Example of Assembly Instructions

Here is a sampling of the on line assembly text and pics that are included with your kit.

Our instructions are very thorough. No surprises. 20 plus years of drift boat building. And 20 plus years of what to avoid. What lasts in a river environment and what does not break the budget.

Lots of text on what makes a very durable composite drift boat and lots of text on how to minimize your work load.

Safety and quality are not diminished.

This shows part of page 1. Each kit includes the complete 43 page Michigan Drift Boat Kit assembly instructions.

1.) Thank you for your purchase!

These assembly and finishing instructions are divided into numbered pages.

Its important that you assemble and finish your Michigan Drift Boat Kit in the order the pages are in.

When you start a new page read through the entire page. Look over all the pictures.

Text that is bold, italics and underlined is a link to important information. Click on it when you see them.

Paper instructions are included to show how to install stitches or zip ties. Also paper instructions showing cross sections how to Wet out, and Filler are included.

If you are using your phone to view these directions make sure to protect it with a case of some kind that covers the entire phone.

If you have prescription glasses protect them also.

Two part marine epoxy does not come off what it gets on.

Pic shows labels on the interior surfaces at the bow. "B" is the hull bottom. "C" is the starboard side. "I" is where the bow eye-bolt anchor will go. The backwards "D" is where the deck will go. Each part in the kit is labeled.

Experience says removing cured or hardened two part marine epoxy on surfaces where it does not belong is the number one time consuming labor for first time kit maker.

Drift Boat Strategies: Rowing & Fishing Skills for the Western Angler

Book by Neale Streeks.

Buy it. Read it. Learn it. Do this while you build your drift boat.

Pic shows consequence of not using tape and plastic sheeting to keep two part marine epoxy off surfaces where you do not want it. Lots and lots of unnecessary work ahead to remove.

Using blue painters Tape and Plastic Sheeting to protect surfaces where you do not marine epoxy to go is the number one labor time saver you can do.

Use tape and plastic sheeting as often as you can. It is a time and labor saver. Big time.

Call, or text with questions.

Please let us know how informative these instructions are.

What pics need to be added or removed.

What words should be removed or added.

Thank You. Mike Stacey

Page 4 from your assemble instructions

4.) Assemble Bottom B

Materials:

3 parts labeled B are the two bottom panels and the lap for the two bottom panels.

Two part marine epoxy resin and hardener. Wood flour.

Disposables: nitrile gloves, mixing sticks, mixing containers, 1" chip brushes.

Tools:

Drill, phillips bit, if that is what your deck screws use.
2 sawhorses, and temporary work surfaces. Plastic sheeting. 2'x5'.

Procedure:

All the labels on the hull bottom panels panels are on the interior surfaces of each part.

The lap has the label B on the surface that will face up.

Place plastic sheeting over the smaller temporary work surface.

Set the three bottom panel parts labeled B on the plastic sheeting on the smaller temporary work surface.

The two bottom panels labeled B will butt up against one another along the curved edges.

Note the red outline. The lap, the smaller part labeled B, will be epoxied, label B side up, to both bottom panels within the red lines after the two bottom panels are butted together.

Install temporary #6 x 1" dry wall screws as shown.

All fasteners are temporary. They will be removed after the two part marine epoxy and filler have cured or hardened for 7 days in temps above 65 degrees.

Secure screws into both bottom panel pieces and the lap.

Screws go into surfaces that are labeled.

Spacing shown is good.

Set screws into plywood just enough to hold fastener in place but not go through the part.

Their should be plastic sheeting or wax paper covering the 1' x 4' temporary work surface. You do not want to epoxy the bottom panel to your work surface.

Set one of the two bottom panel pieces labeled B on the 1 x 4 work surface. Centered. Drive the fasteners to hold the piece secure in place.

Set the second botom panel labeled B about 1" from the first.

Set the lap piece nearby.

Wet out the surfaces of the three parts that will join.

Oops. Sorry no pic of the bottom panels or lap wet out.

Wet out the surfaces within the red lines and 1" beyond the red lines.

The lap is wet out on the side that is not labeled B.

Also wet out the two edges of the bottom panels that will butt against one another.

Mix up some Filler. Apply a two paper sheet thick amount of filler over the three wet out surfaces.

Also, add a bit of filler to one of the two edges that will butt against one another.

Butt the second bottom panel labeled B against the first.

Make sure the plastic sheeting does not bunch up between the two panels when you butt one against the other.

Ensure a snug fit.

Secure the second bottom panel in place driving the screws into and through the temporary work surfaces.

When the epoxy squeezes out that means there are no air pockets. A solid joint.

Remove and reserve the excess epoxy.

Set the lap labeled B between the red lines.

When we epoxy the lap in place, it will be about 1/8" in from both edges.

Secure the lap with the temporary screws. Ensure a snug fit.

Use excess filler to create a smooth sloped surface along the edges of the lap.

Remove all excess filler along the ends of the lap. We need a filler free surface at the two ends of the lap.

