Bruce's Boat Building Page

This page will follow my construction of a GV-11 - small planing garvey designed by Evan Gatehouse of www.bateau.com

 

 I started this project in April of 2003. 

First I had to choose a plan on which boat to build and since I already have a 9.9hp Honda engine and I wanted something with a small V hull, the GV-11 was perfect.  I will be using this for fishing and fun with the kids.

After the plans were purchased from www.bateau.com, I bought the Okume plywood and the rest of the supplies that were needed locally.

Click on picture

 

I started by laying out and cutting up the parts. 

Next was to join the long panels together and construct the frames.

 

This is as far as I have gotten as of May 2, 2003.  All the edges have been coated with epoxy and it is ready for assembly - This part I will do with my 9 year old daughter.

Click on picture

 

I took some scrap lumber and an hour and half to put together a dolly for working at a reasonable height and to be able to move it out of my way. 

In the picture, there is also the mid-frame assembly ready to go.  I will be adding another support in the forward portion once the boat is assembled.

 

 

sideviewduringassembly.JPG (42961 bytes)sideviewjenna.JPG (38894 bytes)

Click on picture

Assembly has begun by screwing the panels to frames and transom temporarily.  Then the stitching of the panels together with cable ties.  

This part goes along a lot better with a helper.

 

stitchingbow.JPG (28973 bytes)

Click on picture

Stitching the bow transom together with the cable ties.

 

frontviewstitched.JPG (43437 bytes)bowviewcomplete.JPG (45353 bytes)

Click on picture

Front view of the hull stitched together almost ready to be flipped over and put onto the dolly.

 

sternview.JPG (44988 bytes)

Click on picture

Stern view as it sits on the dolly.  It is almost ready for filleting and taping.  I have to put the duct tape on the seams first.  

At this point, the boat is extremely light for its size and surprisingly big for an 11' boat.  

insidefillets.JPG (49782 bytes)insidefilletscloseup.JPG (38931 bytes)

Click on pictures

Inside the boat filleting and taping is taking place.  

 

tapedoutsideseams.JPG (55132 bytes)

Click on picture

 

Now that the inside of the boat is taped  - moving on to the outside seams.  Here I have also found that placing plastic over the wetted out tape helps keep the bubbles from curing under the tape.

 

closeuptaped.JPG (44582 bytes)

Close up of the outside of the taping process.

This is as far as I have gotten as of June 1, 2003

After taking the month of June off, I got back to it on July 4th weekend.  I made progress in the month of July.

I completed the transom by adding the transom knees, brackets and board and also doubled the block near the bottom to drill the drain tube through.  I oversized the corner brackets to allow for rod holders to be installed.

 

Here the bow seat is installed with a bulkhead which will contain an 8" deck plate to allow access to hold a collapsible anchor and line.  Next is a picture of the bow seat with a floor I added which gives a nice level surface to step on.  I also allowed drainage holes.

Here is the process of taping the seats in place.  In this picture, they are glued in place with thickened epoxy and ready to tape the edges.  

This is as far as I have gotten as of July 21, 2003

fairedbottom.JPG (52961 bytes)fairedbottom0104.JPG (50315 bytes)

The bottom has all the fairing compound completed and the final of epoxy - ready to be sanded before primer.

 

garboarddrain.JPG (54443 bytes)insidereadyforpaintA.JPG (52976 bytes)

Close-up shot of the garboard drain installed.  Shot of the inside all faired and ready for paint and with the spray rails installed.

Work completed as of January of 2004. 

Primingboat.jpg (137640 bytes) Primingboat2.jpg (123124 bytes) Back to work on the "Jenna Rose" in the Spring of 2004.  First I masked all of the bright work with the high quality 3M tape and began the priming coats with Interlux 2 part epoxy primer.

 

bottomprimed.JPG (43390 bytes)1coatbottom.jpg (46125 bytes)

 On the left is one coat of primer on the bottom.  On the right is one coat of finish coat on the bottom.

 

paintinginsideboat.jpg (661863 bytes)finishedontrailer.jpg (65626 bytes)

The boat is near finished with a coat of paint on the inside.  Now it is finally on the trailer with the brightwork varnished and ready for the water.

 

boatontrailer1.jpg (52445 bytes)launchingboat.jpg (44062 bytes)

 Launching day of the "Jenna Rose" has finally come on August 8, 2004!!  And it floats!

 

Melissainboat.jpg (76438 bytes)jenandboat.jpg (77008 bytes)

 She sits good in the water and the family can now enjoy the boat as much as I will.

 

boatwithmotor.jpg (70358 bytes)boatmedanny.jpg (23607 bytes)

 Finally the boat is registered and ready for the motor.  I checked it with a handheld GPS and she does 20 mph with my son up front.

 

jenna rose name boat.JPG (56075 bytes)

 In 2005 the boat finally received her name - The Jenna Rose!

 

Tubingboat705b.jpg (139278 bytes)dadfish.jpg (52420 bytes)

 Here is what she was made for.  Having fun with the kids tubing and fishing.  This is my dad with a 28 pound striped bass he caught in July of 2006.

 

Danbigfish506.jpg (96530 bytes)

PRICELESS!!!

Dan catching a big one in May of 2006.

The plans for this boat are very easy to follow and the construction goes quickly.

 

Hit Counter Visitors so far..