Building the U-95

[Jim Walters]

I'm getting ready to build the 1974 U-95. I was thinking of building the frame from a combo of 1/8" ply and rohcell sandwiched with fiberglass. Then skinning the boat with a fiberglass sheet skin. Has anyone done this and if so, what thickness of fiberglass sheet did you use for the decks and such? My thinking is that the fiberglass sandwich for bulkheads and sheet for deck would be lighter and stronger than ply. Any thoughts?

 

[P THOMAS]

Unless you have somekind of expierence using those materials you will probally have a boat that weighs a ton but it will be strong.

The bulkheads can be only1 /16 ply, the front to back engine wells and sponson keels should be 1/8th ply. the Main bulkhead accross the rear of the front sponsons can be 1/4 ply. Decks usually are 1/16 ply. This will be plenty strong and if done right will be a light boat.

1/16 ply is a whole lot eaiser to work with than any fiberglass materials. You will have problems getting good glue joints using fiberglass sheets. Wood will soak up glue into joints better. OH and wood floats so you dont have to add foam flotation.

PHIL T

 

[Jim Walters]

I started to build a boat about 10 years ago and got it skinned and almost ready for paint.. but never finished it and sold it.. it was a wood frame from newton plans but the skin was some of the Ron Jones Fiberglass skin. Was very easy to work with and could see thru to know where to glue and such. It was very flexible and light.. From what i hear, the G-10 material is about the same stuff. Was thinking that for the skin. Any thoughts?

 

[myrcbud]

Jim, do you know where I can get some of that Jones skin? or does it even excist?

<_< Sorry do you know if it's still buyable?

 

[Jim Walters]

When i got it, i went down to his shop in Kent, WA. Ordered it up and then a week or so later went to pick it up. Not sure if his shop still exists. I've tried to look but no luck. Maybe someone here might know.. i think when i got it the first time it was a 4x4 sheet for like 60 bucks.. From the descriptions i think the G-10 is very similar.

 

[myrcbud]

Jim, you wouldn't happen to know what the thickness was on the sheets

 

[Jay Stone]

G-10 is being used now in some riggers. Roadrunner boats are now coming with G-10 sponsons.

I think the tricky part to G-10 is getting it to adhere to the bulkheads. Not sure what proper adhesion techniques need to be used..

Jim, you wouldn't happen to know what the thickness was on the sheets

 

[Jim Walters]

When i used the Ron Jones Material on the other boat, I used 3M Scotch-Weld. It worked very well and I didn't notice any pulling apart of joints. It will stick to pretty much anything and it waterproof and still somewhat flexible even when fully cured... The thickness of the stuff i used before was probably 2 plys.. I'd say mabye .015 to .020.

 

[wingnut]

isn't that the technique don mock used in his video on building a scale hydro?

 

[Rich Jones]

Yep, he even used it for bulkheads (not transom, sponson transoms, or engine well/sponson sides). In some cases he used a honeycomb material sandwiched w/ resin and cloth. I think his boat came in at around 13.5 pounds if I remember right.

Would you be able to replicate this material by maybe taking a piece of glass and coating it w/ release material, then add some resin and six oz cloth? Maybe a couple of plys?

 

[hgatjens]

Yep, he even used it for bulkheads (not transom, sponson transoms, or engine well/sponson sides). In some cases he used a honeycomb material sandwiched w/ resin and cloth. I think his boat came in at around 13.5 pounds if I remember right.

Would you be able to replicate this material by maybe taking a piece of glass and coating it w/ release material, then add some resin and six oz cloth? Maybe a couple of plys?

Since Ron Jones Jr's shop closed down Don has been making the sheeting himself. I know he won't make it to sell, but you might email him to find out how he does it.

[email protected]

 

[Hurricane]

I got mine from Troy, and got it in a couple of weeks, last year. He'll make it to what ever thickness and weight you want

 

[Jim Walters]

Also.. Does anyone have any pictures of this boat? I have a couple but are far shots. Any help would be great.

thanks

Jim

 

[Jim Walters]

I got my plans from roger newton and had a couple of questions on his dimensions.. What are the most important dims as far as width and length? His plan shows a tunnel width of 10" and on the Master Hull roster it shows from 9-11".. Would it run better with a wider tunnel? If there is anyone that has modified plans for better preformance please let me know..

 

[Advance_United]

Jim,

I sent you an e-mail with a couple of photos attached. One is a pretty big file, I hope it gets transmitted.

Bob Heywood

Dayton, OH

 

[Jim Walters]

Thanks bob! That is a great help! I live in about 30 miles from the hydro museum and might go down and take a peek. I hear they have the gearbox from the original boat!

 

[Jim Walters]

So would you recommend 1 or 2 or more layers of the 6oz. cloth? I want it to be strong but also flexible to allow contours on the boat. I would need a couple of 2x4 ft. sheets so i would need to find a 2x4 piece of plexiglass.. shouldn't be to hard..

Thanks

Jim

 

[WikiWiki1]

Jim, I made several small test pieces with different weight and types of materials so I could figure out how thick each one was as well as the surface smoothness. then I layed up

the ones I wanted into sheets for diferent applications throughout the hull. Most were around .030"-.050" thickness. I think you could go thinner but I didn't want to under do it.

Brent

 

[Jim Walters]

Could you share your formulations with me? That would save alot of time when it comes to doing it. I will probably use all wood for framing and possibly bottom.. but the other surfaces i'd like to make the glass. I'm looking for roughly the same as in the mock video.. and what i got previously.. I don't remember how many plys it was but was flexible in all directions and easy to work with. I could cut it with heavy shears and it looked great! thanks..

 

[WikiWiki1]

Jim, you have PM.

Brent B)