12' Aluminium Skiff Kit

[Shox Dr]

Nice job, I was only thinking about this last week. How time flies

 

[jpmillermatic]

just got caught up on this. What a fantastic result. Love the little boat and custom touches you have added. the cowling in front of the steering wheel is pretty sweet...

I understand the need for a windscreen, even a top when it gets chilly. I think it looks great. going with a new tank, motor and controls was the way to go.....no sense having a project be a project out on the open water!.....better to have some control over that aspect of it....

JP

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Lovely job. As an aside, the kill lanyard didn’t come with a wrist band as you generally clip them to your life jacket. On the lifeboat our std practice for the helm was to loop it round your thigh and clip it back on itself

 

[Jim Davey]

For anyone interested and with ten minutes to kill, here is a video of some of the build pictures and a few short video clips of the boat running. It's my first stab at using iMovie to edit a video so don't expect anything fancy.

 

[arther dailey]

Nice to see it completed Jim, just in time for some sun and fu in the solent, enjoy.

 

[Jim Davey]

Nice to see it completed Jim, just in time for some sun and fu in the solent, enjoy.

Oh I've still got stuff to do. Not got around to fitting the screen or any of the dash instruments or navigation lights yet.

 

[arther dailey]

long as you have a lifeboy and flares stashed youll be alright

 

[Migmac]

Looks like it’s going to be an ongoing project Jim. What’s next?

 

[Jim Davey]

Looks like it’s going to be an ongoing project Jim. What’s next?

Definitely a windscreen. Then a rear bench seat to get the seating back up to four and attempt to get some floatation back into it.
Then dash instruments and lighting, I don’t really intend to use the boat after dark but it’s nice to have if you get caught out.

 

[Hood]

Definitely a windscreen. Then a rear bench seat to get the seating back up to four and attempt to get some floatation back into it.
Then dash instruments and lighting, I don’t really intend to use the boat after dark but it’s nice to have if you get caught out.

Build another and tie them together, cats are the future

 

[More Amps]

Fabulous build - any idea how much materials have cost and how long it would have taken you if you had gone at it on a 40 hr week basis?

 

[Jim Davey]

I’d say it’s probably set me back about 5k in all. That seems like quite a lot but to buy a welded boat from Linder or Buster would be 8-9 for a hull, no engine no trailer. So I think it’s pretty good value.
Time wise I think I could build a second one in less than a week if I had a workshop to do it in. The bit that slows it all down is fabrication, custom stuff that you figure out as you go.

 

[More Amps]

However you add it up, that's seriously impressive - not forgetting the enjoyment of creating something for yourself. (Look out Sunseeker, you've got competition!)

 

[Jim Davey]

Haha yeah right, mines towards the Spartan end of boating. But that’s fine by me, I’ve not got champagne tastes and fizzy-pop budget

 

[AndersK]

That was not any bad attempt for first movie.

Boat and crew looking great too

 

[arther dailey]

I’d say it’s probably set me back about 5k in all. That seems like quite a lot but to buy a welded boat from Linder or Buster would be 8-9 for a hull, no engine no trailer. So I think it’s pretty good value.
Time wise I think I could build a second one in less than a week if I had a workshop to do it in. The bit that slows it all down is fabrication, custom stuff that you figure out as you go.

So anyone thinking of doing the same just do the math , but a ewm of @Jim Davey , buy the boat kit and make your own still cheaper than buying and you end up with a free picomig...thats how you sell it to the misses me ? oh 5% will be fine

 

[James1979]

What size is the biggest part, just out of interest please?

Fancy putting one on the roundtuit list. Just wondering what the limiting factor would be, size wise

 

[Jim Davey]

What size is the biggest part, just out of interest please?

Fancy putting one on the roundtuit list. Just wondering what the limiting factor would be, size wise

Engine, steering cables, helm, and throttle controls knocks the biggest hole, approx 2,400. Followed by material, was about 1,500. Then trailer, that was about 800 from memory. Then its death by a thousand cuts after that, wiring, gauges, switches, battery, cut-off switch, seats...

 

[Jim Davey]

What size is the biggest part, just out of interest please?

Fancy putting one on the roundtuit list. Just wondering what the limiting factor would be, size wise

They have plans available for boats up to 60 ft in their lineup. But by then it is into the territory of proper fab-shop/boatyard stuff, overhead crane, boat lift etc.
I'd say, dependant on available space, the plans for up to a 21 ft boat are doable for a well-equipped home gamer. Maybe access to folders and bending gear at a friendly fab shop would help the project along as most of the plans by that stage require folding/forming of some components, bulkhead and longitudinal stiffeners for example normally have flanges for added strength.

 

[James1979]

How did you weld it? Looks like a spool gun from your pics? One of your own machines I take it?