Progress on my Peeler Beta skiff has been slowed by the summer heat and other activities but is making some progress. I completed the interior and applied two epoxy coats. It was time to turn the hull over to glass, epoxy and paint the bottom. However, trying to arrange for 5 or 6 friends/relatives to help me lift and turn all on the same summer day proved impossible. What to do? Heading to the big box I purchased $80 worth of lumber and using old carriage bolts I assembled a scaffold over the Peeler. Two heavy ratcheting tie-downs from Harbor Freight provided the necessary lift and in about 30 minutes of tweeking the ratchets the boat was rolled over and up on saw horses.
So far I have spent about 175 hours assembling the Peeler and probably have another 40 to 50 hours of bottom work and interior finishing. Most of the time is eaten up waiting for stuff to cure. It's difficult to fillet and glass the joints all in one session for a solo builder and sanding the filets before taping adds to the time. All in all I'm satisfied with the build so far and will post new photos when the bottom is finished. The bottom will be red, sides white, seats and floor buff and rest bright. I am going to use System Three water based two part epoxy paint to see how it works out.
Snazzy frame. I've got something like that, too, for lifting boats off of trailers and flipping them. Nice job with the boat so far.
I don't know if it's too late for this boat, but you can completely skip sanding the fillets by working wet-on-wet. As soon as you've applied your fillets, take your glass tape, roll it up and saturate it with epoxy. Squeeze out the extra so that it's completely wet out but not dripping. Then, use a chip brush and paint the fillets with unthickened epoxy. The smooths them out and makes sure that there's enough epoxy to bond with the glass. Now unroll the saturated taped and smooth it into place with a gloved finger. Push it in place and smooth it so that there are no bubbles. Don't worry if it pushes into the fillet a little because the glass is already fully saturated. Use your finger and a brush to move any extra epoxy onto the boat away from the tape. Finally, lay paper towels onto the tape until they saturate and lift them and the excess epoxy off. If they leave behind any bubbles, tip them with a foam brush. Describing it is harder than doing it. You end up with perfectly saturated tape, no bubbles, no sanding and have to only wait for one cure.
Thanks for the info. I usually do wet glass into wet fillets but have never done the saturation of a whole roll of glass tape at one time before. Sounds like a great idea. I usually have to start filleting by 7am and by 11:30am it's already too hot to continue. Savannah in the summer isn't epoxy friendly. I'm so glad John Harris sent slow MAS with my kit. I don't believe I would have been able to use regular this summer. I have been having problems with out gassing bubbles due to the extreme heat. I usually build during the late Fall - Spring with temps that do not produce serious bubbling. Because my Peeler kit took awhile to ship I knew I would be glassing during the hot summer and so it tis. I have found that constant light tipping of the wet epoxy tends to reduce the bubbling as the epoxy sets.
Robert, your boat looks great! I'm a bit jealous waiting for the Peeler to become available. You must have a background in engineering creating such an elaborate turning sling,, maybe you could market the idea. We live in Door County Wisconsin where it is normally cool. Not this summer! I'd be having epoxy issues also if building. Keep up the good work and the photos are so appreciated.
Thanks for your kind words. I am far from being an engineer, being in fact a retired middle school librarian/media specialist. The frame is just a few boards with braces set to form triangles at the corners. Thank goodness the Peeler only weighs about 300lbs or so as the ratcheting tie-downs are about maxed out capacity wise for this purpose. I really needed to use come-alongs or real ratcheting hoists to do this. The absolute best way to turn her over is a group of strong friends followed by a milestone celebration of pizza and frothy libations.
I know John is working as fast as possible on getting the Peeler kits shipping. I think the manual takes lots of time making sure it's clear and accurate. John also found a few modifications that he added such as splash rails on the sides. Believe me, I would have saved a lot of time if I had a manual to follow when trying to figure out the steps for each part of the build. I'm not saying any of it was a big challenge - just that my old brain isn't as agile as it once was. I spent lots of time in the "moaning chair" just thinking the best way to accomplish each task. Hang in there - I've a feeling it won't be long until they ship and I think the Peeler will be a very popular model in short order.
