Building a boat can be a great way to exercise your craftsmanship and inventiveness. If this is the first boat you are trying to make then you will likely do well by following an uncomplicated design that doesn’t necessitate a complex range of details or an excessively large budget.However, regardless of the design chosen, you should still be able to use your boat. Hence functionality should be significant in the entire process. When you have obtained all the needed tools and materials and have chosen the design you will use, you can begin this very exciting and satisfying project.
Required Tools
Power drill
Set square
Steel ruler
Tape measure
Power jigsaw
Power plane
Random orbit sander
Handsaw
Hand plane
Hand sanding block
Required Materials
Marine Plywood or Regular Plywood
Epoxy
Fibreglass
Paint and/or other Waterproofing treatment
Instructions
The process used here is deemed the stitch and glue method. It is used to create three dimensional objects from two well known materials: plywood and epoxy resin. It is not difficult to construct a boat utilising this method once you follow the steps precisely.
1.To start cut your sections of plywood in the shape detailed by your design. You will need to use your power tools, hand saw, measuring tape, set square and ruler at this point to cut the pieces correctly. The precision of the plywood pieces will give your boat a nicer look and more stability when it is ready to be sailed.
2.On one of your cut pieces of plywood, drill several small holes and give them a distance of about 10cm apart. You will then do this process with another piece of your plywood these holes will correlate to the first set you have put in your original section of plywood.
3.These two pieces will be stitched together by use of copper or plastic cable ties. Be sure to you use an adequate length for each hole, to fasten it effectively.
4.When the pieces have been properly combined you will then be ready to put on your thickened epoxy. The epoxy will be applied at the joints of the pieces, thereby securing the pieces completely. If you want to enhance the joining capacity of the epoxy you can use a light layer of epoxy that has not been thickened on the sections of plywood first and then put on the thickened epoxy after a couple minutes have gone by. This will give the glued area more stability than the wood itself.
5.Allow the epoxy to cure, this means letting it dry and set. Once this has been achieved remove the bits of wire from the plywood and then utilize fibreglass, tape and more epoxy to fill out the holes and stop any leaks.
6.After the basic structure has been created you will still need to waterproof your boat. Even if the plywood is has been initially treated it must be painted and coated with a durable waterproofing finish. This finish will work as a sealant and prevent the wood from getting waterlogged. Before putting on you finish you will need to sand down your boat using your sand paper and/or other power tools to smooth out the body and edges. To do this you may use a thin coat of epoxy first to seal the wood and then apply a coat of regular outdoor paint to guard against the damaging effects of the sun.
7.Your boat is now ready to be sailed.
Tips and Warnings
The overall time to finish this project will vary. You will have to take a break at some point to allow the epoxy to cure after each application this will usually require about 5-7 days. However, doing it properly is the only way to make certain that your boat will perform efficiently.
Make sure you are taking the right safety precautions inclusive of wearing a protective mask, safety glasses, close weave working clothes and utilizing disposable plastic gloves. During the sanding and drilling process there will be a great deal of dust flying around hence a particle mask will be essential. Additionally the gloves will make certain that your hands will not get in direct contact with the epoxy, which while not a lethal material is best not touched with bare fingers. Undoubtedly the glasses will prevent any unexpected injury to the eyes.
Research different boat designs and opt for a plan based on your extensive research. The less complicated the plan the better.
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