Transom fashion piece and quarter knees

Garboard and Strake fitted

This part of the garboard was chiselled on a sharper angle (excuse the pun) which is called a "box landing". The strake which is the next plank to go on has to fit flush and this is the best way to achieve that. 

 Using a spoke shave, another excellent tool, the garboard is planed at the angle of the station which the strake will lay upon.


Then once this depth has been gauged I planed all the way along the garboard keeping to the angle where I spoke shaved.

Here is the garboard ready for the strake to be fitted.. the join will be soaked in resin then more resin with thixatrope applied before being joined.

Nails and tape used here to keep the join tight. I nailed the strake plank on at all the stations which worked well. Tape can help close the gaps too. Another very effective technique is screwing into a block behind the plank, thus pulling the two planks together.

Dr.Zeuss makes boat

Spiling Plank

A Spiling plank is a thin piece of ply or hdf which can conform to the stations where the planks will go. Measurements are written onto the spiling plank either side to the top and bottom of that face, and to the transom and stem. More measurements are needed to mark the stem and transoms line.

Battens were tacked on the stations in a similar manner to get the correct degree of bevel so that the spiling plank fits flat against it.

Here I am taking the measurements to the lofting floor. Nails in each point create a line which is faired as best as possible and cut. The card then taken back to the boat frame and checked before it is used as a pattern for the plank. The best layout of each plank is drawn onto the plywood and cut. This boats size was actually defined by the size of the plywood 2.4metres x 1.2m where the best use of the materials for cost is essential on a budget.

Stem construction

By screwing these clamp blocks straight onto the plans made a simple and effective shape to attach the Stem,  strips of cedar that had been steamed and held with clamps in place so that it conformed easily to the shape. Once the pieces were ready we applied glue to each piece and clamped them to these blocks. Small blocks of wood screwed down are actually more effective as it's easier to get the clamps flat against all surfaces. Using these jigs we found the laminates slipped upward and we had to force them by hammering a block ontop while we tightened the clamps.

Problem: By using cedar clamped hard onto these blocks the pressure dents the timber easily under pressure

Solution: To use sacrificial pieces of cedar on either side. Soft wood is excellent to use this way, often when nailing or applying alot of pressure to wood.

Final Product, planed and checked against plans, ready to be fitted.

Thanks Chris, we got the bottom plank in place using that technique of cutting into the plank along the centre of each station. This method also gave us an accurate point to redraw the profile on with a batten.

Now we have glued on the transom, midship frames, and stem to the bottom plank. We will finish planing the bottom plank today and start working on the next sheet to scarph.

Thanks Chris, we got the bottom plank in place using that technique of cutting into the plank along the centre of each station. This method also gave us an accurate point to redraw the profile on with a batten.

Now we have glued on the transom, midship frames, and stem to the bottom plank. We will finish planing the bottom plank today and start working on the next sheet to scarph.

What makes a good team

A good boat building team must communicate well to ensure each person is aware of what stage in developement the boat is in. This also ensures that each member of the team is educated in the construction of the craft and participating. I think my team the "hory dory" is accomplishing this.