Boat like object

As it won't exactly float yet, it really isn't a boat yet. But exciting progress!

We made a steel frame with three (stations 53.5, 110 and 169.5) patterns set up per the "jig" offset table. These patterns were made by tracing around the actual bulkhead and taking another ply thickness so that the hull panels would fit right in.

We were a little worried since we are using the lighter plywood (5.2 mm), but once in place, the bulkheads seem just fine. We have cut temporary stringers to help locate each bulkhead and have tacked them in place.

One issue we did have is that I made the wrong choice for the "puzzle joint" glue. I have been regluing most of them with regular epoxy. The Purbond I used is just not strong enough to do the job, particularly up in the bow area.

We will locate the cockpit sides and bottom on frame 124 and 110 and finish cutting them out. We changed things a little from the plans, somewhat like Kevin and others have done and felt the best way to insure a nice fair curve was wait until this point to locate everything.

The cabin top is also going to be different and be a separate moulding rather than the built in place ones most builders are using. Frame 89 is pretty close to the shape we want.

Once we get the bulkheads all in and the bow finished, eveything will get filleted and tabbed. As we are using the lighter ply, we will also be using a light cloth on all the interior surfaces. This will get done before the perminate stringers and such get installed.

A picture of the crew and the first epoxy job to come next! Nortorious is on it's way.