Bigfoot (old vs new)
Does anyone know how the construction of Bigfoot TC’s has evolved over the years? Used BFs (pre 2009) are substantially lighter than the new models of the same dimensions. Based on the literature on 2...
Forum Discussion
AH_AK wrote:
You could build a lightweight wood or foam spar subframe and glass it to the shell with fiberglass mat. That would be pretty bomber. The weight would probably add up quickly, but if you did some structural analysis and were judicious with your resin it would be fine I think.
On the other hand, it might be really cool to start from scratch and use stitch-and-glue for the shell ala Tolman skiffs. If your shell was structural your sub structure could be pretty sparse. Alas, I do not yet have a BIG heated workshop.
I'd get the shell home, decide where I wanted all the windows and openings to be, surround those with heavy PVC core (like 24 lb Penske core), vacuum bag a real structural core of about 1" thick to the inside everywhere, then vacuum bag high quality ply (like ApplePly) to the inside. It would be only slightly heavier than the Bigfoot version and much tougher. Interior ply about the same weight as the luan, structural foam might weigh 80 - 100 lbs more than the bead board. You might save a lot of that back from all the wood.
Building one from scratch is something I have thought a lot about, and might have done it except the wife won't let me. I'd lay up composite panels on a simple curved mold, layup radiused corner sections, then bond and tab together. I'd run the floorplan to the walls, and have the truck bed chopped Texas Welder body style. It'd be a killer unit!
