Conchfish 16

Wow, Travis you are moving right along. I’am amazed you are taking the time to answer all these questions.
Let me say to you all that Travis is doing an excellent job. He’s getting it done quickly because he’s just working on it instead of just dreaming about building one.
There are lots of ways to build Skiffs like this using epoxy or just plain ole cheap as you can buy polyester resin.
Epoxy is great because it does not smell like polyester resin and it can have a slower working time.
Rick Hambric is miss leading you all with the info that you can put polyester resin, on top of epoxy. NEVER SHALL THE TWO RESINS EVERY MEET! Don’t ever do this. The other printed stuff he showed is just a copy of my emails to him answering a shitload of questions just like yobata.
And after all the time spent still no Skiff to show for it. Geeze come on and just get out in the shop and start on something.
The cloth layups can be just like I show on the plans. I don’t like 1708 and all the tri axels because you get lots of little air bubbles in the weave and they are to me not as strong as a good 10 oz. cloth layup. Try laying up a one off like Travis showed with the cloth in 1708. A nightmare and a whole lot more resin.
I will give a cautionary note here, all people that sell fiberglass supplies are salesman. They want to sell you stuff. Be careful as they are not going to build the Skiff, you are. Look at the plans. Listen to the guy who designed the Skiff. His name is on the line not the salesman’s.
Now as to my plans. Yea they are old school plans. That means they are like all the others from the past 150 years. What you get is numbers that you have to layout on your own using your brain, your hand and a pencil. It takes 6th grade math, English knowledge, to draw up the stations. Having cad patterns takes all the fun out of actually learning the process of figuring out the treasure map that is called a set of plans.
I am very happy to see a guy like Travis getting it done. There are a dozen people building to this design right now along with a whole bunch more building to my other designs up to 37’. All it takes is just basic skills with the mind set that it’s just one day and step at a time. Yes and some $ to buy the materials. Sites like this can give great inspiration and shared knowledge. But beware, some guys have never had glue on their hands but will quote you the gospel according to them.
One last note here, traditionally when buying a set of plans you are purchasing the right to build one vessel from those plans. Any more and you have to pay the designer another plans fee again for each vessel built.
I have not written this on my plans as I want to see a fleet of these skiffs out there instead of a few extra $.
On my blog site....hogfishdesign.wordpress.com You can see most all my designs and I feel most anyone can find a way to download them and get your own info there for FREE. I have posted all this stuff to hopefully inspire others to get going and design and build their own boats. Remember, what I say is just an opinion based on my past work and experiences. Does not mean it’s the way to go. Lots of ways to build a skiff.

@chrismorejohn

Wow, thanks Chris for all the kind words. I will always take time to respond to questions. I am always willing to help anyone with anything I can. As Chris said take it one day at a time. Due to rain in north Florida, I haven’t got much done in the past month. But now that the weather is a little better each day I take 30 minutes to an hour and sand. The sanding can be a PItA. But do a little at a time to not get burned out. The fairing is almost done. I am currently building the chines up.

I am using pvc trim board screwed into the side of the boat. Then I mix thickened wood flour epoxy to build the chine.