[Idaho_ski_bum]

A buddy of mine started building this boat a couple of years ago when the world was locked down. He got 3 weeks in.... then went back to work and lost interest and time. His words "Plant flowers in it, finish it, or burn it. If it's not gone by Friday I'm taking it to the dump."
The whitewater dory I've been wanting to build got a jump start!
@MT4Runner has been a big source of information, along with everyone on the Buzz. I'll post build pics and hopefully I can contribute to future builds / builders.
Here we go!

It's built with mahogany frames, doug fir bow post and 3/8 AC ply sides, 1/2 on the bottom. Glassed inside already. Scarf joints look really nice.

A little messy with glue drips around the inside frame to hull, but I'm pretty stoked about this boat. 15'6" long 45" at the chine, 65" beam.
In my head I had planned to go stitch and glue for the imaginary boat I would one day build, but this fell in my lap and the price of FREE was right. I need to take that guy some beer.
My initial thought was to chop off the ribs about 4 inches below the gunwale line and build my decks over the top, but MT4Runner said "you have a lot of work ahead of you, don't make more for yourself".
Damn right.

I started laying out bulkhead and hatch locations. I have a pretty good supply of large cardboard mtn bike boxes from work, so I'm using some to mock-up and make patterns to transfer over to plywood. I used a chisel and hammer to chip off the glue boogers that would be visible above the decks. I will probably get after the blobs below deck as well. Even though they won't be seen unless the hatch is open I will know they are there and it will bug me.

Bow bulkhead and deck. It's slightly angled back, but I wanted to leave it pretty flat for a place to sit and set a beer @cheeze and @Danbolsa for that idea.
I've never worked with fiberglass. I got some 6oz plain weave and 3" tape along with unknown weight (heavy) that came with the boat project. I'll use the 6oz for decks and hatches / bulkheads inside and out.

Thank you cardboard!
The passenger floor was a tricky one to lay out. I use a compass and scrap of cardboard to scribe a line that matches the curve of the hull and the locations of ribs. Then measure front width, rear width and length of panel. Then I transfer the scribed line to the sides and cut out the shape in cardboard. Once I like it all there is to do is trace it over on plywood and cut cut cut.
I wanted an elevated passenger floor to self-bail out the sides. It also slopes slightly back toward the passenger.

Bulkheads roughly where they will live. They are clamped in place.
I had ordered epoxy at this point, but it had not arrived yet so I went for it with cutting big pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood. It was raining pretty hard and this was a great way to spend the day. Notice my cardboard rear deck. Ignore the transmission in the background, that's my son's project.

Rower's footwell. I have since dropped it about 2" so there's just enough room underneath for upright beers. passenger bench / hatch in front will drain into the passenger's footwell.

 

[Wallrat]

I hope you’ll keep us updated, both on the good and bad. Boatbuilding can be both the best and worst things you’ll do.

 

[Idaho_ski_bum]

Lots of curves and interesting cuts. I've done lots of wood working, but this is my first time with anything like this. It's going to be fun.

I wanted my transom to have a curved top instead of the flat profile. I cut out a nice piece from 3/4 AC and glued it on. I trilled down from the top and counter sunk 3 - 3" screws to attach the pieces together. This will get glassed over and I will make the inner gunwales terminate in some creative way to reinforce this joint.
I'm trying to make at least one step forward every day, even if it's just a bit of sanding. Sometimes I miss a day on this project because I have about 37 other things going. Work, wife, 2 kids, cat, dog and rafting season is on!

Because the passenger floor is elevated I cut out the bottom of the bulkhead for access to the space. Not so much for storage but more to keep airflow and access in case of needs for repair. More storage is nice too though.

 

[Idaho_ski_bum]

I hope you’ll keep us updated, both on the good and bad. Boatbuilding can be both the best and worst things you’ll do.

I'll do it!
I feel I owe an information debt to lots of people in this community for so much helpful advice and great build posts that have helped me out in a lot of ways. Rafting, gear, trips, meal planning, recipes, drain or not, pins/clips vs locks. The list goes on.

 

[MT4Runner]

I love both these solutions. You’re really bringing out your own creativity now.

I’d like to do similar on my front floor.

View attachment 78444
Lots of curves and interesting cuts. I've done lots of wood working, but this is my first time with anything like this. It's going to be fun.
View attachment 78445
I wanted my transom to have a curved top instead of the flat profile. I cut out a nice piece from 3/4 AC and glued it on. I trilled down from the top and counter sunk 3 - 3" screws to attach the pieces together. This will get glassed over and I will make the inner gunwales terminate in some creative way to reinforce this joint.
I'm trying to make at least one step forward every day, even if it's just a bit of sanding. Sometimes I miss a day on this project because I have about 37 other things going. Work, wife, 2 kids, cat, dog and rafting season is on!
View attachment 78446
Because the passenger floor is elevated I cut out the bottom of the bulkhead for access to the space. Not so much for storage but more to keep airflow and access in case of needs for repair. More storage is nice too though.

 

[MT4Runner]

I will make the inner gunwales terminate in some creative way to reinforce this joint.

You're not the first boatbuilder who has wanted to reinforce the side-to-transom joint.
You need knees!

Here's another rabbit-hole you can go down. (sorry and you're welcome!)

Knees and Breasthooks - Small Boats Magazine

Boats have several places where two surfaces come together at an angle, and special pieces—breasthooks and knees—are used join them together and add strength. Breasthooks are V-shaped blocks at the acute angle at the bow and, on double-enders, at the stern as well. Knees are supports closer to a...

smallboatsmonthly.com

 

[Idaho_ski_bum]

Yes! Knees at the transom!
I spent a big chunk of yesterday cutting pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood. I wasn't happy with the fit of my front passenger floor, so it got re-cut and the new floor fits much tighter.
Next I tackled the rear most deck, which ate up about 2 hours to get it cut right. No cardboard big enough to make a mock-up full size on this one.

I knocked the square edge down with some 50 grit so it would fit tight to the sides and transom.

I like how it fits. This hatch will be a big one!
I pulled the bulkhead board out and glued on two one inch strips of 3/8 ply to fill the top between the ribs.

I clamped it to my hallway bench, which is made from a big-ass glulam beam. It's a great flat surface. Parchment paper underneath to catch glue squeeze-out.

Passenger seat / front deck cut and fit then temporarily screwed in place.

After I re-cut my passenger floor, I also re-cut the sides of my footwell. They didn't fit how I wanted them to, but much better now. Hatch / decks for captains bay temp screwed in place. I have a cool idea for gutters and hatch landings for these... we will see how it works out.

One more big deck piece to cut. I ran out of wood, although I probably have enough cutoff scraps and pieces to equal one whole sheet of ply. No passenger floor at the stern, it's all going to be one big veranda. Great for the lady to lay out in her bikini and catch some sun and an excellent sleeping platform at camp! I kept it pretty flat but things will still drain easily enough.