Building our GT27 Houseboat, Part 1

Part 1 of building the GT27 - a 27' long, roomy, trailerable river cruiser designed by Jacques Mertens. Find plans here: bateau.com/pro...
We began the build in late July 2018. Part 1 documents the build from the beginning until early May 2019, when we flipped the hull.
Watch the full series here: • Building the GT27 Hous...
Jump to a specific part of the build here:
Part 1: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 2: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 3: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 4: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 5: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 6: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 7: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 8: • Building our GT27 Hous...
Part 9: • Building our GT27 Hous...

[@LiveDontWatch]

PART 2 IS NOW AVAILABLE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5O3gZmqetdji6M

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

Huge props for this being a great family project. Love how the missus and daughters are all included and get to make their contribution to the project. Love it! You, sir, are an awesome dad and husband. And your wife is a huge rockstar. And your little girls...what can I say: absolutely adorably amazing. This is definitely something they will remember doing with mom and dad for the rest of their lives--and gain some great skills for the future as well.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@robertmyers4155]

I think you’re a genius and you’re family is completely adorable! Y’all did an awesome job to a perfection! I’m saving this whole build for my future reference with my boat!

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

Just found your channel. Guess what I'm watching the rest of the night? Part 1 was excellent. Your daughters are priceless.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks for the kind words, Dwayne. Hope you enjoy following along! There are 8 parts so far, and now we're on hiatus until late September because the Georgia summer is too hot for working right now.

[@shanebeaudrot777]

I to am well pleased that you allow and teach your children while you yourself learns to build a family houseboat. God bless each of you and I hope you and the girls have many unforgettable memories.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Hey Shane, thanks so much for the kind words!

[@ajstoddard1]

So far you rock. Kids and creativity!!

[@gregbolitho9775]

Nice job, Cap, 1st Mate, and crew. It looked easy sittin here watchin! Pt 2 next.

[@larry78cj7]

There are very few videos that show this process and by the results you did it correctly. Thanks for sharing.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks! Trying my best! This is my fifth build so I have a fair bit of experience at this point. Figured I'd try to capture some of the details I don't usually see in other vids.

[@learemington1700]

I like the way you include the little ones in the project. Skills they will be able to use in life.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Those girls are all my joy in life. Believe it or not, this project started as a clubhouse. Then I said, "Hey, what if it could float, and have running water and electricity, and we could live on it for a few weeks at a time, and...."

[@ievgenn2217]

Very glad to find your channel. Impressive work! Watching your videos is both interesting and educational at the same time. Well done!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks so much!

[@owenmullen9426]

WOW 👋 Outstanding 👍 🍻

[@craigmonteforte1478]

i really enjoyed this Video and Build i am a retired ProfessionalWoodworker that has owned ad Operated over 17 or 18 boats throughout my life (so far) i was most impressed on how the entire family was involved both of my Children growing up were involved with most of my projects now as Adults they still do projects together and enjoy them only now they have to buy most of their tools sure i loan a few here and there i beleive you guys are going t have a great boat hull the Lines all look great and your Constructin methods are Fantastic i have not built my own Wooden Boat but i have restored a Antique Chris Craft Wood CabinCruiser

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks Craig! We've enjoyed the build, even if it has been a long slog with many weather-related setbacks. My hope is we'll be able to get the windows in and the interior walls insulated this fall, and then we can hopefully build out the interior through the winter in time for a launch next summer. It's crazy how much the girls have grown up already, and I'm eager to build memories aboard the boat before they're too grown up and too cool to spend much more time with mom and dad... :)

[@prophetictimes1968]

Awesome job on the hull. It really is amazing what you can do with plywood and fibreglass. You get 10/10 from me. Look forward to the rest of the build.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks! Part 2 should be coming relatively soon. We've almost got the interior floor installed so that we can start the cabin interior.

[@felixcat9318]

With an introduction that cute, and with the build being assisted by these three adorable Shipwrights, I knew I'd have to subscribe!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks Felix! 😊

[@risenation4657]

I love watching you and your family work together to make boat..great video 😀👍

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks so much! I'm lucky to have a wife and girls who help!

[@Artiom-garagN1-Jurmala]

Good job. Your wife has done her help is invaluable

[@LiveDontWatch]

Oh yes, she's been helping a lot!

