Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

microBootlegger build

My phone has just reminded me that I started this just over a year ago and thought I'd show a few photos of the build so far:

Building the forms


First strips

First half of bottom nearly done

Centre line cut

Planking second half of bottom


Fiddly final strips

And now the foredeck



and the aft deck planking

Deck planked

wetting it down to see what it will look like

Lots of sanding

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

starting the gunwhale

and a small table my daughter made to keep me company while strip-planking

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

First epoxy coat on the hull


more deck fairing

First epoxy coat on the deck

Glassing the deck

Laminating the gunwhale lip

Trimming the excess

Two halves back together, but not joined

Second lockdown then intervened and work stopped for a while...

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

Taping up to join the two halves

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

How to get rid of that tangled mass of fibreglass and epoxy right up at the bow when the inside joint got snarled up in the last 6 inches and you couldn't face pulling it all out again

Bow end pour

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

And now up to date - as of last night, what I hope will be the final epoxy coat, but lots of sanding and varnishing to go (and fitting out)

Simpsonboater

Member

Registered: 26 Jun 2020

Posts: 25

Re: microBootlegger build

Looking gorgeous, I'm tempted to build this one.

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

Go for it - I spent more time than I might have sanding and fairing before the fibreglassing and being elsewhere for the second lockdown didn't help, so it has so far taken rather longer than it probably should have done.  However, my idea was that I would build one that was truly spectacular as I only intended to build one (I felt the stitch and glue boats were very nice (and much quicker to build), but I loved the look and the greater versatility of strip-planking).  I don't feel much of it was difficult per se, but it was time consuming.

Anyway, despite my thoughts of only building one, I'm already thinking of the next (probably a Kahalo SUP, which is stitch and glue!) - I should probably finish this one first, though...

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

Starting varnishing - Epifanes takes 24 hours to dry and I have't worked out how to top and bottom together, so 48 hours between coats, plus sanding time.

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

after three coats of varnish, I'm now bored.  I've decided to fit it out, put it in the water and use it and then add more coats of varnish over the winter.

Unfortunately it was blowing force 6 yesterday, so the maiden voyage will have to wait a couple of weeks until I'm next down (but at least it gives the varnish a chance to harden a bit more)

spclark

Member

From: "Driftless" Wisconsin USA

Registered: 19 Mar 2020

Posts: 465

Re: microBootlegger build

Nice job Carmitage! That shot showing the flawless surface you've achieved on your hull does you credit!

teejay

Member

Registered: 26 Oct 2020

Posts: 66

Re: microBootlegger build

That's a terrific build - enjoy using the boat - and better luck with the weather.

Carmitage

Member

Registered: 13 May 2021

Posts: 11

Re: microBootlegger build

The maiden voyage - very happy and very relieved