Lewis Boat Works: Custom Boat building and Plans
Building Chugger
A 12 ft Flat-bottom Minimalist Overnight CabinCruiser.
Please read this Disclaimer before building any plans found on this site:
Update: 5.20.05
An Hour or so of Building
This crappy 1x2 is perfect for the start of the sheer. The bottom of the boat is flat.
After about 1.25 hours, framed in the bunk, and also cut the window opening and put in some stiffening stuff. I am documenting one side only, as the other side is in the garage, with just the butt joint done. All of the pieces of the boat will be framed separately, then painted, sealed with silicone and screwed together. Remember, THIS one has to come apart again.
I left a gap so I can slide the 1/4" ply onto the supports for the bunk surface.
And here is a scrap of 1/4" ply making a nice, snug fit into the gap. Notice I used 2 1x2s instead of the plan's called for 1x4". I have a bunch of them and didn't want to make a trip the store to get more wood.
I screwed on the bent 1x2 to see what the sheerline would look like, Not Too Bad! I put too much curve in it the first time and had to re-do it. I left enough space to put the outer trim around the window area. The (Plastic) window will "float" between inner and outer overlaping frames and trim. I picked up some paint tonight, red for the bottom and white for the top. I think I will paint a big, yellow happy face on the front, with a winking eye. The broom was for the tree's "presents", everytime I layed the side panel down, it got covered with round seed things. The el-cheepo compound miter saw cost me 89.95 on sale a couple of years ago. I needed it to build a playhouse for the Children's Miracle Network, donated by the company I work for. Sure helps to get square ends on the framing members.
Free plans are available on this site.
