Hey r/boatbuilding — I’m Ken. I run a small marine tech startup that’s currently part of a NOAA-supported accelerator.

I’m doing some research on how people actually use electronics on their boats — chartplotters, AIS, wind, depth, alarms, all of it — and where useful information starts turning into too much information.

A big part of what I’m trying to understand is what works well at the helm, what gets ignored, and what ends up competing for your attention when you’re actually underway.

I’d love to talk with a few people here about their setups and real-world experience. It would just be a casual 20-minute conversation.

If you’d be open to chatting, send me a DM and we’ll find a time. I’m also happy to answer any questions about the research or what we’re working on.

Thanks,

Ken

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for a recommendation for the best sanding and grinding tools for fiberglass. I have a few large deck projects on my 47’ fiberglass boat and I’d like to get the best possible tools for heavy grinding for glass prep and for smoothing out glass for paint. We aren’t looking for show quality work but some assortment of tools that would make the job easier, I have access to a 30gal air compressor if pneumatic is the way to go, but there is 110v hook up as well. Cost is not much of a factor but if I could get 2-3 tools for total under $2k that would be nice. Dust collection is semi important as I’d rather not make a huge mess but the boat is at a haul out yard so it comes with the territory. Thanks for any advice!

Is anybody here planning on going to the wooden boat festival in Madisonville, LA this weekend? Such a gem of an event

Recently completed my third build of this tiny rowing skiff "Lunch Break". This is the best one yet. A 7'7" boat is not going to be fast undr oars no matter what, but with more rocker than the original and just the right side height, this is super smooth, quite stable, and reasonably fast (3 mph easy, 3.5+ possible). Most importantly, it is very easy to transport--above head, shoulder, car top, behind bike. . . So much fun! I know a better design could be faster but so far I haven't come a professional design this small and simple (suggestions). John Gardner presented two 8' designs, but they are not nearly as simple. I am sure they are better though. I set up the rowing thwart (seat) and oarlock blocks so positions can easily be fine-tuned in the future.

Greetings all.

This summer, I discovered just how thin my sailboat deck is. My knee went through it, despite me trying to distribute my weight.

I would appreciate suggestions/feedback on how I could possibly repair it and preserve the original look. I suspect I have the following options :

1) Push the indented pieces from below and mount strapping underneath using wood glue. Light sanding, wood filler and staining. The access to the deck is limited as per the photos below.

2) Build a v-shaped patch that could cover the hole and look like a chevron that stretchs to both sides of the boat. The edges would be tapered down, smoothed out. Final step, staining to match the deck.

3) Replace the entire deck at the front of the boat.

There are likely pros and cons to each...

Thanks for any ideas and perspectives. -Andy

I just visited my cabin over the weekend to find out that a tree branch fell on my shed and severely damaged the roof at some point this summer. Luckily the boat and trailer are unscathed. I also learned that a mouse chewed through my boat cover in a few places allowing for subsequent rain fall to leak through my roof and then fill up the inside of my boat.

So yea… I am dealing with a mouse poopy, moldy stagnant water problem inside the boat that I have to work on cleaning up before I bring the boat to my neighbors garage for heated storage over the winter. I am in Michigan if that helps. My neighbor also has an unheated garage too, if we think that the cold will be good for killing off any residual mold spores that may remain over the winter.

Any advice for cleaning up that mess is greatly appreciated.

Also many of the ropes have like a green mold growing in them too. Is there any way to clean the ropes for the halyard and mooring the boat? Or should I just scrap them and buy all new.

Any advice, YouTube videos, diagrams, recommended products etc… are greatly appreciated. This is sort of an unexpected project and I am trying to use has much items/products I have on hand as possible. Not looking to spend hundreds of dollars here.

I am willing to put in the elbow grease though.

Please and thank you!

Best way to match this non skid? Redoing the entire boat. Knocking it down and want to get the finish to as close to this as possible. Roller? Spray?

I apologize for not knowing the correct term for this piece. I have a wooden snipe that I bought about a year ago and am just now getting out of the garage. While looking it over, the metal plate on the top port side was loose and fell out. I am not sure how it was attached, but it appears like it was maybe just glued on? Looking for advice on the correct way to fix it. I have attached photos of what it currently looks like and what it should look like. Thank you!

So I’m wanting to take out the foam in the benches of my 14’ jonboat for storage, and found that folks were lining the bottom of the boat with the purple insulation boards…would this type work as well? It’s just not purple and I was planning on using insulation adhesive to bond it to the aluminum floor.

I figure it’s a fraction of the price and is similar in structure. Probably less sturdy, but still buoyant.

If I have to, I can still plan on adding more foam when I redo the deck…wherever I find empty space not used up by electronics and storage, filling it with closed cell liquid foam.

Although, if foam along the floors is enough, please tell me, before I add any of that liquid-foam stuff! Haha

I'm finishing up a 17' Grand Canyon dory. All glass bottom shoe pl Dacron us plywood top. Composite deck

It's too damned heavy. After a lifetime of of composite dori building I am starting to think about how to make the lightest possible, not brittle hull.

Flexible black plastic water pipe could make a frame. Do skin on frame canoe and kayak builders use Dacron fabric?

What about flexible water based fabric cement for the resin?

Fabric cement is sold at $5 per ounce. But it's jusv PVA somethinh. I see PVA sold in other contexts for roughly the same price as epoxy.

