WHAT TO BUILD
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The decision about what to build has plagued me for several years. I've had a few false starts--building a few parts and discovering some aspect that troubles me. Still, I have a stack of materials and the space, and coming up is a window in my schedule which will allow me to build a small boat if I hustle.
The criteria:
-She must be trailerable and drysailable.
-She must be strong enough to (intentionally) fill up with water during a hurricane.
-She must be easily- and cheaply-enough made that I won't weep interminably should she succumb to a hurricane.
-Performance is more important to me than looks, but she should have a classical appearance to the extent possible. (Fortunately, the looks that have become 'classic' evolved out of well-performing forms)
-Must mesh well with the Swallows and Amazons for my children as they grow.
-As a professional woodworker my enjoyment of the 'process' is somewhat different than for many. I find gratification in carving bowls of grapes, or making piston-fit dovetails which I do more-or-less daily. The 'process' of boatbuilding for me will be amusing, but my goal is to sail a small boat of my own making.
I have considered (bought plans for) and abandoned many including the Core sound, the Penobscot, and many others.
My decision?
"NO LOFTING REQUIRED"
Last week, you may recall, I was wondering what to build.
Having been a fan of Joel White I've long admired the shellback but found it too small for my purposes. One day I said to myself, 'Ya know, if only there was a larger version of the shellback...' then I remembered there IS a larger shellback. It's the pooduck skiff and, though still small it fits the bill. The plywood lapstrake technique answers all my needs and yields, in this design, an elegant craft.
So after studying the plans and the BDQ which discusses the pooduck, I'm on my way.
Since there is a very complete monograph on building the shellback published by WB, and since there is very little difference between the shellback and the pooduck, I won't belabor the forum with every phase of her construction. Instead I'll show what I do differently from the book.
First, the plans package comes with a sheet of full size patterns which eliminate the need for lofting this boat, sort-of. One of the first steps in building the boat is laminating the midships frame, pattern for which is supplied. This involves building a jig, around which are bent and glued the strips which make this frame. In the book we are directed to place nail heads on the pattern along the lines of the frame to be cut, then place the laminated blank on top of the nail heads and strike it, thus forcing it down on the nailheads and transferring marks onto the blank to then be cut out.
For several reasons I didn't like this idea. Mainly it doesn't seem too accurate a technique and my biggest work surface has a formica top and nails won't stay put. So I set to laying out the pattern from the base line and the perpendicular centerline drawn on the pattern sheet. BIG MISTAKE. After transferring, checking and double-checking the marks as measured from the baseline and the centerline, a fairly simple process with a good square and 24"rule, I couldn't quite get everything to agree, but I couldn't tell where the inaccuracy was coming from. Finally I decided to cut the thing out and lay it back on the pattern. If it needed trimming or shimming, so be it. Sure enough I'm dead on in spots, 1/4" off in others. After much swearing I pick up the pattern sheet and fold it in half and align the baseline ends: perfect match. THEN I fold it in half along the drawn centerline: voila my quarter-inch discrepancy, the perpendicular isn't perpendicular. The process of copying the plans introduces some distortion and error onto the page. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Because if I hadn't caught this now, I would have transferred the erroneous centerline to the frame and used it to align the frame on the building jig a quarter inch off center, which would have been hard to detect and might yield an asymmetrical boat! Beware.
This week the stem and frame are laminated, sided and moulded and the hull plank stock scarfed. The plans call for 3/4" plywood for the bottom, but I don't like the idea of bending that stout a panel over the form. Also, I don't have any 3/4" ply, but I have plenty of 3/8", enough to make two layers. SO, I'll put one layer on the jig, then hang the garboards, then laminate on the second layer of 3/8" ply on the bottom. This also makes a nicely interlocking joint at the first chine.
SETTING UP AND GETTING ON
The building jig is built and the planking is well underway.
I'll share this week's find with you: I bought plywood for the temporary frames from my builders' supply's damaged bin. It was lovely 3/4" cabinet stuff with water stains on it. Paid about $20/sheet or about half the contractor price.
I found the 'midship frame did not like to stay put on the jig and discovered that the problem was the cross spall which, despite it's being mahogany, tended to flex when the bottom plank (even at 3/8") was bent over it. The solution I found was simple and can be seen in the picture above as a stick supporting the frame load from the cross spall directly. I found that by moving it slightly from side to side I could make fine adjustments to true and level the frame.
