How to Build a Classic Plywood Runabout for Boats
Runabout boats are the sports cars of boating. These boats are designed to take a few people gracefully on the water at a good speed. Building a runabout at home is not beyond the scope of most good woodworkers. In about 40 to 80 hours time, depending upon how detailed the owner wants to finish the boat, a home boat builder can have a classic runabout.
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Things You'll Need
- Marine plywood
- Marine epoxy
- Wood sawdust
- Thin copper wire
- Wire cutters
- Pliers
- Spatula
- Plastic measuring cups
- Paintbrushes
- Plastic mixing bowls
- Drill with drill bits
- Jigsaw
- Sawhorses
- Fiberglass cloth
- Sandpaper
- Fairing compound
- Outboard engine
- Steering system
- Boat windscreen
- Marking pen
- Cleats
- Boat seats
Instructions
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1
Purchase plans and materials. Buy boat plans for a stitch and glue plywood runabout. Buy plans for a length of boat that will accommodate the number of friends and associates normally entertained. Refrain from buying plans for a boat any larger than required. Larger boats are more complex and expensive than smaller boats. Purchase materials from the list of materials located with the boat plans.
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2
Lift one sheet of plywood on the sawhorses. Transfer the boat plans to the plywood using the marking pen. Use the jigsaw to cut the plywood along the marks transferred from the boat plans. Lift additional sheets of plywood on the sawhorses and transfer and cut boat pieces until all pieces are cut from the plywood.
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3
Place the bottom pieces on the plywood. Drill 1/8" holes every 2" on the plywood along the seams that touch. Cut the copper wire into 6" pieces. Use the copper wire to stitch the pieces together by placing the wire through the drilled holes and twisting it until tight. Accomplish this for each set of holes. Lift the side pieces into place, drill holes and stitch copper wire until the sides are attached to the bottom. Drill and stitch each remaining piece of plywood until all parts are stitched together according to the plans.
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4
Mix two cups of epoxy glue with one cup of sawdust to make a paste the consistency of peanut butter. Use a spatula to apply a seam of epoxy paste along each copper wire stitched seam. The epoxy paste seams should be approximately 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch deep at the center. Allow this seems to dry overnight. Cut the copper wire with a wire cutter and remove the wire with the pliers. The boat will now be formed and sturdy.
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5
Cover the epoxy paste seams with epoxy soaked fiberglass cloth. Cut a 4 inch wide epoxy cloth the length of each seam. Mix two cups of epoxy glue and soak the cloth with the glue using a paint brush. Continue to apply fiberglass cloth and epoxy glue until all seams are covered. Allow to dry overnight.
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6
Cover the exterior of the boat with fiberglass cloth soaked with epoxy glue. Cut the epoxy cloth to lay on the outside of the boat. Make one quart of epoxy glue. Use the paintbrush to soak the fiberglass cloth with epoxy glue. Continue until the entire boat exterior is covered. Allow to dry overnight.
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7
Sand, fair and paint the boat. Sand the exterior and interior of the boat until smooth. Use a faring compound to fill any holes, indentations or imperfections. Allow the faring compound to dry and then sand until smooth. Continue using fairing compound and sandpaper until the entire boat is perfectly smooth. Paint or varnish the boat as desired.
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8
Install the accessories and engine. Install the windscreen, cleats, seats, steering mechanism and engine. Launch the boat.
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Tips & Warnings
Make your your work location has a large enough entry and exit to allow removal of the boat after it is complete.
Always wear personal flotation when boating.
