Let's build a Jericho Bay Lobster Skiff

[Rich Jones]

It's been a bit over three years since I launched my Palmer fantail launch. Time to get out the tools and start building again.
My 14' Sam Devlin designed Cackler stitch and glue fishing boat is now 23 years old. It's still in excellent shape, but I'm looking for something more comfortable that can be used both for fishing and just cruising around on a summer afternoon.
I need something that's easy to launch and retrieve, doesn't require a huge engine and is sweet on the eyes. Thus, the Jericho Bay Lobster Skiff.
It was designed by Joel White and at least one was built plank on frame.
In 2009, Tom Hill re-worked the design for strip plank and built one at Wooden Boat. It's a 15'6" round bottom open skiff powered with a 20 hp engine.
Never one to leave a good design alone, I'll be stretching mine to 16' and mounting a 25 hp engine. There have been more then a few of these built with some stretched even longer. Some also have the 25 hp on them. Most have center consoles which I'll be doing also.

I bought the plans from WoodenBoat and got started at the beginning of August. I hope to launch in the spring.
The plans consist of offsets, lines plan, seating plan and strongback plan. Paper full sized patterns are included for the station molds. No written instructions, so you're not spoon feed how to build the boat. There are two articles in WBM that help, but still are not step-by-step, start to finish instructions.
I've lofted every boat I've built but the temptation to use the paper patterns was too much to pass up. They seemed alright but I wish they were in a more stable medium.
First up, make the station molds from 1/2" plywood. Also the stem profile and the jig for making the inner stem.

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[Rich Jones]

Next is to rip about one zillion lineal feet of 1/2"x 7/8" clear western red cedar for the planking.

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[Rich Jones]

Looking for any tools I could use at a local estate sale a week or so ago, I found no tools I wanted but did find this old helm which I hope to incorporate into the boat. Just needs a little cleaning up. I'd have to have a machine shop fit it to the modern steering gear that will be going into the center console.
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[Rich Jones]

It should look something like this when done. This one was stretched to 16'6".
BurnsJerichoFirstRideweb-1500x794.jpg

[DoctorB]

subscribed!

[gypsie]

Zillion - that sounds like a lot!

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

Fantastic!

Rich,

I really loved your fantail build thread. It's hard to believe it has already been three years. I'll be following this one too.

[hawkeye54]

Looking for any tools I could use at a local estate sale a week or so ago, I found no tools I wanted but did find this old helm which I hope to incorporate into the boat. Just needs a little cleaning up. I'd have to have a machine shop fit it to the modern steering gear that will be going into the center console.
IMG_2360.jpg

Nice score there, Rich ----- I like it

[Rich Jones]

Zillion - that sounds like a lot!

It felt like a zillion lineal feet after standing there by the saw for hours. Actually, it's about 1600 lineal feet.
Now I have to scarf some lengths together to get the 17' strips for the topsides.
Tomorrow, I'm off to the lumberyard to pick up the African Mahogany for the transom, stem and keel. I bought it about a week ago, but the wood was rough cut. I needed it planed to one and three quarters inch thickness and have the edges run through a joiner.

[Oldad]

Nice score on the wheel, Rich. Hang it where you can see it for inspiration.
Where did you find the cedar?

[timo4352]

Looking forward to your build.

[Rich Jones]

Nice score on the wheel, Rich. Hang it where you can see it for inspiration.
Where did you find the cedar?

My local lumber yard carries it. D-grade, rough on one side but nice and clear. Not overly expensive either. $550 should be enough for the whole boat.

[Gib Etheridge]

Looking for any tools I could use at a local estate sale a week or so ago, I found no tools I wanted but did find this old helm which I hope to incorporate into the boat. Just needs a little cleaning up. I'd have to have a machine shop fit it to the modern steering gear that will be going into the center console.
IMG_2360.jpg

I have a wheel just like that Rich, will be looking forward to how you adapt it. I'll probably have to do mine before you do yours, probably give it to a machinist. If so I'll post for you to see.

[Rich Jones]

I have a wheel just like that Rich, will be looking forward to how you adapt it. I'll probably have to do mine before you do yours, probably give it to a machinist. If so I'll post for you to see.

I'll be taking mine to a machinist also to adapt it.
Unless Jim Ledger wants to cast a nice bronze adaptor gizmo for us.

[Breakaway]

What's common is a 3/4" tapered shaft. What is the size of the hole in the wheel's hub? What is diameter of the wheel hub? Adapters and hubs are available.


Also, just saying, a spoked wheel, while it looks great and salty, may not be best for controlling such a craft. I don't mean to be a downer. At planing speed, you need to grip this wheel at waist level and your hands will be at odd angles on the spokes. Docking, the ability to go lock-to-lock on the wheel is helpful, and that's three full turns minimum. You can't roll your hand around a spoked wheel like you can with a rimmed wheel. I' not saying you can't use it. Just think about it.

