JEM Watercraft

My plans arrived today

I had a quick look at em tonight. They seem clear & concise and easy to follow - even for an old foll like me.

Thankyou Matt, - Great Service, Still waiting on ply - maybe next week.

Matt, I'm still having trouble posting pics. Is it allright if I email progress pics to you to post for me please.

regards,

Mick

send them!

At Last! , My orders of material have started arriving. the yak shed is all cleared up, The tools are ready and today, I got some real cheap ply to start making patterns with.

Will start work tomorrow, and hopefilly by the end of next week have some meaningful pics to post.

Chuck, I think I read somewhere here that on your SG. you lowered the sides by two inches. Is that correct. Where I plan to use this boat, I won't need a lot of freeboard and such an idea might suit me.

I also plan to build in air tight compartments bow and stern with hatches for safe keeping of cameras etc.

Will keep you all posted.

Mick

Much against Matt's wishes ( I think he has never forgiven me for that) I did lower the sides and even bobbed off the stern of the boat. ( I used the excuse that by doing that I would know which end was the bow )
My reason for doing that is simple, the lower sides make it easier to paddle and fish from plus slipping under trees that have fallen across the river while chopping off the stern saved a little on the overall length so when I paddle thru a lot of trees or obstructions I have a more maneuverable boat.
I use the SG in back waters and smaller rivers so waves are not a problem and maneuverability is important. Those big cypress trees don't like to move out of your way.

Chuck.

Got the patterns cut and finished off today. All the panels are rough cut and ready to be trimmed tomorrow.

So far, it has been really easy. Matts plans are clear and easy to follow and I'm getting more excited all the time. I just love this caper.

Will email some pics to Matt to attach for me.

Hi guys,
Thanks for posting the pics for me Matt. Will email more tonight.

The first pic merely shows the patterns marked out on some cheap structural ply. The plan is to cut and fair them then use each pattern to mark out the panels. I can maximise the use of each sheet of ply that way.

2nd pic, I found by screwing through the conduit pipe into the ply much easier that clamping

3rd pic. All patterns cut and faired.

I have since cut a fourth pattern - the top panel only with 50mm taken off the top. I plan to deck this practise boat and am trying to keep the profile as low as possible.

Guys, all panels are butt jointed now and is looking pretty good (I think) will email Matt some pics tonight.

regards,

Mick

Darn, Mick ......... When I got the notification about your updated article on the Swamp Girl by e-mail from Matt's web site I thought I was going to see you paddling it down some good looking river....... Count to 10 before you say anything.

I know, Just like you ........I am working as hard as the weather and anything else (slow drying epoxy ) will let me on my boat and at every turn it seams like there is more to do and less time to do it but it will get done and then the good times will be there.

Keep us posted on your progress.......and in all honesty , building a boat is a labor of love , not necessity , and should not be rushed but thought out and none carefully as you are doing...

Chuck.

Hi Chuck,

Mate, the way things went today, it could be a little longer before I get her on the water. I think I may have made a mistake in drawing up the middle panel.

I checked and re- checked my measurements before cutting and was confident that I had them right but I'm having a devil of a job geting it to meet up neatly with the bottom panel about a metre from each end.

I have got the bottom and the middle panels zip tied together but there is about 10mm overlap of the panels about a metre from each end. I am sure the mistake is at my end.

Poor light beat me this afternoon. We had a tropical storm come through and my poor old eyes really couldn't see well enough. Will sleep on it and will attack it again in the morning. If worst comes to worst, I may have to trim a little off the affected areas and start tying the middle panels all over again.

Not to worry, I've still got a couple of months before it is cool enough to do extended trips in an open boat anyway. Bloody shed is like a sauna at the moment.

Draw the panel on another sheet (if you have one) and then use it to check the piece, if it is indeed off, use a sander or plane to knock the overlap down.

Did you use tongue depressors to space your panels?

Mick

I have just the opposite problem, can't do anything till the shop warms up which is around noon if we have some good sunlight. Then when it is cooling down for you so you can go camping it will be to hot here and there is always the Hurricanes during that time.

Chuck