Punt project

[Stu_000]

Thought I'd post up a thread which will demonstrate how a complete novice puts together a punt from almost scratch. Perhaps some of you out there may learn some valuable lessons from my mistakes and hopefully some triumphs. Also want to give a few retailers a plug for their help too.


Its a 3.5m Quintrex

Warren had already had the hull painted, the top of the front seat removed and all internal welding done which has saved me a considerable amount of time and money ($550 and cheap at that). For those who may have missed it pics are here.

http://www.breammaster.com/forum/sho...threadid=10893

I guess I'm in sourcing stage atm

Livewell

Today got hold a near perfect sized polystyrene foam box from Foam Sales in Norma Road Booragoon (thanks JP and Mim for that info and other tips from their thread) for $30. About 65L all up, I calculate.

Because I'm using styro, epoxy resin is needed. It's a lot more expensive than standard fibreglass but $121.21 got me enough cloth and two pac resin for 2 coats outside and 3 inside. This was from Fibreglass and Resin Sales in Kew St Welshpool.

I have been researching the plumbing for the livewell. I already have a nitrile inline pump to fill it and I want a combo aerator/pump out system as well. More on that later. A full system including a full auto 1 on 3 off is about $500.

Decks

I'm using 12mm standard ply for the decks and covering them with blue carpet free from Don. Cheers again for that. Haven't worked out what to use to stick that down yet. They of course need to be estapoled several times after being cut to shape. More on that later too. Ply cost $110 and estapol cost $55 for 4L. Also some acetone for F/G cleanup $8 and brushes $19. Carpet adhesive $41.80 for 4L.

Trailer

I picked a 6x4 about a year ago for the princely sum of $100. This was licenced and in reasonable nick for a '73. As you may notice from the above thread Mark kindly offered the cradle pictured for 6 fsb's of good quality. Gratefully accepted Mark and thanks to you too. After some modifications and a bit of angle grinding and about $30 worth of rubber from Clark rubber, and a larger roller on the front $10, the hull sits nicely on the trailer. One thing I will say, I think a 3.5 hull is about as big as you would want on a 6x4. The bow nearly hangs over the boot of the car. Still haven't worked out how to secure it on the horizontal plane yet. Even with two reasonable tie-downs I wouldn't want a trip down south towing it yet.

Switch panel, hinges, livewell tiedowns $65

I've spent $2195.01 so far........... and it looks the same still

I'll keep you posted on the costs as they develop

All input and criticism most welcome

Budget $6,000 which includes leccy, outboard, sounder, chair etc

[Stu_000]

How's everyone been attaching their casting decks? Just screwing down through the carpet? There was talk of this breaking the waterproof seal? Any help would be appreciated.

[brad mcdonald]

hi stu,

with my punt i had to keep everything lift out as it double as a cartoper for freshwater work in the warren / black wood and donnely down south, and there is just no way a trailer will get down some of the "tracks" we are using for access. not to mention that launching is usualy done by sliding the boat down the bank with a rope so the trailer option is no good there....

for what its worth i have put some blocks on the bottoms of the decks which lock it in place over tht thwart seats....

brad

[breamN2wheels]

hey stu. i bought everything for my punt to be set up yesterday exept the wood. and im already $350 in det so if anyone has any spar wood that would be greatly appresiated , i have the waterproof sealler as well.

(dont worry bout it if you dont want to part with it i just wonderd if there was any left over after your punt)

james

[brad mcdonald]

hey james,

somthing the guy at bunnings told me re the plywood, which ended up saving me a heap of money was this....

marine ply and structural play are almost identical, the only diferance being that marine ply is a higher grade. ie looks better. so i figured that seeing as i was going to cover it with carpet anyway there better looking grade did not matter... so i went the structural ply option which was less that half the price of marine ply.

he may have fedd me a line, but the decks are going on 6mths old and still no sight of anything going wrong even after a far soaking on my trip to albany, tooka couple of days to dry out once i got home.

i'm sure someone else would have some more info, just thought i'd throw the idea out there.

brad

[Stu_000]

Brad that ties in with everything I've heard. I bought the structural stuff for $55 a sheet. 3 coats of estapol should be good enough and with the carpet over the top who would know the difference? Can you post up some pics how you did it Brad? ie how they lock into place?

James when you say spar wood what are you after? My punt has all the welding done so I don't need spars or much reinforcement. You are welcome to anything I have left over, but looking at it yesterday I may even need more than 2 sheets of ply, if I want to do the job properly.

I would like to keep the floor "lift out" but I do want to keep in place. More ideas out there?

[brad mcdonald]

hi stu,

i'll se if i can sort out some pics this weekend.

basical i screwed blocks to the under side of the deck at the same distance apart as the width of the thwart seat, so the u shape under the deck just drops over the seat. it still moved a bit so i doubled the height of the blocks and that did the trick no more moving around. the fit is sung. to the extent that i have tap or bang the deck into position. so unless i flip or capsize its not going to move.

the other advantage is with the deck on top of the seats the stability has not been stuffed up up as much as if i built it right up to the top of the gunwale - i think thats the right term - basicaly right up to the top of the sides....

brad

[Stu_000]

That sounds like a great idea. You can see from the pic that it wouldn't be to hard to do the same with this one. Food for thought indeed. Thanks Brad

[Stu_000]

The other idea I had was to convert some of the space behind the front seat (livewell) into storage and perhaps put a seat mount there to balance the boat better. That, however, will need more structural support as there is no rod welded there. This would leave enough room to put your feet when using the outboard but create extra lockers. Still haven't worked out how to streghthen the ply to support the seat, mount and my body weight tho

[breamN2wheels]

thanx for all the help Stu and Brad M, i will go buy some regualar ply probly like you suggested cant wait till its done if your at the albany round ill see you there

james

(p.s sweet looking punt you got there)

[Baldy-Tas]

I reckon your spot on Brad, from what ive heard ya pay all that extra $$$ for the word "marine"

Obviously remember to seal up where you cut it[easy to forget] and habib's your uncle


Cheers
Baldy

[Stu_000]

Thought I'd post an update. Decks are cut and three coats of estapol are on.............

[Stu_000]

Another angle

[Stu_000]

storage

[Stu_000]

more storage