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boatbuildlog

Ultralight Dinghy · new build

Launched

-Ripple- Ultralight dinghy from scratch build

I have been thinking about a dinghy for my boat. After looking around for a commercial built dinghy under 50 pounds, found that I may have to build it. So I ordered the PDF files from Chesapeake light craft to build the ultralight 6 foot dinghy. I am going to build it from scratch with no kit, maybe save a little bit of money in the process. Hopefully I can keep the weight under 45 pounds.

Make a book Feed The whole log, 3 entries and every photo, laid out as a book to print, bind and keep.
11
Entries
212
Hours
n/a
Written up afterwards
42
Photos
Spent
Oct 2025
Started
Hull Exterior 16 h Link

Adding a durable gel coat bottom.

When I built this dinghy, it was meant to be used and abused. So I didn't want to have a fancy nice clean painted bottom that was gonna be high maintenance and scratch easy. So I built up the bottom with gel coat nothing fancy, just rolled it on with a high build nap roller. I was going to polish it up and make it shiny but then I thought it's gonna get scratched up anyway, so I left it the way it was. It has six coats of gel coat on the bottom. By doing this, it adds substantially to the weight of the finished boat.

Hull Exterior 24 h Link

Rubber rail installation.

These pictures show how many clamps it takes just to put one side of the rub rails on. The boat is so small and curvy that I had to strip the rails into two pieces to make the compound bends in such a short distance of 6 ft. I used western red cedar for the rails this saves on weight and rot resistance.

Hull Exterior 8 h Link

Exterior paint work.

These pictures show the outside paint job almond Rust-Oleum enamel. I rolled and tipped this paint.

What it cost

$848.06
$534.09
Into the boat
$313.97
Tools & gear
ItemQtySupplierCost
Chesapeake light craft digital plans One PDF file download Chesapeake light craft $89.00
Router bits 3 Amazon $58.56
Harbor freight, Palm router 1 router Harbor freight $90.94
3mm door skin plywood 2 sheets Home Depot $30.00
1/4 " sheets of birch plywood 2 sheets Home Depot $160.03
16 gauge wire steel 1 roll Home Depot $13.47
4 ounce fiberglass cloth 3 yards Amazon $21.39
Slow cure high UV resistant epoxy resin 1.5 gallon kit Fiberglass supply depot, Fort Pierce, Fl. $217.54
2" x 8" x 8' Western Cedar Plank 1 (picked up in damaged bin) half price Lowes $21.39
6 ounce fiberglass cloth 3 yards Family donation to project (free) $0.01
Non-waxed white gel coat 1 gallon Fiberglass supply depot $76.49
Rust-Oleum gloss almond enamel paint 1 quart Home Depot $18.62
Rust-Oleum gloss hunter green. 1 Quart Home Depot $18.62
Tape, paint brushes, rollers, misc. 24 n/a $32.00