Kev's ML Boatworks GSX380 build

[Speed810]

Well pretty much finished up my GSX310...its now ready for prime and paint, just waiting on some warmer temps.

Meantime decide to do my first customer build for one of our guys at MMEU. Thought what the heck...I'll put it on here so he can keep track of the build. I have already built one of these GSX380's and the 310 which are actually great kits to build. These are also good first time builder kits...its almost impossible to not build them straight. Biggest thing I have noticed is make sure and keep the hull weighted down on your work surface until the skins are in place and sealed. The hull can acquire a slight twist if its not weighted on a flat surface especially with changing temps and humidity.

In any case I am building this boat basically to a finished prime and paint stage. All the hardware will be mounted and the hull sealed. Kev is going to finish off the motor mounting, stuffing tube and plumbing. He is also going to finish the prime and paint to match the rest of his fleet....

Picked up the kit last Sunday and started right in with the center section that night. Pretty much completed the initial center section that night. One thing that I have noticed is that these 380 kits do not have the 1/2" doweling included in the kit, so you will need at least a 24" piece of 1/2" dowel. My 310 had all the required doweling.

Did some initial sanding on the center section to square up the front and sand flat the sides. Then installed the dowels that I picked up at a local hardware store.

Last night was spent pre-fitting the sponson bulk heads and major tie in stringers. Then squaring and gluing everything up for both sides. So things are moving along.....hoping to have the boat complete by the end of next month.

Tonight I'll be adding the rest of the sponson stringers and preparing the sponsons for assembly to the center section.

[Speed810]

Finished up some more today.

Sponsons all laid up with stringers, then assembled the sponsons permanently to the center section.
The air bleed skins were then added. Cut, sanded to fit and epoxied the nose center section blocks. Had a little work to do with the air dam blocks. They certainly didn't fit like my first 380. So had a little design work to do in order for everything to fit correctly. Also this is the second kit that either had the wrong size sticks or not enough stick stock to complete everything. But I bought a lot of basswood sticks for stocking my shop....:) My suggestion would be to order a few more 1/4sq and 1/8sq to finish the everything.

Still a great kit....everything actually fits extremely well.

Will be starting the skins tomorrow, foam install and interior sealing.

[Speed810]

Completed more this week...its getting close.

Completed the bottom sponson skins and glass cloth / epoxy work on the inside of each sponson. Installed the turn fin bracket then completed the install of foam flotation.

Cut the 1/8" aluminum transom plate and installed the strut. Still waiting for confirmation on the rudder assembly before installing. Its the bigger scale dual pick up rudder....just wasn't sure that is what we wanted to use.

Installed the support pieces for the 2 hatches and cut and fit the front canopy.

Just finished installing the left top sponson skin. I'll finish up the right sponson tomorrow. Then its completing the fill fairings, sanding, sealing and more sanding.......

[pescador]

Thanks for the build pics I'm putting together a nitro version.


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[Shooter]

Looking good, Mike. Wow, that is some fairly complex geometry on the bottom of the sponsons. Very cool!

[Speed810]

Looking good, Mike. Wow, that is some fairly complex geometry on the bottom of the sponsons. Very cool!

Thanks Pete....actually a pretty easy build. As long as you keep everything square the sponsons are a pretty good build. Have the top skins done. I'll tell you what has really helped a lot in all my builds is your idea on heating the skin sheets and pre-bending them to fit the curves. Much easier to epoxy them in place without all the stress and tension on the sheeting. Plus I would think it helps to not add any additional twist in the hull.
Thanks for the tip....:)

[Speed810]

Thanks for the build pics I'm putting together a nitro version.


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Your welcome....feel free to post some of your boat pics. It would be interesting to see the nitro side of things.

[Speed810]

OK....finished up the top skins on the sponsons and gave it an initial rough sanding. Next will be fairing in all the inside edge seams and the sponson tips.

Then its off to a final sanding and 1st sealing coat. Still toying with the idea of sealing this boat with the 3 Systems Rot Fix that I found about earlier this week. So far thru research I have been finding that this product really works well, a lot lighter than epoxy and sands down so much easier. It is quite a bit thinner than epoxy so it really soaks into the wood pores a lot better. But since this is a customers boat will need to get their take on it....don't want to be experimenting on their boat....LOL

Should be finished up by next weekend.

[785boats]

Beautiful work Mike.
I love watching wooden boats come together.

[longballlumber]

I used the clear coat product from Systems Three as an alternative to West on a hull last winter... I liked it alot. However, because it was MUCH thinner it required more coats.

https://www.systemthree.com/collecti...minating-epoxy

[pescador]

Your welcome....feel free to post some of your boat pics. It would be interesting to see the nitro side of things.

Thanks, I built a radio box to get the motor close to the front, put the rudder servo in a box at the back, and had some saddle tanks made. Its kind of on hold right now I'm trying to finally finish up this electric 1/8 scale hopefully in time for the Vegas Nats. But fishing season is coming soon too lol.

[Speed810]

I used the clear coat product from Systems Three as an alternative to West on a hull last winter... I liked it alot. However, because it was MUCH thinner it required more coats.

https://www.systemthree.com/collecti...minating-epoxy

Hi Mike....Do you have some estimates on dry/cure time for the clear coat before sanding...etc? Looking at the specs it was talking 72 hours or better to full cure?

