#boatbuild

I am new to this whole blog thing, hopefully this will get better with time.

     It all began about a year ago, we were sitting on our center console boat at the marina daydreaming about being able to sleep on our boat. We were fantasizing about taking week long trips and being able to go on multi day fishing adventures. Most of all we wanted to be able to comfortably take our fur babies along for the adventure. In casual conversation, I made a joke about building a boat. Unfortunately, Cassie is just as crazy as I am and here we are today.

    I knew from the start that this would be a long journey. We spent about 6 months doing extensive research on different boats, designs, and various features that we wanted to include in our vessel. We purchased a few different study prints, and 2 sets of full prints, only to realize they weren’t a great fit for us. Although we wasted money on prints, we will probably never use, we finally figured out what we wanted.

     Spirited Designs, from Australia, had a boat that we could see ourselves building. It is a 23′ power catamaran with a sleek design. Catamarans are, by nature, stable in the water and fuel efficient. Being trailer-able was also a big feature for us. We reached out to Craig Schionning and asked if there was a  way to extend his design.  We agreed on two feet overall length and more interior headroom. He was quite happy to work with us on the alterations of the plans. We made payment for the prints, it took a couple of months for the alterations, and to actually receive our plans from across the globe. During this time we did even more research. We came to the conclusion that we had no idea what we were doing.

          During all the research, we decided we should document everything involved. We would do a video log of all aspects of the build process, including what we have learned, and share it with friends and family. This would not only help keep everyone up to date on our build, but will also help explain everything that is involved in doing a project of this scale. It will also be a memoir of sorts for us to look back on in the future. (I may be biased, but I think Cassie does an amazing job sorting through hours of video, multiple takes, different camera angles, as well as various bloopers. She also adds voice-overs and music to the videos to give them a finished feel. We are currently posting videos on YouTube for everyone to see. Please go over there and give us a thumbs up. She works extremely hard and does an amazing job.)

     Gazing out of a frosty window dreaming about the start of the build there was still a lot of work to be done. First we had nowhere to build this boat. During our research of different boat build projects I came across a video of “Six Points Wood Works” out of upstate New York. He had built a plastic wrapped, Gothic arch structure. We decided to go this route because it was cost effective and it was a fairly easy design. I submitted my prints to the local building inspector, and after a little bit of back and forth we were issued a permit. On some of the coldest nights of the winter, we persevered in digging holes for footings and cutting and assembling the arches. After standing everything up, we were finally able wrap it all in a heavy duty plastic. Ultimately we have built a 32′ long by 14′ wide Gothic arch structure.  A feat by itself, we now have a place to build our vessel.

      The next challenge would would have to overcome would be the work benches. If you should order this kit through Spirited, the panels you will receive are fiber glassed with the proper amount of glass for the associated piece. Unfortunately, we will have to do this process ourselves. We decided to build a bench long enough to accommodate the longest panels of the boat. After the panels are glassed, we will cut the legs off and reuse as a platform to set up the forms to wrap all of the flat panels around. This essentially shapes the hull.

       Aside from watching YouTube videos, neither of us had ever done fiber glassing before. This is where “the box” comes in. On our current boat there is an awkward step in front of the console. Last year we built a box to level off the floor, allowing us to make cushions and give us a place to relax while at anchor. Unfortunately, we didn't have access to marine grade plywood so I had to use what was available. The plywood de-laminated after about a year of salt and sun, and needed to be replaced. This would be the perfect little project to learn on. 

      We were able to source some materials equivalent to what the boat would be made of, and started there. The first attempt wasn't a complete disaster but there were more than “some” air bubbles in our fiberglass work. We tried again on the reverse side of the panel with a different resin and had much better results. After some time testing materials and processes, we decided to use the cheap insulation foam from our local box store. I know some of you are thinking, why cheap out on materials?  Ultimately this box will be given with the boat when it is sold. If it lasts a few years until the new boat is done, it will have done its job. The money saved on this learning curve will be reallocated to the new boat. This is also why we didn't paint the box. Realistically the box is under cushions 90% of the time and the small area that does show doesn't bother us. If in the future we feel differently, we can remedy it.

