striperick Posted August 11, 2013 Report Share Posted August 11, 2013 Purchased the plans for OB20 #24 7/17/13. After a couple weeks of studying the plans I began actually building 8/4/13. A little bit about myself, I am a former commercial cabinetmaker/installer but for the last 15 years have been managing high end residential woodworking and very lately commercial millwork and casework projects.This is my first boat build of any kind.I currently live near Rhode Island and the boat when finished will be used by my wife and myself in Narragansett bay RI. So far so good , it feels great to get my hands dirty again and lately have been looking foward to spending the evenings in the garage after work.Right now the frame is mostly built (with the exception of 2 uprights) and have begun cutting out some of the temporary ribs. After researching places to purchase the materials I have found a place about 3 miles from my house that sells Bruynzeel Hecthout okoume gaboon marine plywood and a wide assortment of hard and softwoods. For the moment I will be using straight grain doug fir for everything below deck. I am awaiting approval from "coorporate" (wife) to release funds to purchase the okume ply permanant ribs and stringers. Garage is pretty tight and I will have to maximize the space that I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautilusII Posted August 11, 2013 Report Share Posted August 11, 2013 Hi striperick, I have reeived my OB20 hull#25 1st of August. My name is Manolis Marinakis and I am Greek liviing 40 Km outside of Athens. NautilusII will be the name of the boat. This will be my 2nd one. I built my 1st one back in 1996. It was a sailing boat 4.70m. NautilusII will be my personal project for the next 12-15months (Ihope). I have studied the plans and after some clarifications I raised to Graham I am ready to start building. Planned to start the building mid of Sept. Now I am on vacation returning back in Athens 25th of August. Then I need to settle the place of building which is a bit short wide wise but I will manage it. I will be glad to share experience and photos of our buildings. Manolis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny B Posted August 12, 2013 Report Share Posted August 12, 2013 Fantastic! I'll look forward to following your builds. I have not done much on my OB20 in the last few weeks. It is cottage time on the weekends and this working for a living thing is really annoying. I will post some progress shots on my thread this week sometime. Regards, Ronny B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted August 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Manolis Will look foward to seeing the progress of your build as well. I think it will take me north of 800 hours to build this (based on a pure guess) and reading Rons thread over and over again. Ron have I said lately how impressed I am with your build? Anyway with the time availible to me 40 hours a month at best I see about 20 months barring any serious setbacks. It is what it is, I cant control the amount of time it will take but I can control the quality I want to dedicate to this boat.I will have this boat a long long time and I dont want to go in cutting corners. I have read about plastic staples, straps and screws to hold the exterior ply.I am going to try something outside the box.I have hand routered the two temporary ribs using bendable hardwood strips, rubber molding and anything i can get my hands on. This gave me a outer rerverse mold that i will use to clamp againt the inner ribs. I will screw blocks in between the "outer ribs " where the horizontal rails exist. I will use shingles to push the ply away from outer ribs and against the inner ribs.I will bascilly end up with a outer "mold" when it is all said and done.I think its the way to go working alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted August 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Got sidetracked with remodeling a room in the house so the boat project was idle for a week. Produced a shaped form for the transom and put all 3 sheets of Okume and the form in a vacum bag tonight at the shop. Will remove from bag late tomorrow or Sat and trim perimeter to shape later this weekend I hope. I do have access to a shop but I dont want to overstay my welcome and not use up all my "favors" early in the process. If you look to the back of the picture you can see the form waiting for the laminations. Turned the pump down not to overclamp the epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Spent some time working on the boat this weekend. I have a blank of straight grain Doug fir glued up for the stem pieces.Going to rough cut the stem pieces and see if it "relaxes" some before the finish cut. Took the transom out of the vacuum bag shaped it and beveled the edges (did a ton of research and emailed graham and decided to make the transom notch now ) . Pretty happy on how that came out. Spun the boat around and re-leveled the frame in the garage. The available length is tight in the garage so I figured needed more room to work the bow than transom. You can see in the pic I use a laser to level the frame and some furniture leveling feet at the frame for floor adjustment (I am nuts about level,square and plumb when I build something). Surprisingly the frame doesn't move when you lean against it.Its been my first time working w/ epoxy doing the transom lamination's and the stem glue up.Got to learn not to be wasteful in that department. Humidity was 92% here in the northeast this weekend which is really uncomfortable and my best friend is bug spray from those pesky mosquitoes working late afternoons in the garage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted December 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2013 Thought I would update the progress of OB 20 hull # 24. Not as far as I would like to be but moving foward . I am really getting the feel as to how strong (and light) this hull is as designed. Stem is done and will be getting the keel material this week. I used straight grained doug fir CVG on the stem. The material was very very good quality w/ a very tight and very straight grain.( I am thinking old growth ) however this material for 1 5/8" x 3 5/8" S4S was about $5 a linear foot. Buying S4S (surfaced) material was actually cheaper than buying5/4 in the rough.Will be using southern yellow pine for the material that will be bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keen2buildagain Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 hey Striperick, any more work done on your boat? trev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennieG Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hi Stripe- Following your build with interest. I have a brother in Narragansett that I will see this summer and maybe see your progress. