OB15 in NC - Flounder Drum Trout

[Buz]

I've been enjoying my FB-11. Built it a few years ago, all but the paint. Launched it a few times and set it aside, as can happen. Under roof, but not outa daylight. When I got around to painting it last winter, I had to remove all the old epoxy before getting back on track. So essentially, I got it about 70% done, then took it back to about 40% (just this took dozens of hours), then finally got her done and fishin' in March. Even though the plans don't call for it, I built it with a glassed bottom for the experience to take to the next one. And the way I use it, I need it.

All that to say this- got glass, epoxy, foam arriving here in the next day or two for an OB-15. Got past studyin-on-it phase today, drew out the molds to be cut and assembled tomorrow. If epoxy comes tomorrow, the panels will be spliced and transom glued to go on the jig the next day. One big objective is to avoid sanding epoxy, AMAP. Wet on wet, fillets, tape then wide, the whole interior and exterior to be glassed in a day each. I have willing, very handy help. We'll be building to a workboat finish, and will post pics if I can ever figure out the magic button to the gallery. All's I know is the links in the FAQ about it dont do nuthin on my gizmo.

Also, this is going to start out with an open layout soled a bit higher/wider than in the plan. I may put decks and a side console with a 25hp later this year, if I like the hull.

[Fuzz]

If you are having problems with posting pictures PM Jaysen. The boy is pretty dang handy.

[Buz]

Jig is ready. Mold 4 shrunk and lost a couple inches of width between the time I cut it and lined em all up on the strongback. Stupid wood.

Picked up hull wood today. Okume up front to bend easily. Miranti for the straighter parts.

No goop and stuff has arrived yet, so will cut hull parts and hope to glue up joins and transom to dry tomorrow night, for stitching next day.

[Buz]

140sumthin pounds of supplies arrived from BBC today. Tally-ho!

We spent a few hours readjusting to ensure the jig was square, straight, etc. All within an eighth now. Put 2by braces between the molds near the keel to stiffen it all up.

There is a contradiction in the notes (sorta)- one place sez to mount the temporary transom braces inside the beams, another sez the bottom of the brace is at BL. There is no reason to put them inside the beams, floating on cleats, rather than a half inch over on top of the beam. And it moves the transom if they're not at BL. Maybe it makes sense with the kit.

Got the transom/clamping boards cut then realized I didn't have plastic sheeting on hand. So now I'm planning to get in 2 transom glue-ups tomorrow, with slow, around 60degrees. Never used slow, so I don't know...

Hull side and bottom panels will be cut and taped together tomorrow. I hope the second transom glue-up doesn't have to wait another day.

[Buz]

Got two layers of transom glued. Glad I have lots of working time with slow with temps in the 60s today. I underestimated how much glue to mix up, but had plenty of time to whip up another cup of it and get it on and got good squeeze-out. I'd hoped to get the third layer on before dark but decided to lay out my front-end hull panels incorrectly so there went that time.

After drawing out the bow side and bottom on the sheet and double checking and triple checking all the measurements before cutting, while clamping the boards together in prep for the cutting, I realized I'd done all that on the miranti instead of on the okoume I got for easier bending at the bow. So I got to do all that twice!

Stupid wood.

[Buz]

Transom is glued. Slow hardener still will dent after 15 hours or so in the 50s overnight. Good to know. I got slow hoping for less than cured overnight in order to avoid sanding. I doubled the upper transom and used one clamp, rather than 1 transom and 2 clamps. I seem to recall many pretty good licks to those corners in boats before, so lets avoid trouble there.

Hull parts are cut. Only one hull splice was completed due to work area size. I think I'll be sweet-talking the lil lady into not caring too much about the boat pieces drying on the dining room floor for a couple days. Storm is coming tomorrow afternoon so stitching wont begin till Sunday.

[Fuzz]

You are a far better man than me if you can get away with boat building stuff in the house
Need to post pictures as you go. It makes for a far better thread and better chance others will spot something to help with.

[Buz]

Too cold for slow epoxy today. Thought I'd ordered fast and slow but guess not.

I struggled a bit deciding between the OB-15 and the OB-18. Well, noticing how straight the cut lines are for the rear half of this boat, I succumbed to the idea of putting this on the boat stretcher and copied the next to the rear mold, slipped it in, and slid the rear mold and transom braces back a foot and a half. Gonna be an OB-16+.

I know Jacques usually didn't like changes in length only, but I think he'd approve this change. There is only 1/4" change in the last few frames.

[Buz]

Bottom panels were stretched today. Side hull panels get glued tomorrow.

Blew a couple hunnert on a PC just so's I can post pics here and waaay too much time was blown trying to first just learn to use the new OS, (remember how easy File Manager was?), then to figure out how to get pictures on here. Then all but one of all my old cheap phone's boat pics is too big for the gallery, and no combo of copy and pasting URL nor JPG would display even that one pic on the forum. And that's all I've accomplished out of a whole evening of cussin' this contraption.

[Jaysen]

Which gallery are you using?