23' trailer cruiser

[siestakey]

Very nice looking great!!!

 

[Pack Mule]

Good looking boat . Really nice woodwork and great job on the build . Love the color.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Thanks guys, I made the hull color in awlgrip for another boat. Then I sent a sample to their engineer and they have made a custom stock color out of it and I used it on this boat.


Thanks for checking in Egbert. Its slowly coming together. It may not be a pretty and nice as your build. But its going to be usable for the summertime. Then maybe new winter it will get the spit polish on it with more creature comforts added for longer trips.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Okay, time to start to close the cabin up. Time is drawing to a close and I need to get with securing the internal works. This may not be something that fancy many of you condo guys [affectionately speaking of course] would have any interest in. But this alternative is a big deal for someone that has dealt with opening joints and black wood under varnish on raised panel doors for a lot of years and just flat tired of having to redo them

Plus the time and tools that it takes to do those was not in the cards for me. So I said take good plywood and make an inner core and then run some solid wood for the main components, which now has created a paneled entrance door in a day.

Then I fine fitted the door to the opening and split it down the middle and roughed it in with the hinges. I am in the process of gluing on a T-astragal for the center seam and will paint it. I will probably open up the windows a bit more at the top and then do my final veneer glued to the plywood on both sides and trim the windows for glass.

 

[cardude01]

I don’t know what most of those fancy wood-working words meant, but your door looks damn good!

Where did you learn those mad skills?

 

[OldDan1943]

I don’t know what most of those fancy wood-working words meant, but your door looks damn good!

Where did you learn those mad skills?

Cardude, I agree with your assessment of terms but, I do know a cabinet maker who does know those terms.

 

[ejds]

T-astragal
I had to look that one up, never heard that term before. Nice solution for the back door without taking up much space. My sliding door was a bit of a challenge to get it to run smoothly. Top and bottom rails were not exactly in line and parallel.

Egbert

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Work continues . After approx. four months of trying to get my previous welder and two other experienced and talented ones to do a bow rail, it has come down to me cobbling one together. Business for tee tops and hard top frames for major builders of boats has had them backed up since the first of the year.

Its nice to have such a positive outlook in the country for the small guys to have so much business after such a long dry spell. So I do somewhat understand about doing such a small one off job.


While this is not going to be ideal as it relates to the "proper way" this will hopefully keep the old folks on deck while going forward for anchoring and any line handling that's needed. I picked up some stainless steel railing parts and some sticks of 316 tubing and have created my main railing.

I am not able to get the complicated bend for the bow pulpit rail section. But this will happen down the road after our summer cruising trips. and will tie everything together. I was able to get my canvas shop to do a curve bent on the main rail, but no compound bend for the sweep though. I still have to finish off the rail ends to the cabin sides.

Egbert my door works like a champ. I finished the wooden part of it and the final fit for opening and closing, and will be painting this week between the rain.

 

[janice142]

Nice. I love how yours go back further than mine. Your design is much better.

She's looking good. Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Egburt wrote;
“My sliding door was a bit of a challenge to get it to run smoothly.”

I built a 28’ OB boat w a sliding door. The door was the only classy pice of wood in the boat. The rest was Douglas Fir but the door was 3/8ths African marine plywood. Maybe 7 plys. I used it knowing any warpage would cause the door to stick in it’s aluminum channel. Worked quite well. Lots of wet as I lived in Juneau Alaska at the time.

 

[Miz Trom]

Scratch, Looking forward to seeing pics of the finished & painted cabin door.



I was just over at one of our rental houses and noticed black wood under varnish on the front door and thought of you!


-------
Pea

 

[Scratchnsaw]

I am very pleased so far with the double door arrangement, especially in this damp environment now that we are experiencing. Its still straight and hanging correctly with the primer on it. I am trimming out the inside of the jams.
I am using slide bolts at the bottom for a positive locking set up. I have also opened up the windows at the top for a better viewing aft, which is not showing.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Nice. I love how yours go back further than mine. Your design is much better.

She's looking good. Thanks for keeping us updated.

Nice to see you pop in. I finished my bow rail end, sleeving it at the tee into the existing railing and its pretty rigid. When I get off our trip I will deal with the pulpit section tying the sides together.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Well progress continues. I have finished all the trim on the window openings, both in the doors and in the port bulkhead. Currently the glass will be capable of being removed. I will store them down below in a slot at the bottom of the panel and with a twist dog at the top to remove them to close the opening up.

The bottom dogs are fixed while the top ones pivot on the fasteners. I have also created an opening window on the portside. Hopefully I will have full flowing air throughout the entire cabin.

I have also finished the hanging locker and clothes storage shelves.

 

[romeojk27]

Beautiful boat! If you make it to Martha's Vineyard maybe I'll take the shuttle (Island Queen) over from Falmouth Harbor to take a look. Let me know, I'll follow your posts. I was in Vineyard Haven admiring a couple of wooden boats last weekend.

Good luck!
Kevin

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Beautiful boat! If you make it to Martha's Vineyard maybe I'll take the shuttle (Island Queen) over from Falmouth Harbor to take a look. Let me know, I'll follow your posts. I was in Vineyard Haven admiring a couple of wooden boats last weekend.

Good luck!
Kevin

Thanks, We looked into actually launching from Falmouth for the run over to the Vineyard. After speaking to a yard on Buzzards Bay about leaving the truck and trailer, we made no real progress. So right now having to go all the way up and back down to Falmouth with no real place to leave the package in a secure location for the trip across that we know of, we may forgo that portion of the trip.

