Thread: Goat Island Skiff

Paulie you are OK. I believe MIK was avoiding tape on transom bottom edge so that we can keep it a sharp corner for better hydrodynamics.

Man,

I was sure I read that in the plans, but now I can't find it either. I searched this forum too but couldn't find anything-- I know I asked about taping the transom and was told somewhere by someone to tape the bottom but disregard the sides and someone chimed in "make sure to really seal the edges of the ply if you don't tape the sides" or something like that.

Fighting my memory

Originally Posted by callsign222

Man,

I was sure I read that in the plans, but now I can't find it either. I searched this forum too but couldn't find anything-- I know I asked about taping the transom and was told somewhere by someone to tape the bottom but disregard the sides and someone chimed in "make sure to really seal the edges of the ply if you don't tape the sides" or something like that.

Fighting my memory

Isn't BobWes adding tape to his transom chine as one of his fixes? I'd check but we're having a big BBQ get together soon and I'm supposed to be showering, not foruming...

Yes, I re-taped the transom/side seams as a remedial measure because I did not do a proper job of it the first time. I taped it the first time because I did not like the fit I had of the transom and sides. I had a couple of gaps - nothing monumental - and I felt better about taping them. Now, had I done it correctly the first time there wouldn't have been a second time. As I recall, I pushed too hard to meet a specific date for the launching. Seemed important at the time.

Is it is the plans to tape those seams? I honestly don't remember and I don't have the plans available to me right now.

Thanks for all the help, everyone! I like Clint's answer best, even if only because he said what I wanted to hear, so I'm going with that. If the seams do open up someday, I'll take care of it then. I refuse to worry about it until that time.

Time to start varnishing already.

Separation is quite unlikely. I think I put mine on more for abrasion than anything else-- however my stern looks as good as it did when it came out of the painting phase, even after 30 days of sailing and beaching and getting dragged around.

So you're going to be more than fine.

Reference this post Goat Island Skiff Amateur Style: Winter repairs and hibernation if you would like to see pictures after a full season of adventuring.

Howdy,

Along the chines there is some chance the chine could be opened up Or closed a bit like a butterfly's wings. Only in a worst case scenario with a local bump or thump.

So the glass tape adds a lot to the strength of the joint because it can take tension loads from one piece of ply to the other.

Also the chine is one bit that tends to be a bit of abrasion damage.

Looking at the transom, you can see how unlikely either of these are to happen. The 3D geometry of the transom prevents those types of loads and the transom corner isn't so likely to be abraded.

MIK

There we have it. Straight from the designer. Of course... as much as I like and respect my friend... I'm still bull-headed enough to disagree somewhat. Mik's too polite to yell at me, but I can already hear him grumbling under his breath <G>

My rationale is this: I really don't like leaving an untaped seam which exposes a plywood edge. I've repaired enough plywood boats now, where this was the source of the water intrusion, that led to a patch of rot, that inspired an inglorious and tedious repair... that maybe I've become a bit of a crank on the subject. The taping seems like cheap insurance both in terms of weight and of dollars.

For our boat, two other things added to the decision to tape those seams. First - this boat was going to be sailed, rowed, and motored by a bunch of neophytes - as well as cartopped, and... most likely... generally abused. Second - we knew we were going to be hanging a too-large, too-heavy, too-powerful (5hp 4 stroke) outboard on the transom. Now... I must admit. The only person who's used our boat so hard that it broke was not one of our crew of neophytes... it was Mik himself. And that wasn't the transom, but the rudder. And it wasn't HIS fault, it was our fault - a temporary fix that had never been corrected.

So... I'd say - if any of the above thoughts resonate with you, and it's not too late, I'd suggest taping those corners.

Thanks again, everyone.

Okay, maybe I SHOULD tape those seams (and the skids) because there are so many rocks here in my area of Long Island Sound, especially the area right around the boat ramp I'll be using every time I go sailing. But I won't, at least not now. Time to move on already and get the thing in the water. I've got little neighbor kids who ride by on their bikes and say, "Your boat STILL isn't done?" I want to hoist a sail on this thing before they go to college.

A good thing if you're concerned is to throw down some fiberglass cloth in the bow area in front of the skids. SimonLew in FL did this. I have taken a beating up there, with many rocks going through the first veneers of ply, and I even have a bow skid (which gets chewed up something fierce). Just a suggestion-- I've been sailing it up here in NH and ME with more rocks than what you'll find in LIS, but it's cheap easy light insurance, I think. More for abrasion than puncture, but it will help, especially with beach cruising.

Get it done, and I'll bring mine down and we'll do some sailing. Grew up in Essex sailing up and down the river and along the LIS coast.

From Simon's blog:

I'm hitting this deadline like I hit all my deadlines -- last minute and not completely. But my hull is finally done except for oarlocks and a tow ring. I've borrowed a trailer and bought some cheap, crappy oars. I will be at the Mystic Wooden Boat Show next week to meet MIK with a completed hull which has been in the water at least once. I declare that "good enough". I may bring the other bits and pieces still in progress, too.

Pics of its first trip out of the garage and into the sun, on a borrowed trailer, still missing its nose ring (although the cutout for it is visible):
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Attachment 173535

Most excellent! I love the mentality: "I declare victory!"

I'll look for you at Mystic.

It was a lovely evening for a paddle tonight and my wife had not yet seen the Goat in the water. (She has been traveling abroad since before the last coats of varnish went on.) So I took her out for a tour of the cove before dinner.

Dragging the boat down to the water and back forced me to reconsider some priorities. Desperate as I am to finish my sailing rig and get the Goat properly powered, I first need to make it quicker and easier to get the thing in the water.

The first thing I need is a better dolly. The thing I have now is nearly impossible to use single-handed. I need something which I can position under the boat with one hand while lifting the boat with the other. (Or, perhaps, roll the boat up onto it.) But it has to be light. Too much weight and I won't be able to haul it up the boat ramp by myself.

My second need is for some sort of backbone which will hold a cover up so that rain will run off. That will allow me to leave the boat out of the garage. It has to be quick and easy to remove and replace so that it doesn't slow me down and take up valuable sailing time.

I couldn't care less what these things look like. They just have to perform well without scratching up the paint and varnish.

I would greatly appreciate pics of what you all are using for these tasks. If you don't have pics, then tips and ideas would still be very helpful. Thanks!

Paulie,

Afraid I can't help with the dolly. I've never used one. I can slide our GIS around single-handed, but will only do so on sand, grass, or other non-abrasive surfaces. No rocks, barnacles, or concrete.

Regarding the cover - we rigged several Conestoga Wagon type hoops which allow the boat to be out in all weathers with no worries.

Sisu - Cover Bows - a set on Flickr