[@OneDollarNoHoller]

Holy crap! A modern day Noah and Naamah with three young boys--Shem, Ham, and Japheth--all disguised as girls! All kidding aside, that's some great work and you have an excellent crew. I was even impressed by the temporary shelter!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks! They are a great crew! Long way to go yet so I hope the Great Flood holds off awhile longer. :)

[@pastortrader72]

Subbed - can't wait for part 2!!!!!!!!

[@greysilverback3924]

Nice job ! Awesome accomplishment.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks!

[@MegaKainman]

Love the kids they are the cutest

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks! They keep me going and make it all worth it!

[@rr-pe1ev]

great voice

[@chriswhite2151]

2:04 you are a brave man!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Lol. I was very impressed she didn't get my fingers... :)

[@СергейРяшкин]

the Boss (wife) looking wery strictly!

[@ericfoster3636]

Very nice mt Friend!!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thank you!

[@bizim_eller]

7:09 and 7:18 oh my god she is so tired, she can barely move, almost damaged the cable😳 Edit: ok, now I watched the whole video, very very god job thanks n the build, immaculate attention👍, and the help of munchkins was priceless 🙂🙂

[@LiveDontWatch]

Nah, we just move very slowly and try to save our energy in the Georgia heat. Here, you break a sweat through your clothes if you walk out too quickly to check your mail! The humidity and the heat are awful for 4-6 months of the year, but we press on. Thanks for the compliments!

[@bizim_eller]

@@LiveDontWatch I know 🙂 Im from coastal nc, same here🙂

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments! We're making progress, but the summer heat in Georgia has slowed us down, as have delays related to some of the systems (fuel tank, water tank, etc.) that we need before we can seal up the floor and build the cabin. Hope to have part 2 later this year...

[@bunnin7735]

Hi boss can I have that plan pleases pleases

[@richardthomas1566]

Amazling no one got killed

[@LiveDontWatch]

?

[@mattstarkey2152]

Absolutely beautiful Mark, the girls and the boat! Great work. Block planes and flush trim router bits are two of my most used boatbuilding tools. I haven't used Raka epoxy yet, how do you like it. Great video documentation, thank you!

[@LiveDontWatch]

I've been using Raka epoxy since my first boat (a cedar strip sea kayak) over 20 years ago. It has always been fantastic!

[@sjog1952]

nice job !!!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jamessandman3708]

Wow!!

[@rbob1973]

Did you study boat building at all. I did in Australia and found your knowledge to be very insightful. Good work though... Hard work, but its well worth it.

[@LiveDontWatch]

I'm a pretty thorough researcher and I love to learn things, so I just taught myself over the last 25 years, mostly learning from reading and the insights of kind people on the internet. This is my fifth boat, so I learned a lot along the way by trial and error as well. When I built my first boat, a cedar strip kayak, I had almost no woodworking experience and had never used fiberglass. But I learned so much on that build and really was meticulous in making sure I did everything right. The boats got a lot bigger after that--a couple of sailboats and a large dinghy of my own experiment--but this GT27 has been the biggest by far, and I'm learning a lot more because of all the systems (plumbing, electrical, fuel, etc.) that will need to be integrated. It also just has so much more surface area that the work is exponentially more than even the 20' twin-masted sailboat I built a decade ago. And the weight is so much higher, too, that I'm learning a lot about towing weight, electronic brake actuators, etc. as I upgrade the trailer. Quite a project...

[@rbob1973]

@@LiveDontWatch Exactly what I do still. Just to do research, research and more research.... I'm currently building my houseboat. I normally find it best to 3d in CAD with the level of detail for the hull and pontoon, then with the cable lay out and the c sections that make up the exterior walling. Plus the plumbing, etc... Watched all your vids so far, but have you finished the boat in all, or is it still on going ??

[@LiveDontWatch]

@@rbob1973 the boat is pretty much where the last video left off. From June to early September, it was just too hot to work on it. Now we're insulating the cabin and getting ready to build out the interior. I think I can heat it through the winter and get a lot done inside, but I'm scrambling to finish some epoxy work before the weather turns too cool.

