Herkimer & Perkins: Building Backyard Boats in Buffalo, NY

My Backyard Boats:

The first Flats Rat log: single, largefile

06 March 04:This page presents the first Flats Rat building log in a single file; the log entries are stacked chronologically.

For an index of the individual log entries, click here.

Flats Rat plans

I begin another basement boat

25 July 03: Spent about eight hours today on a new project -- the Flats Rat, a kayak-like 8-foot double-paddle pram that I'm building for the Reverend as a surprise.

I laid out the sides and the forms -- bow, stern, and two bulkheads -- and cut and nailed on the backing strips for these four forms.

Since the plans for this boat are free, and available only by download, they also are abbreviated. I opted for external chines, and the backing strips for nailing into. The prototype is nail and glue but the builder didn't mention whether he used backing strips. I also will use another of Jim Michalak's tricks -- combing strips and hatch covers made of plywood and held down with shock cords, just like in the Piccup Squared that I'm finishing up.

I made one glaring mistake when I cut out the sides. I cut one side with the A face out and the other side with the A face in. I hope the Reverend wants to paint it in and out; otherwise it will look funny.

I should point out that free does not mean easy; this little boat has some gotchas if you are new to building boats. My log with highlight them, though.

Next I'm going to join the four forms to the sides, then bend on the chines, then put on the bottom. I'm trying to go fast so I can spring the surprise before I burst.

Cost so far: Two sheets of 1/4-inch lauan plywood at $21 and $4 worth of pine that I had on hand, for a total of #25.

Time spent so far: Eight hours.

Flats Rat building log index

Hull goes together with a hitch

26 July 03: All the bevels on the four forms (bow transom, stern transom, fore bulkhead, and aft bulkhead) were accurate except for the bow. I had to glue in a shim there, but the hull went together beautifully. I braced things top and bottom with stringers screwed to the centerline. Next step is to glue in the forms after planing down the shim. Then bend on the external chines and nail and glue on the bottom. Then bend on the gunwales. Then make the hatches and decks. Paint. Paddle. I love basement boats!

Cost so far: $25.

Time spent so far: Ten hours.

Flats Rat building log index

The Reverend has her paddle boat

12 August 03: Although I have been remiss in posting, I haven't been idle. The Flats Rat is done, just in time for our vacation on Lake Ontario. The Reverend loves her new paddle boat, too. It's a beauty.

It's been about three weeks since I last posted, and I've been spending a few hours a night on this project. Working with minimal plans was fun, though I did make a few blunders. The biggest boo-boo was putting the decks on before painting the insides of the bulkhead spaces.

Follow the link with the pic above to 18 more pix of the building process, with comments attached.

Cost so far: Add $10 for boat nails and glue; $5 for masking tape; $15 for varnish; $10 for paint; and $5 for bolts and other hardware, for an ending total of $70. In other words, you could build this boat for $70 or less, depending on what materials you have on hand. The wonderful thing about tiny boats is leftover boards and trim ends of plywood come in handy.

Time spent so far: 40 hours. Your mileage may vary. I work slow and aim for a high level of finish.

Flats Rat building log index

The sides, bulkheads, and transoms are joined. The board down the middle establishes the centerline and fights tendencies to hull-twisting during construction.
Right side up.
First the gunwales are dry-fit, then glued. Be sure to glue and nail evenly from side to side to minimize twisting of the hull. The extreme bend of the bottom of this boat made installing the gunwales a challenge. It took a clamp every foot, but if you go slow and use good wood, it's easy enough.
The plywood for the bottom is clamped in place and then marked with pencil. Then cut out.
Bottom nailed in place. Since I used Elmer's glue, I spaced the nails closer than I would have if I had used epoxy. The spacing is 1 1/2 inches.
At this point, the hull is finished except for the decks. I made a mistake on the side pieces. One side has the A-face out, but the other side has the B-side out. Stuff happens.
Close-up pic shows the gunwale and the external chine at the stern transom.
After some work with the sanders, things look much better. The two dots in the end of the gunwale are boat nail shanks. I like to use boat nails for many reasons, including the fact that they are soft and can be sanded without difficulty, and boat nails, being softer than steel or zinc, are easier on the block plane it I happen to hit one.
The decks are on and the combings are in place, too. The hull won't twist any more. As it turns out, I was accurate to within a 32nd of an inch throughout!
Hatch covers in place now. The prototype builder used plastic ones, but I wanted to save some cash. They are prettier, too, and a lot larger.
I chose some offcuts of bc pine for the paddle blades, since bc pine is a lot stronger than the lauan I used everywhere else in this boat.
I masked the interior and chased the seams with thickened epoxy. I had a tiny bit left over and didn't want to spring for another gallon to do a few other things to this little boat. However, I had enough to ensure a leak-free hull.
The masking tape that I used on the interior of the boat to keep epoxy from dribbling in pulled away some of the veneer.
Hull after a quick-drying primer coat. I opted for home store primer because I was running out of time. I do regret the necessity, since the finished hull is far less smooth than it would have been if I had used Interlux primer, two coats, a day apart. Didn't have the time, though.
I settled for one coat of yellow Interlux Brightside that I had left over from other boats. The finish is a bit rough, but the price is right.
Clamped paddle blank. You can see the amount of curve in the blades.
Finished boat, finished paddle. I'm really pleased with this little project, and I think the boat is a beauty -- beyond my expectations. I put a lot of love into this little boat for the Reverend. I noticed that because I did not used epoxy as a seal coat, the varnish is rough and will need some sanding and fussing to make it nice.