Kevin

[leikec]

Looking forward to this latest build, Rich!

Jeff C

[Rich Jones]

What's common is a 3/4" tapered shaft. What is the size of the hole in the wheel's hub? What is diameter of the wheel hub? Adapters and hubs are available.


Also, just saying, a spoked wheel, while it looks great and salty, may not be best for controlling such a craft. I don't mean to be a downer. At planing speed, you need to grip this wheel at waist level and your hands will be at odd angles on the spokes. Docking, the ability to go lock-to-lock on the wheel is helpful, and that's three full turns minimum. You can't roll your hand around a spoked wheel like you can with a rimmed wheel. I' not saying you can't use it. Just think about it.

Kevin

Party pooper. But... all good points to consider.
I have wondered if a wheel of this sort is good for a high speed boat. I have one on my fantail launch, but that is a very low speed boat. The Jericho Bay pictured in post #4 shows a spoked wheel and that's where I got the idea. The hole in the hub is 5/8" and the wheel is 10" in diameter and 16" to the tips of the spokes.
I'll see how complicated it is to adapt. Nothing is written in stone yet.

[JimConlin]

What's common is a 3/4" tapered shaft. What is the size of the hole in the wheel's hub? What is diameter of the wheel hub? Adapters and hubs are available.


Also, just saying, a spoked wheel, while it looks great and salty, may not be best for controlling such a craft. I don't mean to be a downer. At planing speed, you need to grip this wheel at waist level and your hands will be at odd angles on the spokes. Docking, the ability to go lock-to-lock on the wheel is helpful, and that's three full turns minimum. You can't roll your hand around a spoked wheel like you can with a rimmed wheel. I' not saying you can't use it. Just think about it.

Kevin

And taking a wheel spoke in the ribs is to be avoided. I wouldn’t use a spoked wheel on such a small boat.

[jtdums]

We used a spoked wheel and it worked out just fine. Handling at slow speeds is no problem and on plane I've never felt unsafe. Go for it!

[jtdums]

Although I admit, in our Jericho we sit at the helm so not much concern taking a spoke in a rib...

[Rich Jones]

Although I admit, in our Jericho we sit at the helm so not much concern taking a spoke in a rib...

You've got a sweet looking boat! Hope mine looks as good!

[davebrown]

interesting build

[Rich Jones]

Today saw the laminating of the stem.
In the WoodenBoat article showing this build, they used 8 laminations of 1/4" thick mahogany. The mahogany I bought wouldn't bend around the radius comfortably until I reduced the thickness to 1/8". A lot more ripping and a lot more epoxy used.
All went well, nothing exciting. Once cured for a few days, I'll pop it off the mold, clean it up then re-clamp it to the mold until I'm ready to use it.
Next project is making the transom, again using mahogany.
The big question is why the hell was I working in my shop today instead of enjoying this beautiful day out on one of my other boats? It's the boat-building sickness, I tell ya. I've got it bad. Once you've got it, it's hard to shake.
I have to learn to control it and enjoy the summer while it's here. There's a long cold winter coming up for boat building.

IMG_0013.jpg

And, yes, I did use plenty of packing tape and wax paper to prevent the stem from being glued to the form or the workbench!

[leikec]

Today saw the laminating of the stem.
In the WoodenBoat article showing this build, they used 8 laminations of 1/4" thick mahogany. The mahogany I bought wouldn't bend around the radius comfortably until I reduced the thickness to 1/8". A lot more ripping and a lot more epoxy used.
All went well, nothing exciting. Once cured for a few days, I'll pop it off the mold, clean it up then re-clamp it to the mold until I'm ready to use it.
Next project is making the transom, again using mahogany.
The big question is why the hell was I working in my shop today instead of enjoying this beautiful day out on one of my other boats? It's the boat-building sickness, I tell ya. I've got it bad. Once you've got it, it's hard to shake.
I have to learn to control it and enjoy the summer while it's here. There's a long cold winter coming up for boat building.

IMG_0013.jpg

And, yes, I did use plenty of packing tape and wax paper to prevent the stem from being glued to the form or the workbench!

If you aren't careful you'll have the thing built by Labor Day...



Jeff C

[cstevens]

Nice build. I don’t think you should worry much about the wheel. Try a spoked wheel and if you don’t like it, change it. Easy enough. One comment on it though. Hamilton Marine sells a bronze spoked wheel very much like that one. The details are not quite as nice perhaps (it doesn’t have the relief cast into the bronze spokes for example) but it looks the part and, more importantly, it already has a 3/4 tapered mounting hole. They are not expensive. Certainly less than what it would cost to machine that one or make an adapter. I used one on Petrel and was very pleased with it.

