Anyone building the Babson Island Skiff?

[Longbow]

I received the plans today and have a couple of questions if anyone is building or has built this boat. Thanks!

[Arko]

What are your questions? I have not/am not built/building the Babson Island skiff and I guess no one else is either BUT I'll bet some one here can answer your questions for you.

[Simmons18]

Longbow,
I've noticed the design and like it. I'm in Garner and would like to see her as she's under construction. Would also be glad to attempt to help with any question. www.creeksneak.com
Simmons18

[Longbow]

The questions that I have are specific to this design. The plans don't state the size of the chines anywhere. I also have the two issues of Getting Started in Boats and neither of these give the chine measurements. I can deduce from the frame pattern that the chine is 3/4 in. thick, but the plans are hand drawn and trying to scale from them is difficult. It appears from the plans that the chines should be 1.5 inches x 3/4 in. The frames are shown full size and the notch for the chine is 3/4 x 1 3/4. In the article it states that the frames have a 1 1/8 x 3/4 notch that leaves a gap of 3/8 above each chine for drainage. This would imply that the chine is only 3/4 x 3/4. So there is some contradiction here. The other question I have is about the frame patterns, it talks about rounding the top of the frames and using a can etc. as a pattern. The full size patterns show both ends of the frames rounded over. It seems to me that the bottom of the frame should be flush against the bottom of the boat. At least thats the way I've always seen it done. I'll try to give WB a call on monday and see if I can get some clarification, but I thought somebody else might be building the boat and already know the answers. Thanks for the replies!

[rbgarr]

WB Online used to have a Q&A section specifically for those building the Getting Started series of boats. I don't see where it is now. Maybe it's been discontinued.

http://www.woodenboat.com/wbmag/getting-started/index.html

[Longbow]

I was able to figure out the chine dimensions from looking at some other measurements, it looks like the chine is 3/4 X 1 3/8. I think the GSIB article is in error. I have built the strongback and set up the molds and I'll be installing the sheer ribbands today, so that should complete the jig and then I can start building the boat instead of the jig! I already have some scarfed plywood sheets so once I get the stem and transom made, everything should go together pretty quickly. I'll try to post some pictures soon if anyone is interested. Simmons18, I'd be glad to have you come by and take a look sometime, hopefully I'll be into building the actual boat by this weekend.

[switters]

Keep us posted, I have the plans and have filed them away as a someday boat. I think some of the joy of boat building comes from overcoming the frustration of boat building plans.

Best of luck, I spent some time looking at the plans and all I can come up with is the same thing you have. Interesting that the chine logs were not listed in the bill of materials except as 5/4" x 1 1/2" frames. 3/4 makes more sense in trying to get dimensional lumber.

[davebrown]

an amateur's 2 cents: i don't think it matters much. cut your chine logs at 1.5 x 3/4 and bevel it to fit the floor angle, which is very easy to do, and bevel the top a bit so it's not a reverse angle putting water against the inside edge of the strake and the seam. skiffs are forgiving. if you feel this isn't enough, you can tape the outside seam. will it use a motor, or is it rowing/sailing? it might be more critical with a motor, but even then...you could also check many similar designs to fill in that blank. the dimensions on a a good little skiff, for ex.
i really like hill's designs. i like his motor skiff. it's larger than the babson.

[Longbow]

I'm building the rowing/sailing version. I got the sheer ribands installed today and stock for the inner stem glued up to give 1.5 in thickness and the transom cut out as well. Tomorrow, I'll laminate the transom, install the inner stem and hopefully get the chines installed. The build is fairly easy so far, just time consuming. There are a couple of things I'm a little concerned about, mainly because I haven't used epoxy enough to really trust it yet. For example the chines are epoxied to the stem and the transom, but it's the endgrain of the chines epoxied to the straight grain of the stem/transom with a butt joint and no mechanical fastenening (other than the sides of the boat). Also the sides are just epoxied to the chine, again with no mechanical fastening. I know that lots of boats have been built with no fasteners at all, but I guess it justs takes time to learn to trust epoxy.

[Simmons18]

Longbow,
I'm going to be out of town untill Monday of next week, but I would like to see the boat. Build up a "test" epoxy joint and that will convince you of the strength. The strength is in the fillets. Make sure you pre-saturate the joints with as thin a mix as possible. I like to play a heat gun over mine after a quick brush on of epoxy. The heat thins it and allows saturation as far as possible. Then continue with the fillet, wet on wet, all the way through glass, if possible.
Simmons18