This page will hopefully chronicle the building of the Flats Stalker 18 from Bateau.com, a plywood composite skiff intended for chasing redfish in extremely shallow water. This will be my first foray into both boat building and web pages. Wish me luck! The posts on this page will only display with the most recent at the top, so if you want to start at the beginning, scroll down to the bottom and work your way up. The archive on the right is in chronological order, however. Most of the pictures can be clicked for a larger image. Feel free to leave comments by clicking the Comments link at the bottom of each post.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

New Build Space

Well, after a few months of inactivity, I've finally started setting up a new build space. To the determined few who still check the site, I admire your dedication. I think that I got 8 hits today, but you eight people rule. Especially you, guy from Croatia. Yeah, you know who you are. You're awesome.

About the space. Up until now, I had the boat in a spot next to my mom's house that was just too exposed to the weather for my tastes. Not that I've had time to work on it while we're adjusting to our new life/jobs/house/etc, but it got wet in the rain and was exposed to dirt and UV (UV breaks down unprotected epoxy for those not in the know). Fortunately, a spot at my dad's warehouses opened up and he let me have it for free. And by a spot, I mean a Cavern of Rock that laughs in my old garage's face and then steals its girlfriend.


I could build a 40' sportfisher in there. No more sucking in my gut and inching around the boat trying not to get epoxy all over the front of my shirt. Maybe I'll build a pocket bike track around the boat to keep occupied while epoxy sets.........


Yeah. Feel it.

Don't think that the Cap'n isn't still around either. He's been hanging out on my porch staring me in the face every time I leave to go to work in the morning. Displeased to say the least. Now he has a new perch to hurl insults down from.

"Arrrgh. Your boat be crap me boy."

He's happiest when he can be surly. Hopefully, all this means that I will start making some progress. Money is really tight, but I enough material left over to get me started at least. I've also been able to poach some materials off a jobsite or two. Updates as soon I get something done.

5 comments:

Frank said...

Holy crap that is a big space! I nearly fell off my chair this morning when google reader informed me that you finally posted an update. Glad to see Capn. Gnarly back in a position to hurl insults at the weary. Keep on rocking, and if you ever take 6 months to update again I will not stop the Captain from beating you with a rusty chain. Oh and give Stef my best. Out.

Anonymous said...

If you get motivated you could be the 1st one to splash an FS18!

Glad to see you're getting back in the groove of boat building.

Nice shop space. I'm still sucking in my gut & tearing my shorts on the corners of everything.

-Bob

CH said...

You had better be working on that boat in this rain son!

Frank said...

As official bateau lurkmaster, I haven't seen any comments from you on the forums. Did you see the pics of the first FS18 splashed?

Elie said...

Indeed I did, and I have to admit that I'm pretty jealous. It looks great. Can't wait for a detailed performance report. I've been working on the boat little by little. I have the stringers glassed in and am now trying to scrounge PVC from job sites to run chases for electric and gas lines. Then I can put the frames in and add the flotation foam. The winter up here is colder than I thought and it makes epoxy work slow. The absence of the Flatsstalker Army has really slowed progress too. It's amazing how much longer it takes when you're working alone. I'll report as soon as I can get some decent pics.