Woody Runabout - Sea Trial

 With two well built crew this little craft performs beyond expectations with it's 20 hp Honda outboard (4 stroke).

The youtube video here was taken in Labrador Bay, South Devon where there are a several cruise liners anchored with zero passengers and nowhere to go.

The sea state was only slightly choppy and with a gentle ground swell. The wind was light and the run shows us about two miles offshore, between The Ness and The Oar Stone. Just around the headland is Torbay, Torquay and Brixham.

Woody Runabout phase 24 - Appraisal & Trials

Job done and time to reflect on my labours. One of the most satisfying projects undertaken to date for this hobby woodworker. Several river, Estuary and coastal trips at sea have now been taken to fully test this classic craft. Not exactly a copy of the true 1930 style below the waterline, since the spray rails and degree of rocker used is not akin to that era at all. Instead I have gotten the design to look very much like the true classic above the waterline and chosen the more modern and very much more seaworthy features found on modern day craft. There is quite a lot of rocker and a "V" section hull with pronounced spray rails to trap air under the hull and ride through waves, without porpoising or too much slamming, (subject to sensible choice of speed through choppy water).
Top speed with this Honda outboard is in excess of 20 mph (as measured by GPS). This speed was achieved on a slightly choppy sea run and is reckoned to be less than could be reached on calm water.
The turns are quite stable and flat with no tendency to trip or wallow. The rails afford considerable extra stability to the roll. 

Today a run from Totnes to Dittisham on the river Dart was enjoyed, taking two hours in all at no more than six knots - the most permitted speed here. The Honda is not too thirsty and only consumed five litres for this round trip.

The previous day I made round trip of 12 miles along the coast between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren. The freshening breeze on the return leg gave rise to a choppy sea but no water was shipped and myself and co-driver stayed dry for most of the time.

Woody Runabout Pase 23 & Launch Time

"Hurry slowly" has to be the mantra towards achieving the result wanted at this late stage and the varnishing of oil based over epoxy resin. Application onto a surface of epoxy that still shed an amine bloom after three days of rubbing down and washing. The result was a coat that wrinkled and failed to dry properly. Like toffee, it was scraped off and sanded with wet and dry, then allowed to dry for several more days before another coat of varnish was applied and ft to sufficiently dry for work to continue as normal.  The interesting thing was the fact that the bow section of deck was not so severely affected, due to the fact that it had sun dried beneath the garage skylights.
Even at this late stage I am finding items that require attention. The heavy duty battery wiring had to be soldered for more durable connections, The floor needed a further coat of yacht enamel to obliterate some messy touching up and scuffs. The rubber grommets for the remotes had to be secured with sikaflex adhesive (rubbery and very sticky to apply). The "tennis racquet" seats secured more rigidly with cable ties onto the bench seat support.
The trailer is made ready with side rails - additional support alongside the rollers, and adjusted to conform more closely to the hull shape.

The motor  is checked over and the wiring is good to go. The fair weather weekend gives the moment for launching. I am awake at 4am and like a kid at Christmas about to creep downstairs to see what Santa has left !

The old car battery chose to give up the ghost, so an early morning trip to Mole Valley Farmers store gets me a new one (as backup). By 10.30am William and me are afloat on the Teign Estuary with grins from ear to ear. Not too much throttle, gently with the steering and heading west upstream into the warm westerly breeze.
At Coombe Cellars we turned to head back under the Shaldon Bridge and return to the harbour. Busy with summer traffic. We head out through the mouth of the estuary on the ebb tide at a rate of knots. The choppy bar is crossed without hesitation and the Bass are jumping by the Ness and we head on into Labrador bay.

Impressed by the quiet exhaust note and the ample power available at half throttle. The running in period is strictly adhered to, though the temptation to push forward is ever present. Briefly we opened up the throttle a little and she gradually rises up onto the plane. Into the turns the ride is quite flat, hardly any bank as the deep spray rails do what they are supposed to do - of keeping the craft on rails.

The buoyancy / stability is excellent, as I lean out over the gunnel there is only minimal roll. My worries over the degree of rocker I had used were quite unfounded, since there is no tendency to porpoise when the rise up onto the plane remains perfectly level. Apologies for not having images to show just yet. Too much excitement to bother with the camera, but they will follow shortly now this brief shakedown is done with.