Did you enlarge the front deck? It looks great but maybe larger. I'm sure the builders manual takes alot more time than any of us realize. CLC has a reputation to maintain and insists on accuracy,, this is good! Thanks for the email and your input.
The front seat is stock. However, the breasthook was enlarged some. The photo shows the original pattern for the hook and my new one. I was able to make a larger one because CLC gives you two large chunks of Spanish Cedar to cut out the breasthook halves and the transom knees. Because I can never leave anything alone I decided to make my hook bigger as shown.
Hi ronray,,, The Peeler is also on my bucket list. I am very anxious for it to become available. I'm waiting for more George Meyer Beta build photos. I still think about a wheel steering console for this boat but will most likely use a tiller extension off the motor, probably a 10hp. Lets keep in touch, Ken.
I have the bottom edges taped with 4" tape and glassed the rest of the hull. Since John Harris changed the specifications for the bottom skids I am in the process of doing the same. The bottom rails are in the same position as originally drawn - but now run forward to the edge of the bottom. I have some long purpleheart which I will mill to the correct size. Unfortunately, my table saw was moved out of the way to allow the Peeler turning frame to be installed in my small garage. So, I have to wait until I can move the saw and other stuff outside to use it. We had 1" of rain from Isaac in Savannah today and the forecast is for heavy rain bands the rest of this week. I also whacked my thumb silly on the drill press when a small board I was drilling came unclamped and proceeded to abrade and bloody it requiring a trip to the ER. Watch your fingers and thumbs folks. After epoxying the skids down I will fillet them and cover with glass strips, then finish filling the weave, priming, filling any low spots and painting three coats of paint. I will turn the hull over again and complete painting and varnishing the interior. It's true that after you assemble the boat you're less than half done. I'm hoping to wet the Peeler by the end of September. With any cooperation from the weather I will.
Things I'm thinking about.
Adding a 1/2” brass strip to the bow.
How best to make easily removable floorboards (will wait until winter to build them)
Whether to install oar locks – the Peeler needs 11ft+ long oars – or just carry a paddle and boat hook.
How to strap down the battery and two 6 gallon gas tanks under the mid seat. (perhaps make them held by the floorboards?)
How to build my own Bimini Top w/ Duckworks parts.
Will post some new photos when I get the hull primed.
I’m also I'm considering stick steering to a 9.9 Merc but without a console. I was wondering if one could build-up a base on the inside hull that would support a removable pedestal seat.I realize it will take away a bit of the nostalgic appearance of the boat, but at my age comfort is important too.
Any thoughts from you guys?
Robert,
Thanks for the update, it was you build info and the picture that help me make my decision to build a peeler.
I’ve two questions regarding the Peeler you might help me with.
First, how wide is the middle seat?
Secondly, would you know the bow eye to transom length? I’m going to start looking for a trailer and it would be helpful to know.
Ron, I've seen stick steering on another design, not sure how it all works. The one I seen was mounted on the inside gunwhale and used a forward/back motion for left and right. What would you do about starting and throttle from the stick location? I know very little about outboard steering but it does sound like a neat idea. The front seat I'll leave as planned but maybe use some of the stem flotation area for storage under the big seat. Good luck with your upcoming project. I think the journey is half the fun! Ken.
The mid thwart is 12" deep. The Peeler is a bit over 15ft long (it's hard to measure exactly whilst upside down on the frame) I have purchased a Magic Tilt aluminum bunk trailer that was designed for the Carolina Skiff flat bottom fiberglass boats 15-17long & Wide. I can't find my model on their website so it may have been a hold over model. It ran about $1500 new. I have always purchased used galvanized boat trailers for my sailboats in the past and just got tired of completely rebuilding them because they always have worn parts when you dig into them.