[@locutus8496]

A few nitpicks on your building process: Firstly, your panel joints would be much stronger if you had scarf glued them. Worth the extra effort. Butt joints like you did would have been okay if you had first routed a shallow depression matching the footprint of your fiberglass tape on both sides of the panels and if you had built up a few layers of fiberglass tape on both sides. The routed depressions and the correct number of fiberglass layers would have made the joint flush with the rest of the panels and you would not have needed to sand it back down as much. Secondly, I noticed a lot of air voids in you fiberglass, indicating insufficient wet-out. Fiberglass cloth and mat should be completely transparent when fully wetted, showing the underlying plywood without any white spots. This could be a problem for you in the future, perhaps sooner rather than later. Thirdly, it is worthwhile to determine and mark the waterline all the way around the hull and paint bottom paint to the waterline.

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm well familiar with all of those issues, but there are reasons this design does not use scarf joins--in part because the dimensions utilize the maximum length and width of plywood sheets in several cases, and largely because there is so much reinforcement from the structure and the layers of 'glass that concerns about the joint strength of the skin are moot. There are definitely no voids in the fiberglass. This is my fifth build and I am meticulous by nature. You may be seeing sanding spots, dust, distortion from the camera/lighting, or the sheer thickness (whitish build up) of the many layers of glass, but they definitely are not voids (unless you mean under the temporary butt splices for the hull sides--those were removed for that reason once the panels were in place). I chose not to mark the waterline on this hull because I was unable to contact any builder who has successfully completed this design. Although the designer provides some indication of the waterline at various displacements, mine has some moderate adjustments and a custom interior/load-out that may or may not affect it. For that reason (uncertainty of exact placement) and simplicity of maintenance, I chose to forego marking it. This is a trailerable design, so ablative bottom paint is unnecessary, and durability of the true bottom was primary. Hence the epoxy-graphite mixture of the bottom. You're right to be vigilant on each of those issues, but in my case, they don't apply.

[@locutus8496]

@@LiveDontWatch I see your points. It seems you've thought these things out pretty well. I've built one boat and am working on a second. I special-ordered 5'x10' marine plywood for mine to overcome some of the issues you cited, and scarfed my joints. The finished product turned out much better as a result, with nice fair curves. Once you finish outfitting your boat you can easily find the waterline by launching in a calm body of water. tape a pen to a block of styrofoam and run it all the way around the boat. Use that "rough draft" as a guide for painting the water line and boot stripe.

[@LiveDontWatch]

@@locutus8496 Yes that's exactly what I'm planning for the waterline. Very nervous about how this will all go as this is the first time I've built an unproven design without talking extensively with existing owners. It's a huge investment in time and money, so hopefully performance will match up with the design parameters as intended. We'll see...

[@kesarweb]

Hi LiveDontWatch, I hugely appreciate the videos and the building process shown and elaborated upon - huge respect and appreciation for making the videos!!! Could you please advise on what type of a plywood was used and where it was purchased from? Was it a pressure treated or some sort of a special wood you had to buy from a special place? Sorry if you mentioned it anywhere during the video, I could have missed it. Thanks! Anton

[@LiveDontWatch]

The plywood is BS1088 rated Okoume plywood purchased about 4 years ago from Boulter Plywood in Massachusetts. At that time, their prices were better after shipping than many places much closer to me. And the plywood I received was of superb quality with all proper BS1088 markings.

[@LiveDontWatch]

FYI, BS1088 is a British standard certification that means the plies will have no voids, knots, or cracks, and will be laminated with a marine grade glue that will not delaminate even when exposed to boiling water for 30 minutes. Okoume is also very light weight. It's the premier plywood for boat building.

[@kesarweb]

@@LiveDontWatch Thank you! I was able to get in touch with them and arrange the shipment.

[@kesarweb]

@@LiveDontWatch Could you please advise on a reasoning to glue sheets together with epoxy resin? I've done some googling and it seems like "Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue" is what's recommended to glue the wood. Please advise and many thanks!

[@LiveDontWatch]

@Anton Kosyriev I think some people use Titebond as a cheaper alternative to epoxy resin, but in my experience thickened epoxy is the best adhesive for marine applications so that's what I use exclusively for boats. I might use Titebond for interior enclosed furnishings, but I've never used it on structural elements or areas exposed to the elements, so I can't say how Titebond holds up compared to epoxy.

[@tnwhiskey68]

Beautiful boat hull! I bet that cost a ton though!

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks! We have quite a bit invested in it, but a fraction of what a new commercially available vessel of this size would cost and less than half of what most used vessels of this size tend to list at. Of course that's comparing it to some of the more tug style designs. There are flat bottom houseboats out there, but we wanted something a bit more seaworthy and customized to our family needs.

