the trailer down and start priming it so I can get it painted. I picked up a QT. of black rustolium today. I picked up the primer a couple weeks ago.


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## Bighunther

Steve said:


> What a work of art.


I totally agree! I have a boat very similar to yours and this thread has made me appreciate it's beauty a lot more


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## STONE FLY

Bighunther said:


> I totally agree! I have a boat very similar to yours and this thread has made me appreciate it's beauty a lot more


Pretty flattering guys. I dont know if this boat is even gonna work, might be the most expensive bon fire ever!! But I really really hope it works out ok. I`m about burned out on trying to think about all the details, its been a real thinking/planning project. I`m so close to wet testing this thing. Bighunter, you gonna be at the outing June 11th? Hope so.

Just got home from work. Pretty crappy weather again all this week, with 5 days of rain coming. I`m trying to muster up the 2nd wind and go out there and start stripping the trailer apart, doing some sanding and start getting some primer on that thing.


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## STONE FLY

well, didnt get to the primer tonight. Got out there and realized some little details that needed to be done. Got the holes drilled and tapped for the side guides, for got about drilling and tapping the rear guides. I still have to get carpet on them.








Had to drill the roller bar for the cotter pins








Forgot about the tie down loops, had to weld those on








I did get the trailer all stripped down, then ran out of steam. Tomorrow I`ll work on sanding and wire brushing and primer. 








I came in and watched the end of the Tigers game, broke the 7 game loosing streak, and sewed up the ends of the frt bunk though  Takes a little time but really finishes off the ends nice and neat


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## Bighunther

STONE FLY said:


> Bighunter, you gonna be at the outing June 11th? Hope so.
> 
> I really would love to make it. I have a family golf outing at forest dunes on the 11th that I won't be able to skip.


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## STONE FLY

aww, would have liked to seen your boat at the outing.
Got a first coat of primer on last night, I`ll do another coat tonight. This is rustolium brush on primer for new metal or lightly rusted. They didnt have any other color for it but it shoiuld work ok. I`ll miss my goal of having it done by this weekend, but just a few days behind. I should be able to get a couple coats of black on it this weekend though, get it weighed middle of next week, and then just focus on the boat again.


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## STONE FLY

The 2nd coat of primer looked a little better








Even thought eh weather was a little under 50 degrees, I made a fire in the woodstove and got it to around 68 and got a first coat of black on the trailer. Never thought I would be needing the woodstove in the middle of May. Oh well, the goal was to get this thing painted this weekend. I`m hoping the 2nd coat of black looks good, if not I`ll go a 3rd coat. Then its just put it all together, cut and install the fender steps, wire the lights and get it legal.


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## STONE FLY

Turned out I needed 3 coats on it. Doesnt look too bad for a paintbrush job, ya its got brush lines, but its not a sports car, just a fishin boat trailer. Theres plenty of little things that arent quite right that I wont disclose, but for a first trailer build ever I`m pretty happy with it. Managed to pull the wires, get the axle and springs all installed during coats of paint.

Today, woke up to some snow. I got the 3rd coat of paint on, mounted and wired all the marker lights, soldered all the wires and used shrink wrap tubes, cut and installed the fender steps. I bought the main wire length from superbrightleds with the lights, and I got the other length of wire with the connector ends, trailer kit from Harbor Freight. 

Once again, it so easy to get sucked into Harbor Freight, but everything they have is pretty much garbage. The wire gauge is really thin, I`m almost sure I`ll have to replace it at some point. I returned the winch and trailer ball setup I got there. The Reese winch I got at a trailer shop is way nicer and didnt cost much more. I got a trailer hitch and ball from Tractor Supply.

The only good thing about that HF kit is it came with some nifty clips that I was able to use to hold the wires to the framing. I still need to re do the towing wire harness on the old Blazer. Next couple days I`ll do that and get the tail lights wired up, get the bunks, roller, coupler and winch stand back on it and go get it weighed and get the plate. Still a few weeks to tinker with the boat and get it registered. I think I`m still on track for the outing.


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## Gamechanger

Very, very nice. The diamond plate's a nice touch.


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## STONE FLY

Gamechanger said:


> Very, very nice. The diamond plate's a nice touch.


