Building an Oyster Barge

[waltwood]

The larger of the 2 pieces of the stern transom ply installed. I am using a ply butt block epoxied rather than breaking the joint between the 2 pieces on a frame. I think it is stronger and less likely to split the frame.

[waltwood]

Thud, many people are growing them in the bay and the creeks here. They use a vinyl covered metal wire cage that has "legs" on the bottom that keeps the oysters out of the mud. They start out with a finer mesh cage and change them to a larger mesh as they grow larger. The proposed use of this barge is to transport the cages full of oysters as they grade them and when they are finally harvested.

[ILikeRust]

She sure looks hell for stout!

I like your saw scabbard.

[Duncan Gibbs]

The larger of the 2 pieces of the stern transom ply installed. I am using a ply butt block epoxied rather than breaking the joint between the 2 pieces on a frame. I think it is stronger and less likely to split the frame.

Is it too late to pull that piece off and lay a scarf into the end to join another sheet into it, rather than use the butt block?

The rest of the frame seems pretty canon proof but this kind of joint in ply doesn't look too strong. Unless you put a big strip of bi-ax glass over it.

BTW, great looking shop you've got there! Really nice set up, and big too!

[waltwood]

Duncan, this joint is strong I think. I epoxied the butt block to the larger sheet off of the boat and let it harden. Then after fastening it to the stern I ran screws thru the butt block and wet epoxy to act as clamps. I removed the screws after it hardened. I have tested pieces that have been done like this and they are very strong. In this boat it really did not matter too much, I probably didn't have to even use a butt block because of the large amount of contact area on the frames and the small amount of unsupported ply. The transom is getting 2 layers of 32 oz cloth over it also.

[ILikeRust]

In "The Sharpie Book", Reuel Parker advocates the use of a butt block for the topsides of many of his sharpie designs.

[waltwood]

The temperature dropped below 90 degrees and I really felt like doing some work on the boat. Somewhere I said I was going to stitch and glue the ply in the center of the boat and have no keelson but that has changed. I am putting a 2 x 6 keelson just like the stringers but more difficult because I have to put a bevel on it. Here is notching the floors and fitting the keelson.

[Breakaway]

Nice. That boat is better for a keelson, in my humble experience.

Kevin

[waltwood]

I am glad you agree. My reasons were; it would would make attaching a skeg or keel easier and provide something for the ply to break on other than epoxy. Maybe some longitudinal stiffness also.

[waltwood]

I made the much argued/debated limber holes in the floors with a simple jig and the router. I did want to say to the folks that suggested drilling the hole and chopping it out on the edges that I did not ignore that and it is a good idea. i didn't do it because this treated pine blows out easily and I think the bit would wander toward the edge. This kind of treated is even much worse than the building supply variety.










The keelson has been beveled and installed. I am almost ready for some ply on the sides and bottom.

[ILikeRust]

I'm really liking this build! It seems so simple, yet elegant, and it's also very beefy and stout looking. I'm envisioning turning it over and building it into a party barge. Some nice seats, a little bar, maybe a slide that shoots off into the water...

[waltwood]

I think it would be well suited for that!

[waltwood]

I am working on this project more. Trying to push to get the sides and bottom planked but paying jobs might get in the way as they have in the past.




Bow ply installed. To anyone who just tuned in the bow, stern and bottom are 3/4" and the sides are 1/2" fir marine A-B ply





Two sheets fitted and installed on starboard side.




This is a butt block glued up and that is the method I am using to join the side planking. The ends of the sheet does not break on a frame because it would create a hard spot in the hull.

[waltwood]

It sure doesn't seem easy. Every time I start do something on it I realize I have to do something else before i can do the thing I thought I was going to do.

I was seriously thinking about launching it after glassing the bottom and flipping it over just to see it acts in the water.

[waltwood]

Worked the longest day yet on this boat and I pleased with the progress.




We bolted 3 crosspalls across the frames to hold the correct shape of the hull when turning it over and before any deck beams are installed. I placed them below the sheer clamp so any framing in that area could be done without removing them.









Got all but one piece of ply on the port side and one more on the other side done.

[ILikeRust]

Looking like a very neat, orderly and workmanlike build. Most excellent...

[waltwood]

ILikeRust- Thank you, you have been very encouraging.

[ILikeRust]

Well first, I like workboats in general. And second, it really does look like you're doing a very neat and good job of building it. Looks like you could park a truck on it.

