Amigo 22 jumping in with both feet

[kllayton4]

I think I have jumped in over my head and that’s nothing new. I have built a few strip planked kayaks and wanted to build a 16’ day sailor when this project came along and my lovely bride gave it her blessing. I am going to have a lot of questions and look forward to posting my progress as this build progresses.

[kllayton4]

The first builder of this project made the frames out of laminated Doug fir and completed the first 14” of planking with white oak and I can still purchase the rest of the planking stock.
My questions are is oak too heavy? If planked in White Oak the planking would weigh 860 lbs. or if planked in WRC it would weigh 430 lbs. or if planked in DF the planking would weigh 630lbs. If I plan on fiber glassing the outside and epoxy coating the inside does it matter which wood I choose?

[Peerie Maa]

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/sailboat/amigo-bom.html says don't use oak for the parts encapsulated in glass.

Suitable boatbuilding woods can include white oak, mahogany (Philippine dark red, American, or African types commonly used in boats), Sitka spruce, Alaskan cedar, Port Orford cedar, Douglas-fir, longleaf yellow pine, apitong, and teak. Lumber that may be totally encapsulated in fiberglass should preferably be a kiln or air-dried softwood species such as Douglas-fir or softer hardwood such as mahogany, as opposed to hard, dense woods, such as oak, which may not bond well, and are subject to expansion and contraction with varying moisture contents.

I'd swap to douglas fir for the rest of it, and consider glassing both inside as well as out.

[JimD]

Nice project! I have had plans for Amigo for many years and got a start on the frames but decided it was too big a job for me so I abandoned the build. White oak? Makes little sense to me. The cedar would be easiest to work with but is very soft. T'were it me I'd go with the fir. Its strong, glues well, bends well enough if you're careful with the grain, and of course there's always the perenial controversy of gluing white oak with epoxy which is another reason to go with fir and not oak. Do you know what kind of glue has been used with the oak so far?

[skaraborgcraft]

As the owner of an all oak boat (K25 clinker),i have to say oak does have a strength advantage, however,i have never seen oak used as a strip plank material. Do you want to sheath inside and out? I think depending on that answer would direct the choice of timber.

Nice wee boats, capable i would say of some serious cruising. Look forward to seeing her come together. Cheers

[thedutchtouch]

a strip planked boat sheathed inside and out derives most of it's hull strength from the fiberglass. the wood is merely a filler layer to provide 3d structure while the fiberglass dries. use WRC.

[wizbang 13]

One way or the other , if it were me .
That is , if you plank with hardwood, why sheath , it is un unnecessary.
and of course vice versa, softwood wants inside and out, specially without the fasteners.
But I see several "things" going on in the pic . The existing planking does not seem to be vertically fastened , which is the usual technique for sheathing in and out , (like a canoe) . But using oak as a core is over the top.
Also , what is going on with the plywood in the transom knee area ?
The oak that is on there looks sort of ratty.What kinna glue is that?
More pics will tell more story .
It is a nice lookin design , easy to fall under her spell!!

[Peerie Maa]

a strip planked boat sheathed inside and out derives most of it's hull strength from the fiberglass. the wood is merely a filler layer to provide 3d structure while the fiberglass dries. use WRC.

A boat of that size would require a shed load of fiberglass to generate the strength required. The planking is that strength, the fiber glass sheath protects the wood from humidity and abrasion.

[kllayton4]

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/sailboat/amigo-bom.html says don't use oak for the parts encapsulated in glass.



I'd swap to douglas fir for the rest of it, and consider glassing both inside as well as out.

Thanks for the link, that information is not in the building instructions I have.

[kllayton4]

Nice project! I have had plans for Amigo for many years and got a start on the frames but decided it was too big a job for me so I abandoned the build. White oak? Makes little sense to me. The cedar would be easiest to work with but is very soft. T'were it me I'd go with the fir. Its strong, glues well, bends well enough if you're careful with the grain, and of course there's always the perenial controversy of gluing white oak with epoxy which is another reason to go with fir and not oak. Do you know what kind of glue has been used with the oak so far?

I don't have a lot of info about the first builder, I know he passed away a year ago. I think he used the White oak because he had a portable saw mill and the oak is what he had to work with.