Thats the trailer jewlery  got to have some bling right? Got the trailer harness wired on the old Blazer, the roller mounted tonight and the lights finished off. Used all LED`s so I should never have to change a bulb.Got off work late so I didnt get as much done as I was hoping. Tomorrow I`ll get the bunks back on and load the boat again and set the winch stand. Then I`ll tow it into work, make a run to the scale and try to get it weighed, and stop by the Sec of State cause the state needs that $75 for the plate.


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## Gamechanger

Speaking of the license plate...where you plan on mounting the license plate bracket? Does Michigan require license plate illumination on boat trailers?

BTW, I really like the LEDs. Nice and bright and as you mentioned, far more reliable than standard incandescent bulbs. That's a cool looking pattern they throw on the ground. Heck if you'd hook a strobe function to them you'd have a great disco dancing area at the outing.


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## STONE FLY

Well, yes there is suppose to be a plate light, but no, I dont have one. I do have a plan though if I get cited for it, I`ll tie into the rear marker light and mount something under the fender step. I`m not gonna worry about it though. It would be pretty poor if I got pulled over for that.








I got it all done tonight, right on time. Got all the bunks on, set the boat on it, set the winch stand, finished off the 2 rear guides with carpet, mounted the plate bracket, got the roller set with washers, the safety chain on, the frt crank wheel, and still saw the end of the ball game for the win!! One of the things I blew it on was no where to mount the spare tire, but thats ok.
































So right on track. The weather is suppose to get up around 70 this weekend, so I`ll be sanding on the boat a little and putting it back together. The pressure is getting lighter now. The project is getting closer to the end, almost there. Its cool that its all here on the site, so if someone asks the same question I did in the beginning, they`ll get the example and ideas of the entire build.

As far as getting a strobe set up for the lights, not to sure about that. I can say I cant dance, but I bet the Shoeman might show us how to "bust a move" !!


----------



## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> Well, yes there is suppose to be a plate light, but no, I dont have one. I do have a plan though if I get cited for it, I`ll tie into the rear marker light and mount something under the fender step. I`m not gonna worry about it though. It would be pretty poor if I got pulled over for that.
> View attachment 214815
> 
> I got it all done tonight, right on time. Got all the bunks on, set the boat on it, set the winch stand, finished off the 2 rear guides with carpet, mounted the plate bracket, got the roller set with washers, the safety chain on, the frt crank wheel, and still saw the end of the ball game for the win!! One of the things I blew it on was no where to mount the spare tire, but thats ok.
> View attachment 214816
> 
> View attachment 214817
> 
> View attachment 214818
> 
> View attachment 214819
> 
> So right on track. The weather is suppose to get up around 70 this weekend, so I`ll be sanding on the boat a little and putting it back together. The pressure is getting lighter now. The project is getting closer to the end, almost there. Its cool that its all here on the site, so if someone asks the same question I did in the beginning, they`ll get the example and ideas of the entire build.
> 
> As far as getting a strobe set up for the lights, not to sure about that. I can say I cant dance, but I bet the Shoeman might show us how to "bust a move" !!


I would not know about that with Shoeman, but I do know he can drive up and down the damn road when he is suppose to meet you at one place. lol

Everything is looking great SF I think a bunch of us are going to be board on this site after your final post on this project. Congrats and I hope you get to really enjoy it up there.


----------



## STONE FLY

So towed the trailer in and got it weighed at American waste, (cost $5) and she weighed in at 340 lbs.. I might go back for $5 and have the boat/trailer weighed to find out what the boat weight is just to know and end of the day I went to get the plate. Nope, not today. 

They want to see material receipts showing taxes payed, and a form that needs to be filled out. Its the same form they told me for the boat, and the same procedure, proof I paid taxes on materials, but also said if the boat is not going to have a motor I didnt need to register it. Seems like they have told me a couple different things. Arghh...
She made it sound like a big deal if I used any materials that I had on hand, so I wont mention my brother in law gave me the steel tubing, or stuff I got online. I`ll get the ones I do have in order and try it again. SOS is always a hassle.

I had a perfect pc of dia plate left so I decided to add another step spot on the trailer when I got home. I had footprints there from pulling the boat on the other day (though I didnt have the winch on yet) so thought it might be a good spot anyhow.








Not to worry yet rw, its not over till, well, does shoeman sing? hehe, since we are picking on the mod  Suppose to be very nice this weekend, hoping to get some boatwork done. I`m just itching to dump the boat in some water  I`m gonna try to find out how to make a slide show from a bunch of pics (Ive taken alot of them) in the end. Maybe with 1 or 2 seconds each or something?


