Skoota without plywood

[Bartman]

I read on one of the threads that some of the Skoota's were designed for foam and some for plywood. How do I know which models designs are available as foam or plywood? Is anyone building with plastic honeycomb? I think someone posted (Fallguy maybe?) was using plascore for upper structure but not hulls. Anyway. I'm still planning a build soon. I'm finishing a house in the next month or two and plan on rolling right into a boat build. I do have some experience. I don't keep anything beyond 4-5 years very often, so I want to maximize resale value of whatever I build. I have no problem or issue with plywood but it is an anchor on resale value. I'd like to adapt to plastic honeycomb or build a foam design.

Thanks.

[fallguy1000]

The Skoota 32 is a foam design, but it is a 3 year build full time for an amateur/semi-pro and a 2 year build for a pro. You can shorten the build time with more space and more people, but you'll need skilled people as the foam build is pretty slow. Like, you'd need to be able to tell one of your helpers to build Bulkhead X and get it ready to laminate and be able to let them go unsupervised (not easy).

The plywood builds would be faster by like double or more.

The Skoota 28 is a plywood design as are all the other Skootas both up and down from the 32 or 10M ranges.

I don't expect my boat to be a for profit venture, but I do expect it will hold its cost or close. (around 100k)

I think most 2nd build guys can build a Skoota 28 in just over a year working on it fairly full timeish.

I am building the demountable Skoota 32/10M and it is probably over 4000 man hours so far..with about 2000 to go. We are a little short on space which has added to the build time and my health has also impacted it a bit. The demountable version is highly complex and I would advise against it.

I am using plascore in a few areas in my build to speed things up mostly, but the resin to glass ratio is pretty high to get a good bond to the veil. This drives weight and cost.

Honestly, I think the plywood Skoota will cost you about half and you'll get the same amount back. I might have a hard time breaking even because I build the demountable version and the cabin is rather small. I think the cabin size is probably a bigger factor in the economics.

I just can't wide load the boat to the coast as I live in Minnesota and it costs about the cost of a plywood boat to haul it to either coast.

[fallguy1000]

All that said, if you insisted on building the Skoota 32 demountable, I have moulds and cnc female jig and a vac table coming up available for sale pretty shortly.

[Bartman]

I'm blessed in many ways but one of them is I live near the coast and on a large lake that has locks to a river that leads to the ocean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinopolis_Dam I have a a couple of large buildings about 30 miles from launch but I have a friend with a large building not being used at a marina. It used to be a boat dealer/service but he closed that part of his marina many years ago. Anyway, I will not be building anything demountable. I do take heed of your words and experience. I have been in the composites business for a long time but always smaller stuff. I have been associated with boatbuilding as well but always in-mold smaller craft.

[fallguy1000]

Then have a crack at the Skoota 32.

Or in plywood, the Skoota 36 is a hell of a boat.

If you have space, the build will be easier.

If you can do infusion; you could build the moulds for the Skoota 32 half shells. Not sure that looks simple though.

I rather did enjoy building the dev panels in a female walk in jig, but our hulls are narrower in the demountable version, so it was hard forward to fit in the space and work.

I built a 34' vac table using 1" mdf and floor beams.

The Skoota 28 is a smaller boat in ply, but a fast build for sure.

[Dan_Smullen]

FG, I can’t get over the size and scale of your project. Although, I believe your up for it!

Again, best of luck!

[fallguy1000]

FG, I can’t get over the size and scale of your project. Although, I believe your up for it!

Again, best of luck!

My back has gotten quite bad. We'll see if I can recover or need epidural injections..

I am so very lucky my spouse supported this project. She is the best thing that ever happened in my life.

[Jeff]

Sorry to hear about your back FallGuy!! Take care of yourself!! Jeff

[TomTom]

Hey Fall Guy - sorry to hear about your back. Nothing more painful than a bad back.

Was wondering out of interest why you went for the foam core option?

Resale value? Weight? Looks?

[fallguy1000]

Weight. Get more stuff onboard. Heating systems, toilets, fish gear..