Side panels completed

Side panels fully completed yesterday. I have built easy plywood bending jig to pre-bend the aft part of the panels to allow easier fit on the frames, chines and sheer logs. So the most complicated structural work is behind me. Each side consumed 300g of Epoxy.
The next step is to glue mahog planks on the transom, finish the bottom pannels and start fiberglassing.

1. year aniversary

Its been a year since this project started. The total hours would be an equivalent of 1,5 working month. In fact most of the work has been done during 4 weeks full time and the rest is minutes and hours here and there... So about 200 manhours.

Front side panels

After tedious fairing and repairing some fairing mistakes, front side panels glued in place. Side panels are from two pieces butt-joined at the aft section.

Some serious Fairing after 3 month break

Some fairing issues solved. I must admit that every word in the 5 pages manual is worth. It is amazing how simple yet detailed process description can be written. Front side panels cut to size, dry fitted and some more fairing identified. But overall good progress achieved over the weekend. I believe I am 2 working days before the planking starts.

Inspiration

Inspiration taken in Venice, Italy. The project is due to lack of time on a standstill until winter. I also need to think on how to proceed with fairing.

Chines

With great help of the new steambox the second pair of chines is bent and ready to be glued.

First pair of chines mounted

Chines are almost done except some small part, sheers to go next - without the steambox it is not possible.

Steambox

Latest development on the boat is a steambox. I had to stop the work on the boat until this piece of hardware would help me to bend the sheers and chines along the boat. It is simple plywood box with 10cm inner copper tube and insulation around it. Steam is introduced from the other side (teapot with boiling water on a small stove). To heat up the pieces takes more than 1 hour.

Battens and chines glued

not according to the original plan of assembly but... the plan now is to make a steam box to provide for easier and safer sheer and chine bending around the hull.

Major framework almost completed

Glued transom and bulkhead to stringers, cut limbers, glued and screwed battens, first pair of chines put in place.

Chines on the scene

Most of the memebers assembled, but not glued yet. Chines had to be "hot water over rag" cured to allow bending in the forward part. I made a mistake here mixing up chines and battens. But after giving it some thought, there will be no major impact. Sheers will have the correct members again, but the second pair of chines has to be again steam/hot water cured to allow bending.

Breasthook

Breasthook assembled, keel trimmed, some more truing-up and assembly. Getting ready to glue and plumb everything. Still limbers to be cut. The keel is very stiff, I hope that forces against the frames and bolts will not be too strong to create internal pressure on various parts.

Dry fit

Here I have wrapped around some cardboard paper to protect the dashboard from scratches and glue drips.

Motor stringers

Done today due to the public holiday :-). Cut together to achieve accuracy.

Motor stringers laminated

...and ready for cutting notches for frames and floor pieces.

Keel laminated

Scarf in spring

Scarf joint, not a perfect one but still a joint. Lamination of keel has just begun.

Hamburg, Berlin or maybe Paris?

Being on the water-highway in Roudnice nad Labem, why not? But most likely "just" Prague...

Testing glass

Last year I bought resin from the Havel Composites and today was the time of testing. First of all I prepared dummy joint of two plywood on mahogany. Fairing mahogany or Gabon is like opening the box of cigars :-)

Than I applied the resin over 225g/sqm glass. It allowed me more than 1 hour of work and I had to move it to 20 Celsius to fully harden. It is almost fully transparent, the colour of the wood is enriched, the company says it is UV resistant so it should stay like that..

I plan to use this piece to test fillers, paint and also antifouling paint and final varnishes.

Cradle

Today the cradle for the boat turn-around is completed. The reason for doing it now is to copy the shape from the No 2 and 4A frames. The longitudinals will be plumbed to the cradles just before the boat is turned around (to save space until that moment). I have stappled the camping mat to the profiles to provide basic scratch protection. The front wheels are fixed, the back wheels tilt for easy push around in the shop.

Milled and planed lumber

Milled and planed lumber has arrived. This should cover the Dashboard, chines, sheers, battens and motor stringers. The rest of the lumber will be used for deck construction.

Lumber in the house

Mahogany lumber

I ordered mahogany lumber to process keel, chines, sheers and battens. Some more plywood for planking.

Buiding form

Building form partly assembled. I need to wait for the stringers to set it up fully. However I could not wait to see the basic shape so this is just to get the first glimpse of the future...