----------



## rwenglish1

STONE FLY said:


> So towed the trailer in and got it weighed at American waste, (cost $5) and she weighed in at 340 lbs.. I might go back for $5 and have the boat/trailer weighed to find out what the boat weight is just to know and end of the day I went to get the plate. Nope, not today.
> 
> They want to see material receipts showing taxes payed, and a form that needs to be filled out. Its the same form they told me for the boat, and the same procedure, proof I paid taxes on materials, but also said if the boat is not going to have a motor I didnt need to register it. Seems like they have told me a couple different things. Arghh...
> She made it sound like a big deal if I used any materials that I had on hand, so I wont mention my brother in law gave me the steel tubing, or stuff I got online. I`ll get the ones I do have in order and try it again. SOS is always a hassle.
> 
> I had a perfect pc of dia plate left so I decided to add another step spot on the trailer when I got home. I had footprints there from pulling the boat on the other day (though I didnt have the winch on yet) so thought it might be a good spot anyhow.
> View attachment 214889
> 
> Not to worry yet rw, its not over till, well, does shoeman sing? hehe, since we are picking on the mod  Suppose to be very nice this weekend, hoping to get some boatwork done. I`m just itching to dump the boat in some water  I`m gonna try to find out how to make a slide show from a bunch of pics (Ive taken alot of them) in the end. Maybe with 1 or 2 seconds each or something?



That would be awesome and make sure you finish up the slide show with photographs of the boat going down the river, and you fishing out of it.


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## STONE FLY

Ha, it might be me going down the river, with the fly rod sticking out over the side, and me with a small pail frantically bailing water  naaa...shes pretty well sealed. I hope to get someone to take some pics of me and the boat in the river at the outing, to finish off the thread.

So another trip to the Sec of state today (and you cant get a fishing license there either) with all my receipts that I had showing taxes, they took a half hour making photo copies of all of them, and I got a assembled trailer registration and my Pure Michigan trailer plate. Stopped and got some stainless bolts and locknuts to mount it...whoo-hoo shes legal.

I was noticing how poor my paint job looks in the sun when I got home, but It wont keep me up at night. Last pic of the lone trailer.....I got the fly line deck sanded tonight for what I hope is the last coat of varnish so I can put things back together. I`m already over worrying about runs, sags, brush marks, bugs or anything else, that can be next winters touch ups. I`m gonna get this thing together in the next week or so, maybe work on the oars some yet. Its time to be fishing


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## Boardman Brookies

So where will she take her maiden voyage?


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## Gamechanger

Well done SF! Looking forward to seeing a photo of you holding a trout of a lifetime in the boat you built yourself.


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## STONE FLY

Boardman Brookies said:


> So where will she take her maiden voyage?


I dont have any plan. The outing might be the place, unless I can get into the Ausable or somewhere before that. Thanks Gamechanger, that sounds pretty good!!


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## Boardman Brookies

Run down to the Manistee


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## STONE FLY

Checked out the 30lb anchor. Thats is one huge chunk of lead. Pulls decent and the arm seems pretty sturdy, should be good. Ive also got a chain setup, but I know alot of people frown on that even though they do work good.









Towed the boat into work, and stopped by the scale on the way. Turned out the trailer weighed 340lbs., and the boat weighed exactly 340 lbs. too. What the chance of that? I really was shooting for 275, but the extra hardwood benches, full size floor boards added some weight.I think its still within reason.








On the way home, I dropped it in Spider lake just down the road to see if it would float. Yup...she floats nice, didnt see any leaks. Sits in a couple inches of water. Very responsive rowing, though the oar shaft seemed really heavy on the blade ends, so I`ll be shaving those down soon. Would also like to be able to pick the oars out of the water a little more, so I`ll play with the oar lock height, and if needed I`ll remove the quick diss connects for the seats and just use swivels to lower the seats a little. I think it will still work as is.