[@tristanmccauley2318]

Awesome

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks Tristan!

[@kalebhutchinson3342]

Hey Bella it’s me Eli I subscribed.👍🏽

[@LiveDontWatch]

Hi from Bella!

[@MrBluoct]

He’s back...

[@jimmcginnis9530]

The link to the plans says it’s not secure and may be trying to get financial info. Can you update the plans link?

[@bipedalhominid6815]

Looks like you used casting resin! I also build boats with casting resin. Similar shore D and tensile strength rating compared to overpriced west systems epoxy.

[@LiveDontWatch]

I use the Raka 127 resin and compatible fast/slow 600-series hardeners. Great value and I've always had excellent results on multiple builds -- a cedar strip sea kayak, two sail boats, a self-designed skiff, and now this houseboat.

[@pazgomenskii5310]

Please sir, at 6:40 you used this very accurate electric saw that allow you cut very fine curves with ease and you called it flush saw. I tried to find it on the internet but a lot different kinds of manual saws. Please, can you share a link to your kind of flush saw?

[@LiveDontWatch]

It is a flush cut bit that you attach to a router. Sometimes called a flush trim bit. It's a spinning router bit that has a bearing on the end which rides along the edge of a template to trace its outline and cut out an exact copy. www.homedepot.com/p/DIABLO-1-2-in-3-Flute-Flush-Trim-Bit-DR44100/202585369

[@pazgomenskii5310]

@@LiveDontWatch Thanks for prompt reply & your sharing. May your days be long!

[@dondonofrio621]

where can I get these plans? Your videos could not be better you guys are great and your chilren are adorable

[@LiveDontWatch]

Thanks for the kind comments. Plans can be found here: bateau.com/studyplans/GT27_study.php?prod=GT27

[@bipedalhominid6815]

That seem you filled down the middle of the hull was pretty wide. Hows that holding up?

[@LiveDontWatch]

It's doing fine. There is so much biaxial fiberglass on both sides (inside and out) that I don't think the hull is able to flex at all along the vee/centerline, so there should be no stress on the filler. The filler is really there just to eliminate air voids. In fact, the front of the boat is still currently propped up on the vee (i.e., fully supported on one concentrated spot) and there's zero deflection/distortion.

[@mistersandy]

Knee Pads

[@kicks5399]

Yee Bella yee

[@markbroussard7394]

Question: I've started building the GT27 and I was wondering if I could glue the bottom panels and sides on the strong back and stations itself with just epoxy gluing them together and fiber glassing just the outside of the boat before the great flip? Could I get by with the entire hull fiberglassed and painted on the outside but without the inside seams fiber glassed until after the flip?

[@LiveDontWatch]

That's what I did. All the way to paint before flipping.

[@markbroussard7394]

@@LiveDontWatch I watched your video and you used epoxy/fiberglass on the seams first. I was asking if I could secure the individual bottom pieces to the strong back stations and then glue them in place and fiberglass entire hull without laying them out and on a flat surface and gluing them together first? This would leave an entire hull to flip with just epoxy and fiberglass on one side? The reason why I am asking is that I've already built the strong back and stations and I don't have a long flat surface to pre epoxy the bottom pieces together. I appreciate your advice and thank you for the inspiration to "LiveDontWatch"!

[@LiveDontWatch]

@@markbroussard7394 Oh sorry, I misunderstood your question. Although your idea is probably possible, if I were doing it over, I would DEFINITELY still join the side panels end to end the way I did in the video (in my opinion). I would be very concerned that trying to align the panels in place, without first having joined them end-to-end with tape, may hinder them from taking a truly fair curvature around the forms. Even then, I still struggled to get a perfectly even/fair sheerline and hull shape, but I think it would've been much harder if they weren't joined first. In my case, much of the struggle was just because of the narrow building area, which prevented me from backing up far enough to get a good perspective to sight the curvature by eye. I'm happy enough with how it came out, but again, I think there would've been flat spots at the panel joins if they weren't already joined together as a single plane to bend evenly as they wrap along the forms/mold.

[@markbroussard7394]

@@LiveDontWatch I understand. You should be proud of what you and your family have accomplished. Thank you for the information and I'll see you on the river in a year or two!

