JEM Watercraft

If I remember right, my Laker came in at 54 pounds using 5.2mm hardwood plywood from Lowes. $12 a sheet 2 years ago (they called it luan). Probably could have been lighter if it had been built by someone with experience laying on glass. It's been a great boat and I get a lot of compliments on it. Be...

Hi Jack, Thanks for your kind words. I did put a lot of time in it to get it as good as I could. Fortunately all the blebs and horror spots don't show up in the photos. And as a friend says, it's good enough for who its for. Guess it's all part of the learning process. As to the cart, I had never us...

After having the laker out on the water a few times I thought it was time to get it finished up. First was cutting the hatches: http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z306/brijbldr/Laker%20Build/Laker20090705014copy.jpg I used a Bosch T101 AO blade. It is smaller blade that allows cutting a narrower ker...

Yes Bob, there are a lot of nice paddling spots in the area. We call this our little corner of paradise. We love it here. My house is about 150 yards from Perdido Bay, and there are a lot of creeks and bayous in close proximity that make for some quiet paddling, fishing and crabbing. Hi Matt, glad y...

Launch day has arrived! Took a while, but I finally got her wet this morning. Rolled her down to the bay and paddled around for about an hour. Very little wind that didn't seem to affect the handling at all, and the water was very calm. Had a grand time. She handled beautifully and I am very pleased...

Wanted to round over the top edge of the coaming, so I experimented with some scrap and decided that I liked the appearance that a 3/4 inch roundover gave me. I expect it will be more comfortable for resting my arms, and I like the look. http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z306/brijbldr/Laker%20Build...

Bob, I have never seen it done like that. Very impressive that you were able to keep every thing under control during glue up. You must have had three pairs of hands. I have seen flat boards with beveled edges glued together to make a square or octagonal shape, but it seems like a very difficult pro...

Mick, thanks for the comment. Means a lot coming from you. I'm pleased with the way it is finishing up. There are some bad spots that I will always see, but for my first effort it has come along very nicely. I told my wife that this one is hers, and I will use the Okwata that I am doing next, so it'...

Meanwhile, I started making a paddle. It's getting too close to launch date to get fancy, and I didn't want to buy a commercially made "plastic" one so I followed a design that I had seen at the Wood Boat Festival in Josephine last month. Two 3/4 X 2 inch pieces of poplar laminated then mi...

Got the coaming cap piece glued down and final sanding done: http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z306/brijbldr/Laker%20Build/Coamingcap003.jpg http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z306/brijbldr/Laker%20Build/Coamingcap004.jpg http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z306/brijbldr/Laker%20Build/Coamingcap002....