I already put a scuff in the trailer frame with the boat coming on crooked, so I might make 2 more of those little side guides and put them farther back on the frame. That would keep that from happening again. Dorf offered to make a trip up and is suppose to meet me in Mio tomorrow morning, to try a float on the Ausable trophy water for a first run. So I`m hoping he makes it up, the weather is on our side and to get some pics of the first river run. Should be cool


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## Fabner1

Stonefly,

Just Beautiful!

old


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## STONE FLY

The "shakedown cruise",,,,,
Phil was waiting for me at the launch on the Ausable in Mio when I got there. The canoe place there was also there lining the shoreline with aluminum and rafts.
Due to the excitement and trying to get out of there afap didnt get any pics. The current was fast and the wind was really kicking. How windy? My windproof zippo wouldnt light. Made keeping our hats on, rowing and casting a challenge. The rain predicted held off to mostly cloud cover and the temp was very warm, 80`s. Water was warm too, in the 60`s








Thats Phil trying to load that custom Sage 5 wt. he made. We caught a few small fish, but there were so many canoes and party rafts it s a wonder. Had a chick run right into the back of my boat with a alum canoe, and a couple rafts hit us too, it got kinda a little out of control. Best advise is go super early and later in the evening, or fish a different stretch. We saw a couple real nice fish bolt out of cover and grab something, but werent able to get one. Phil caught this bruiser pretty fast 







Heres my trophy fish!!








The float didnt go without mishaps...
So the wind caught me and I ran us right into a big tree hanging out into the river, we smashed through the branches, and I thought we would be ok until I looked back and saw my fly rod hanging in the branches. In 2 seconds we were 100 yards past and there was no rowing back. So we got to the other side, got out and walked the boat back upstream just past the tree. I tried to walk across but it got too deep and the current was too strong. I`m really lucky it got hung up and didnt end up in the current. It was a Thomas and Thomas 5wt with a Hydros reel. Phil took the oars with me leaning on the deck and tried to shoot me hard into that tree, which he did a fine job of. The first branch i tried to grab broke off, with my right hand I grabbed for another branch and it almost pulled me out of the boat, with my left hand I managed to grab the rod and in a 3 second panic we were out of the tree with the rod. Close call  There was no time for pictures...
We found a nice spot to stop and take a break.








As for boat issues and the purpose of the float:
The 30 lb. anchor that I thought might be too much, wouldnt even hold us in a few spots, but worked well in most places. I think its about a perfect weight. I pulled real hard on the rope at one point and the bolt ripped out of the jam cleat pulley....We got lucky and without the lock washer had enough threads to bolt it back on using my little folding pliers and it made it the rest of the trip. I`ll be fixing that. Note to self: pack a few small tools and a first aid kit in the boat.

Rowing was really hard. The oars are too end heavy, I`ll start thinning them this weekend. Might be nice to add a few more inches of rope wrap too just to pull them in farther. My oarlocks need to come up higher, and or the seat needs to go down, so first I`ll try some extended oarlocks that will be 2 inches taller. Being tall, just not enough leg clearance to lift the oars up much out of the water and being end heavy a real workout holding them up. I`ll have the new oarlocks by next weekend if I get them ordered by Tues. I`ll try that first, and if needed I`ll ditch the plastic seat release swivels and go to just metal swivels bolted to the benches. That will give me 1 1/2 in lower on the seats.

The other issue was with the size of the boat and the frames, I spread the benches as far apart as I could, but with long arms I scraped my knuckles on the back of the frt seat trying to get some power in the stroke. I think thats a easy fix by mounting the frt seat farther forward on the bench. I mounted it way back just for more room in the frt. I can get 3 inches farther forward, should work out better.
I heard a little noise when Phil sat on the flyline deck, hes no little guy, nothing cracked just the plywood squeaking on the dash cleat, so I might just go ahead and epoxy a cross brace under the deck for good measure.
So Ive got a little tweaking to do, not too bad, and the reason for the run.

Otherwise, the boat worked out good. Thanks Phil for making the 2 hour drive north and taking the test float, saving my rod, and taking this great pic of me and the DB !! Next time we`ll focus more on some fishing.


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## STONE FLY

Come on Mike, try to hold the boat a little more steady and keep us out of those trees!








Oh crap, what did I get myself into?








Little hard to get Phil to concentrate with all that bikini eye candy around the launch  I have to admit, that part wasnt all that bad


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## STONE FLY

ok ok, he caught me looking too 








So today I added 3" more rope wrap. If I get the oars working better I might re wrap them so its all one pc. I hit them with the planer and sander. Took them down close to 1 5/8" -1 3/4" thick. Not sure if its gonna make the difference I`m looking for, but it sure seems thinner compared to the solid 2" thick shaft. Tomorrow I`ll slap some varnish on them and get back to the punch list. I`ll be ready for the outing.


