Build Thread - Dillon Mini VEE

[wholtzclaw]

Well, finally got the garage clean enough to start building a boat :)

Decided to build the Dillon Mini Vee for a couple of reasons;

1st - proven design, it's done well in racing since it's inception

2nd - I wanted a project that I could build with my son; Though he is significantly younger than I was when I started a project like this with my dad, I think this is something missing in today's society, and something I won't let him go without.

3rd - My kids and I can race it; I have a 14 year old daughter that can run GT Pro, a 11 year old that can run Mini GT in another year, a 7 year old that will likely be the best boat racer some day, and my 5 year old son, and of course, I'll race GT Pro as well. The family that races together stays together :D This hull can handle both classes.

4th - Affordability, I'm trying to get an affordable boat racing class going down here in Florida, information is hard to come by when looking for boat races; I'm a Software Engineer by education, and a mechanic by trade; I think I can put a website together that grows traffic and starts making more people more aware of boat racing, and the fact that you don't have to have a $400,000 off shore boat to race.

I'm going to write this thread to target people who are on the fence about building a boat. I've done a little wood working, but not enough to say I'm good at it, but I have a pretty good attention to detail, and a determination to do things right, and am hoping that people that have a similar skill set, and mentality can realize that they can build a boat too, race, and most importantly, have fun with the whole process!

Some pictures tomorrow or Sunday of the Garage set-up, tools I'm starting with, and material costs. I'm hoping that after the set-up we'll get a couple of the frames lofted, and cut out. As I progress, at the end, I'll recap with a complete list of tools used, materials used, cost, and time, mistakes, lessons learned, etc.

Wayne Holtzclaw
Web Developer
Air Compressor Mechanic
Boat Builder(?)

[rustnrot]

Hi Wayne, Tom Lang from the Donzi list here. Looking forward to the build!

[wholtzclaw]

Hi Wayne, Tom Lang from the Donzi list here. Looking forward to the build!
Thanks Tom!

It will be fun for sure!

There was a,... well, we'll say significant problem with the Donzi build I was going to do - namely someone else decided they wanted the hull more than me :( well the trailer really, but did a number on the hull in the mean time.

Wayne

[F-12]

Where are you located in FL, Wayne?

[wholtzclaw]

I'm in Port St. Lucie - About 2 hours south of you :)

Wayne

[wholtzclaw]

OK, here we go, please ask questions as we go, I'll answer the best I can

point out potential problems as we go too, don't want to try to fix stuff later ; )

07/31 to 08/05 - Garage is disgusting, no way I can build a boat in here

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011003.jpg

08/05 to 08/09 fisnished getting the garage cleaned, got most of the wood supplies to build the boat;


http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011005.jpg

I began by building (2) saw horses; I cheated, and used the little metal brackets you can get from the home improvement stores for 7$ (makes 1 saw horse), so needed 2 sets. I set mine up 3' high, and 5' wide. They are pretty darned sturdy, and at this point, I'm just using them for a table; when I begin assembly, I'll make sure that everything is perfectly square and level.

I next got the first sheet of plywood on the table, and drawing and cut-out bulkhead #1, and then bulkhead #2. The plans call for you removing a 1/4" piece (for the combing) between the center and outboard sections of the bulkheads. I have opted to do this at a later point. You can see the areas marked out in the photos.

When I drew the "crown" on the deck, I clamped a section of wood down on the plywood at the center-line. The piece of wood ended at the height of the center point. I then took a piece of FRP (fiber reinforced plastic), centered it at this clamp, and bent the ends down to meet the point at the outside edged, then traced the line. The plans say to use one of the battens, which is fine, I just used this piece of plastic I had as I didn't want to cut or plane down the battens yet. I'll try to outline the drawing of the bulkheads a little better with bulkheads number #3 and 4 coming later this week.


http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011006.jpg

Bulkhead #1


http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011012.jpg

Bulkhead #2


http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011015.jpg
Bulkhead #1 infront of #2.