[@lukefb4616]

Hey Bella and evie I subbed to your chanel

[@markbroussard7394]

What wood did you use for the rub rails?

[@LiveDontWatch]

Douglas fir. I would've preferred mahogany or ash but it's very tricky and expensive to come by in my area. I may screw some stainless hollowback along the rub rail later to give it some extra durability.

[@MrJeffDemme]

Just found this channel. I subscribed and will be following the progress as I want to do the same. Thank you for documenting for us :). One question: did you price the difference between buying the CNC precut kit and just buying the plywood?

[@LiveDontWatch]

I remember looking into it, but at the time, I think the issue was that the Bill of Materials (BOM) in the plans is WAY off. It is missing the entire upper structure of the cabin house, for example, so it was difficult to make cost comparisons until I had already done all the work to develop a custom interior layout and the materials I would need for that. Long story short, by the time I knew all the details I needed for an accurate cost quote, I also needed a lot of stuff the stock CNC kit wouldn't have included, so I just did it all from scratch. Even then, it would later turn out there were some omissions/errors in the plans that led me to have to place a second plywood order with a second round of (expensive) shipping charges. At this point, I would have to wonder if the precut kit is really complete, and wouldn't trust that unless I could make contact with someone who actually purchased and built the boat from that kit. As far as I can tell, no one has done that, or at least I haven't been able to find them. If you're planning to build this design, be very, very careful. There are a lot of issues with errors and vagueness in the plans that won't become evident until you're in the middle of the build and heavily invested. If I weren't an experienced builder, I would've missed many of these up front. Even then, there have been several costly surprises.

[@MrJeffDemme]

@@LiveDontWatch Thanks for the insights. I am not an experienced boat builder...but have maintained many an old boat and worked with my hands most of my 62 years. I just finished watching all the episodes and await more. It looks like an awful lot of work!

[@LiveDontWatch]

@@MrJeffDemme No problem. Happy to help with advice if I can. It is a lot of work, and if I were still as impatient as in my youth, would've driven me crazy by now. Fortunately, I've learned to take things in stride...

[@jamestweedy963]

What was the thickness of the plywood

[@LiveDontWatch]

Bottom is 1/2", hull sides are 3/8", upper cabin sides and roof will be 1/4". This is all reinforced with the integral frames/seats/bulkheads, of course. Very strong, but much lighter than traditional plank on frame construction.

[@jamestweedy963]

@@LiveDontWatch thank you

[@johnbecay6887]

my arm hurts watching this...

[@LiveDontWatch]

Lol 😆

[@cekjewel8540]

its me Lawrence Bella

[@LiveDontWatch]

Hi from Bella!

[@MrSuzukiyamaha]

Part 2?

[@LiveDontWatch]

Sorry! We took some time off and I have had so much else going on I haven't had a lot of time to edit videos. Part 2 is about 90% finished; I just need to do the voiceover work to narrate what's happening. Hope to get it out soon-ish...

[@nicolaezeitler6605]

The 9 part?

[@LiveDontWatch]

It's been too hot to work on it since June so we're waiting for cooler weather in Sept/Oct. Part 9 will probably come around Christmas, as there's much to do and we pretty much stopped where Part 8 ends for now.

[@nicolaezeitler6605]

@@LiveDontWatch Hello again...thank for the answer, about the 9th part. In fact,I watched all 8 parts...I think...15-20 times starting from March! I like the way who you work, meticulousy whit attention!!! If until now,I hadno ideea about boats, now thanks to you and your extraordinary "helpers".... I plan to build my own boat (YES!!!). With admiration and respect,Nicolae Zeitler, born in Romania (1969) moved in Germany (2014) together with my family. All the best, to you and your beaitiful family!!!!

[@nicolaezeitler6605]

.....sorry for the mistakes...

[@LiveDontWatch]

@@nicolaezeitler6605 Thanks for the kind words. I wish you luck with your boat build!

[@michaeljoyce2096]

I will sell you a real professional fiberglass Houseboat. Our fiberglass in applied using robots. We build from 30 feet to 110 feet in length.

[@kalebhutchinson3342]

How do you have so many subscribers already?!

[@LiveDontWatch]

My dad has other videos here.

[@СергейРяшкин]

+

[@detlefwawrzyniak4223]

OMG 😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

[@youtruckrek5121]

Lucky Man