It could be done but I'm not so sure about it being lighter.
Unless you get into large boats (28'+), wood is still the hands down winner with regard to strength/stiffness and being lightweight. That is, of course, if you're using good quality marine plywood. Mother nature is still the king (queen).
This applies to using all fiberglass skin or a foam cored. There might be some minor saving if you got into more exotic materials like carbon fiber or kevlar. But that would be quite expensive.
You see around the net some pretty bold claims about how lightweight their hulls are. Many times, that's a bare hull, lightly made, with no rigging or anything to complete the hull. That or they will list the wieght of the hull using carbon/kevlar but list the chopper gunned hull price and forget to mention the lightweight one costs twice as much until you're ready to order.
(now a bit of self promotion).That's not something JEM Watercraft wants to do. We try and provide the best estimate and average builder can obtain. Not something that is flimsy and will break the first time it's handled roughly.
When the design comes out an if someone really truly needs to have an all fiberglass version, I can try and help with that. But it will be a lot of work and take you about twice as long to build it. You basically have to build a mold first and then pop your hull off of that.
gheenoe
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The slightly smaller one I'm currently working on is for a 10hp outboard. I have not figured all the cost of that one but as a guess, I'd say around $500 in epoxy and fiberglass.
Again, that's just a very conservative guess.
Time to build will depend on the builder. Hands-on time, not counting waiting for epoxy to cure, might be around 80 hours? Depends on how good of a finish you'd want.
I have a row boat to finish up and then completing the 10HP Buc is next on the priority list.
Again, that's just a very conservative guess.
Time to build will depend on the builder. Hands-on time, not counting waiting for epoxy to cure, might be around 80 hours? Depends on how good of a finish you'd want.
I have a row boat to finish up and then completing the 10HP Buc is next on the priority list.
-Matt. Designer.
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I would see if JEM would email you the preview of the "one less chine" Buck.....I wish mine had one less chine to sand/fiberglass and paint...Same boat just a little easier to build....It's a small boat, but not an easy one to build....Should of seen me beating the bulkheads out ...Wife thought I was outside wrestling a bear
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