Laguna Madre 18'

To help other builders, please list the boat you are building in the Thread Subject -- and to conserve space, please limit your posting to one thread per boat.

Please feel free to use the gallery to display multiple images of your progress.
User avatar
VT_Jeff
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 1857
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:32 pm
Location: vermont

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by VT_Jeff »

Let's keep it simple and non-controversial: Just make sure it's flat, like the Earth.

Welcome to the forum, I'm a big fan of the LM and some real beauties have been built here.

Here's how I post when I'm including photos: I create a new post on my phone and add the photos, save it as a draft, and then when I'm at my laptop I add text and post it.

If you edit the photos on your phone before uploading(just edit/save, I don't think you need to actually change anything) then the orientation will usually sort itself out.

Good luck,

Jeff
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

Fish vacation..friends in town...had access to my old skiff I sold so I fished (distraction addiction) .....makes for slow progress. Finally back on track . Putting in a few hours a day after work and weekends. Making progress now. Sanded down. Primer guide coat to see my issues. Orders my Gator Glide. Sending off my paint codes to Quantum for paint. Ordered graphite.

I'm doing an epoxy coat on most of the sole with a Wrap around on the Chines. Then a graphite mix epoxy on the planing/poling sole. Then gator glide the whole wad to chines. Gator G2 is slick as whale shat. But not hard. Epoxy is hard as NAILS. Quantum (paint I'm using) is hard as ShAT but also expensive. I run my skiff in texas. I run my skiff like I stole it. If you havent run In Texas you don't know about running skinny as hell. I figure my epoxy coat is hard. Graphite coat is next hardness. The gator glide give me my ablative coat.

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

Pics for attention
Attachments
IMG_20230116_185758480.jpg
IMG_20230121_124752547.jpg
IMG_20230121_131026620.jpg
IMG_20230121_131031591.jpg
IMG_20230121_155218616.jpg
IMG_20230122_160103929.jpg
IMG_20230122_202309012_HDR.jpg

TomW1
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 5844
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:57 pm
Location: Bryson City, NC

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by TomW1 »

Glad you built the tunnel, make sure you get a good electric or pneumatic jack plate. I would recommend a 4-blade prop on your motor. I can run the numbers through my calculators when you get to that point so you have a starting point for a 4-blade prop.

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

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

Thank you, great advice! I have a prop guy who recommended the same 4 blade he runs on his two stroke. I had the 70 4 stroke and ran the same series of prop albeit a little larger under his advice. The thing won't cavitate with the prop halfway out of the water even. I plan on running a low water pickup on my transom and mounting my jack plate so that I can at least get my hub in the tunnel while still getting me down enough for proper running once I'm on plane.
Last edited by Jerid Ray on Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

TomW1 wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:52 am Glad you built the tunnel, make sure you get a good electric or pneumatic jack plate. I would recommend a 4-blade prop on your motor. I can run the numbers through my calculators when you get to that point so you have a starting point for a 4-blade prop.

Tom

Wait...Tom.....do you live in Tivoli Texas?

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

Final rail piece attached. Gives a bit of an overhang and bulks out rail from bow to stern. I went ten rounds about even going wider amidships to stern, but after seeing some other builds that have plenty of foot space for walking the rail...I decided to leave it as is. Should be plenty. Clamped in place with a small bead of liquid nails at apex to seal it off. So I could pour epoxy and not have it leak out. Still leaked out but not bad. Wedged shims in between at a few intervals to get the rail angle off the gunwhale. Like opening a triangle a bit. So when the boat is floating the rail should be perpendicular to the water and not parallel to gunwhale.

Also three another (4th coat) coat of epoxy onto the Kevlar transom. Yes you can see my fairing there. That is all getting taped off and painted so it won't be seen. Like the Chittums do with their carbon fiber transoms. There will be exposed (covered in resin and a UV stabilized clear) carbon kevlar on the transom for looks. I have to put multiple coats on to get my thickness to where I can sand and flatten. Without sanding into kevlar. FYI kevlar does NOT sand. So if you do...it turns into shag carpeting.
IMG_20230128_120550979_HDR.jpg
Attachments
IMG_20230128_120546996_HDR.jpg
IMG_20230128_133525347.jpg
IMG_20230128_120601304_HDR.jpg
IMG_20230128_133529871.jpg
IMG_20230128_133518672.jpg
IMG_20230128_133549275.jpg
IMG_20230128_134331563.jpg
IMG_20230128_145553639.jpg

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

5 coats of custom color "camo lite green" from Quantum. This stuff is hard as nails. Can't scratch it with my finger nail. 7 coats of Gator Glide G2. The Marsh Goblin is protected.

Both applications went well Into 1am. Waiiiiitt.....put on a coat...waiiiiitt.. put another. Repeat. I am FINALLY ready to flip.
Attachments
IMG_20230310_002009152.jpg
IMG_20230309_174144227.jpg
IMG_20230306_005519585.jpg
IMG_20230305_171255913_HDR.jpg

Jerid Ray
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:21 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by Jerid Ray »

Finsl shot.needs a wet and and buff for paint. Otherwise she is golden
Attachments
IMG_20230310_002020675.jpg

pee wee
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 2276
Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 8:29 am
Location: Georgia

Re: Laguna Madre 18'

Post by pee wee »

Wow, that was a lot of work! Boat looks great, I like the green.
Hank

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 10 guests