Build Thread - Dillon Mini VEE

[Chairman]

I built the original Mini Vee with yellow pine AC. The bottom, finished with clear epoxy, is still good as far as I know (I don't own the boat anymore). The deck did start to check, as you would expect from this kind of plywood, but has been repainted and looks pretty good.

I've build four more Mini Vees, all with exterior grade luan. The first one experienced one major failure -- my fault, I skimped on the internal bracing. I still race that same boat (rebuilt) and regularly hit waves that nearly knock teeth out, but the boat takes it and goes on.

[JohnsonM50]

I built the original Mini Vee with yellow pine AC. The bottom, finished with clear epoxy, is still good as far as I know (I don't own the boat anymore). The deck did start to check, as you would expect from this kind of plywood, but has been repainted and looks pretty good.

I've build four more Mini Vees, all with exterior grade luan. The first one experienced one major failure -- my fault, I skimped on the internal bracing. I still race that same boat (rebuilt) and regularly hit waves that nearly knock teeth out, but the boat takes it and goes on.

A sign of a good boat is when it can take as much as the driver. The fir/yellow will last fine, even better than okoume [rated as perishable & should be epoxy saturated], the differences are the strength to weight ratios, why so many kneelers are okoume. The other being its dead smooth & stable for finishing, no grain raising.

[Ron Hill]

The fir or yellow pine do present some surface issue from grain raising. Ive helped with a Clark Craft kit that is fir. I don't think even epoxy would tame the grain but haven't tried. Wayne has stated a sound reason to go with it tho & in the grand scheme will probably not lose much potential speed if any.

Over the years, I never let water set in any of my boats for more than five minutes. On road trips, we pulled the hardware off and sealed the cockpits with plywood. My dad didn't think race boats should get wet...

We always sealed our boats with Spar varnish. My dad like to cover any voids with varnish. Varnish would sometime drip out of a nail hole where we'd miss a stringer....Plus, we build anew boat every season....

Keep posting stuff....love it all!

[JohnsonM50]

Over the years, I never let water set in any of my boats for more than five minutes. On road trips, we pulled the hardware off and sealed the cockpits with plywood. My dad didn't think race boats should get wet...

We always sealed our boats with Spar varnish. My dad like to cover any voids with varnish. Varnish would sometime drip out of a nail hole where we'd miss a stringer....Plus, we build anew boat every season....

Keep posting stuff....love it all!

That is good logic not to mention epoxy wasn't always an option & even now an expensive one.

[Ron Hill]

We could build a boat in a week or less and most of our time was used waiting for glue to dry...

We used Anchor nails, and set them with a 3/16 inch shearpin punch, and we backed the punch up with a block of lead....Frequently, we clenched the nails with a body and fender anvil....

Once the glue dried, we routered most of the wood away any way....I weighed 235 plus jacket and helmet...to make weight, we build 90 pound boats...

ADD:

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...?t=1463&page=4

[wholtzclaw]

Been away for a while,.... sometimes life just gets in the way lol

Anyway, have finally gotten the keel shaped, and will be proceeding over the weekend.

Next week I'm in the Bahamas for work again, but when I get back, I plan on really starting to "turn it on"

More pictures after the weekend; hoping to get something more than just the keel done

Wayne

[Ron Hill]

Anyone can say they are working on something....We need pictures...

[wholtzclaw]

LOL! I guess you're right Ron,

I didn't realize that I hadn't posted a photo of the keel (made up of 2 layers of plywood), yet - but here it is, glued, screwed, and rough sanded. I'll spend some time this weekend, giving it the final sanding it needs.









Next step is to install the two bulkheads that I left out of my way while I sanded the bottom.

Wayne