Sheeting

The sides were sheeted with three layers of marine grade ply. First layer of 6mm at right angles to the frame with joints aligned by securing small blocks to pull the sheets at the joints.

First layer completed, second layer started (starboard side).

The next two layers of 4mm at opposing 45 degree angle fully glued and heavily secured until glue dried. all securing screws were removed after drying.
The center board case now needed to be constructed and fitted before the bottom could be sheeted.

Bottom sheeting started and ready for center board case to be fitted.

Center board case building.

Center board case being fitted.

The bottom was sheeted with first layer 12mm ply at right angle followed by two layers 9mm ply at 45 degree secured as per side sheeting.

Bottom sheeted. 

The bow was finished with three 12mm layers of oregon timber and shaped to a finish.

Bow trim fitted.

The chines and corners were then rounded and shaped to finish and the sheeting sanded and finished.

Chines and bow shaped.

As this boat was having an small diesel inboard sail drive motor fitted a skeg was constructed to protect the engine leg.

Hull finished and skeg fitted with cut out to ensure engine leg fits.

With all the sheeting finished the hull was ready for glassing. Before the glassing was done the center board was test fitted to ensure clearances.

Center board test fitting./

Frame construction continues.

The side battens were now to be fitted along with knee brace to bow.
The knee brace was laminated with two layers of hardwood placed with at 90 degrees to each other side by side and glued. final shaping was done by trial and error and the knee glued and secured in place with brass screws. The cheeks were later built up to make it a sold block between the sheeting to eliminate spaces for better waterproofing and strength in the bow.

The side frame battens were laminated from 2 layers of 20 mm hoop pine again laminated in situ for maximum strength. The positions of the battens were taken from the plans to suit the fit out locations of the seats, bunks and shelving. They were butted into the the stern with a cleat fitted to secure both together and stop housed into the bow stem. The battens were then shaped to fit the bulk head sides so sheeting would sit neatly for maximum support and bond to the frame.

The frames were now checked for completion and satisfactory lines and all readied for sheeting.

Building the frame

First of the materials Ply wood for bulkheads and Boat Coat resin arrived from Robert in January and work commenced on the boat itself. The bulkheads were marked out and cut from the front 'A' and secured in place to the strong back through to the stern. All were given a coat of resin with special attention to the edges. At this point a stand back observation decided it was a big boat.

Bulkheads looking from bow

Bulkheads looking from stern

 The bow stem was then laminated from a piece of old recycled Oregon timber and mounted in position with a section of construction form ply which was between the 'A' bulkhead and the stem, braces were attached to ensure it remained in position during the follow construction stages.

Bow stem in place supported by temporary ply support and braces

By this time I had purchased some Joinery machinery so recycling of good quality straight grain knot free Oregon was possible. This was used first up in the chines which where laminated in position from three 12 mm thick layers with joints staggered over the length to ensure maximum strength. I chose to laminate these in position even though the curvature along the boat length was not extreme the lamination process lends more strength and stability to the chines. This was all glued (no screws) and clamped using Purbond glue from Boat Coat. The chines were then shaped following the extended lines of the bulk head edges and judgment (a fair eye) to establish the curve shape between each bulkhead and ultimately the overall line of the boat. Much time (and patience) with an electric planner and sander were needed to obtain a fair line over the chines.

Chine timbers glued and clamped in place prior to shaping.

It was now time for the keel sections before the shears were done making it difficult to walk between the bulk heads. Due to the extended length of the boat the plans could only be used as a guide to the general positioning and depth of the vertical keel section. The timbers were cut for a longitudinal splice and mounted on supports attached to bulkheads so the keel section could be marked to follow the bulk heads. Again judgment and a fair eye were required to scribe the curvature of the keel between the bulk heads. This was cut with a jig saw and took some trial and error always removing too little material instead of too much. This allowed for fine refinement with a sander until the required shape was obtained. With the bottom edge of the vertical keel section obtained, the top edge was cut as per the depths and shapes of the plans allowing for the extended keel length as per the extended length of the boat. With one half done it was a simple matter of copying to produce the second half.
These sections were then mounted in the boat ensuring they were parallel and level using Pure Bond glue.

The next job was the horizontal section of the keel construction. Again this was done from recycled Oregon in 12 mm layers 150 mm wide. All joints both longitudinal and lateral were staggered and again all work was glued with Purbond and clamped in situ for maximum strength. The center board - keel slot was cut after discussion with Robert decided the center board should be lengthened as per all other longitudinal measurements in the boat.

Keel in place and chines shaped

Next came the shears at which point the acceptable Oregon ran out so hoop pine was introduced to the construction. Two pieces of pine 75 mm X 20 mm were laminated in situ as per chines to both side of the boat and fitted to the bow stem. We now had some real measurements and outline shapes to define the boat and it was looking good (and still very big).

The basic frame was now in place including the sheers. The temporary bow post support was now removed and the permanent knee brace was fitted.

 Next were the balance of the frames for support and shape to the hull sheeting.

Getting started

It all started with a dream that lasted some 30 or 40 years and included a number of possible designs until I eventually found the Norwalk Island Sharpie (NIS) shallow draft designs in 2011.
Decision made time to roll, first delay due to a previous booking for my shed, my sons wedding in September 2011. The shed had to have a complete overhaul for this event.

The big day in the shed.

Wedding over now to purchase plans but first a discussion with Robert Ayliffe regarding extending the 31 foot design by 12 percent to 35 foot. All other measurements remained as per the plan i.e beam and height/draft. With this appearing OK and with my shed back to normal the plans were purchased and work started in December 2011.
The new position for the bulkhead frames were calculated and the strong back constructed.

The shed back to normal and the strong back ready.