Blazer Lauterbach Build Thread

[Gary Parker]

Hi Rich - nice buiding woodwork whether others consider it from scratch or not.
I had a friendly discussion with my wife of 45 years a while ago about making from scratch - ours was about making a cake from a pre mixed packet as against gathering the various ingredients, mixing and baking to a recipe. The dictionary meaning of making from scratch is "to make without any ingredients or materials being prepared ahead of time" but either way you still end up with a cake (or a boat). I made sure our discussion was friendly so that I can continue to enjoy home baked cake.
The quality of the final product always depends on the skill and craftsmanship of the maker.

 

[Rich Jones]

Hi Rich - nice buiding woodwork whether others consider it from scratch or not.
I had a friendly discussion with my wife of 45 years a while ago about making from scratch - ours was about making a cake from a pre mixed packet as against gathering the various ingredients, mixing and baking to a recipe. The dictionary meaning of making from scratch is "to make without any ingredients or materials being prepared ahead of time" but either way you still end up with a cake (or a boat). I made sure our discussion was friendly so that I can continue to enjoy home baked cake.
The quality of the final product always depends on the skill and craftsmanship of the maker.

Definitely agree. And while the laser cut kits certainly make things easier, they sure as heck don’t build themselves! There are still some nerve wracking steps you have to accomplish to put together a light (but strong), competitive hull. And I always say, when the hull is complete, you’re only halfway there because you still have to paint it! I keep encouraging her to get involved and sling some glue but so far, no go

 

[Chuck Mason]

The reinforced sponsons and deck supports look spot on, I am going to go back and do some of the same for mine.
I feel lucky, My sister/room mate Best Friend is supportive and is planning our 1st Fl trip. She wants to know when I am starting to build hers.? !... Mary may not build one herself but she will load up the camper, the bike and head to the water with me. Funny thing she used to be a Tax auditor who retired, but did not like not working so now she is a
Over The Road Trucker. She is Awesome.

 

[Rich Jones]

The reinforced sponsons and deck supports look spot on, I am going to go back and do some of the same for mine.
I feel lucky, My sister/room mate Best Friend is supportive and is planning our 1st Fl trip. She wants to know when I am starting to build hers.? !... Mary may not build one herself but she will load up the camper, the bike and head to the water with me. Funny thing she used to be a Tax auditor who retired, but did not like not working so now she is a
Over The Road Trucker. She is Awesome.

Oh yeah she sounds great. You’re lucky and I am too. Mine is VERY supportive. She goes to the lake with me, but she’s kinda scared to take the wheel . This is HER boat and she’s paying close attention. She likes her supervisory role though. We will get her driving this thing around the lake though I promise!

 

[Rich Jones]

Update: I’ve spent some time the last day or so doing the first real sanding on the hull. I trued up the entire bottom with my trusty guitar fret leveling beam. I used spray adhesive to put on some 80 grit and got to work. The objective was to get rid of all the burn marks left by the laser. Once that happens you are pretty much even all over. I ran a machinists square over all the joints to check for any high spots. So, pretty much good to go on that. I then took my time and sanded and trimmed the 2 bottom pieces. I made marks dead in the middle of the bottom keel piece from front to back and drew a line with a straight edge. The objective was to get the laser cut inside edge on that line at the same time the notch under the sponson inside was sitting correctly and the front edge (when bent down) was right at the back edge of bulkhead 8. Once that was good, I put the inside edge of the other piece against the first one and trimmed in the area of the sponson inside notch and down to where it bends down to #8. Everything is matching up perfectly as you can see from the pics. Once I figure out my clamping strategy, I’ll get the bottom on in my next step.

 

[rhomodel]

You do good work Rich!
I would not only clamp, but also put some weight on. Alternatively (but not my preference) you can use pins to set planking in place. Pins I mean those modelthings (sorry don't know the English word for it)

 

[Rich Jones]

You do good work Rich!
I would not only clamp, but also but some weight on. Alterbatively (but not my preference) you can use pins to set planking in place. Pins I mean those modelthings (sorry don't know the English word for it)

Thanks! Yeah you definitely want that bottom on there as flat as possible, although attaching the bottom isn’t QUITE as critical as attaching the decks with regard to the final shape of the hull. On my Backlash, I clamped the boat up using 1x2 pine across the top at the bulkheads and put even clamping pressure to the 1x2 at both sides. It’s a clamp that spans the boat, a little trick the Blazers turned me on to. Anyway once clamped up, I actually used thin ca and wicked it into the joints. I then later added filets of epoxy and of course sealed with thinned epoxy. Bob Blazer kind of gave me a double take when I told him I did this but it held up real well. Here’s a pic with the clamping I’m talking about.

