New Build Aircraft 5.4

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 19:20

After building hundreds of my own fast fishing boats (for customers). And still no openings to build myself one. I realised that the only way i will own a boat was either to buy one. Or build a RIB, using Liverpool Power Boats Aircraft Moulds.

So here goes....

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 19:28

These next pics are of the hull gelcoated in International Orange.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 19:35

Lets add some glass.

I normally use a skincoat of 300g csm but on this hull i have used 450g csm with pigmented resin.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 20:06

The 2 lower chines are reinforced with woven roving and csm prior to being filled with a filler filled with chopped strands. Pic 3 shows the effect of working with grp from a young age. In pic 4 the 1st layers of the structure on the tube rail onto the hull are laminated.

alexm · 30 June 2007, 20:09

Quality thread!

One thing I've always wondered... how do you apply the gelcoat to the mould uniformly? Is it sprayed on? And how do you judge the right thickness? Several coats?

Biggles · 30 June 2007, 20:19

Always nice to see how a boat is built. Keep the piccies flowing.

NR.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 20:21

On the transom we use Komplex combination fabric which has 600wr/450csm stitched. This comes off the transom onto the vee of the hull. The extra glass along the keel is their cause the boats for me..... Then the rest of the hull is laminated overlapping the along the outer spray rail by approx 8 inches.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 20:41

Applying the gelcoat.

Depending on what mouldings that i am building, some i brush on. But i spray mostly now. I brush gel the ring deck (top mouding) on the fishing boats because of the narrow cavities. I don't use a gauge to measure the thickness as some do, its just experience i think.....

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 20:50

The internal structure now goes in use premade grp boxes and a tube which will carry the steering and control cables. These are then fully glassed into place along with the transom ply being sandwiched in place.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 20:57

The knees are then glued, screwed and bonded into place before being totally encapsulated with glass. As this will now be a seen part of the finished boat, it is done in pigmented resin. Under the floors are then flocoated and prepared for the floor.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 21:15

Using 18mm ply, the floor is cut to shape, dry fitted and then bonded and screwed to the boxes and any gaps are filled with pu foam. the edges are then glassed and filled leveled before being laminated fully using 2 layers with no joints in the glass

i hate seeing joints in grp on floors.... The outer tube rail has its last layers laminated in place whilst the floor glass was still wet.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 21:28

Hull now finished and ready to release from mould.

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 21:34

Now its out of the mould i can tidy up the exposed parts that couldn't be done whilst in the mould. The drain is drilled out for the trunk and the tubed is sikaflexed into place. And from inside the hull i glassed into the tube. The top of the transom is trimmed and sanded and a layer of glass and tissue placed over the top.

Downhilldai · 30 June 2007, 21:39

Great thread.

How many hours went into this job?
Who's doing the toobs for you? A toob building thread would be good....

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 21:41

As i have have been lent a console mould to make a jockey console (thanks Mike). This will do till them nice guys at

Eurocraft

have put them long rubbery things on. I have flocoated the transom and along the edges so i won't get any flocoat on the Tubes. All trimmed, sanded and ready to go. The Console and 2 Seat Pods were gelled yesterday and wiil be made this week. Pics to follow....

Endeavour · 30 June 2007, 21:47

How many hours.

Well am not the quickest in the world, but i no its 110% right. A standard Aircraft 5.4 is approx 60hrs, but this one will be more like 80hrs.

Over the next few weeks i will start a thread of building the 6.8 and 7.8mtr Aircrafts. Then people can see how well these are built.

Looking at these pics i can say that i do a damn good job.

Hugh Jardon · 01 July 2007, 08:04

very iteresting to see and how it is done, it looks like the aircraft will be very fast as it seems to have a very shallow v or is that photo misleading

great to see it step by step

keelhauled · 01 July 2007, 09:32

Yeah keep the photos coming. You can see from the views the interest is there. Well done on a class job.

IBWET · 01 July 2007, 10:12

This is first class,

A lot of my questions as to how it's done are being answered.

How do you know where to accurately find the end of the under floor cable tunnel? also how do you make it watertight?

Be a bugger to drill through your 18mm and find your in the wrong place

Hightower · 01 July 2007, 10:22

I like these type of threads, keep the pics comming. I'll tell you what though! That's one of the cleanest workshops used for Fibreglassing that I've seen.

Thought you might glass in a fuel tank? I guess it'll be console or seat installed?