For beveling the planks I devised this method, borrowing an idea from Iain O and others and adapting it to my power plane. A 1/2" dowel fits nicely in the fence mounting hole and the bottom of the hole happens to be precisely 3/4" from the sole of the plane. Thus, by nailing a 3/4" batten to the frame representing the next plank angle the plane is held to the proper angle and rough beveling is a snap.
I also made the centerboard and trunk and rudder this week. Here is my apparatus for melting lead for the centerboard slug. It consists of a weed-burning torch, two bits of angle iron and my most badly scuffed non-stick bread pan (the coating burns off first use.) A trip to the store yielded me a slotted spoon. The lead came free from the tire shop for the taking. One two-gallon pail yielded approximately three times what I needed. No worrys, I'll keep the rest for future projects. One heaping bread pan melts down to about a third it's volume of lead, once the clips are swept off, which makes an easily-handled ingot. Make sure you sort out all the valve stems and lugnuts and tire stickers before hand. The valve stems smell terribly when they burn (which they'll do for quite a while.)
A POODUCK IS BORN
This week the planking is finished, the boat rolled over. It's hard, but one man can flip the hull with saw horses strategically placed.
Estimated time to roll-over: 50hrs.
Before I took her off the jig I glassed the bottom and garboards in epoxy. I probably would not have done this if I didn't live among coral reefs. I also painted the bottom. More on that later.
As you can see I added some floatation in the bows, in lieu of the forward thwart drawn. Again, as my sailing ground involves deep water and currents I thought it wise, particularly since this boat is for teaching sailing. I also added the bow eye instead of drilling holes for a line made up around the stem as the plans call for.
From the Launching section of WB I got the idea for the rear locker. A fellow named Tim Wentzel built one in the stern, similar to this and it seemed like a good idea. This one adds no flotation but makes for a neater hull, providing storage for bailer, rowlocks, line, rode and anchor, etc. Inside locker is glassed too.
I'll be launching soon. The trailer is here and the sails were ordered this week.
LAUNCH
Ladies and Gentlemen, the day has come! While the building process has proceeded quite quickly, this day represents the culmination of years of study, speculation, dreaming and forum yakking. What a feeling! Maybe my next project will be a Concordia, or a Malabar or something grand but right now no captain shipwright is more proud.
The weather was breezy but the seas were calm. We launched her under oars in the lagoon near town. Her performance exceeded my somewhat high expectations. That is to say that she flattered this rusty rower's technique and embarrassed him not at all. After some experimentation I found that lowering the centerboard a bit completely counteracts the common tendency of rowboats to have their bows blown off the wind. In short, she rows like she's on rails, even in a breeze.
I've always enjoyed the Kathy Bray Southern Boat Paint Scheme, as seen in so many of the design articles in WB, and here it is. The rub strake red is ordinary house paint, and stinks. It is soft and did not take well to masking off. Better luck next repaint.
A few days later we launch at the yacht club. Here we are toodling around the reef. Each time I pointed out a nice wave my daughter would, of course, wave at it. She has pretty good sea legs already and I imagine she'll take well to sailing.
Spar blanks are glued up and sails were shipped this week. Next week, we'll be sailing!
LAUNCH UNDER SAIL
YIPPEE! We're sailing again, at last! Not since before hurricane Marilyn in '95 have I been at the helm of my own boat. And never before have I sailed a boat of my own making.
The sails arrived on Wednesday and Thursday we tried them out. She performed flawlessly. I had not expected great things about her weather performance yet I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously we have some sail trimming to work out which will improve performance even further. Where to make the halyard fast to the yard, for example, peaks up the sail (or not) a great deal.
Kudos to Stuart Hopkins of DABBLER SAILS in Virginia. His service was excellent very timely. He took a great deal of time talking with me on the phone and via email discussing the order. Not only did I get sails from him, but he gladly made a wonderful Sunbrella bag long enough to accept the spars with sails made up to them, so I wouldn't have to repeatedly bend on the sails each outing. He did all that and was pleasant too. I recommend him highly.
SOME TOOLS...
Here are some tools which I found immensely helpful in building her. I post them here because I had not expected to use some of them to the extent that I did in boatbuilding.