John Harris mentioned that they will probably be offering an upgrade for a console very shortly after the Peeler is released. I think the 9.9hp Yamaha can be ordered with remote steering while my 15hp was tiller only. I wish now I had gotten a Mercury (15hp available with remote). I'm pretty much resigned to tiller steering now anyway and will get along fine with it. The console would eat up the room you need forward to cast for shrimp and to carry crab traps or pull up your bait and crab trot line. Johns console is very different looking and I think blends in perfectly with the lines of the Peeler. It uses the Mid thwart for seat and sits foreward of the usual midship location. Should provide more weight to keep the boat trim if you have gas and battery all located in the stern. It kind of reminds me of a jet ski seating - but I only saw a sketch of the idea quite a while ago. We will have to wait and see.
As for controlling the throttle and starting, I believe a Merc 9.9 kicker has the ability to be attached to both a steering cable and a Merc throttle control. The guy at the marine shop said the parts were $400 or $500.This’ll add another thousand buck to the cost with the steering and odds and sods.I’ll have to consider it.
I’m thinking I will go ahead and put the conduit in the side flotation boxes so if I can run both if I decide to make it a go. Thinking of using 1-1/2 PVC, bending it to make the turns as needed, then pouring the foam in the box around the pipe.Could use it for running any wiring and gas lines too I suppose.
Robert,
Thanks for the update on the mid thwart measurement (I’ll have to brush up on my nautical terms).
Yea i figure a 15 - 17 size trailer was what it would take. I’ll be using my boat in sweet water (as they say here in Kentucky) most of the time, but travel to Ocracoke, NC each fall and spring for a week of fishing, so I’m going with galvanized too. I’ll check out the Magic Tilt, I remember the band from my days along the coast.
Ron, I was about 1/2 second from installing pvc pipes as you describe under the side seats to carry lines. When I realized that I was probably going to be using a tiller only I decided to just run lines in a slot built into my aft floorboards. I did install access ports fore and aft into the seat fronts so I could reach in to connect pipes at a future date. I used 2" thick closed cell foam sheets for flotation under the seats. A 4x8 sheet cut and stacked port and starboard filled the seats up to 16" from the mid seat. I am using small hatches on both sides to store small items I want to keep dry. Will show you a picture of these when I turn her again.
I would borrow a Telex steering cable from the dealer to see if the pvc elbow will allow the cable to smoothly operate before I pipe-welded the fitting in.
I had a sailboat with a closed in foamed seat that trapped water and caused rot. Water WILL get in almost certain at some future date. Being able to ventilate and easily remove old foam will be worth the work of screw in ports.
You’re a fountain of knowledge and your advice is greatly appreciated.
What a great idea to use foam sheets, like you said this could allow for future changes.
Truth be known, I go back to the days when you didn’t worry about flotation in wood boats. I suppose with all of the epoxy and other gear it’s a must, but it’s tempting to skimp on the floatation and make storage space.
Thanks for the tip on the Teleflex; I’m now thinking tiller again, but the game is young.
Since the Peeler won't be available for awhile, all we can do is talk about this great looking boat. Has anyone thought about some sort of rub rail so when you ram a dock you don't hurt the nice cedar. I've thought of brass, 1" rope,, not sure what might be the best. What about cushions for all that seating?? Its exciting just thinking about all of the little add-ons one can put on this boat. I would like a compass but not sure where to put it. Also, a depth sounder so I don't go aground. What about lighting if the cruise gets late in the day? Enough rambling on. I hope the other Beta kit builds are shared like Robert Meyers. Ken
Ron, I meant to thank you for the stick steering information. It clarifies some issues. One of Wooden Boat designs by Charles Wittholz shows a small ship wheel in place of a stick. It is fastened to the inside gunwhale and turns fore and aft. Maybe its run with cables and pulley, not sure but it looks neat. Thanks, Ken.