 

[romeojk27]

Thanks, We looked into actually launching from Falmouth for the run over to the Vineyard. After speaking to a yard on Buzzards Bay about leaving the truck and trailer, we made no real progress. So right now having to go all the way up and back down to Falmouth with no real place to leave the package in a secure location for the trip across that we know of, we may forgo that portion of the trip.

If you're interested maybe I could help you with parking your truck n trailer. PM me and we can talk

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Thanks, we will keep that in mind. We are contemplating going directly north now and then make our way back on a casual time frame now. So we really don't know how much time we will have left on the back end of the trip. We will be connected though, and can probably send you a pm when we get closer to the first of Aug.

 

[romeojk27]

Thanks, we will keep that in mind. We are contemplating going directly north now and then make our way back on a casual time frame now. So we really don't know how much time we will have left on the back end of the trip. We will be connected though, and can probably send you a pm when we get closer to the first of Aug.

Good luck with your trip. Post pictures, it's such a cool boat and the fact that you built it is amazing. We'll be here if you come around

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Well a few more hours on the engine and boat shakedown in advance of the longer trip found us wondering deep into the isolated creek downeast in the Carolina brackish marshlands.. We got our fuel burn numbers at a variety of speeds and found out that our screens works great and worth the extra effort and expenditure. They are not a luxury item anymore folks.

 

[OldDan1943]

You are finally in the water and dont want to stop. GOOD.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

You are finally in the water and dont want to stop. GOOD.

Yes sir, and short of a few bugs to work out and some additional paint and trim to do in the cockpit, I am ready, or lets just say more than ready. Now if the north would rid itself of some of their heat. We had had enough of it along with the humidity.

 

[janice142]

Thrilled for you... Enjoy. And we want lots of pictures too. Thank you for taking us on your journey. Your boat is amazing!

 

[OldDan1943]

Scratch, boats are never finished

 

[MurrayM]

Dare to Dream

Not asking how much it cost, but did you come close to what you budgeted?

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Dare to Dream

Not asking how much it cost, but did you come close to what you budgeted?

Well not being a smartass, I have no idea. But the old expression that my wife and I live by in boats "If you got to ask how much it is" then you can't afford it." I built the boat around what materials I had and built it to fit my limited enclosure. And its really the little stuff that kinda adds ups, depending on how you want it rigged. So we stay small by comparison to most here, but really like trailer rigs to be as comfortable as possible. So we added some items and will continue to do so as time and funds presents itself too.


So as I have told folks in the past, when I purchase something and it does not have a warranty, the receipt goes in the trash after thirty days or less unless whatever I have purchased gets glued down or painted. Then its gone PDQ.

If you build it yourself, then you need to put some price on the sweat equity for sure. But raw materials , I hazard to say that if you purchased everything for the boat without the mahogany, the hull materials, wood, glass, resin and paint would probably run about 4 to 5 grand. I had a bunch of leftover mahogany that I have acquired over time. So most of the trim wood was an option without a real cost except for the finish work, which is above most paint work. And my paint was even some leftover over the past year.

I purchase a lot of paint and paint related materials that do not have "marine" on it, which when you look at the ingredient labels, there is a lot of stuff that uses the same ingredients . My primers is 15 bucks a gallon Kilz, marked interior and there is little that can compare to it for what it does. I get a lot of laughs when I suggest such stuff. I just move along with a chuckle if they call me crazy.

My caulking is home deport purchased at 6 bucks or so a tube and carries the same guidelines as 5200, when I need that type of stuff.


edited to say that my point about the materials is that you can have a similar hull and save tons of money when building your own by buying generic products with similar ingredients that you find with "Marine" materials. The EPA took care of a lot of the extra special stuff of the olden days in boat products.

Thrilled for you... Enjoy. And we want lots of pictures too. Thank you for taking us on your journey. Your boat is amazing!

Hopefully we shall catch up with you next winter on the west coast if you are still hanging around there.

Scratch, boats are never finished

Yep, but there is some window dressing that normally goes on before cruising. But some of that will have to wait.


And I will add some shots as the summer trip allows us to do.

 

[ejds]

A bit more North from where you are and it is hotter than hell here. After Monday it should go back to the upper 80s. I learned the need for screens last year in Florida. Some nights you couldn't open anything without being bombarded by mosquitoes.

Good luck with the final touches those seem to take forever.
Egbert

 

[Scratchnsaw]

A bit more North from where you are and it is hotter than hell here. After Monday it should go back to the upper 80s. I learned the need for screens last year in Florida. Some nights you couldn't open anything without being bombarded by mosquitoes.

Good luck with the final touches those seem to take forever.
Egbert

We are still considering one more short shakedown after the trimming this week. I have some service work to do to the engine tomorrow. I think I got some dirty fuel at the marina on the outer banks. My filter was full of crap and I had some spits at the end of the trip this weekend. Its always something with initial start ups on machinery these days.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Still a bit rough around the edges.... But one more week of cosmetics and a bit of wiring for the inverter and Mabel will throw the lines off, if the hurricanes and some bad weather stays at bay. This is the interior, still with some paint and trimming left to be done. Its very comfortable for us.

I laid the floor and trimmed the hatches and even though I may still go back with a wooden floor, the linoleum will work just fine. Its textured and so its not slippery ay all.

The floor insert for the forward cabin is portable for inspection, giving me full access from the bow to the stern, even with the self bailing cockpit decks. That's always important for me with two crash type builkheads under the decking.

 

[OldDan1943]

Secure the microwave.