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Progress has been slow. Holidays along w/ polar vortex has made it difficult to get into garage. I have kerosene heater that could keep up however the fumes would be pretty tough. Got the interior keel glued up. I was able to find a 1" x 5 1/2" x 18' long clear vertical grain doug fir plank at local lumberyard so I wont have to scarf that. Lennie G come on over anytime. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Worked on the chine batten. My options were yellow cedar (expensive) southern yellow pine ( locally the quality was iffy) and clear vertical grain doug fir (quality good and reasonable) . Ended up w/ the doug fir. Working alone I decided to use 4 layers of 3/8" x 3/4" and laminate them together. Grahams recommendation of pvc pipe cutoffs for clamps works well here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keen2buildagain Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Hi Rick, I too am building the OB-20 and was wondering if there are any notch-outs in the transom (like the OK-20's) for the side and bottom stringers? How about a shot of how you have set up your transom. It's looking good so far. Trev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 http://messing-about.com/forums/topic/8854-phishunt-ok20/?hl=%2Btransom+%2Bdrawing#entry76897 keen..... look in this link it has a drawing that graham produced for another design of his. I had same question and graham directed me to do the same thing. 4 layers of 6 mm between the well. I have to get more epoxy and I have the sheet of 6 mm waiting so I will do this late this week.Anyway here is the picture of my transom and the transom doublers as shown in the drawing. http://messing-about.com/forums/topic/8854-phishunt-ok20/?hl=%2Btransom+%2Bdrawing#entry76897 keen..... look in this link it has a drawing that graham produced for another design of his. I had same question and graham directed me to do the same thing. 4 layers of 6 mm between the well. I have to get more epoxy and I have the sheet of 6 mm waiting so I will do this late this week.Anyway here is the picture of my transom and the transom doublers as shown in the drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keen2buildagain Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 thanks mate, As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words....... ps, forgive me if my questions seem a bit on the lame side, but I like to build it in my mind first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Spent some time in the garage. Added 4 layers of 6mm okume to the interior of the transom and will notch for the keel and stringers when dry .I didnt want to put back in vacuum bag as I had to locate the pcs accurately. I layed aft face of transom on my bench supported it and put full bags of wood pellets for clamping pressure. I honestly thought it worked better than the vacum bag at the shop. I cant believe how rigid the transom has become. Pic to follow. I glued the chine battens to the stem and the 1st bulkhead. Even though I laminated the solid chine battens in 4 equal layers there is a considerable amount of torque required to twist the fore end of the chine batten with it totally in place . I decided to lift the aft ends of chine batten and I could then hold the fore end of chine batten w/ no pressure. This could be an epic failure when I drop the aft end later and I hear the epoxy pop but I hope it will be fine . Again I did not use temporary or permanent fasteners. I scarfed the aft end of the chine batten before I glued into place. I can see the bottoms going on shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 keen2build again I promised to give a picture of the transom. The transom is finally closer. 9 total components ( 7 layers & 2 doublers) , 16 cutouts (5 @ each doubler 4 for stringers 1 for keel 1 for outboard notch) I think i strayed from the drawing a little . Not because I wanted to add strength or weight.... and I DO NOT want to make a habit straying from the plans. I know only enough to get myself in trouble sometimes. I left material to capture the outboard stringers also for the fact I am working alone and I want to glue the transom in and capture all the stringers and be done w/ it. I will probably be sorry as it may cause conflicts that I have not yet discovered. I retained the cutoff for the outboard and may use it as the sacrificial piece between the outboard and the outside of the transom. It already has the correct radius. What I cant figure out is when to attach the sacrificial piece to the transom and how. I assume it goes in after the transom is glass and epoxied? Maybe just 5200 around the perimeter? Does anyone have any ideas that they want to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyot Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Wow, looks like very clean work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striperick Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Popped the transom on today. I have attached pics how the weep holes are set up in the bulkheads and stringer. I am going to seal the edges of the weep holes a few times before bottom goes on. Wanted airflow and drainage to the bilge. Been reading about pros and cons of foam flotation. Dont think I will be using foam for my build. Thank you Miyot. I have followed your thread and am totally impressed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keen2buildagain Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Thanks Rick for taking the photo/s. If you are not using foam flotation, what do you intend to use? I too have been reading the forums on the pros and cons and am interested in what would be the best. Trev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 I also don't like pour-in-place foam flotation as it will trap water between the foam and any bottom of hull. And, yes, water ALWAYS will find a way to get in---even if only condensation. Block foam cut to fit loosely will allow an airflow around it and allow moisture to drain and evaporate. I always open access hatches, drain plugs, etc. to allow this circulation. Anyplace that fuel is likely to get in, such as under the sole, use polyurethane foam blocks. Styrofoam will dissolve in fuel. You can cut the foam with a saw or a "hot wire cutter". Make your own cutter---Google it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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