Build A Dinghy Part 19: Fastening inwale blocks and quarter knees

Here, I spaced the inwale blocks evenely alongside each side of the boat--taking into account the eventual position of my oarlock pads. To make sure they were even on each side (remember, these are curved surfaces) I used a technique called "horning." This entailed affixing a length of string at the bow and running the other end to a block, then swinging the string across the boat and placing the other block at the same length of string. Sounds weird, but if you visualize it, its simply creating a "virtual" isosceles triangle (Thats the one with at least two equal sides.) I clamped the spacer blocks in position, remeasured, the set back and eyeballed everything. Looked good, so I taped off the mounting line. If your sharp eyed, you'll note that the blocks are set a hair higher than the sheer of the boat. This is to create some flare or camber. Once the rails are installed, everything will be planed down flush, creating a slight outboard crown. I applied straight epoxy to both the boat and the blocks. Then I overcoated with thickened epoxy and clamped the blocks in position. Since the temps were to drop into the 30's overnight, and epoxy likes at least 50 degrees to cure, I created a tent over the boat with a blue tarp. I then placed a pair of 100 W worklamps in the boat. This kept the temp on my glue-up at 61-degrees F in my unheated boatshop --er, garage.(LOL)

Build a Dinghy Part 18: Inwales

I've got 61 Hours in my Summerbreeze design skiff, though I started a year ago to date. Such is life. Here, I've cut 1 x2 lumber into 3-inch long pieces to use as the spacer blocks for my inwales ( rails that run along the sheer inside the boat, creating a sort of truss). Twenty blocks, all three inches long but for the two that support the mast partner: Those are 6-inches long. Cuts were made with precision using a simple stop on my bench saw. Rather than sand the end grain of each block one at a time, I clamped up a rack on my bench that secured the blocks end up. I then sanded the end grain of all of them simultaneously using a palm sander. Having no bottom, I simply flipped the rack to sand the other side.

Build a Dinghy: Part 17

Here are my quarterknees, almost finished, Just a few more swipes of the plane....

My Other Blog

Here's a post from my All Aboard Blog

Coastal Waters Forecast for Coastal waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef FL out 20 NM (AMZ651)

Here's todays Wx for tesing boats at the Miami Boat Show. Today I'm running a Luhrs 37 Canyon with IPS and a Formula 400 Super Sport with Joystick-controlled deisel sterndrives from Volvo Penta. Lucky me.. the guys running smaller boats are gonn get killed. Check the forecast by clicking the link. Coastal Waters Forecast for Coastal waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef FL out 20 NM (AMZ651)

Recycling a Makita as a Boat Drill: Part 3

Here's the completed drill. Works great.I can plug it into a recptacle aboard the boat and never worry for lack of power. Its also lighter , not having the battery in the handle, which is advantageous sometimes, like when I use it to give the interior of my Regulator a mid-season wax. I even use it in the shop: I have a 12-volt power supply plugged in at my bench (this powers a VHF radio I use to chat with my fishing buddies when I cant get out on the bay) so I just use it as a corded drill. It took about a half hour to make--a lot less time than it took to post the process to the blog. Click Here for Part 1 Click Here for Part 2

Recycling a Makita as a Boat Drill: Part 2

To wire the Sealink plug described in Part 1, you'll need a small Phillips and a small slot screwdriver. First, remove the center screw holding the assembly together. Next, spin off the threaded tip, which conceals the fuse, and remove the fuse. Third, slip the slot screwdriver under the O-ring so you can grasp it and gently pull it off. Now separate the two halves. Step five is to remove the pair of Phillips screws holding the hold-down bracket and strain-relief boot. Remove both. After stripping your wires, loosen the screws for the wire clamps, slip the boot over your cable; Now insert the wires into the clamps paying attention to polarity. You can see where the positive and negative goes in the picture--or read the directions. Tighten down, pull to test the integrity, re-seat the boot and reassemble the works. Click Here for Part 1 Click Here for Part 3