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!

Bottom planking 6

Here comes the promised pic

If you compare it to previous pics, the keel between the most forward rib and the very front has been leveled out, I hope this allows me to fit the bottom plank finally.

Bottom planking 3

Yesterday and today had a few (3 total) hours on the boat - fitted the outer keel, fitted one more bottom piece and also decided how I will bottom plank the front part.

Bottom planking 2

So nice to see the boat actually taking shape.

Finally, the port side panel is there!

Took about 4 hours today and finally jumped this hurdle! This side/front attachment has been holding me back for half a year or so. Now I expect the things to move ahead faster.

Fitting and sticking

So difficult to get the right shape. One could count about 5 layers of 6mm plywood on top just to adjust the final shape of chine up front.

Verticalizing the stem line

So here one can see what I am up to and what was described in previous post. Looks like I gonna add one more layer later on top of the three I did today. The previous plank attachment piece will be removed, of course.

Planking 3

I would rather rename "planking" to "fitting". Maybe working with full scale quality drawings makes the difference but in my case I am working hard to get the things fit together. In the picture - I had to "grow" back the inner part of stem that I had previoudly removed.

Planking 2

Ok, a few hours of sanding over the last two weeks and finally yesterday we (me with my wife and kid) were able to attach the starboard aft side piece (just mirror the pic in previous post to see the progress).

Planking 1

Here's the first piece of plywood sides attached to the boat. Used PU glue with small pieces of glass fibre. SS screws at ~70mm intervals. The end is ready for the next piece with a scarf joint.

Scarf joint 2

Scarf joints on both clamps are ready. Clamps half-fitted to the frames. Now trying to solve both the chines and clamps to the stem.

Scarf joint

Needed 510cm lumber for the clamps. Had only 450cm at hand so the time came for my 1st scarf joint in my boat building career. First I marked the lines for 1:8 slope, then stacked the pieces, tightened together with long wood screws, chiseled the corners before starting planing, then a huge work with electric plane, finished with belt sander. I do not clame this is a perfect scarf joint but hopefully it holds well when installed.

Chines 4

This magic wet bending! Did it for the 1st time in my life and the result is astonishing for me. Before wetting I could hardly bend these chines in place, even with extra pair of hands. Now they are almost in shape. So last nite I glued the chines to the frames #4 and #3.

Life jacket

Bought my little helper Daniel a life jacket today. Will add it to project expenses too - boat equipment ;)

Chines 3

Last two days gave some progress. Glued the chines to transom. Bent the chines into place by brute force. Wrapped them into towels and blanket and poured with boiling water with a hope that this will release at least some of the stresses. My lovely wife helped too.

Chines 2

Added "preliminary" chines - the natural way of bending wood leaves frame #3 and #4 corners exposed. Still confused.

Attaching transom

While being ill now for a few days already my sick mind kept tinkering on how to best fix the quite heavy transom to the whole boat assembly while epoxy cures, and the toughest, keep it level, at correct angle and rigid. This is what I came up with today:

Took a basic old carpenters stool (or whteva it is called), a pair of piano hinges and voila! It turned out easily adjustible levelwise as well as anglewise. Now, let the epoxy cure.

New home

Here we are, moving to new home, a workshop at Yacht Club of Latvia, situated on Lielupe.