      During this small project, we entered into March 2020. As the world knows Covid-19 started to circulate. This has wreaked havoc on our order for boat materials. With foam core construction, you basically take a specialized sheet of foam and layer fiberglass and resin on both sides. With the right combination of materials and densities this becomes an extremely durable, lightweight panel. Unfortunately, our foam has been delayed overseas.

     This brings us to present day. we have decided to start laying out the forms that will shape the boat. We know that we are creating more work for ourselves, but at least we are progressing on the build. Neither of us have ever taken on a personal project of this scale, and one of the biggest concerns is loosing motivation or momentum. We will layout, cut, and dry fit all of the forms, before breaking everything down and putting into storage until we are ready for them again.

      My final thought of the day: we are doing all of this documenting to share this experience with friends and family. Cassie is diligently working on videos, and I have started this blog to give everyone an insight of the thought process behind those videos. We have chosen to post on public domains in hope that someone out there may be able to use our experience for their own future project. Please feel free to follow us on 

You Tube: Building MV dauntless

Instagram: @MVDauntless 

and here on Tumblr: Building MV Dauntless. 

We are trying to give updates weekly. Hope you enjoy!!!

First we had to line everything up and fit the pieces together to make each form. Soon after starting we realized that because the forms were standing on edge on the stone floor of our tent they managed to absorb some moisture. Without fail this was the edge needed to join the forms together. After addressing this issue with a hand plane we were able to fit everything together.

We then we glued and screwed scrap pieces of plywood over the joints, making sure to leave room above and below the half lap joints. Luckily we realized this after the first form, and were able to trim the piece out before the glue dried.

The center line frame spans bow to stern of the boat. Thinking ahead, we decided to only glue and screw one half of these. This way we will be able to assemble and disassemble as needed.

Finally we are starting to see some progress. The forms were stacked sequentially on our workbench, begging to be assembled. It had already been a long hot morning of fitting, gluing and screwing. But the prospect of seeing the actual size of our vessel kept us motivated through the mid summer heat.

The forms are assembled using half lap joints (A slot half way down one panel and half way up the other). This makes assembly straightforward. Aside from putting the forms in the right positions, the whole thing only fits one way. Dragging everything into the driveway we assembled all of the forms in under an hour. What a feeling of accomplishment, seeing the actual size of what we are building started to put things into perspective. We did have to do some minor trimming to make everything fit correctly. This in no way took away from the glory.

After basking in our triumph, we now had to disassemble everything and put it into storage. Unfortunately this is where it will sit until the flat hull panels are fiberglassed. This was the plan from the beginning due to the lack of supplies. COVID-19 has really messed things up.

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We have the two hull panels and the four strake panels left out of the small hull panels. These panels have probably the most drastic curve amongst all of the panels. I was able to cut angles on the panels to accommodate this. For example, if you cut a five degree angle on each of the adjoining edges the panel will bend ten degrees. I had to repeat this a couple of times but it seemed to work out.

The hull strake panels are approximately 150 mm or 3 inches wide. I followed the same setup as the hull bottoms for the rough layout. We decided to glass one larger panel that would accommodate all four strakes. We will cut them out individually later.

We have been able to keep to the schedule so far. It has been exhausting but we are still pushing forward. Cassie has been spending almost as much time editing as she does in the boat house. She is doing an astonishing job, if you haven’t checked out her work please do so. The links will be below. On the nights she is editing, I have been trying to plan solo work on the boat or work on the blog.

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Before starting the layout of the hull bottom panels, Cassie brought up a good point. “Where are we gonna store the panels while we keep glassing?” So I spent a night fabricating some brackets that mount to the walls of the tent. This will keep the freshly glassed panels off the floor while awaiting their final destination.

We discussed the next steps of the build. We could either layout and cut the panels as we go, or we could store them rough and when I take my upcoming vacation I can do the layout and cutting then. We chose the latter to keep things moving. Unfortunately it’s looking like Cassie will have to work the week I am off. So I am trying to line up enough work to keep me busy. Doing the glassing is easier done with help. This is also why we set the goal of one month to get all of the hull panels prepped and glassed.

The hull bottom panels have a fairly drastic curve to bow section. When I did the rough layout I was hoping to get the full panel out of one sheet of foam. The theory was I could cut 3-16” strips and glue them together, with the bow piece cut at an angle to accommodate the sweep. Well we cut the strips and ended up drawing the curve on the table to verify. Although we couldn’t make it work, I was able to sacrifice a half sheet of foam to accommodate all 4 hull bottoms. I’ll add pics of the finished product.

