Meanwhile...

My own project has been stalling now for a week or so but meanwhile we (with my wife) decided we should restore an old aluminum boat for my wife's friend who is about to get married. Boat belonged to her late dad and was built in 70s or 80s. The main job was to replace the rotten wooden transom which we successfully accomplished today. I used "exotic" American wood that came from a shipping crate of some x-ray machine ;)

Sidework 2

Attached those things I do not know the name of. The gap will eventually be covered with plywood. The front of the boat from stem to station #2 will be fully covered, therefore these things reach only up to station #2.

Sidework

Reinforced the side clamps with doublers in the two middle sections.

Overthrow

This is how it looks when it look like a boat. Actually, it is huuuuuge! Need to glue the support for the one remaining butt joint on the bottom planks.

Finished planking

Finally, dunno after how many months all the planking is in place, glued and fixed with screws!!!

Next up: sanding and fiberglassing the hull.

Bottom planking 7

Breaking news! After a few hours every once-a-week since my last post I finally solved the bottom planking mystery tonight! Tip: if you plan to build a boat, spend a few hundred $ on decent plans. Building something from magazine 4 page plans is a pain in the ass guarranteed. I could make the sides and bottom come together up front only after trying and fitting at least 20 times each, and that is only port. Hopefully starboard will benefit from learning curve. It took me about two years. Not having idea of how something needs to be done is a great party pooper. Cheers!

Back

Finally, after several months of default we are back to the boatwork! Two days back my fam came with me to the shop, I was sorting some plane drawings, my wife made a little oil painting with our kid and after that she got terribly bored. I asked if she really really wanted to do smth, she said yes. I gave her a chisel and a hammer and showed what is to be done on the boat to get it out from the stagnataion point. And she did it! Looks like the bottom planking mystery will be solved.