Altogether I can say I am tickled pink with my design.

Ready for the road

Ready for the water

Ready to go !

Woody Runabout Phase 22

Now confident of getting waterborne in early August.

Linking the control lines through the rear bulkhead, attaching the windscreen and cleats, then a couple more coats of varnishing to do. 

Having set myself many little design features and cosmetic titivation's on this classic style small boat project,  the road to completion has taken many more hours than originally anticipated. The windscreen has four brackets that each required  individual fashioning and fitting with associated under-deck strengthening points for their attachment. The screen is detachable for the eventual maintenance of the hull, when she will have to be turned over.

The seat backs are laminated out of Ash and tennis racket shape,  strung ready for fixing to the bench seat. So the finished result will be quite unique.  A flight of fancy, where the design has evolved en-route.

The decks are surfaced in clear Epoxy Resin ready for topping off and finishing with  Epiphanes varnish. A real buzz reward to enjoy after the 800 hour project begun in January.

The road trailer will require some adjustment, together with the addition of support rails alongside the roller supports.

Almost ready for the water

Two or three more coats of varnish but no more than five

Waterline beam width should give ample stability

The seats are ultra lightweight but quite strong

Woody Runabout Phase 21

Tired of waiting for my local wood supplier to dig out some Sycamore I chose to look further afield. Within easy reach (45 miles up the A303) I discovered Yandles wood merchants (Link) tool shop and craft centre. Not only was their self selection department open, the variety of woods is amazing and the prices significantly lower than I have been used to paying in Exeter.

I came away having spent more cash than I needed to complete the boat. Some too good to overlook that will come in handy for later projects. The Sycamore plank freshly cut from the tree is complete with waney edges. The creamy white texture is easily worked and will soon take on a golden honey colour, once varnished and exposed to the light.

The gunnels are in place, plugged with dowels into the holes that were the ones made by screwing temporary fixings, while the epoxy glue set. The epoxy was thickened to make it adhere better to the vertical surfaces. Also attended to is the motor well edges that have the lovely white contrasting wood enhance the appearance of this design.  A cosmetic indulgence to spend so much time at this stage.
The  35 fixing dowels/plugs whittled down individually and laborious but satisfying.

Now using Abranet, an open abrasive fabric that does not clog like sandpaper does.  I do recommend  it to any woodworker. Also recommended is diamond abrasive sharpening stones that put a keen edge on steel with the minimum of effort.

On the to do list :....  fit windscreen and cleats (after the deck is varnished) . Box in the batteries and switch gear. Run control cables through rear bulkhead. Fit seal to base of motor well.  Fabricate and fit front seat backrests. Fit support rails to road trailer. 

Grey tinted screen dry fitted to be supported each side by an additional pair of knees

Woody Runabout Phase 20

Decking now complete apart from rounding  off the deck edges. A light coloured wood to show off the lines to best advantage is being sourced. Sycamore the first choice if I can find some straight grained and clean. The tinted grey acrylic windscreen has been ordered from a local plastics company and will be made to slot into support knees and a scuttle batten laid on the deck. 

The gunnels like many other parts were screwed while the glue set and the screws later removed to be replaced with wooden dowels. Being somewhat obsessive about some of the minor details you might say that this build has been an indulgence. I see it more of an enjoyment and pleasurable pastime.

Connecting up the controls including the steering cable together with electrics will be the next job. The Honda outboard then to be tested by the outboard motor shop as part of their PDI check and my electrics installation double checked. 

Only then shall I shall be ready to launch with the road trailer adjusted to fit the hull.  A couple more roller supports required to take the load from closer to the transom.

As the project comes near completion you may be interested to know that somewhere in the region of 750 hours has been spent. The design has  deviated along the road from the three or four sheets of A4 sketches and a more pleasing deck line emerged more by accident than design. If you asked me for the plans I would have to get one of those laser 3D scanner devices to accurately measure her up. Appearances are a little deceptive from the photos here. There are very few straight lines or flat areas. Wearing glasses, as I do for close up work , the shapes can somehow get distorted too, and I often found myself looking down a piece of straight wood only for it to appear to have a pronounced bend to one side or the other. 

