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Electric Boat Construction

Welcome to my in-progress chronological image gallery of the construction of my new electric-powered boat. Keep returning throughout the months following to see additional progress. Named "Calypsee" after Calypso, but able to see, will be about 13 feet long, have a glass (MR-10 Lexan) bottom, canopy top, and powered with a 101 lb thrust trolling motor pierced through the hull. The goals in design were tight - it needed to be light enough to be carried by one person and cartopped, (not gonna happen - will trailer it) large enough for six passengers with confortable seating, must accomodate reclining person on the floor for closeup fish viewing through the main, middle, window and two front oval shaped portholes in the bow, and sleek hull for efficiency through the water using electric power.
Building techniques utilized may sometimes be a bit unorthodox to the seasoned boatbuilder, but in my professional years of fabricating exotic machinery, laminates and furniture, I've learned to deviate and experiment sometimes for the better, and sometimes for, well . . . R&D, yeah, that's it, R&D.

Be sure to click on images to see captions that explain the procedures.



ATTENTION ALL WHO HAVE BEEN DYING TO KNOW WHERE I GET .030" POLYESTER FILM: ANY PLASTICS DISTRIBUTOR LIKE GE POLYMERSHAPES (FORMERLY CADILLAC PLASTICS), CURBELL, OR LOCAL SHEET/FILM PLASTICS SUPPLIERS IN YOUR AREA - USE THE YELLOW PAGES. TRY SIGNAGE / GRAPHICS / LAMINATORS TOO. OTHER FILMS LIKE LEXAN IN .020 - .030 SHOULD WORK AS WELL, EVEN WITH THE PRE-MASKING CLING FILM LEFT ON, TO ENSURE REMOVAL. AND YES, YOU HAVE TO SCARF PIECES FOR LONGER LENGTHS UNLESS YOU CAN GET ROLL STOCK. IT SCARFS EASILY WITH SOLVENT CEMENT.
First Boat
First Boat
boat-wreck.JPG
boat-wreck.JPG
Glass bottom seal techniques
"Glass" bottom seal techniques
scale model and my unorthodox lofting technique
scale model and my unorthodox "lofting" technique
bow / side template
bow / side template
scarfing
scarfing
scarf joint (dry check for fit)
scarf joint (dry check for fit)
unorthodox scarf gluing
unorthodox scarf gluing
scarf-clsp-with polyester film
scarf-clsp-with polyester film
peeling film easily off cured epoxy
peeling film easily off cured epoxy
scarf-flat
scarf-flat
bottoms stitched with temporary bulkhead
bottoms stitched with temporary bulkhead
Sides almost done
Sides almost done
fillet-scrape
fillet-scrape
stitched-n-halfglassed
stitched-n-halfglassed
Hoisting it up out of the way
Hoisting it up out of the way
Edge cross section view
Edge cross section view
buildups & framing
buildups & framing
lamination-jig.JPG
lamination-jig.JPG
bentMahogony-clsp.JPG
bentMahogony-clsp.JPG
gluing coved coaming sections-preheated endgrain,then West epoxy
gluing coved coaming sections-preheated endgrain,then West epoxy
power carving away corner waste
power carving away corner waste
drumsanding to perfection
drumsanding to perfection
half carved cove
half carved cove
bent lamination of poplar strips for seating apron
bent lamination of poplar strips for seating apron
2-20-apronclamping.JPG
2-20-apronclamping.JPG
split ring of PVC
split ring of PVC
2-20-crankhoist.JPG
2-20-crankhoist.JPG
prop-shaftdiagrm.JPG
prop-shaftdiagrm.JPG
New power source diagram
New power source diagram
The rough Before pic of wet 4 oz glass cloth
The rough "Before" pic of wet 4 oz glass cloth
Laying the .030 PETG film into the wet epoxy/glass
Laying the .030" PETG film into the wet epoxy/glass
Smoothout and position
Smoothout and position
Rollout of bubbles with rubber roller (took a while)
Rollout of bubbles with rubber roller (took a while)
The unbelievable After pic
The unbelievable "After" pic
High-gloss bliss
High-gloss bliss
Film just peels off, ready for 320 sanding & varnish - no fairing
Film just peels off, ready for 320 sanding & varnish - no fairing
Film left on for bottom glassing with 38 oz CSM/Biaxial
Film left on for bottom glassing with 38 oz CSM/Biaxial
drumsanding the filled glass with modified drum sander
drumsanding the filled glass with modified drum sander
Cutouts for the first glass bottom windows!
Cutouts for the first glass bottom windows!
Double rubber seals - don't want leaks
Double rubber seals - don't want leaks
Real tricky clamping the windows into place for tapping
Real tricky clamping the windows into place for tapping
Glass bottoms are in - deck framing begins!
Glass bottoms are in - deck framing begins!
Veneer prep - lots of it
Veneer prep - lots of it
Can you say Ribbon Stripe?
Can you say Ribbon Stripe?
veneer clamping
veneer clamping
deckclamping
deckclamping
decktrimming
decktrimming
decktrim-clsp
decktrim-clsp
9-8-rounding plane.JPG
9-8-rounding plane.JPG
Contour sanding pad
Contour sanding pad
Contour sanding clsp
Contour sanding clsp
9-10-brightbow.JPG
9-10-brightbow.JPG
9-10-bright-above.JPG
9-10-bright-above.JPG
9-10-bright-strbd.JPG
9-10-bright-strbd.JPG
11-20-varnished-coaming.JPG
11-20-varnished-coaming.JPG
10-2-sternvu-paint.JPG
10-2-sternvu-paint.JPG
calypseecompos-drivtrn.JPG
calypseecompos-drivtrn.JPG
calypseebluebird.JPG
calypseebluebird.JPG