[Rich Jones]

Nice build. I don’t think you should worry much about the wheel. Try a spoked wheel and if you don’t like it, change it. Easy enough. One comment on it though. Hamilton Marine sells a bronze spoked wheel very much like that one. The details are not quite as nice perhaps (it doesn’t have the relief cast into the bronze spokes for example) but it looks the part and, more importantly, it already has a 3/4 tapered mounting hole. They are not expensive. Certainly less than what it would cost to machine that one or make an adapter. I used one on Petrel and was very pleased with it.

Thanks, I'll take a look.

[Rich Jones]

I spent some time at the outboard dealer today and got a quote (includes installation) on a 2021 25 hp Merc 4 stroke with remote steering, electric start and power trim/lift.
Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark on the credit card!

[Rich Jones]

I thought I'd show the jig I used to cut the 1-to-8 ratio scarf in the cedar strips. I used this on the last build also. Nothing exciting, but useful.
IMG_0020.jpg

[Rich Jones]

I was able to get a beautiful piece of vertical grain Khaya African mahogany for the transom. Here are the pieces laid out. Everything is out of one board.
I was looking on the interwebs for any articles on Jericho Bay Lobster skiffs and came across one that had a different method with the transom.
The way the boat is designed, the cedar strips run past the transom and are cut off flush. This leaves all that end grain exposed unless the transom is glassed. Mine won't be. I've probably seal with epoxy and varnish. Sealing the end grain of the strips can certainly be done, but one or two dings into a dock or something could expose that end grain to water intrusion. Plenty of room for the dado since the transom is one and three quarters inch thick (you could hang a 150 hp motor on that thing!)
One fellow did something different. He dado'd out the inner edge of the transom so the strips lay in that dado and the strips don't run past. This way, those end grains are sealed for good under the fiberglass.
To do this, I'll have to expand the transom 1/2" past the pattern that was supplied with the plans to accommodate the 1/2" wide strips.

IMG_0016.jpg

[Christopher Morgan]

I spent some time at the outboard dealer today and got a quote (includes installation) on a 2021 25 hp Merc 4 stroke with remote steering, electric start and power trim/lift.
Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark on the credit card!

Here's another option to consider: https://onlineoutboards.com/collecti...orsepower_25hp

They have Suzukis that they will send you for a (comparatively) decent price. Suzuki seems to be unique among manufacturers in allowing owners to install their own 25-30HP outboards. And the remotes come with a prop, controls, have a good reputation for reliability, and a six year warranty.

[jtdums]

Here's another option to consider: https://onlineoutboards.com/collecti...orsepower_25hp

They have Suzukis that they will send you for a (comparatively) decent price. Suzuki seems to be unique among manufacturers in allowing owners to install their own 25-30HP outboards. And the remotes come with a prop, controls, have a good reputation for reliability, and a six year warranty.

This was a big reason I went with a Suzuki on my build after the Jericho. There was a little problem with the shipping, but ultimately I saved a ton of money installing it myself and I was so unimpressed with the etec installer for my Jericho I vowed I would never go back to them. In hindsight, I would use a Suzuki on my Jericho build in a heartbeat. For the record, no affiliation with these guys, just a happy owner/installer.

[Rich Jones]

This was a big reason I went with a Suzuki on my build after the Jericho. There was a little problem with the shipping, but ultimately I saved a ton of money installing it myself and I was so unimpressed with the etec installer for my Jericho I vowed I would never go back to them. In hindsight, I would use a Suzuki on my Jericho build in a heartbeat. For the record, no affiliation with these guys, just a happy owner/installer.

I believe you have a 25 hp on your Jericho. How do you find the weight on the transom? They are a lot heavier then a 20 hp. Plus, they are much larger in size as well as weight. I'm just wondering if that extra 5 hp is worth the weight increase.

[Rich Jones]

Here's another option to consider: https://onlineoutboards.com/collecti...orsepower_25hp

They have Suzukis that they will send you for a (comparatively) decent price. Suzuki seems to be unique among manufacturers in allowing owners to install their own 25-30HP outboards. And the remotes come with a prop, controls, have a good reputation for reliability, and a six year warranty.

They are quite a bit cheaper since they cut out the middle man. Of course, the shipping would add a bundle. Since I'm a mechanical idiot, I wouldn't mind having a local dealer install it and be able to deal with any problems. Tempting, though.

[timo4352]

If you decide to go with a Suzuki, I got mine at Porta Bote.
They had the best deal at the time.
Being able to install a remote motor myself sealed the deal. Up to 25hp IIRC.

[Oldad]

Rich, for what it's worth, installing the motor and controls yourself is not rocket science, however having access to a dealer and parts is a tempting advantage to the Mercury.