[waltwood]

My interest is all boats, but workboats are my favorites.

[waltwood]

I could use the help. The guy who is helping me would rather do house carpentry but not me.

[waltwood]

Today we completed the ply on the sides and put 3 sheets on the bottom.

[emma55]

Now this is Cool . Nice workmanship .

[waltwood]

Thank you. It is getting more fun now because it is going faster.

[waltwood]

More pics of my progress. I put much thought in the fastening schedule on this ply. I have changed a couple of things on the bottom screws for the better after starting. We are using #10 screws in the chine to prevent splitting it. On the keelson we are using 1 3/4" screws and in the floors 2 1/2". Both of them are #12 screws.







On the forward sheet of ply there is more curvature and it is different at the center than the chine. A little more difficult than the other pieces. Photo does not show this very good.




This shows my screw pattern. I am not over-fastening to the stringers.

[p_smith]

Hey man, looking great! Are you using any kind of glue/beddding compound betwee the ply and stringers? Any special treatment where the two sheets butt into each other?

[waltwood]

No, I am not using anything because of the paint I put on the frame to keep it from checking. The paint would pull off instead of bonding to the wood like one would normally do. I will say it is my first boatbuilding project that I have not bedded the planking or ply. On the ply on the sides I coated the edges with epoxy and I was careful not to get it on the outside surface because I am using polyester resin and it does not stick to epoxy.

[waltwood]

[waltwood]

I should add that I am covering all of it with 2 layers of 32 oz cloth and polyester resin

[Soundman67]

very good looking build. looks like a very very strong boat that should last as long as the grandkids need it to.

[waltwood]

Moving right along here. Tried not to show too many pics of ply installation but different areas had different problems and solutions.

The forward section of each side was done in 2 pieces. I did it to save on ply but it was easier to fit and deal with the compound curve.





I had not planed the ply on the sides down even with the chine on the port side yet. There was a hump in the chine forward that had been bothering me for some time. It was fair and even but it did not look right. After checking it against the other side, it was off. I took some time to plane the chine down to match the other side. I am glad I did that. A lopsided boat would not be cool.




I did not bevel the edges of the ply where it butted the centerline on the first side I installed. Instead I beveled the second row on the other about 10 degrees. This worked good.

[waltwood]

All bottom ply completed!

[boat fan]

Just thinking out loud here , but what is going to stop water seeping between the plywood and frames / stringers ? Are you not concerned that water will rot out the plywood ?

I would have used something between the ply and framing.Even bitumen / tar should exclude water and remain flexible ?

Very tidy , nice build .Its a nice large volume hull.

[waltwood]

Boat Fan, perhaps I should have used something between the framing and the ply but I am not sure it would keep the ply from rotting in that area. There would still be areas that water could get into. The last one of these I built is dry and dusty even in the bilge. It is 12 years old also.

Thud, You are a character!

[boat fan]

12 years and dry is good to say the least.

I may be missing something here , because our oyster barges here in Australia are usually just open vessels , what about rain water etc...will you use tarps to cover the hold when you use the boat ?

[waltwood]

They are fully decked over to carry the cages and the harvested oysters. Usually have a fore and aft deck hatch.

[Wavewacker]

Waltwood, you are certainly a craftsman. I can tell not only from your project but how you hold that handsaw! I just found this build thread and it is very similar to what I have (had) in mind. I was hoping for a 7 or 8 ft. beam at 28' and didn't realize it would, could, should be such a heavy build!

Being where I am and not knowing what an oyster barge really is, I was wondering about the low freeboard, I finally got it from you last post.

That's a nice hay shed and bet you'll be using those rafters to flip your boat. Be sure to post the flipping party and how you do it.....

How many hours do you have in this so far?


BTW, your riding lawn mower is much bigger than my Deere! LOL

[waltwood]

Wavewacker, it is good to hear from you. I have been told a few times that this barge is overbuilt and I am sure that it is. One could be made much lighter, but after seeing the way the watermen treat their boats I thought I would err on the stronger side. My floors are the most overbuilt framing but I did it so the ply would break on them without splitting them. With the fiberglass schedule I am using a guy told me last night it could have been built of luan.

As far as the beam I was trying to give them more weight carrying ability and deck area to hold the cages which are very bulky. And they rarely trailer them. You said 7 or 8 feet for yours- that is a narrow 28' boat.

