I understand how you would think rethink and think about it again and again. That is the most heart rending job till you get started and it’s not that hard or bad you just got to keep on checking as you go till hey it’s done. I got faith in you Oscar you will get it done and it will be good and look good. Keep up the good work you are an inspiration to all the rest of us to finally get started on our own projects. Thank you !

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I appreciate it. This entire project is about overcoming fears and unknowns. That’s the nature of doing something you have never done. But, it’s teaching me lesson after lesson that I can handle these unknowns. I have plenty of other parts I have no idea how I am going to do, but to be honest, that’s what puts me to sleep almost every night. How and I going to run the chases? How can I connect the hoses to the drains before I glue down the floor? How do I make sure the live well drains get paint before the drains are bedded, etc…. The list in my head is unreal, but those are the things I try and tackle first. After that, the stuff I know how to do it just work, and I don’t mind the work. What would worry you?

@dougstarkey7128

5 ай бұрын

my main worry is i would forget a small step ie forget to tighten a hose clamp or leave a hose connection off. or worse than that only partially seal a hidden area before decking it over. its the little things that i fear would trip me up@@Bigeaux20

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I totally get that. I at least have the benefit of having almost everything I do recorded in some way, so if I forget to seal something, I can go back and look at the footage. Although, I try to be thorough about preparing each step to make sure that wont happen. The assurance that it’s wood and epoxy so having to make a cut and open something up, before final paint, is some assurance. It won’t be fun, but there’s always that option. These deck drains and fuel tank have plenty of my mental capacity at the moment.

Nice work and I like the philosophy of never taking too much off. Check it once, check it again and check it one last time.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

If you don’t know him, Lou Salzonne (Tips of a Shipwright) is always talking about creeping up on the line, or the fit. You do enough projects you learn that you can always cut or sand more, but you can’t put it back. That;s going to be especially true in the things to come. Appreciate it.

Looking great!! Watching from Kingwood Texas!

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

KINGWOOD! That’s close enough to come help sand. I appreciate you checking it out. You think it will work in the marsh when it’s done, or am I wasting my time and money?

@Jackt-3

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 I think your good 18ft is not going to be too big to worried about shallow waters but big enough to have room on the boat with the gear. And props to you for the challenge you accepted for going with that size and not just the 12-14 footer!!

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

A good old wise friend (i threw in old so he would know I was talking about him) once told me that every boat is a compromise, and that’s so true. This one is one I could and did build. As long as it’s seaworthy for its intended use, I will be thrilled. The thought of teaching my daughter or son to take it on their own, and maybe valuing the use of it, is all I’m looking for in this deal. The enjoyment i get from building it is payment enough.

Looking very nice. Like you, I dreaded certain parts of the building but turns out I was overthinking it. Excellent job!

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I remember having the same anxiety about scarfing, and it turned out to be very straightforward. What other parts were you worried about that turned out to be straightforward?

@stevejackson4136

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 I know it is just as hot there in Louisiana as it is here in Ga. I had greater anxiety mixing up enough epoxy and then thickened epoxy to laminate the transom. I’ve since learned more about epoxy and now use US Composite’s slow hardener. Watching you through all those videos, you caught on fast. But I always use to dread that.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

Oh goodness, when I was glassing the bottom, the fear of the epoxy kicking was paramount and made the stress worse than the actual work by a mile. Thanks for that walk down nightmare row. I have issues now figuring out how to do my deck drains and such. I think that’s the dragon chasing me right now, but we will tame it by might or by fight.

I fixed the bow on the sides of the hull when I installed the deck with screws.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

Yes there will be some small room for adjustment when bedding the deck, and attaching the shear bumper and the radius fillet to the hull sides. I don’t “think” I am going to do extra layers of bumper like you did, but I’m not sure yet. More like a wait and see. I have bigger things to worry about.

