Some Detail of Construction...

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My own version of the CANDU-EZ is a little less than 2/3 complete as of November '96 and is budgeted for a total cost of approximately $6500 (includes the costs of the inboard diesel, but not any additional electronic gadgetry or marine transmission which is still TBD). I upgraded many of the building materials, so this cost is probably higher than would be expected.

I began the project Fall of '94 working in what spare time I could manage and hope to complete it in mid '97. A gung-ho backyard boatbuilder could undoubtedly build the boat much faster than I, maybe in six or eight months of weekend work. But then again, if you're not as much interested in the process of building a boat as in actually having a boat, you'd probably be having someone else build the boat as a full time project.

The construction sequence, in a nutshell, is:

Step one:

A bottom panel for the boat is built by mating four 8'x4' half inch plywood sheets together to form a 8'x16' sheet. From this, the bottom panel is cut out (sort of an oval shape aft, v-shape forward). Strips of 1/2" plywood are epoxied to the top of the panel along its periphery to form a 1" thick chine log. Bulkhead members for the cabin wall and rear seat are also epoxied to the top of the panel along two station lines. A plywood stiffener is added over the prop area.

Step two:

The bottom panel is flipped over and a hollow main keel is built. Two daughter keels are also built from solid wood to add stiffness. The entire bottom of the bottom panel is sheathed in fiberglass and epoxy and painted.

Step three:

The bottom is flipped over and supported on blocks. A plumb stem is installed, the chine logs are beveled. Forward side panels are cut from 1/4" plywood and installed with the aid of plywood jigs. Portions of the deck are next installed to aid in holding the proper shape to the forward side panels.

Step four:

In the aft section, a sort-of semi-oval rub rail is built from four laminations of 1/2" plywood. A similar piece is built from two laminations of 1/2" plywood to form a base stiffener for the gunwale. The rub rail and gunwale stiffener are held in place with temporary plywood jigs. Aft side panels are then cut from 1/4" plywood and installed using the chine log, rub rail and gunwale stiffener to obtain the correct radius and angles to the aft panels.

Step five:

The side panels are sheathed in fiberglass and epoxy and then painted.

Step six:

The mahogany gunwale cap is built up in fitted blocks and cut and ground fair. The inboard engine is installed.

More to come...

As my version of the CANDU-EZ progresses, I'll fill in more steps and update the construction photos on the ../photos.htm link on the previous page.

The plans available from Berkeley Engineering (source on previous page) are very well detailed and easily followed. I haven't yet encountered any errors in the plans. Purchase a set of plans if you're looking around for a boat of this type - they are worth the cost (in my opinion anyway - and no, I'm not in any way associated with Berkeley Engineering, just a backyard boat builder pleased with the plans.)

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