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## Gamechanger

Well, the boat floated, fish were caught, and nobody did the ol' "split shot sinker", so that makes it a very good outing in my book. Thanks for posting the photos allowing us to go along. Looking good SF!


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## STONE FLY

lol good points!!! All in all, no one got hurt. We might have got scraped up from those branches a little, I drew little blood hitting the back of the frt seat with my hand trying to row, but it was what I needed to see what to tweak. I will say, it took alot of guts for Phil to offer to do it with me, not knowing how it would go. My hats off to the big guy  He`ll be happy to get back in his bigger boat I`m sure. So I`m working on some things to get it ready. Should be much better to row this next time around, and the pulley will be solid. Got a good pic of him by the boat too.







haha, this is a good one...


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## STONE FLY

This week, made a few changes to the boat from the punch list. I added a brace under the frt deck so it will hold up better to sit on. I should have done that from the start. I replaced that pulley bolt that pulled out with a longer one and added a nut inside so that should be rock solid now. 

I removed the plastic swivel/ dis connects and replaced them with 2 standard swivels. Lowered the seats about 1 1/2", which should feel more into the boat vs. on the boat, and should provide more get the oars out of the water height, and moved the frt seat forward on the bench a few inches which should add some knuckle room for rowing. I should get the new oarlocks Monday that have longer shafts with spacers that the height of the oars can be adjusted with.








Lowering the rear seat created a new issue though, now I cant open my side storage compartments without turning the seat sideways, oophs. I might have to tear that rear bench apart and make some changes.I had it planned out with the higher swivels. It also made the center storage under the seat door not open as much, but still enough to slip stuff in there. The frt bench is all good. 

















I picked up a little dry box for a few small tools and a little first aid kit to keep in the boat. I`m kinda prone to needing a bandaid now and then








Got a little varnish on the oars that I thinned out some. Hopefully they will feel little lighter, but I already think I should have went thinner. Maybe those counter weights would be a good idea.








So I`m ready for another shot at the outing, and I`m sure I`ll come up with another punch list but its coming together ok. I still want to make and add some rubstrips along the lower sides. In the old days they were put on to protect the boat from the trailer tires rubbing on the sides cause of no fenders. I wont have that issue but I think they have a cool vintage look and might help take a little abuse hitting stuff, which I`m sure is gonna happen alot after that first trip experience. So though its float ready, still some things to work on and some changes to make.


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## twowack

The picture of you two smiling say,s it all.
And Thanks for all you shared with us.


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## STONE FLY

twowack said:


> The picture of you two smiling say,s it all.
> And Thanks for all you shared with us.


Your welcome and thanks to Steve for having this website so I could post all this and share the pics!!


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## STONE FLY

The boat rowed way better after lowering the seat a inch and thinning the oar shafts. Pretty well dialed in now.

Got home from the outing and my extended oarlocks that were suppose to be here a week before the outing, were on the frt porch. Super heavy duty, but the key is they are 2" longer than the standard 3" shafts and come with different spacers to adjust the height. This will allow me to raise the locks 1" and I might just put the seat release swivel back on and my compartments will open again 
















Stopped by a outfitter on the way home and got a sticker for the boat, had just the right spot for it.
























So after 2 trips in the boat, I am not very bad ass at all but I hope that will change


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## Steve

I love the ruler.


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## Gamechanger

Nice touch there SF. Glad to hear the new oarlocks worked out.


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## Scott brotherton

STONE FLY said:


> Thanks Steve, its no work of art, you`ll see that when you see it in person. It is still pretty cool though  Tonight I made up the brackets for that roller I had started on for the rear of the trailer. Now I think I`m ready to strip the trailer down and start priming it so I can get it painted. I picked up a QT. of black rustolium today. I picked up the primer a couple weeks ago.
> View attachment 213877
> 
> View attachment 213878


HOW DID YOU MAKE REAR ROLLER I NEED THE SAME THING THANKS SCOTT


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## STONE FLY

That roller is made from a pc of 1 1/4" gal. pipe from home depot, (which I bought a 10` length of and cut it to size) the bearings in the ends were purchased at tractor supply (thanks to dorf on steel for tracking them down) and the TS stock # on the bearings is 11-962361. 

