celticguitar Posted July 16, 2006 Posted July 16, 2006 :shock: Duhh I know you get what you pay for right? Well I am trying to build a Jon boat from free plans and one of the key measurements the width of the bottom of boat panel is off a bit, transom end. I had already cut bottom and while I did vex myself several times before cutting because this number just didn't seem right I did go ahead and cut. Well it turns out it is wrong. It 's not really a bigy because I can adjust for it I just think this stuff should be checked before it is put out there. The guy whose web site it was was nice enough and did email back but there was not a hint of making correction or what the correct dimension was. Oh well next time measure thrice check twice and measure thrice again before cutting. Hoping to be on the water soon Dewey Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted July 16, 2006 Posted July 16, 2006 Sorry to hear that! But unfortunately the reality is that many of the "Free Plans" are from people that haven't actually built anything but would like to become "designers". Some have an idea which may be a modification of an existing design, (Most are!) and they make up a set of drawings. If they built one and then drew it up they didn't actually have anyone else build one from their drawings to see if they are accurate or will work. And it costs money to change a set of drawings, especially when they are offered for free. The good news is that most often the project can be salvaged and it will work, just not as it is drawn. Good luck and post a photo or two as you get further along. Quote
JeffM Posted July 16, 2006 Posted July 16, 2006 Dewey, I sail my Core Sound 20 in Narragansett Bay. What are you building? Maybe we'll see you out there someday! Jeff Quote
celticguitar Posted July 17, 2006 Author Posted July 17, 2006 I am building Jon boat for fishing with the kids stable platform for river pond and lake and light weight. It's my first foray into building a boat. I build accoustic instruments violins etc. I hope to, once I get my feet wet ha ha, to build a more adventurous project with REAL plans. I have a friend who sales a Blue Jay and a Lightening. Yes it turns out that I will be able to salvage project. The shape of the bottom bears little resemblance to the actual shape of frame now that I have the sides wrapped around the molds and have the stem and transom attached. the measurements were way off. more like a dory or skiff than a Jon boat I spoke to owner of site and he told me that he would put a warning on page for people to loft the plans first before building the real thing. He is a nice guy. Dewey Quote
PAR Posted July 17, 2006 Posted July 17, 2006 Most of the free plans found on line are not complete. In defense of the plans set, I just sent a sail plan and a few other drawings to a fellow in Arizona. I labored over the details, calculations and dimensions, but damned if I didn't include the gaff head dimension on the sail plan (Jim if you're reading this it's 7' 9"). It happens. I haven't found a set of plans that didn't have errors or missing information. I've personally never produced a set of plans that was perfect, but I'm trying. Computers have helped a great deal in transposition errors and omissions, but things do get left off, from time to time. Quote
mrthethird Posted July 17, 2006 Posted July 17, 2006 All I can say, my friend, is GOOD LUCK. I built Nick Schade's stitch & glue guillemot from nothing but a set of lofting points. The panel dimensions were good, but the forms offset dimensions were not. To Nick's credit, I was warned beforehand, and he helped me through the tough parts. But free plans are free plans. I also built a pirogue from free plans. It was a mess as well. But determination prevailed, and it turned out fine. I later sold the pirogue, so I guess I made a profit . The S&G Guillemot is my daughter's favorite boat now. Post pictures as you build. The process pictures are almost as good as the finished piece. Again, good luck. And stick to it! Quote
Wild Dingo Posted July 18, 2006 Posted July 18, 2006 Lesson 101A Free plans MUST be checked BEFORE any cuttings done! This has been well discussed in Lesson 100A ALL boat plans MUST be checked BEFORE any cuttings done... strewth sorry but thats gotta be the most obvious thing ever!!... mate not havin a go at you or anything but everything with the tag "free" should be checked more than once!! Good luck!! As you say mate not a bigy... but check check check then set up for the cut and check again!! and thats for any plans! ahem... pics please! :oops: :wink: Quote
celticguitar Posted July 21, 2006 Author Posted July 21, 2006 Well just a friendly update boat going together well. All risers ,gunwales, battens, keel etc on and fastened. Aft seat in place mid and fore seats tomorrow. A few more days and it will be ready for sealer and glassing. Then choice of paint color and name. I am terrible with taking pictures of projects I even forget to take pics of my instruments as they take shape. ps maybe when it's done if it looks good anyway Quote
celticguitar Posted July 25, 2006 Author Posted July 25, 2006 Boat is going together well I don't know if this how it's suppose to look but it seems right. Dewey Quote
jack grebe Posted July 25, 2006 Posted July 25, 2006 as long as ya can bail faster than it leaks.......yer doin good Quote
Barnacle Jim Posted July 25, 2006 Posted July 25, 2006 Ahoy Dewey, If the boat is coming together and looks right, you're probably alright. Paul Riccelli (PAR) mentioned sending some plans our way and some needed corrections. I'm glad to have the corrections, but Dewey, I can tell you that we built our boat without plans. We did look at photographs, and I did purchase some Stevenson plans, but I have not looked at the plans in 3 years. I did not follow the Stevenson plans for the hull, the deck, the keel, the cabin, the mooring bit. I did not even follow the plans for the sole. "Will our boat sail?" I hope so. Paul seems to think so. Dewey, make your boat look right, and you and the boat will be fine. Quote
kydocfrog Posted July 26, 2006 Posted July 26, 2006 Ahoy, Barnacle Jim " I can tell you that we built our boat without plans. We did look at photographs, and I did purchase some Stevenson plans, but I have not looked at the plans in 3 years. I did not follow the Stevenson plans for the hull, the deck, the keel, the cabin, the mooring bit. I did not even follow the plans for the sole. " But other than that, did you stick pretty much to the plans... DocA BTW, I really did look at your pictures, and that's a pretty darn good looking boat and nifty interpretation. Quote
lewisboats Posted July 29, 2006 Posted July 29, 2006 Whew!!! :oops: I thought for a second it was one of mine. T'wernt tho I try to build at least half of what I come up with (which makes for a heck of a full back yard!) and always assist with the other half as much as possible. Steve Oh...I'm back after a system rebuild (from scratch, yuck!) Quote
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