[kllayton4]

As the owner of an all oak boat (K25 clinker),i have to say oak does have a strength advantage, however,i have never seen oak used as a strip plank material. Do you want to sheath inside and out? I think depending on that answer would direct the choice of timber.

Nice wee boats, capable i would say of some serious cruising. Look forward to seeing her come together. Cheers

I have only been lurking around this site for a couple years and I have not seen any projects using oak as strip planking. This oak was air dried and it does bend pretty easy. I only plan on sheathing the outside.

[kllayton4]

a strip planked boat sheathed inside and out derives most of it's hull strength from the fiberglass. the wood is merely a filler layer to provide 3d structure while the fiberglass dries. use WRC.

I built my first three kayaks with WRC and I can no longer work it. I think I am going to strip off the oak and start over with DF.

[kllayton4]

One way or the other , if it were me .
That is , if you plank with hardwood, why sheath , it is un unnecessary.
and of course vice versa, softwood wants inside and out, specially without the fasteners.
But I see several "things" going on in the pic . The existing planking does not seem to be vertically fastened , which is the usual technique for sheathing in and out , (like a canoe) . But using oak as a core is over the top.
Also , what is going on with the plywood in the transom knee area ?
The oak that is on there looks sort of ratty.What kinna glue is that?
More pics will tell more story .
It is a nice lookin design , easy to fall under her spell!!

Unfortunately the planking is vertically fastened with drywall screws and I am not sure what the what kind of glue was used. I am going to start over with DF. I think what your seeing on the surface of the oak is dust, this project has sat untouched for 10+ years.
The transom knee area is interesting under the 3/4 ply is laminated fir.

[skaraborgcraft]

Well, if you arehappy working with fir and intend to glass the outside,then sounds like a plan. I would have seen no reason why anyone would want to glass oak. If it was put together with dry wall screws,then sounds like the best plan is to remove it anyway.

[wizbang 13]

Starting over sounds good. DF sounds good.
vertical fastening is good on a boat this size and type. Drywall screws , not good. Maybe he took them out after each plank? They are silly brittle. If I were on a budget , I would use galv casing nails . Casing nails are like oversized finish nails , small head.
One way to look at it, (of many), the money saved on ss or bronze fastenings can be rolled over into epoxy. Lots of epoxy adds credibility to the galv fasteneings in all areas except.... re sale.
I am not keen on sheathing a boat . Just painting it with resin will accomplish about the same thing. If the boat is going to develop small cracks , a light
sheathing will do little to stop that. That said, not to confuse with canoe building.
The ply sandwiched transom knee is something I would think over carefully. Work that out before you start planking.
Think about whether the planking will get a "football" , or join at bilge , or taper a bunch of them out . I prefer a football / cresent for boats that will not plank up correctly.
Are you sensitized to the WRC or the epoxy? Be sure you are up to the task of lots of epoxy and sanding dust.

[kllayton4]

Starting over sounds good. DF sounds good.
vertical fastening is good on a boat this size and type. Drywall screws , not good. Maybe he took them out after each plank? They are silly brittle. If I were on a budget , I would use galv casing nails . Casing nails are like oversized finish nails , small head.
One way to look at it, (of many), the money saved on ss or bronze fastenings can be rolled over into epoxy. Lots of epoxy adds credibility to the galv fasteneings in all areas except.... re sale.
I am not keen on sheathing a boat . Just painting it with resin will accomplish about the same thing. If the boat is going to develop small cracks , a light
sheathing will do little to stop that. That said, not to confuse with canoe building.
The ply sandwiched transom knee is something I would think over carefully. Work that out before you start planking.
Think about whether the planking will get a "football" , or join at bilge , or taper a bunch of them out . I prefer a football / cresent for boats that will not plank up correctly.
Are you sensitized to the WRC or the epoxy? Be sure you are up to the task of lots of epoxy and sanding dust.

Edge joined with drywall screws. Ouch!!!



I don't think the screws have been removed. Ouch



Ouch!!! I don't like rust.



The stern knee I am still thinking about replacing.

I am sensitized to WRC, epoxy I can still swim in. Sanding dust I have taking care of with Uncle Fester.