Flame away. I have a flexible skin

Been working on Bolger's Rubens Nymph and studying Payson's comments in three of his books.

One thing that struck me was that he advocated Titebond powdered wood glue, which seems to be discontinued these days. I can't imagine that it was waterproof but I don't know.

I saw the three Titebond bottles at the hardware store recently. Which is most like the powdered glue from Payson's days? Any recommendations for boat use?

Thanks!

Just finished my boat. Skin on frame

Ruth design by David Gentry but I made it 10% wider by stretching the pdf in one axis to better accommodate a passenger

Used WRC for stringers, 9 oz nylon from skinboats and their urethane coating.

Made oars to save money but they are tanks so will look for a used pair

The nylon shrunk very well using the steam setting on the iron I used. Wetting didn't work as well as just plain blast with steam like a cotton shirt

The urethane coating was a mixed bag. Seems very durable but is an absolute pain to apply and some places remained tacky for a long time. I didn't use the product right away and the hardener had some solidified gunk in the bottom which may have affected the last batch. If you use this coating, buy those pump bottles like epoxy comes in. It is impossible to pour into the provided cups without making a God awful mess. That said, it should be quite durable

Rows well and I need to practice on calm water to get the hang of it. Should be fun.

Somehow the pic of it on the water didn't upload so I'll try to add later

Fun project

I’m interested in this chaparral 230 but I’m concerned with the trailer it’s been stored on. With it only having two bunks, could the hull be warped. Also, is it common to have the bunks vertical like this?

Either I’ve not posted here in a long time or maybe never. Anyway - I’ve been building my first person-sized for about six weeks and wanted to share. If all goes well the (good layer of) glass will go on the bottom this weekend and I can flip it.

Full build: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qxYVCTnbsmzYVoHU9

I’m attempting to redo a 60s 13’ whaler and am seeking experienced advice for the textured floor. I was told to sand the top part some and then use a wire wheel to prep for new gel coat. Agree? Disagree?

Any specific links to videos of this process? I hitch type of wire wheel? If a different way… how? TY for your experienced suggestions and know how!

We surveyed the full wooden frame in the jungle - from Bow to Transom - before stringers. Follow the Wooden Shoe station by station as Victor and Per check every joint, gap and epoxy fix before locking it forever. After stringers go on, it's very difficult to fix inside — so this is our last chance to get it right.

The Bow, Keel to Bow glued, screwed and planed to a smooth curve, Station 1 OK, Station 2 Add Gflex epoxy in gaps, Station 3 OK, Station 4 OK, Station 5 Add Gflex epoxy, Station 5.5 OK, Station 6 OK, Station 7 Add Gflex epoxy, Cockpit Sole missing second layer epoxy, Station 8 OK, Station 9 gap rear side, Station 10 gap front side, Station 11 OK, Station 12 OK, Station 13 add Gflex epoxy in gap, Station 14 Transom must be glued and screwed from the top, support structures walk-through, ending with Now we have the points and lets fix this!

Building a 25FT Wooden Shoe powerboat from scratch in Mexico with Chechen wood and Cumaru hardwood. No fancy workshop — just lofting, framing and honest fixes.

Now we have the points and lets fix this!

Boat 2018 13ft 4in long home built woden skiff. Frame white oak, bottom 3/8in Meranti playwood seats top rail red oak. Motor 2021 20hp 4 stroke Tohatsu Model MFS20EEFS tiller steering electric start less than 11 hour usage.

Hi everyone,

I’m a UBC Mechanical Engineering student working with a team on a design project studying deadheads (floating or partially submerged logs that can pose a collision hazard to boats).

Our project is focused on coastal British Columbia, where floating logs are a known concern, but experiences from anywhere would be useful.

I’m particularly interested in the boatbuilding/repair perspective:

• Have you ever built, repaired, or inspected a boat that struck a log or similar floating object?
• What parts of the boat tend to be damaged most often? Hull, propeller, shaft, rudder, outdrive, lower unit, etc.
• How severe can the damage be?
• Are certain hull materials or boat designs more vulnerable than others?
• Does vessel speed make a major difference in the type or severity of damage?
• Are there cases where damage isn't immediately obvious after the collision?
• Are there existing design features that help protect a vessel from this kind of impact?
• Is there anything you wish boat designers or operators did differently to reduce the risk?
• If you could improve the way this problem is handled, would you focus more on preventing collisions, detecting the hazard earlier, warning the operator, or making the vessel more resistant to impacts?
• Any ideas for potential solutions would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

It’s obviously in rough shape. Whole boat seems to be in solid shape(no holes or cracks). People keep telling me just to redo the floor with plywood and just leave the stringers as is. I would be crazy to do that right? I feel like it should all come out sand it and redo stringers and fiberglass.

Hey guys. Just got this blue wave 1900 today. There’s a minor repair needed in this area (basically near the drain plug, bottom of hull near the outboard). I know it’s not the greatest picture, but I’ll describe what I can see/feel. The blue color is a wrap (not too worried about the wrap). The exposed fiberglass feels solid from what I can tell. I’m not noticing any soft spots. From what I can tell, the fiberglass isn’t damaged, just the gel coat/wrap. Do you think I should patch the fiberglass and then gel coat? Or just gel coat? Any recommendations on products to use? I’m not too worried about aesthetics as you can’t really see it, just want to make sure no water is soaking into the hull. Thank you for any advice.