Luckily, I unrolled a scrap piece of glass on the rough cut foam, and gently followed the curve without any issues. That equals less waste and time spent cutting shapes. We can cut 18” wide strips of raw glass and fully cover the panel.

Preparing the glass went smoothly. We have figured out that if we unroll the glass on the table we can layer it and cut multiple pieces at once. I think we found our limit with three layers of 17oz glass. Unfortunately, I don’t think our cheap electric shears can handle much more.

We are in yet another heat wave here, so the next few days will be spent in the ac or on the boat. We have discussed either late night or early morning glassing sessions to keep the schedule, but haven’t committed to this yet.

Finally we caught a break, the weather was perfect last weekend. It was around 75 degrees with low humidity. We hustled to get as much done as possible while the weather cooperated. Ultimately we were able to do an early morning glassing session, go enjoy the beautiful day and return home for an after dinner glassing session. The working time of the resin was noticeably longer. We were able to relax a bit more and spend extra time saturating the glass sheets. Unfortunately this weather break won’t last, back to summer next week.

A few hours after our Sunday morning glassing session it decided to rain. We found the string reinforced plastic we used for the boathouse is deteriorating. I don’t know if it is from UV or what would cause this but we will be forced to replace it, sooner than expected. Luckily no damage was done to the green panels that were laying on the bench.

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After fighting yet another heat wave we were finally ready to do some fiberglassing. Everything has been prepped for over a week and it’s go time. It’s is still hot and humid but we need to keep moving.

It has been a while since we have mixed resin and wet out glass, so the first panel was like learning everything from scratch again. After wetting our the glass making sure no air bubbles existed, we laid down the peel ply and rolled it on with no imperfections visible. After curing for 24 hours, we pulled the peel ply off to inspect our work. We noticed a few streaky looking air pockets in the fabric prior to removal. Underneath we found voids in the glass. Everything looked fully saturated and adhered, but the voids were concerning.

I quickly took photos and emailed Tom Cory from Jamestown Distributers. He has been a great consultant throughout this learning curve. He insisted that this was not an unusual scenario and that it is easily fixable. Because the glass is fully saturated and well adhered all we should have to do is fill the voids with a thickened epoxy. We are unsure if the cause was lack of resin, gassing of the resin while curing, or if the foam actually absorbed resin out of the glass.

Breathing a sigh of relief, we continued on to glass the the other two transom panels. We are slowly gaining confidence that we can do this. Although there may be some bickering between us, in the end everything went smoothly.

We haven’t laminated the three transom panels together, or cut their final shape yet. I am waiting for a diamond skill saw blade to be delivered this week. Hopefully this will give us a clean cut without tearing up the glass fibers along the edge.

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With the minimal experience we have, doing any sort of fiberglass work, we have been apprehensive about starting on a major hull panel. I have deciphered the prints and calculated that we have 8 extra sheets on hand, after cutting all of the hull panels. Looking for a smaller panel to start on was the next mission.

Although we like the design of the boat, we feel there is a lot of wasted space on the interior. Due to this we are not doing any of the furniture pieces that are in the prints. We are hoping to model the interior on another vessel that we fell in love with, before deciding to build a boat. (More on that later) This ultimately means that all of the panels needed will be structural.

As with all of the panels, strength and quality is always important. But the transom of the boat is actually 3 layers of glassed foam, sandwiched together. I figured with 3 layers we should be safe if there are any small imperfections. In hindsight, I don’t know why I chose one of the most important areas of the boat to start with but...we did.

We were finally able to get out there to work. We laid out the first transom panel and cut it out. For the next two we decided to cut them big and trim them with a flush trim bit after glassing.

The next step was to cut the glass and peel ply. We are using two layers of glass one 17oz and one 12oz followed up by a layer of peel ply. For those not familiar peel ply is used to give a smooth surface after glassing. It also stops amine blush, this is a byproduct of resins. It is basically a waxy residue left behind, that needs to be thoroughly cleaned before bonding to another surface. Again we decided it would be better to waste a little bit of glass than be short. So we left a 2” border around the whole panel.

Finally we are ready to start glassing. Now we are just waiting on a weather window.

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