Notice the reference lines running down the center, and horizontally. These reference lines are important to making sure everything lines up right and that it's square, so make sure you pay extra attention when you draw these lines to make sure they are level and straight.


http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/aug072011010.jpg

This is my son - this is our first big wood working project together; I think he just wants to get it done as he was beating me with this piece from a pressure washer :O

He's 5, but his 12 year old sister will be ready to race next season with me. He has 2 other older sisters too, 14 (has no interest in anything but her friends), and a 8 year old sister who will be hell behind the wheel of a boat ; )

Wayne

[wolfgang]

Haven`t we all got the same garage problems? Nevertheless - indeed, a nice family endeavor at a realistic expense. Best wishes and good luck! rgds

[Ron Hill]

I'm in Port St. Lucie - About 2 hours south of you :)

Wayne

If Newport Richie is close....look up Marcel Belleville. MArcel built more than 100 boats when he lived in California......

[john miffco]

what wood is that ur using?
looks like yellow pine plywood in pic
john

[Ron Hill]

This motor may have been used too much when it was new....but there are SOME good parts....If you'll pay the freight down your way, I'll give it to you...I'm sure someone will have some parts to help you...

[wholtzclaw]

AC Exterior, not sure of the species though;

On the next one I'm going to use marine ply vice exterior, but for the first one, I wanted to keep cost down in case I screwed something up. My thought is build one so I know exactly how it goes together, maybe tinker with it a little bit, and see what I might change, then build the future ones with better materials.

It will be well encapsulated, and should last long enough for me to get a feel for the boat, and what I want to change.

Thanks!

what wood is that ur using?
looks like yellow pine plywood in pic
john

[wholtzclaw]

Thanks Ron!

I'll let you know; like you, I'm pretty blessed with where I live, and these motors are plentiful, but if I can't find one, or if I get to a point to where I can start inventorying parts, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Wayne

This motor may have been used too much when it was new....but there are SOME good parts....If you'll pay the freight down your way, I'll give it to you...I'm sure someone will have some parts to help you...

[wholtzclaw]

Well, Monday's work consisted or finishing bulkhead 4 and the transom;

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0017.jpg

layed out all the reference lines

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0021.jpg

Straight line from the keel to the sheer

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0022.jpg

Laying out the deck arch

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0027.jpg

All the bulkheads lined up

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0030.jpg

Same process with the combings

[wholtzclaw]

Well, I've been making pretty good progress, but felt like I HAD to get to this point; I've marked everything, cut the slots where needed, and am showing you the "dry" fit; I'll be leveling everything and squaring everything in the next couple of days, making some of the lightening holes, and moving on...

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0031.jpg

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0032.jpg

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0033.jpg

[wholtzclaw]

Some more progress;

Instead of using a hole saw to cut lightening holes, I opted to leave a sturdy edge, and cut out the inside.

Got everything squared up and level, and have installed the temporary brace for the stem hook.

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0038.JPG

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0039.JPG

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0040.JPG

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0041.JPG

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0042.JPG

[JohnsonM50]

Cool use of ply for structure.

[wholtzclaw]

The only other boat I ever started to build was the typical wood on frame construction - a Crackerbox flat bottom boat.

The ply is certainly easy to work with, and this boat is pretty easy to build (thus-far), but I'm currently in the process of laying the keel, and it will be a good amount of work to shape it, so we'll see how it goes.

Wayne

Cool use of ply for structure.

[Ron Hill]

If you don't know Andy, it is OK, but he always gave me and my dad **** for building our boats out of Douglas Fir. Of course, we build some great boats, won quite a few Nationals...but Andy, even in Whitney Point, NY, 2009...asked me, "You still using THAT wood to build boats?"

That is good wood. We always used the 1/8 plywood and wrapped it with fiber glass cloth from Standard Brands (The Home Depot of the time)...

Keep up the good work....I'm un offering you my motor.......Might CON Dave Bryan into building one of these things for US...

[JohnsonM50]

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.

[wholtzclaw]

Thanks Ron,

Yes, my next one will be of a proper marine ply; as was eluded to, I will run this boat, but as it's the first of (I hope many to come), I decided to keep the cost down. I'm glad too, as I've come across some things already that I would do different this time; not so much with the structure itself, but the process used.

My Father-in-law picked me up a motor from somewhere in the NE during a road trip, not sure on all the specs, but we'll see it this weekend when it gets back here, paid a whopping 50$ for it, so I'm not expecting much, but the bargains are out there if your lucky :D

Wayne

[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.:eek: 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/forums/showthread.php?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.

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0125.jpg

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0126.jpg

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0127.jpg

http://www.clawrc.com/minivbuild/PICT0128.jpg

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

Wayne