I built it to sell but there is a chance I could keep it. I talked to the guys who use them to arrive at the size and they all wanted the lowest freeboard possible. There is a barge to the south of me that the sides are only 20" high! It must take water over the decks all the time. I keep wanting to take a picture of it and put it on this thread but it is gone each time I go by it.

I have not kept my hours and it is funny because I track all of my house carpentry to the 1/2 hour. I don't think I want to know how many hours I have in it because I would have to ask too much money for it.

I am excited about the rollover and my son and I are trying to arrive at a plan that makes sense. I do know we are going to pull it out of the shed to do so.

[waltwood]

The 2 times I have built boats outdoors this has happened! Last one a hurricane struck when I was very close to launching. As long as I have lived on the property we have not had this much water. Four tornadoes touched down just to the south of us and we rarely get them.

[Wavewacker]

I'd think having the bottom up over water is a bad oman before you put it in the water
Get'r flipped, NOAH! Welcome to cliamte change.....

[waltwood]

The next project was to fill the 900 screw holes before 'glassing. This was tedious and I am glad I had some help. My wife helps me with many projects and seems to enjoy it. She knows more about carpentry than most people. She does not want her picture posted on this site as I have just done!








I rounded over all the edges on the whole boat so the glass would drape better and it helps prevent damage from a minor impact.





I have changed my mind from using polyester to using epoxy and would like to say more about that later but I coated all of the edges with epoxy so they do not absorb all of the resin when I apply the glass cloth. I was hoping this would give the ply some more protection against the elements also.

[boat fan]

Good choice going with epoxy !

[George Ray]

Nice hull shape and wonderful work your doing, best of luck with launching and working the vessel.

I have recently been googling all about trying to find a table offsets for a small barge with a developable shape. (ply/steel compatible)
Not sure I feel up to the metal gymnastics of doing either the DefltShip or Rhino3D design myself or deciphering S.S. Rabel's "Multiconic Development of Hull Surfaces". Is your design work (table of offsets) open source or inexpensive?

[waltwood]

George, you are talking over my head but I will tell you how I came up with the design. I measured other barges and used some of that and mixed it up with my own experience. I owned a 12' x 32' barge and gained some ideas from it. I designed it with stations 26" apart. that was a challenge to have a gradual change between stations without any bad twists or flat spots and still get the shape you are after. I learned that design is much harder than I thought. I am not completely green, I did take a lofting course a few years ago. I imagine that design software would make this much easier.

[George Ray]

The result of your efforts is a fine looking hull, your to be congratulated.
Thanks...

[waltwood]

Thank you for the compliments. What are going to use the small barge for?

[waltwood]

I spoke of this much earlier but i thought pictures might make it more interesting. I built the building that this barge is under for my sawmill. I sold it and decided to use the building to do major deck and house repair to my 27' FRP Bay Boat. It would not quit fit under the roof so my son and I raised the roof up about 18". Here is a picture of that work in progress.

[waltwood]

I am starting to fiberglass the hull. I am using 1208 45/45 biaxial cloth mat combination with West System epoxy resin. I actually bought vinylester resin first and did several test samples on the same ply scraps used in the boat. Many of them failed to adhere and I think it could have been the high humidity, but whatever the cause I did not want such a large problem to deal with. I returned it and broke the bank buying 10 gallons of epoxy but now I can be sure it will adhere to the ply. Here are a couple of pics of the first session of glassing. I have done this before, I am not a pro and there is a learning curve. It laid very flat and I had no bubbles except at the chine or bottom edge where I always seem to get them.

[waltwood]

Just updating anyone who is interested, the fiberglassing is proceeding slowly. The weather has been great for it so I wish I had been doing more, but paying jobs had to come first. It seems like I have to learn all over again each time i do a large epoxy project because it is always years between them.



This is the fifth row of fabric that has been applied on each side. This section is still wet.





This is the trailer that is dedicated to the 'glassing project. It takes a lot of stuff to do this.

[Breakaway]

Looks good from the pic. How are you handling the chine? Does the fabric on the sides run over the end grain of the bottom panels?

Kevin

[waltwood]

Thanks, I am running one piece from the center to the sheer and overlapping them about 3" at the centerline. It is continuous at the chine. It has been the hardest area to avoid air pockets but we have that worked out with the steel segmented roller.