Thanks

[Speed810]

Beautiful work Mike.
I love watching wooden boats come together.

Your right Paul...I love watching these boats take form. My passion is the shaping and sanding to get everything uniform.

BTW....You built one of Mikes 8255's did you? Was it an 1/8 or 1/10 scale? That's my next personal project....:)

[Speed810]

Thanks, I built a radio box to get the motor close to the front, put the rudder servo in a box at the back, and had some saddle tanks made. Its kind of on hold right now I'm trying to finally finish up this electric 1/8 scale hopefully in time for the Vegas Nats. But fishing season is coming soon too lol.

Very cool Brian.... Have not even ventured into nitro boats....LOL Nitro engines just give me fits...:)

So I see your building Mike's 8255 kit.....How is that going together? What motor are you planning on running? That is the hull I was thinking on building for another 1/8 scale build in the KIWS boat.

I built Mike's 171 extreme 1/8 scale boat in the Orange/White Miss Elam a 1 1/2 yr ago. It turned out really nice, but a bit on the heavy side. Running the NEU 1527 1.5Y on 10S. Its probably a low 50's boat, but going to try a few new ABC props to see if I can get a bit more out of it. The NATS in Vegas sounds like a great trip. Was almost thinking of driving out there and hauling the 5th wheel with at least 2 or 3 boats.

If you have a thread going on your 1/8 scale build let me know.

Mike

[pescador]

The Executone is going pretty well, it was on the shelf for awhile because there was only one other boat in the district. But I think there will be three now. I have a Q Sport that I've never raced yet too.
I was lucky with nitro the guys in the club have been great helping me learn the "black art" of nitro tuning. Some of the guys have been doing it for 30 years.
My boat might be a little heavy too I used a lot of epoxy fillets. I have a 1527 1.5Y for it and was planning on 10s as well.
Sounds like about a dozen of us and wives are hoping to make it to Vegas from Edmonton and Calgary. I made a reservation at the Oasis campground near the race site for our motorhome and we'll have to figure out who can pull a trailer for all our boats and stuff.
I have a bunch of pics in my photobucket you should be able to see here:
http://s4.photobucket.com/user/Pesca...?sort=3&page=1


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[785boats]

Your right Paul...I love watching these boats take form. My passion is the shaping and sanding to get everything uniform.

BTW....You built one of Mikes 8255's did you? Was it an 1/8 or 1/10 scale? That's my next personal project....:)

I built two of them for two different club members. They were both 1/8th scale. A nice hull to build. You will enjoy it.

[longballlumber]

Hi Mike....Do you have some estimates on dry/cure time for the clear coat before sanding...etc? Looking at the specs it was talking 72 hours or better to full cure?

Thanks

Yes, this is still an over night cure similar to West Systems. I like the Systems 3 a little better than the West because it's a little more viscous (for sealing). Because of my shop environment (basement) tends to be a little too cold for ANY epoxy to cure quickly; I have a large box lined with board foam insulation with a 60watt lite to generate the heat making a "oven" of sorts. Add in the Systems 3 stuff is a little thinner also helps with penetration into the wood.

With regards, to curing time and epoxy... I guess it's a compromise... Personally, I would rather the cure time take longer allowing the epoxy to better penetrate the wood. It's also my understanding the longer cure time epoxies tend to be stronger than the shorter cure time.

You have great modeling skills by the way!

[macomb]

OK....finished up the top skins on the sponsons and gave it an initial rough sanding. Next will be fairing in all the inside edge seams and the sponson tips.

Then its off to a final sanding and 1st sealing coat. Still toying with the idea of sealing this boat with the 3 Systems Rot Fix that I found about earlier this week. So far thru research I have been finding that this product really works well, a lot lighter than epoxy and sands down so much easier. It is quite a bit thinner than epoxy so it really soaks into the wood pores a lot better. But since this is a customers boat will need to get their take on it....don't want to be experimenting on their boat....LOL

Should be finished up by next weekend.

Looks Great Mike.....
Experiment away.......

THANKS
Kevin

[pescador]

I finally have my nitro version ready to test, have you had yours running? I'm wondering if it's going to need weight in the front with the big air trap.


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[Speed810]

I finally have my nitro version ready to test, have you had yours running? I'm wondering if it's going to need weight in the front with the big air trap.


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I'm really not sure if the nitro versions will have to be balanced the same point as the electric, but I would think you would. I have mine balanced between 1"1/8 and 1"1/4 behind the sponson heel. At that CG the boat has never come close to blowing over. The boat runs like it's on rails. If anything I'm trying to losses the boat up a bit. It really holds tight in the corners to the point it will grab and flip the boat. But slowly but surely I've been working the kinks out.

Good luck on your first couple runs. Let's us know how it goes.

Mike

[pescador]

Testing went great, a bit of fiddling with the needle and pipe length but like you say I was really surprised how planted it was. I might try a bit of strut adjustment to loosen it up but I'm pretty happy with it. I think another test session and it will replace my AC boat.


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