The brackets I made from some 2"x1/8" flat stock that I welded together, drilled and shaped one side for the roller so that the roller was sitting above the steel backet so that the boat would never hit it, and drilled a couple holes in the back of it to bolt to the trailer frame. A couple pcs of L angle iron would work just fine but I had the flat stock from building the trailer so I made my own angles. The brackets are bolted to the frame behind the roller on mine because I didnt have any extra room between them and the tail lights. I mounted the roller just a tad higher than the rear bunk.

I bought a pc of 5/8" bar stock near the length I need for the width of the roller + a little extra on the ends (any steel fab shop will have or get it)

You dont really need to do this, some guys paint them or just leave them bare, but I wanted something softer to roll the boat across:
I covered the roller by using some carpet tape and cutting some bunk carpet to fit around it and then handstitched the seam to not have any issues with the carpet coming off. So far it has held up well, I cant say as much for the bunk carpet on the bunks. My back one is already tore.Looking at other trailers in parking lots, everyone has either torn or no bunk carpet left so I guess thats pretty common with use.

Issues I had making it: the bearings are a tiny bit loose in the ends of the pipe. I laid the pipe on the cement floor and took a punch and hammered dents on the inside edge of the pipe to create a knurled effect, that snugged them up a little, and the bar stock I got was a little out of round so I sanded a few inches of the bar until I could slide the bearing over it, put the bar through the pipe and then tapped the bearings into the pipe.

Added a couple washers and drilled holes through the rod for cotter pins to hold it in place. This might seem like alot but its pretty simple and not very expensive. Having the roller is HUGE for pulling the boat out in places other than a real boat launch where you can back the trailer all the way in. Once you get the nose on that roller, you can pull it up right off the ground if need be.
Hope this helps


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## john warren

STONE FLY said:


> So I did a search and only found 1 post on here from 06, but the links for plans and info was long gone. Wondering if anyone has any info to share on getting plans, or building a drift boat. This is something I would really like take on myself. I think it would be alot more practical and versatile than building a canoe. Ive got extensive wood working skills and tools so that part is covered. A small plywood boat would be perfect.
> 
> I floated the PM once with Shoeman in 03 who at the time had I think a 13` drift boat and I had a 12` jon boat (which worked) but I was so impressed how that drift boat would just stand still in the current, and move about with ease. Hoping someone can share some info here


i know your thinking wood, and have built one myself, was fun and worked well. but i got a inflatable pontoon a couple years ago,,,, oh my that thing is awsome. cost about the same as i spent on my woody,,,or less. floats me high and dry. stable. and stores in one plastic tub with my inflator pump , the frame can break down , or toss in the back of your suv or pick up. mine has a mount for a trolling motor for use on lakes too, but i never used the motor as a stroke of the ore sends you scurrying acrossed the water, and you don;t have tp repaint it,,,,,ever


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## koditten

I found your thread by accident. I'm glad I did! Beautiful write up and pictures. Thanks.

I've only got as far as loading pics of my build. Very little write ups on my build. I won't be able to compare.

Here is the link to all my pictures if anyone is interested. Save me the trouble of having to respond in my own thread.

https://goo.gl/photos/7uVwcF2eTbocQicR7


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## STONE FLY

Thanks Koditten. I thought I would share a short project as I went and I did the write up for some forum entertainment for everyone during the slow winter months, which ended up being a years worth!! I know I look forward to new posts and pictures. Ive been watching your build. Very nice and wow, nice shop. I hope to see you on the water one day this summer.


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## limige

Koditten, nice work, are you working off plans?


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## koditten

Somewhat. For the hull, yes. Everything else is from ideas I've borrowed off Google Images. I type in "aluminum drift boat" and hundreds of pictures pop up.


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## STONE FLY

I`m liking your build koditten, and its looking good but from a purists standpoint, "If God wanted us to build drift boats out of aluminum, he would have planted aluminum trees"


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## WILDCATWICK

Well, how's the floating going?!


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## koditten

Can't complain. Got out on Sunday to spend some time on the Au Sable, downstream from Grayling about 6 miles or so. It was perfect trout fishing weather.


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## STONE FLY

I only did one float, the Ausable in Mio early this year. All my fishing plans got foiled for this summer finding out my job was going out of business. Ive just been laying low saving money to pay bills if I`m out of work. I did just land a new job though and start next week so I might be looking for the 4 hp motor and a boat cover still this year and maybe get out for salmon.


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## koditten

Bummer on the job situation. Keep up the spirits as best you can.


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