Waiting for some Sycamore white wood to trim the edges

Hardwood cleats not yet screwed down

After varnishing the Mahogany will take on a richer and darker tone

Looking forward to adding the grey tinted windscreen

Grandads Woody Runabout phase 19

Wiring and the few instruments for the dashboard now installed, and the tie down straps for the two batteries are placed between the seats.  Using a voltage sensitive relay the charge is sent to the battery most in need of power input. The start battery should therefore not run flat - With so few instruments and no hi-fi or inverter or navigation lights, having two batteries was probably not strictly necessary.

The decking stage is about to begin, when the final shape of this woody runabout will emerge.  Mahogany veneering of the ply deck will finish off the "woody" look of this classic shaped runabout. The low profile windscreen will then be fitted and cleats of carved Wenga, an African wood with especially hard wearing characteristics, placed along the gunnels.

The transom is capped with an up-cycled old Hickory sail batten. A tough hardwood ideal for the location, where the weight of the engine will bear down on the transom. The actual points of contact are to be cushioned by a layer of shoe leather under stainless steel cladding.

The seat backrests will consists of a hooped backrest attached to the bench seat by a knee on either side. The hoop will be laced.  Each knee is constructed of two parts with their grain running at right angles. The joint is a simple scarf, but skewed 45 degrees. The glued up assembly is clamped while the glue dries and a row of drilled holes is placed and nailed through with bamboo dowels. A  very strong joint results - where my body weight will be leaning back into the seat.

Going to such trouble with detail aspects might seem unnecessary, but gives enormous pleasure.  I shall have spent about 800 hours since January, At that time I was wearing two jumpers and a woolly hat in the chilly unheated garage.  

The following photos show the deck panels roughly prepared with the scarf joints cut. They will be stapled and clamped in place, the difference being the glue. At this stage I am setting aside the Cascamite, preferring to use Epoxy Resin. for greater resilience. A sealing coat will be applied to the underside of the deck  panels and a thickened layer of resin applied to the frames and gunnel.

The 5mm marine ply deck panels have their mating edges scarf jointed together (bevel edged)

Boatbuilding - Like baking a bun or a biscuit Phase 18

Study the recipe, get the ingredients together, mix thoroughly and put in the oven (man cave/garage).
Allow to cool and apply a glaze of sugar, egg and dust over (varnish) with a soft brush.
Such is the chaotic appearance of the boat today I must admit it looks neither like a boat, a bun, or a biscuit.
What you see scattered about are electrical items, disassembled bits and pieces, vital parts of hardware and the Honda outboard not yet filled with engine oil or checked over.
Once the job is done and put together I am scheduled to take the lot to Bridger Marine for them to check out my electrics and do the pre-delivery checks on the engine.
So many cables and wires to route and hide from view.
The woodwork is almost done bar the seat backs and cutting the centre slot in the steering-wheel hub that must engage accurately into the Teleflex steering mechanism. The steering wheel itself has bamboo spokes and steam bent laminated outer ring and is my well tested design. Identical to the other one on the Morgan 4/4. 

Woody Runabout Phase 17

Much work - but little to show for it. With the epidemic now fading and lock-down partially lifted, I replenished the wood stock just in time to allow progress to continue. Beech Bros selected better than I could have done and in double the quantity required for at a good price. 
The seating solution was to "keep it simple stupid", and even so, involves some fiddly work yet to be completed. The dashboard has now been fitted for perimeter  shape, soon to be completed with the cut-outs for instruments, including GPS, clock, voltmeter, USB /  Power socket, as well as the wheel steering fitting.
Delivery of the outboard is promised this week as well as a couple more instruments, so the fun can start with wiring, aided by ample on-line guidance.
When will completion take place?  Hopefully in mid to late July.
No record of cash cost is being kept, nor the work hours put in. The  very rough guesstimate to date, (including outboard) is £5,500, and 600 hours respectively.  Such a bespoke craft, commissioned at a boatyard, might cost in the region of £25,000 I guess. However I can guarantee that you will not find another like this any time soon.

Decking is not being done until the interior, wiring and control lines are fitted.