Some people say use acetone and wipe away unneeded epoxy. DO NOT. Acetone is harsh on plywood.

Here is a big time and labor saver. Take time here to remove excess filler.

Cured filler is harder than rock hard and a bear to sand or remove. So take time to remove all excess epoxy.

I always tell everyone check three times for excess filler.

Leave bottom B fastened in place on the temporary work surfaces and allow the marine epoxy to cure for 7 days with temps above 65 degrees.

After 7 days remove all fasteners.

With a 4" hand grinder remove any excess filler that we missed.

With 80 grit sandpaper and a good random orbit sander, smooth any rough filler.

Drill, remove any excess epoxy or filler that gets into any stitch holes.

The forward edge of the lap is very close to a line of stitch holes that run side to side.

Remove, drill out, all cured excess epoxy that may be in those stitch holes.

Never sand plywood. Sand epoxy and filler.

Later we will barrier coat the deck, deck support, and four bench seat parts.

Save your temporary work surfaces to use when barrier coating those parts.

Page 7 from your assembly instructions

7.) Stitch Side A to Bottom B

Materials:

Side panel A, and bottom panel B. Zip or cable ties.

Tools:

2 sawhorses. Zip or cable ties.

Please take a look at the paper instructions provided.

Procedure:

The drawings show the proper installation of stitches, or zip ties or cable ties. All the same thing.

This pic shows a zip tie that has been stitched through two matching holes along the side and bottom joint.

The zip tie has been tightened to tight.

Three or four fingers should fit in the loop formed by the zip tie.

At first keep all the zip ties three to four fingers loose.

We will need to move each piece back and forth a bit as we stitch together the different parts.

After all parts are stitched together than we do some measuring and line up all the edges.

Than we will tighten the zip ties.

When you start stitching side A to the bottom start amid ship. Near the middle from bow to stern.

exterior hull side surface along side/bottom joint.

finger in loop between zip tie and hull side exterior surface.

In the picture note the lap of side A is 4" to 5" ahead of the lap of bottom B.

To help hold side panel A in place during stitching we will tie some strong twine between the "temp brace" holes along the edge of the hull bottom and the opposite hull side top edge.

Set the side panel A on top of the bottom with lap A just ahead of the lap on the hull bottom.

Tie a length of strong twine to the "temp brace" holes on the opposite edge of the bottom.

Tie off the twine in the two "temp brace" holes near the top edge of side A.

The length of the twine should allow side A to lean out a bit.

The lap on side A should be about 4" to 5" forward of lap B on the bottom panel.

Standing next to Lap A look down at the stitch holes along the hull bottom edge and the hull side edge.

The distances between the holes on each part are deliberately different.

This makes matching the correct holes on the bottom and side possible.

Move the side back and forth just a bit and you will see the holes on the side's lower edge line up with the correct holes along the hull bottom edge.

Stand next to lap A. Stitch a zip tie through a hole on the lower edge of the side and the corresponding hole along the bottom edge.

Do not try and start stitching at the bow.

Keep the zip ties loose. Three or four fingers should fit in the loop formed by the zip tie and the side exterior surface.

Let the side panel lean out a bit.

The interior surface of the side panel should rest against the edge of the bottom.

Not on top of the bottom.

Our goal is to have the lower edge of side panel A to be flush with the exterior surface of the hull bottom.

For now we want the zip ties to be loose so do not worry about keeping the lower edge of the side flush with the exterior surface of the bottom.

Check your levels. Maintain level.

This kit was built in a green house.

We used strong twine hung overhead to hold the side panel near upright while we stitched the side and bottom together.

If you are working alone and have nothing overhead you can make a "tripod" with 2 x 4's to hold the side panel nearly upright.

Start stitching amidships.

Stitch two zip ties towards the aft end than stitch two zip ties towards the bow.

Alternate stitching towards the stern than towards the bow.

Keep the zip ties loose.

Three to four fingers between the zip tie and the hull side exterior.

Adding more weight to the hull bottom will cause the bottom to curve more.

That makes stitching the side to the bottom easier.

Several pics down the page you can see we added another 25 pounds.

The forward bow edge of side A should be flush with the tip of the bow on the hull bottom panel.

FYI. Side C will overlap side A at the bow.

Do not extend the forward edge of side A past the tip of the bow of the bottom panel.

Keep the zip ties loose.

The lower half of the picture is the hull bottom.

The upper half of the picture is the hull side.

It is more important that the forward edge of side panel A is even with the tip of the bow of the bottom panel.

If the two "Y's" are off a bit that is okay.

Another view.

Forward edge side panel A is flush with the bow tip of the bottom panel.

Keep eyeballing those levels.

Pic shows side panel to left and bottom panel to right.

Looking forward.

The "rocker" of your drift boat starts to take shape.

Keep the zip ties loose.

We added 25 more pounds of weights to help make the bottom curve more.

The sides are intentionally made long.

Check your levels.

Pic showw hull bottom panel to the right and hull side panel A above to the left.

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