LM 18 Build in Austin

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lapesca67
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LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by lapesca67 »

Well....I am not a frequent poster, so you guys are going to get bundles of posts as I progress on this build. This is my second stitch and glue boat project. The first was almost 19 years ago when I built an Indian River skiff and I would call it a good first try, but not a good build. I rushed more than I should and did not back track to fix things the right way when I realized I had screwed up. So, this time around I plan on being patient, stepping away to think about different options I have (or challenges I am experiencing) and make this as close to a production class finish as I can.

That said, after months of going back and forth, I am going to build a tunnel in this hull.......and, it is a design that I copied from another builder that adds a bit more depth to the outflow and more compression....I know that this is a risk, but the copied tunnel comes from a boat has practically the same hull dimensions as the LM 18 and its tunnel is amazingly efficient and adds almost two vertical inches to the flow. I will run this hull in areas between Port O'connor and St. Charles Bay in Texas, so there will be a number of places that running in 3-4" for short stints will be required. If it does not work as planned, I will have to fill it and go with a jet and cuss the grass a couple of times a trip :).

The pics below cover several days of intermittent effort. I promised my lovely wife that I would have this done in 8 weeks so she could have her parking spot back, so no pressure.
Note....I have tried to get the photos to align, but all the efforts to rotate them prior to uploading have not yielded the right outcome... I will try to correct in future posts....
Getting started:

Hank is constantly on the job to inspect and ensure quality :)
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Jeff
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by Jeff »

Nice progress!!! Jeff

Fuzz
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by Fuzz »

Looks good. One question, do you have any gap between the panels?

TomW1
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by TomW1 »

Make sure you have a gap between the panels before you glue them together. At least a 1/8 - 1/4" gap is good. You can use tile spacers, they are cheap. Then get underneath and tape all the seams so epoxy doesn't drip through, so you don't have to chisel it off.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

lapesca67
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by lapesca67 »

I do.....I zipped it up pretty tight to feel good about the overall alignment of the panels....since then I came back and cut out the originals and "re-zipped" the entire thing with gaps, spread my epoxy wood flour mix, then tightened them a bit to improve the adhesion......will send some updated progress pics later in the week.

lapesca67
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by lapesca67 »

Making progress....spent some time really thinking about what I want from this platform and decided that I am going the jet route.....no tunnel. I have a 24' shallowsport that can pretty much get me anywhere I want to go, but that hull needs 10-12 inches and a soft bottom for a hole shot. In Texas, there is too much good water deep in the marshes that requires long runs to get to and less than a foot of water for miles. I want this boat to be able to access those areas with as little disruption to the sea grasses as possible.......so there you go. (My wife is very excited that I finally made a decision, because discussing hull types, pros and cons, etc. every night at dinner is.....well, you probably get it.) The pictures are loading sideways.....but, if you click on them they show right side up.....will play with some more on subsequent posts...

Rub rails and fairing is next...question: should I add rub rails before fairing?? I assume so...
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Dougster
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by Dougster »

Looks good and I know it's fun. I've never used a Jet drive but have always thought they'd be great in our bays. No digging up the grass on hole shot as you say or dinging the prop. Neat build.

Dougster

lapesca67
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by lapesca67 »

Thanks.....this is going to be a fun boat to explore some really cool back marshes and lakes.....question for other builders that have used jets.....I am going to install a skeg, but should I install one down the middle or two on the outer thirds? I have seen both configurations, but which would provide the best/least interruption of waterflow for a jet intake? I assume the two skeg set up... Also, inches matter where we fish, so can I get away with a two skeg set up at only 1/2" height????

TomW1
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by TomW1 »

As long as you end the center skeg 18-24" on front of the jet/transom you will not have any water flow turbulence. One skeg is better than two in a small boat like this as it helps in turning better.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

wwsmith
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Re: LM 18 Build in Austin

Post by wwsmith »

I built this same boat and put a jet on it. Didn't put a skeg and never regretted it. The boat won't turn well at low speeds (like when going into a dock or trailer) but a skeg wouldn't help much in those situations anyway. The poor turning has more to do with the limitations of the jet. My only disappointment with the jet was the amount of water needed for a good hole shot. It's a little more than you might think (closer to that of a prop with a tunnel). When on plane, it would run in 4"-6" of water without any issue.

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