Stem Cap Complete.

Hi Folks,

well the stem cap is finished well apart from a bit of sanding. It looks quite good seeing as most of it has been done by eye. Its a bit different from the one I saw on the jollyboat in the museum on the Isle of White but its profile is the same as that shown on the plans.

It was slightly asymmetrical so in the end I planed each side flush to the surrounding veneers using a straight edge as a guide, then I carefully planed a 3/8" flat for the keel band to screw to. Finally I used a piece of veneer bent to a nice curve to mark the stem and then block planed the curve to give a smooth transition from keel to stem.

I now have a sound hull skin that can be moved it necessary. Next job is to plane down the stock I bought for the gunnel's, I have already done one three to go.

Stem Cap Fitted.

Hi Guy's

I've glued the stem cap in place and rough faired it. I could only clamp it at the bottom I couldn't clamp it at the top so I wedged it down with a plank against the workshop wall. Best I could do but it worked quite well. I rough faired it with a block plane and a spoke shave it just needs fairing up with a sanding block.

Stem Cap Roughed Out

Hi Folk's

Roughed out the stem cap yesterday, just held the blank up against the hull and ran a pencil round the hull to transfer the outline to the blank then roughed the blank out with the power plane. Today I have to hand plane closer down to the line and do a few test fits. I'll do the final shaping after the blank has been glued to the hull. I'll leave this until my next day off as I need plenty of time to get this done without clock watching.

Mean while when I have the odd spare hour I'll start rough planing the timber for the gunnel's. I have four 10' lengths of untile which need planing down to 7/8" square before being scarfed jointed into two 20' lengths. I also need to mark the sheer line and trim the overlap off once the stem cap is glued on. I should have a sturdy hull skin that can then be removed from the mold.

Keel Cap Glued Inplace

Hi Guy's

Well I've done it now no going back the keel cap is glued in place. Sorry I haven't that many photo's I rushed off to do the job and forgot to take the camera, then the following day when I had to remove the the screws after the glue had cured I forgot the camera again. So unfortunately you have a big gap between the cap ready to go on and some final finishing and sanding.

I had to screw the cap down there seemed to be no other way of holding it. I also notice that it would not lie flush to the hull when the screws were tightened so I slotted the screw holes slightly to give some fore and aft movement to let the cap settle in place.

Next job will be to plane the keel cap and the slight overlap of veneer flush to stem. I will then mark this outline onto the blank for the stem cap. Once I glue the stem cap in place I have a complete hull skin and the pressure is off. I have been a bit worried that I would have to move out of my workshop before the hull was finnished.Now I can move if necessary should I loose my workshop.

Keel Cap Nearly Finished.

Ok Guys

I've been a bit busy the last few days. After roughing out the blank for the keel cap I marked out the keel centre line and the outline of the centre plate slot. I then marked out two lines 1/2" apart centred on the centre line for the stainless steel keel band to run between. I then marked lines along the sides of the keel cap 1/4" up from the bottom of the keel cap. These lines were marked out with a marking gauge and were used as a guide to plane a bevel on the keel cap.

On the 2 1/2" section of the keel cap that houses the centre plate slot a marking gauge was used to mark a line one both sides 1/8" in from the outer edge as a guide to bevel the keel cap. A piece of flexible batten was used to mark curved lines to give a smooth transition between bevel lines of the 2 1/2" centre plate section and the 2" keel cap section.

Holes were drilled every 12" along the cap to allow it to be screwed to the hull when being glued. Holes were spaced at 3" intervals at the bow end where the hull curve is greater. The keel cap was screwed to the hull. Where the cap has to narrow towards the bow this curve was marked using a pencil.

The keel cap was then removed and all the bevels where rough planed. The cap was refitted to the hull marked and adjusted a few times to get it right.

I will wait until the keel cap is glued to the hull before I sand it back to get a perfect flush finish.

Keel Cap Blank Roughed Out

Hi folks,

Been a bit busy the last few days not in wife's best books she's become a bit of a boat widow but I have to get on or the boat won't be finished before I have to move house.

I rough planed two 10' sawn planks straight and square and scarf joined they to make one 20' x 3" x 5/8" plank. I need to made a blank with a 2 1/2" wide section for the centre plate that tapers to 2"at either end. The blank must be 3/8" thick I know this will lead to a lot of wast but it gives me plenty of material to true it up.

First I marked out the plan profile on the blank then roughed it out with the power plane and finished it with a hand plane. That done I plane the blank down to a thickness of about 7/16" with the power plane.

That's about as far as I got yesterday I need to hand finish it down to 3/8" tonight test fit on boat and make adjustments. This done I will mark and rough plane the side profile before gluing the keel cap onto the boat.

Sorry I haven't got photo's of the scarf joint being made I forgot to bring the camera that day.

See what you think.