Intro and a Southern Sabalo

[3rdcoastkayak]

Consider this a bit of an introduction. I am a south Louisiana guy and I like making my own stuff. So naturally, when I realized I "needed" a kayak, the search began. Since I am not a housewife from the 1950's, no offense to them, but tupperware kayaks just never gave me that warm fuzzy. So, I am going to be building technically my second boat. The first, built many years ago, was a traditional painted Cajun pirogue with only a very vague set of plans to go on. That little wobbly thing has given up the ghost years ago, yet we still have an abundance of water nearby. So, I have decided to build the JEM Sabalo 12 SOT. With all her parts, should be a piece of cake for a first build, right? I am trying to quickly finish the small honey-do's and prep my already too small and stuffed shop for a kayak build. The 4mm Okoume purchased recently on a trip to Houston is crying out from its flat resting position in storage. It is begging to be marked, cut, and stitched into shape. That said, I have NO experience building kayaks or fiber glassing. After reading many of the posts here, I figure you are the right group of people to slide up next too. Plus, after lurking for quite a while, reading threads here and on the JEM site, I figure finally posting will hold me to my word of actually building this thing. I only posted here first because it seems a bit more active, but I fully intend to post build pics, along with any questions on both forums. Maybe one day we will meet out somewhere, and hopefully I am paddling a Sabalo 12 SOT built with my own three hands.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Welcome aboard, 3C. You’ll enjoy building with Okoume. And, you’ll enjoy Matt’s boats from JEM. Paddling a boat that you built yourself is one of the most fulfilling things you can do with your clothes on.

 

[jdupre']

South Louisiana is my neck of the woods, too. I'm about 35 miles south of Baton Rouge. I too started with a wobbly painted pirogue. My life took a very welcome tangent when I met the guys on this forum. I've been on another tangent these last few years and feel the pull to build another pirogue.

Welcome aboard.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Well, guys, with two Cajuns on here, the rest of us are outnumbered

 

[oldsparkey]

Welcome to the nut house. As you said ......" I have NO experience building kayaks or fiber glassing" If the truth was to be know neither do any of us. For some unexplained reason the boats we make actually float and they even look really good.
OK , on the serious side , any questions you will have feel free to ask and I'm sure you will get an answer or possibly several answers. As I like to tell folks the worst question is the one you don't ask. Remember like you we started with our 1st boat and understand anything you could ask about. You have two good sources of information , Matt's web site and this one.

Chuck.

 

[Gamecock]

Welcome aboard. Dave.

 

[oldbuffpilot]

Welcome! Took me awhile on here to learn not to be shy about asking questions. However one warning Jack is an engineer.... as you know there's a lot of good information already posted. I found if you're getting overwhelmed with responses that aren't really answering your question try it p.m. sometimes that works great.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks, Andy. But, I’m not really an engineer. I have been a mechanic since early years. Sometimes a pretty good one, and other times . . . . . I’ve also taught college, camped out in several countries, and made home brew beer. The latter didn’t taste very good, despite being blessed by an Air Force Chaplain. But, he and I were OK with the 18% alcohol in the beer.

3C, some of the fellows on here may try to lead others astray. Not with any bad intentions, just with wandering truths, mostly about the fish that (they claim) they catch, poker winnings, how high they can jump, and other stuff like that. But, you can confidently trust me. Because, over 200 years ago, Cap’n Merriwether taught me to be honest and truthful. And I have been ever since.

 

[oldsparkey]

Jack said...." I have been a mechanic since early years "
I always thought MECHANIC was the term for the Mobs Hit Man.
Like he said .... I can see him not being very good at it. Especially considering anyone that takes shots at a poor old rabbit , missing all the time , only to do the rabbit in by throwing a Cucumber .......

 

[Kayak Jack]

Not a hit man. My kinda mechanic fixes mechanical type things. Lots of’em. F-100s were my most favorites. Volkswagen bugs and handcrank ice cream freezers are next.

The wabbit hunter is Elmer Fudd. I’m still a fan of Bugs, Elmer, Yosemite Sam, Speedy Gonzales, Foghorn Bighorn, and anything else that Mel Blank ever did. My new plane will be named the “WABbit Chaser” in honor of Bugs and Elmer. The first one was named the “Ruptured Duck” in honor of the Tokyo Raiders. God, rest their souls.

Bagging a rabbit - a Michigan cottontail - with a cuke is a true story. I figure that it’s a Boone and.Crockett record.

 

[mike]

Howdy, 3C!

I'll be looking forward to following your build with lots of pictures.

Mike

 

[beekeeper]

The 4mm Okoume purchased recently on a trip to Houston is crying out from its flat resting position in storage..................

Happy to watch you posting your boat build on here.
May I ask what store did you buy the marine plywood?

Thanks,
beekeeper

 

[3rdcoastkayak]

I purchased it from Clark's Hardwood in Houston. 4mm about $63 per sheet. They actually had 3mm as well.

 

[beekeeper]

Thanks for the info. I would be interested in how much the boat will weigh. Specifications indicate it is about 7 lbs. per sheet less than 1/4" pine bc.

 

[Kayak Jack]

The 4mm on the bottom, and 3mm on the sides could be a good combo?

 

[3rdcoastkayak]

I'll try to weigh a full sheet before I cut them all, just to see. I still have two full ones left, marked but uncut. I will let you all know.

 

[3rdcoastkayak]

I weighed the sheets this morning. Both sheets weighed 11 1/4 lbs. The average size was right at 3.8 mm, measured in several locations along both sheets. I do plan on weighing the finished boat and will let you know how that turns out.

 

[beekeeper]

The chart I saw said 13 lbs. for 4mm, so it was close. Will you be using most of the two sheets? It will be interesting to see how much weight the glass and epoxy might add.
PS: I'm not trying to start the "to glass or not to glass" debate. I am just curious.

 

[3rdcoastkayak]

I think I saw a chart that said 12lbs, but yes, close considering the process they use to make plywood. I think there will be more scraps on these two sheets than on the last two. But now you have me wanting to weigh the scraps once all the pieces are cut out. Probably will now.

I did plan on glassing inside and out with 6oz, but I am open to suggestion on the inside from more experienced builders and paddlers. It is South Louisiana, with stumps, cypress knees, oyster beds after all. I want strength but not excessive weight.

 

[beekeeper]

6 oz. inside and out is kind of standard. I am not the one to ask about using fiberglass but I would suggest a protective bottom coating for use around oyster beds or other abrasive objects (boat ramps etc.). What weight glass do the plans call for? 4 mm seems pretty thin so I would not skimp on the glass unless building an ultralight boat is your primary goal.

I'm confused about the sheets you weighed. Where they whole sheets 4' X 8' ? You said "more scrapes on these two", so how many sheets are needed for the build total?