Not getting much done.

Hi Folk's

not really getting much done this month. I have just started a new job not not working shifts anymore so have less spare time now. I managed to get a sheet of 8' by 4' by 3/4'' ply to use as one part of a cradle. I will probably need two more sheets.

Just been giving some thought as to how I can make a template to get the hull profile so I can lay it off on the cradle.

Anyway my car needs a fair bit of work for the MOT so my cash is going in that direction at the moment so I probably won't make too much progess this month.

Christmass.

Hi Folks

sorry no photo's to day I haven't been on for a while mainly because I'm not getting much done this month with the run up to Christmass. I mixed up some filler to give the hull a quick skim to fill some areas of coarse grain but with the cold weather the resin isn't curing fully and my sand paper is just clogging up when I try to knock it back so Ive called it a day until the new year.

I will have to find a new workshop I can't stay in this one past February but at least I can move the hull now.

Job for the new year mot the car and build a cradle to support the boat so I can fit out the inside.

Well that's about it really
Have a good Christmass

Steve.

Gunnels.

Hi Guy's

sorry I've not posted in a while been a bit busy cracking on with the gunnel's. I bought the timber rough sawn so had to plane it up true before I could mark out the gunnel profile from the plans.

That's done now I tried clamping them to the mold but they were too thick they wouldn't bend round. So I have planed them down to 3/4" thick they bend round nicely now although I'm worried how the glue will hold when the clamps come off.

I have the first gunnel clamped on and the glue areas marked out, I'm going to leave it on a couple of days to allow the timber to take up the curve before I glue it.

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.