Was skyline now Mercury, tear inspired camper for six

[Mary C]

Row, what is the width and length? I have some two inch left over and I was trying to figure out if I had enough to use as the bottom or will I have to use as the sides and you know the drill. I guess i need the sides width (height) and length too. I hope to make it so I can use an electric motor too. I know I will have to put plywood as a transom but I am going to make it portable so it can be added with just a couple of clamps. I have replaced the wood on several boats so I know they rot very quickly. I will in cooperate a piece of cedar on the inside under the canvas as permanent. I do not know boat language and have always just fished from them in private lakes not far from the edge of the pond. I wont be going far from the edge in this one either. Speaking of fish I am going fishing later this week, The crappie are running.

Mary C.

[rowerwet]

Mary, the boat is roughly 8' long and around 30" wide, I'll get real measurements soon, not really recommended for a motor, but many have used mice with a trolling motor.

[rowerwet]

I made a folder of mouse plans on my FB page, https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 212&type=3
the originals are on the mouseboats yahoo page, there are also plans for larger boats on the yahoo groups page, Gavin Atkin designs boats for fun and gives the plans out free on the internet.
Gavin also wrote a great book for begining boat builders http://www.amazon.com/Ultrasimple-Boat- ... avin+atkin the plans in it are complete and cover a wider range of boats than just mice.

[rowerwet]

got a bit more done on the boat, started by patching the dents caused by GG tearing out while sanding

finished up taping all the air box inside seams and started on the reinforced cockpit floor


then I decided I wanted strong seams, so I taped the cockpit seams as well

I glued in half the floor, but had to knock off for a cook out.

the cardboard (heavy mating card stock for picture frames) refused to take the curves of the hull and stay down, so screwed it down

[rowerwet]

I got a little ahead of myself and did some prep work with the fabric for the bottom

since a flat sheet won't lay flat on a rockered and crowned V bottom I am doing each half and having a good over lap in the middle to add a layer at the point that is the deepest on the hull

I cut darts in the edges to help the fabric lay flat as it curves around the edge

looks almost ready to glue down


I still have to reinforce the cockpit edges and want to cover the sides so the bottom overlaps them so these bottom panel fabrics will be sitting until about last. Gonna be interesting to see what the final weight will be, unless the glue drying makes the boat lighter I am finding the weight gain is to the point I'm not sure I could stand it on one finger again...

[rowerwet]

hit 70 degrees for the first time this year today, took the boats out for a paddle, my son wanted to know why the new boat wasn't going. Uh... if only, but I'm gonna wait and finish it before launching it.
I did finish the cardboard floor for the cockpit today...

[rowerwet]

got a bit more done

[GPW]

It may end up a two-finger boat ...

[rowerwet]

until I put the TBII, fabric and paint on it I think it will be equal to my light weight plywood builds. 30-40 lbs

[GPW]

Actually that’s still pretty Light , and it FLOATS ...

[rowerwet]

after the rail reinforcement strips glue dried I sanded the extra glue off and rounded the edges over with the router,
glued the decks on with GS

and sanded the "beard" of extra GS off,

now I'm ready to put the fabric on!

can't wait to splash this puppy! er... mouse!

[GPW]

No Punt intended !!!

[bonnie]

Looks great. I am really interested in how much it weighs went complete.

[GPW]

Just thinking , a judicious application of common fiberglass drywall tape would reinforce areas under the skin, with little weight gain ... Put the glue on the foam, add the tape , cover with the fabric... Simple ... Thrifty too... Just a little added “insurance” ...

[rowerwet]

I have considered some fiberglass tape to give extra protection to the keel, however I don't see much strength in drywall fiberglass tape, but I have plenty of 2" fiberglass tape from my ply boat building.
I'm wondering if foam will stand up to my kind of use, while the designer says this boat is only for protected flat water, I've done white water and ocean surf with some of my other mice.