 

[rhomodel]

Yes that is the way I had build my backlashes and whiplash, but I thought you had fixed the frame to the building board, not being able to access that easy. All the better! Good luck with next step, though I'm sure you'll be fine

 

[Rich Jones]

Yes that is the way I had build my backlashes and whiplash, but I thought you had fixed the frame to the building board, not being able to access that easy. All the better! Good luck with next step, though I'm sure you'll be fine

I did screw down the keel initially to get frames 1-6 (the flat ones) tacked up but took out the screws once that was done.

 

[Rich Jones]

Update: Boat clamped on building board. Used epoxy to attach the bottom so it was an hour of mixing epoxy, spreading on frame, and clamping, then wiping out runs, drips, blobs, what have you. I’m wishing I had clamped down and used thin ca at this point , it would have been a lot less of a mess. But it’s done. I’ll leave it clamped until tomorrow and see where we are.

 

[Rich Jones]

Update: Bottom turned out well. Nice crisp line and no waves up front. Nose pieces will mate up nicely.

 

[Rich Jones]

Did a lot of sanding the last day or so. I got the overhang on the bottom sanded to match up with the non trips and I worked a little more on the seam between the non trips and the sides. I also got the radio box sealed inside and added the triangle stock in the corners and the top, all with epoxy. Lastly, I block sanded the sponson sides and bottoms in preparation for those skins to go on. Everything going VERY well. The boat is sitting dead flat on the building board. This may be the first boat I’ve built that didn’t have a twist at this point, so I’m stoked about that. I realized the twist goes away when the the decks are put on, but it’s nice none is there to begin with.

 

[Wasted wages]

You are doing a fine job of putting this together Rich!! It looks really good at this point...

Is the radio box built in as part of the hull ?
It's not a problem, it's just my personal preference to make mine removable..
If I were to build one of these in the future, do see any reason why the box couldn't be made removable??

 

[Rich Jones]

You are doing a fine job of putting this together Rich!! It looks really good at this point...

Is the radio box built in as part of the hull ?
It's not a problem, it's just my personal preference to make mine removable..
If I were to build one of these in the future, do see any reason why the box couldn't be made removable??

Thanks Frank! It’s a very nicely designed and cut out kit. They make it kinda hard to screw up. The box is built in and an actual structural part of the hull. You can see how the stringer from the transom (frame 12) and the right engine stringer tie into the box from front to back and also frame 9, one of the long top stringers, actually doubles as one side of the box. In addition, bulkhead 3 actually runs through the box cross wise. If I were going to make a removable box, I’d cut 1/8 in ply doublers and put them on the hull bottom between frame 9 and the keel and between the engine doubler and frame 3 to make doubler1. Then doubler two would run from bulkhead 3 and frame 12 lengthwise and crosswise from frame 9 and the keel. I would make them long enough lengthwise to cut a notch that goes into the engine doubler and into frame 12 on the other side. That would kind of make up for the strength removing the radio box would take away. Lastly sand the top of bulkhead 3 even with the new doublers between the keel and frame 9. Then you have the strength added back and also a platform for a removable box. I wouldn’t make the new box go any higher than the original due to the framing for the cowling possibly interfering. So your box may need to be 1/8 in shorter in height. You could attach it from the bottom with countersunk screws if you wanted to.

 

[rhomodel]

You're on fire Rich: all looks vey nice and carefully done.

 

[Rich Jones]

You're on fire Rich: all looks vey nice and carefully done.

Thanks man! I was texting with our Club President, Mario, yesterday and told him kind of tongue in cheek that everything is going SO WELL with this I’m almost afraid to say anything in fear of jinxing it. I’m starting a Slingshot shortly and I had a couple questions. I think alot of people followed his excellent build thread on that project . Anyway, thanks again! I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Rich Jones]

Sponson sides epoxied and clamped.

 

[Rich Jones]

So the sponson non trips turned out nice I think. Got them all sanded down top and bottom and blended in. I had the Dremel out for some of the trimming and sanding and slipped and gouged the nose wrap-around piece. No big deal as this area will be painted so it will be filled with epoxy mixed with colloidal silica. I mean, it wasn’t all gonna come off without a hitch, right? I was getting spoiled and needed to be put back in my place.

 

[Wasted wages]

I mean, it wasn’t all gonna come off without a hitch, right? I was getting spoiled and needed to be put back in my place.

She's just keeping ya humble ....

Looking good Rich !

 

[rhomodel]

If that is all in the build of a wooden ship you're doing damn good. I am however surprised how quick your epoxy sets as you can sand it already next day. I have to wait a few days for it to truely se, otherwise it will gum up the sand paper...