At this point, the cabin is partially completed. The boat is ready for the wiring and installing the console, fuel tanks and engine. For power either a 4 stroke 90hp Honda or the new 90hp Evinrude will be used. The boat will be rigged for bay shrimping and will be used also for cruising the intercoastal canals. The cabin plan has been modified somewhat heightwise (I am 6'5") and am thinking about a soft top vice hardtop. I recently became aware of C grade or #1 southern yellow pine, pressure treated kdat (kiln dried after treatment) that I am using on the cabin. I don't know how epoxy encapsulation is going to work on pressure treated lumber but I'll sure let you all know. Most of the Fir available here on the Gulf Coast is pig pen stuff unless you pay an awful price.
A couple of months before the project started I sunk a couple of boxes, 1 of AA 1/2' fir and 1 of 1/2' bc yellow pine. Both were encapsulated with epoxy resin. After about 6 months both were in good shape except for barnacles and slime. I had read several articles of boatbuilders using syp, its readily available here on the gulf coast and cheap compared to other boatbuilding materials. I am sending some snap shots (not very good quality) that may be of interest. I am a first time boat builder and am interested in a good serviceable boat that will be used for shrimping, fishing and cruising the intercoastal canal and maybe a trip occasionally offshore. Its been 7 years since I decided to build the Hunky Dory and the worst part was seriously getting started. The boat was built outside and located about 12' from the water and suffered damage several times from hurricanes and tropical storms but I had no other place to locate it nearby. The inside of the hull was painted with Mothane, a catalyzed polyurthane,its a new product to me. Building the boat outside, I tried to protect it as much as possible in the high humidity here on the Gulf Coast. I welcome any comments or advice.
Harold Cobb