Boat Repair, Restoration, Building
The twist in the bottom planks at the bow is pretty extreme. When it becomes impractical to clamp enough twist or curve into a plank to fit it properly, it helps to be able to get it closer to the final shape before you pop a blood vessel in the struggle. Continue reading “Steaming the Bottom Plank Blanks”
The final topsides plank is fit and glued in place. Huzzah! It took a long time to get here because I elected to vacuum bag each plank individually. I wanted the tightest seams I could get. And in order to do that, you need to know the plank you’re fitting against isn’t going to move, even slightly. Without locator screws, which you can use in traditional boat building, you don’t know things will go back together exactly as they did during the dry fit. The topsides gets a lot of scrutiny on any boat–perhaps not as much as the deck, but it’s what people notice first. Continue reading “Final Topsides Plank and a Patch”
It’s not too early to start thinking about the finishing program for this boat. I know, it seems ridiculous to be thinking about this at such an early stage, but I want to test several different options for varnishes and urethane clear coats for durability. Considering the effort that goes into finishing, it’s worth gathering a little empirical data to help make the decision. Continue reading “Picking a Color for the Boat”