Mike! Eye candy fer sure!
So for $1500 and two bag lunches (one for the lass) we have a nice 'winter' project.
BS1088 (British Standard) Okoume' is the highest grade of plywood available (the next step up to the top is Lloyds), that's what's in the Eastport Kit. That basicly means the wood is void free - important in skinny plywood. The stuff is not made in this country (not that it would be better here), so you cross your fingers on the subspecies and glue. Okoume' will give you the lightest boat. In Stitch-and-Glue the plywood becomes the 'core' between an inside and outside layer of glass. The wood will be saturated with epoxy. Much of the pram's strength comes from it's shape, but it all depends on the epoxy and glass.
If just plans are available, and you think you might beat the tarrif, I wouldn't consider APA (American Plywood Assoc = NO standard at all) AC 1/4" fir plywood even for a coffin! Douglas Fir would make an excellent skinny plywood, equal to Okoume' and Meranti. Much US fir plywood is not made with fir, especially interior veneers. We lost it. 1/4" Meranti would make a heavier boat than the 60 Eastport #s, don't know, but it would climb up there.* The biggest problem will be holding back adding layers and stuff. I'd probably want to add extra frp to the bottom.
Looking at the Eastport parts spread sheet, we'd have a great feeling of acheivement when it came out of the garage in the spring! Man, I would, it looks like a real challenge! A lot of hours. Good ale.
Don't know anything about anything here. If the parts are 'laser cut' and accurate it should be fun to put together. As a boat tender, among other things, would make a take apart mast, like the oars, to stow inside the pram.
Anyway, will it fit on the boat? I've got some long pieces of corrugated box material that I'll take down to the boat this wkend...
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* Okoume'
4mm5/32 - 13.2# - $52 ===== Meranti 4mm - 19# - $35
5mm3/16 - 17.8# - $62 ===== ------------------------
6mm1/4 -- 20.0# - $69 ===== --------6mm - 25# - $44
>Thickess - Weight per 4X8 sheet - Cost FOB World Panel Products Inc<
1/4" marine Douglas Fir (3 ply)-----$61. Probably would not have the BS1088 rating. Meaning it could have knots, voids, splits hidden inside - or defects on the 'B' side. Any void in an inside layer of thin plywood will destroy the integrity of the boat. Any cracks in the skin cancels out that layer. Would not trust the damn bathtubs.
1/4" Okoume' is 3ply. 1/4" Meranti is 5ply. The wood is more dense and there's more glue. 5 ply full 1/4" marine-grade Meranti imco is incredible material, probably twice as strong as 1/4" Okoume'. But it may make too heavy an Eastport Pram for the Ariel. Maybe certain planks could be thicker like on the bottom? Be perfect if they made 3/16 Meranti. 1/4" M would probably be too stiff to bend. You'd have to prebend with hotwater. PITA.
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This info is to the best of my ability, I could be wrong, very wrong about something. Everything. As I scour the internet, there are forums out there with a lot of hearsay and wronger info. A lotta people don't know what their talking about. And those that think they know can't think outside the box. If you don't feel like tackling this project, I would first visit a Bolger/Payson boatbuilding site. Buy Payson's 'Build New Instant Boats', for an outofdate but informed beginning. Then checkout www.soar1.com
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Forgot both days to take the cardbord to the boat.
>>>>>>>>BUT FOLKS, THAT EASTPORT WON'T FIT - IT'S TOO LONG.<<<<<<<
There is room on the Ariel foredeck AND PROPPED UP ON THE CABIN IN FRONT OF THE MAST for a 6' maybe 6 1/2' pram. ONLY!!! If we need to lower the pram onto the cabin by cutting its transom, the cabin is 4' wide. Not going to happen in a smaller boat if we want to keep some proportions. Smaller boats are narrower OA than wider. It's a design problem. And a problem with the jib. Assuming a DIY approach: One candidate - a place to begin - is 'Tiny Ripple' A 6' Unsinkable Flat-Bottom Pram By William & John Atkin. It's probably still too wide in front (or back - since it is box shaped.)
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Dinks
It could be developed for a modified stitch and glue. with a little more freeboard. There must be something more appropriate with a more skiff-like prow but still a pram, so that it fits in the Ariel bow. If there was room in front to do anchor work, one could step over the tender if it was too wide.
Some designs might fit really well - angled up on the cabin - without cutting. The prolific Atkin's must have designed it.
http://www.dngoodchild.com
HERE IT IS:
#7803 POOTZY by Al Mason - is a 6' 6" - 38" beam - that looks like just the ticket. In fact it could easily be an Atkins but it has a better bow shape for us. [POOTZY is an old couple's term of endearment for each other.I've sent away for the single sheet plan: $3.50, S&H $2.50. I think this boat could be 8" to 10" wider (add it right down the middle) and fit real comfy-on the foredeck. Stitch&Glue.]
http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...e=Feather+Pram
for a 6'8" clinker style S&G sailer.
Good Luck!
I'm off it for now, feel like I'm peeing in the wind!
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