Dashboard with cutouts not yet made.

Seating loosely placed until after varnishing has been completed. Oval back rests are to be attached and will have latticework support.

Cleats are carved from Wenge, a hard wearing African hardwood and the dashboard mock up usedfull for establishing exactly how best to arrange the instruments. 

Woody Runabout phase 16

One of several mistakes made during construction (yet to be rectified) was the inadvertent use of a waxy sanding sealer on the side panels. The adhesion is poor and I shall probably have to re varnish. The lesson: ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. I  discovered the error when using gaffa tape to hold a few slivers of wood where the frames meet the gunnels. On removal of the tape a patch of bare wood was revealed minus the varnish!   I intend leaving the job until autumn.  The wax base will need to be removed with a solvent and vigorous sanding.

The floor  is laid and incorporates sealed flotation chambers between the frames, now being painted before completion of the decking, fore-deck and transom decking.  The outboard unavailable till June because of the Covid-19 epidemic, as is the interruption to wood supplies which threatens to slow up progress.

In advance of decking, there have been fixing points for cleats added, and also fixing points for screw down straps that will secure the fuel tank and battery. Remote controls for the outboard run either side down the gunnels, and I am pondering the idea of inserting some PvC pipework to contain it, so as to make insertion and removal simpler to do. Putting such ideas down helps in the decision making and yes, I think I need ponder no more, just do it!

Unexpected problems always arise in scratch built projects such as this, and solving them becomes part of the enjoyment of brain teasing, burning of the midnight oil. One of them is how best to arrange the seating. Two seats, three or four, and should the rear one(s) face forward, sideways or rearwards, The best solution I am presently considering is to have the rear pair of seats facing inwards, facing each other so that weight would then be into the centre and away from the stern. So far, only one of the seat backs has been fabricated, in the form of an an ellipsoid hoop that I intend to make fold forwards. Laced with supportive Dyneema paracord. Sounds like one of granddad's lash up bodges, or it might just be some artistic licence and definitely unique. 

Woody Runabout stage 15

11th May 2020 and my project completion day looks a distant prospect. Hopefully I might see myself afloat by August.
Floor panels have been cut ready for gluing between the frames as additional buoyancy chambers in addition to the bow and stern compartments.
I shall experiment with some expanding foam under the floor  that may completely seal those chambers to make a virtually unsinkable craft.
The motor well will have a removable floor to facilitate inspection and maintenance of the transom area and to drain any water that might ingress.

Woody Runabout stage 14

 Pressing on with the topside. The deck layout can be seen in the rough stages of fitting the carlins and deck beams. The cut out transom with very little freeboard, but relieved by the fitting of an inner transom and outboard well in between the two.
I have settled for the idea of having a false floor of 5mm ply;  easier to bale out and may even be self baling if the waterline is not too high.

The inner transom will be faced with ply infil tp provide a flotation chamber and motor well

Woody Runabout upright, ready for decking and fit-out.

The single handed turning upright was not short on suspense as the twin rope slings were attached to the garage roof beams and the weight taken temporarily off the mould/jig. The jig was removed from underneath and then lowered to take the hull down to a comfortable working height. Attached underneath the jig are the same wheel castors as before.

Some rough trimming of the ragged gunnels is done ready to begin the decking.  

It is at this stage I have to decide whether to put in a false floor above closed air chambers or to rely upon the flotation chambers fore and aft. What makes me tend towards a false floor is the myriad water traps that would make baling out difficult without raising floor slats or panels. I will paint the inner floor with a bilge paint/primer in any case.

Cathedral TopBar Bee Hive Progress.

Having a boat project ongoing the bees have very much been left to their own devices since December when I simply added some insulating foil and plugged spare entry points to the hive. Minimal amounts of honey were taken last year and so plenty of stores helped through a very wet period  in early spring. I was fearful of disturbing them at all for fear of seeing losses but delighted that all three colonies  survived and quickly began working immediately there was a weather window.
April 26th sees me harvesting a spring crop of honey but one of the hives troubles me in having some untidy combs that the bees seem to have started to break down.  I wonder if they are in the process of cleaning out comb which has grown excess mould in the very damp conditions earlier in the year.