“I decided to add this larger version of the Electric Moto Craft to my growing fleet of EMC hulls after a comment and request from one of my YouTube subscribers. He had been watching one of my how-to videos on building the 14ft version of the EMC, and asked about whether or not the 14ft EMC could carry two people. I told him no, that the hull couldn't carry the total weight that he had suggested, but I would think about “lofting up” the hull to a longer and wider version. I had other hulls I was working on at that time, and didn't want to commit to adding this hull to the list. But never being one not take up a challenge. I took a few minutes one day to scale up the lines of the 14 foot hull to 18 feet, to see how much work it would be, and printed out a copy of this “stretched” hull to see how it looked in a cardboard model and how the panel parts matched up. I just have to “scratch the mental itch” when it occurs.
If you read the write up for the EMC 16+2, you will recognize the first paragraph I've reused here to start this cover letter on the EMC 18+2 hull. It is a pretty big boat, but I can see a place for it for those that want to explore the really remote areas of the world and want something that can carry a load of gear for long distances. It should work well for camps where a big boat can carry a lot of little paddlers around Lake
Gitchicumi during those “hazy, lazy days of summer”.
Like the 16+2, it only took me three model hulls to come up with the final design of the scaled up 14 foot version that I liked. The way my computer program “re sizes” old designs, the model was pretty much finished on the first try, but changing the shape of the bottom panels requires adjustments on the arc lengths of the side panels. I also changed the shape of the transom a bit, and like on the 16+2, I redid the way the two side panels are laid out to reduce the lofting involved. The second hull of the 18+2 was also used in making the latest “Tank Test” video on my YouTube page, but the final hull has lower/narrower side panels as I show in the video.
This hull will also show in the plans, the use of finger joints that I used on the 14ft version instead of the traditional beveled scarf joint. I've been very happy with the finger joints and it seems to be just as strong a method as a traditional scarf, and much easier to get that perfect joint; in my opinion. You do have to add a 6” wide layer of fiberglass cloth to both sides of the joint , but I do that even with a traditional scarf joint anyway. I will also add a drawing and an “exceptions list” for those that want to use 6” wide butt joints instead of the finger joints, or a traditional scarf. I've been thinking of a way of using a fiberglass cloth strip to join the reduced size plywood panel parts before you do the actual lofting, but I will probably introduce that method in one of my videos.
This hull also has a transom to make it easier to mount the Electric Paddle® or any other type of electric motor to this hull. You could mount them off to the side, but I like to have the power in the back for a more direct push on the hull along it's center line. I will add a drawing of making a pair of outriggers for those that want to go sailing too. I'm sure there will be a lot of variety to the design from those of you who build this hull. So enjoy building your 18ft (+2) version of the Electric Moto Craft hull.
For those wanting a still bigger EMC, I have a version on my computer pumped up to 22ft for those that maybe going up the Amazon River, or for my South East Asian followers. Should look cool with one of those “long shafts” out the back. I also added a lot more width to the stern to carry more weight back there. 25Ft?
