Cartopper Progress

It hasn't been long since I decided to build a bolger cartopper before continuing on the minuet. Well, it looks like this is going to be a pretty quick build. Thus far I have the bits of plywood joined together, The bottom panel, rudder,  and frames marked and ready to be cut out. Which took all of 10 hours to do, including lunch and waiting for resin to dry. So I have a total of maybe 4-5 hours into the project. Honestly, If I were to choose a design again it would definitely be a boat that includes measurements for every piece like the cartopper does. Tracing the plans makes it really easy to make small errors that just keep getting magnified as the build continues. I have a lot of hours to work this week again(50-60). So, I doubt 'll do anything else with the boat for the rest of the week. I will try for progress pictures tomorrow.

Intermediary project.

So. I bought a book. Instant boatbuilding with dynamite payson. Then I read the whole thing and in the process realized I would like a boat that I can row, sail, and power. I also realized I wanted something really cheap that I could also car-top. So, The cartopper fit the bill perfectly. It should only take a few weekends to get most of it built then paint, oars, sail, and fitting out should take another day. Work kind of has me pressed for time, and I want something to sail or go up rivers with right now.

So the basic materials list:

4 sheets of 1/4" ply
10 yards of glass
3inch fiberglass take
2 gallons of resin
a little bit of lumber for gunwales, mast, transom, and seat
nails
wood flour
paint
and finished


I already have the plywood, and nails. I need fiber resin and tape next.
Then we can really get started on this little build.

Quick update

Nothing really happening right now. All the frame members are made. This week I'll try to get started on the transom. It's been busy. Hoping to have the hull flipped by January. So I can start making it look like a sailboat.

More Stuff is here!

Well, today I got about 1,000 nails, and 500ish screws. Should keep me busy for a while.

Time to assemble the pieces.

It's taken quite a bit of time, but my enthusiasm isn't waning. I've made quite a few pieces so far, okay so 20. I do have an excuse though because it takes a lot of time to laminate wood and I only get maybe a few hours per week to work on the sailboat. I had to order the screws and nails yesterday, and next week or the week after I'm looking forward to getting the frames put together and hopefully the breasthook, stem, and maybe getting started on the transom or centerboard trunk.

New look, New Stuff!!

In my never ending quest to learn more about boat building and pass it on to the three people that might be reading this I've added a "store" to the blog. It's a widget at the bottom left that links to amazon and gives me a very small kickback on the stuff i suggest buying. The real reason I'm doing it is as an easy way to tell you what I'm using to build this boat, and give suggestions on the types of tools you may want to consider using to build your own boat. If you choose to buy through the store I set up or not is up to you. It's just to help everyone out by showing them what i think works well. I don't have everything in it yet. For example, the power plane is the next tool I would like to get, but i actually found the same one is a bit cheaper including tax at Home Depot. Oh, I also made the site look better. woo! Goodnight

Huge Mistake!

Okay not really a mistake, but definitely a waste of money. I thought one place i might be able to get of cheap is clamps. Well, i was wrong. Don't get the cheap plastic clamps from harbor freight. Spend the 8 bucks for decent ones. the won't fall fall apart like most of mine just did or are in the process of. Pipe clamps work great!