Maybe a decent laser level would have made a huge difference for you Looking the nuts bro

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

Yeah but as I’m learning boats are straight, square, and level. There is I believe a bit of sweep from stern to stem, so I’m banking that it’s stays fair. You will see the process coming up. Where have you been?

Did you double check the bulkheads to see how true they were since you are basing the top of the deck from them? In video 6 when they were glued in, I did not see where they were made level to each other as the goal back then was to get them tight to the hull.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I had done some verification along the way, just probably not on camera. I know I say that I have checked them before, but there is some sweep from stern to bow, so that’s the orientation I am expecting with the deck, but it’s very small. There will be some play when the decks are glued, and the shear bumper is tied in. There will be a big wide radius fillet that transitions from the underside of the shear bumper to the hull side, so there is a little bit of play, but when i sat the decks in place, everything looked pretty spot on. I don’t think i have put that video out yet though. Very good eye on your part, and I’m impressed. Do you think that plan is solid?

@mikem1436

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 Looks like things are picking up. As long as the deck boards lay flat (or very close to it), you should be good. As for the deck being level starboard to port, I think that will be determined once floating in the water. Placement of batteries, fuel tank, etc.. can adjust for that. Even a small boat takes a ton of time to build. Learn as you go. I doubt that anyone who built their first boat did it without having to make adjustments. As for me, it's too much work and it's not cheap either. Epoxy is expensive.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I heard a story one time of a man standing in a store, when another man and his son were looking at shotgun shells, and the dad said kind of loud, “ can you believe how expensive these shotgun shells are”, to which the man alone in the store responded, ‘you think shells are expensive, try paying for addiction treatment. If I were you, I would buy the shells and build a young man”. I guess what I’m trying to say is I don’t know how much rehab costs (and I’m not trivializing addiction), but I’m having more fun building this boat. So, in that example epoxy is cheap. And much cheaper than buying a production boat with no soul. Honestly, I don’t care if the boat lists 1” port to starboard at rest. It’s gonna tilt when my big behind walks around. I want it to float, to ride decent, and to give me satisfaction I built it the best I could. I’m not looking to compete with Maverick, or Hells Bay.

Is the shear perfectly flat? Seems like a rotary level set inside the boat could tell you where to plane material away.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

I feel like you think like I do. Level, square, lasers, etc… but this boat deal is fair and not necessarily “level”. There’s a bit of sweep or rise from stern to stem, but it’s not an exact deal the way it plays out. Me being patient is a bit of anxiety. Knowing now how it plays out I would have been more aggressive. But there’s no way to know what you don’t know, you know?

Couldn’t you cut a hole for the tank to drop down lower save you buying a new tank.

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

Well I’m expecting either selling the existing tank, or returning it on trade if possible. Cutting a hold in the floor would make this one fit, but it creates its own set of challenges due to shortening the stringers, etc…. I’d rather not take that on, but I haven’t ruled it out totally.

@cockneypatriot9042

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 hi bro. Long time. I been following your progress Hope you are doing well family is good. I have been distracted by a beautiful lady. So I have been little busy for getting on with my boat. But I will have to spend the spring working on her I’m hoping to sell everything up and buy a decent yacht in the Mediterranean Sea and move there with her living on the yacht So hopefully life changing

@Bigeaux20

5 ай бұрын

Well I want reservations for said yacht on said Mediterranean Sea for a date to be named in the future. I promise to bring a skillful ability to produce good Cajun food. I’m a little confused what your 4th line actually means, but I’m okay with you not clarifying. I’ll expect you meant wholesome fairing of the bottom.

@cockneypatriot9042

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 you be welcome bro anytime

@cockneypatriot9042

5 ай бұрын

@@Bigeaux20 You hopefully see her on my KZread channel soon Probably on my boat when I’m fixing the engine she will be filming. She is moving over from France in the next few months As I said big distraction from my boat. But I’m going to start soon as this weather gets warmer because it’s too cold with the wind blowing in off that North Sea.