Build a Dinghy: Part 22

OK, now that I've got two coats of paint on the interior, I dry-fit my inwales. I clamped them along the spacer blocks and then used my shop-made bevel gauge, a'la Greg Rossel to take and mark the angles on the inwale stock. (Store-bought bevel gauges are too big for the tight confines of smal boats. This one, made from an old hacksaw blade and a rivet is "just right.")I'm happy with how these cuts came out and will now remove the inwales, soak them and clamp them in place. When they dry they will be pre-bent and ready for glue and fasteners.

Build a Dinghy Part 15

When the spiders have laid eggs in and around your project, you know you've let it sit too long. Well, I'm back a'building! Glued and nailed the keelson to my Summerbreeze. The designer calls for placing the boat on the floor, getting in and using your weight to keep the keel tight to the hull bottom while nailing. When I tried that, I was able to get the keelson on center at the transom and stem, but it "wandered" amidship (delflected to the side). Here's how I did it intstead.

1. Marked centerline on boat bottom.

2. Placed center of keelson on the C/L, clamped it down, traced it.

3. Removed the keelson and drilled pilot holes within the tracing from outside. (hull bottom)

4. Buttered hull and keelson with epoxy, nailed it down into the transom, applied a clamp bar, and nailed into the center frame as well.

5. Climbed under boat and nailed through pilot holes into keelson, stopping at the center frame.

6. Moved the clamp forward of the center frame, --half way to the stem--and applied a second clamp to the keelson at the stem

7. Climbed under again and finished nailing through the pre-drilled holes.

Here are pictures of my clamp, the resulting glue line, and the aft end of the keelson, nothced to accept the skeg ( I have to make the skeg next). Wouldnt want to put the keelson on without cutting that notch--would be difficult to cut it after its glued in place! The tan strips either side of the keelson are plastic strapping tape, used to keep squeeze out from making a mess.

Build a Dinghy: Part 9

OK, I told you all about the sweet piece of VG fir I got to machine into various structural members for the Summerbreeze I'm currently building. Here's how I got out the rub rails from that board. The plans call for a 1/2" to 5/8" thick by 1.5" wide strip to be utilized for the gunwale, or rubrail, or guard,if you prefer. This is the batten that's installed on the outside of the planking at the sheer. I was fine with that, but concerned about the exposed end grain at the top of the plank. I could just install this rail, then install a similiar rail inside as an inwale and then cap the top with a covering board. BUT....I want open gunwales, with spacers, both for the aesthetics, and for the functionality of being able to turn the boat over after a sail and having all the water run out. So here's what I came up with.

I measured and marked the width of both rubrails on the edge of my board, adding, and marking for, 3/8" wide rabbet( short L-shape) to be cut out. When installed, the rabbet will cover the exposed grain of the ply at the top of the sheer. I tacked my trusty aluminum channel as a fence, set my saws depth of cut to 6mm (1/4"), the planking thickness. I then made two very accuarate cuts with the aluminum guide, each side of my marked width. I then used the saw free-hand to make about 20-kerfs(cuts) between the accurate cuts. I then chiseled out the waste. Voila! Rabbbeted rubrails! All I have to do now is remove the rest of the waste, then mark an cut down the center and I'll have two rails with protective sheer rabbets. ( Hey, did I just invent a new term?)

This technique is very easy when you're chisleling across the grain. Here, I had to do it along the grain, which is very splintery work. You go easy, pushing the chisel slow and steady. I also wore leather gloves which saved my from getting porcupined about a hundred times.