Starting TDC and working clockwise:
Folding ruler, 'stick rule', etc. I've converted to the folding ruler for just about everything in the last few years. Yeah, it's marks are a bit fatter than those of a tape, and yeah it only goes to 6', but it really does make your work better. It is a storey stick as well, using the sliding brass rule in the end. It makes for surprisingly accurate work. And yes it has taken a while to adjust to, oiling the joints is important. It also took some work overcoming the fear I developed of them as a child when I invariably pinched the behJEEZus out of my fingers seemingly just by looking at the things.
Next, low angle block plane. Just a darned good tool. I use it for way more than I should. Indispensable, if you ask me.
Bull nose plane. I've had several of these things in the bottom and back of my plane drawer over the years and never really used them. Boatbuilding in the glued-lap ply method brings them out of hiding.
Next, a paring chisel, or grinling, if you're English. It's a whippy razor-sharp instrument. Nothing better for hard-to-reach glue removal. Also good for carving. Grinling Gibbon used these to do much of his carving, according to legend. Indispensable.
Spokeshave...needs no explanation. This one has a curved sole, I didn't use the flat sole shave much, if at all.
Ahh, next is a dusky jewel. The fabled sanding belt shoved over a block. This little rascal is crude but wonderfully useful. If it ain't furniture, this tool is just the thing. For example it's what separates a good scarf from a great one, I found.
Next is the artists palette knife. It's uses are limited only by your imagination, particularly where epoxy is involved. I found that the curve on the end makes a perfectly delicate fillet when cleaning a joint.
Finally the brad-awl. It is very useful during the 'lofting' stage for transferring marks to wood. Also, scribed lines in some cases show up much better than their pencilled counterparts.
PAINT ANALYSIS - wherein it is divulged that I took a new approach and while disaster still lurks, so far all is well.
Here is where I launch...
As you can see, it is sandy with assorted rocks. The surf zone is sand with a rock shelf. The shelf is relatively smooth but quite hard.
The sand is pretty soft, so I usually pull the boat off the trailer and across a few feet of sand to launch, rather than risk getting truck and trailer stuck. This is pretty hard on the bottom of the boat I fear.
Here is the paint system...
PITT-TECH® Int/Ext High Gloss DTM Industrial Enamels (I used the satin)
Pitt-Tech® High Gloss Industrial Enamels are a full line of 100%
Acrylic water borne enamels designed for direct-to-metal application.
These products provide corrosion protection, chemical and solvent
resistance, and are fast drying with low odor. Recommended for use on
properly prepared interior or exterior metal, masonry, plaster, and
drywall surfaces.
Excellent adhesion for true DTM performance in Pastel Base and
Ready Mix Colors
Improved color, and gloss retention versus most alkyds and two
component coatings.
High hiding
Flash rust resistant
Easy to apply, low odor
Soap & water clean up
Performance Offset to Federal Standard TT-E-2784
Features / Benefits
Gloss:Gloss: 80 to 100 (60° Gloss Meter)
VOC*:1.59 lbs/gal 191.00 g/L
Note: Does not include loss due to varying application method, surface porosity, or mixing.
Coverage: 193 to 292 sq ft/gal (18 to 27 sq. m/3.78L)
DFT:2.0 minimum to 3.0 maximum
Weight/Gallon*:10.0 lbs. (4.5 kg) +/- 0.2 lbs. (91 g)
Volume Solids*:37% +/- 2%
Weight Solids*:47.7% +/- 2%
Mix Ratio: One Component
Clean-up: Soap and Water
Results will vary by color, thinning and other additives.
*Product data calculated on 90-374
Here this stuff is used on everything, including wood, despite not being recommended for wood. It doesn't move with wooden structures as latex does. On a plywood and epoxy structure that consideration is lessened.
I have to make two admissions here. First, the boat has been painted for about 3 months and launched and sailed once or twice a week since, so there is a reasonable amount of time behind this analysis. (Yes, I began writing this series only after I had actually completed the project--I've started too many unfinished projects in my life! The timing of the progress remains relatively accurate.) Second, yes I can read, when I want to, and I did not fail to notice the fine print on the can which states 'Not for immersion service.' I have chosen to ignore the latter because A) the stuff is relatively cheap, B) can be mixed in colors, C) many people use it here (architecturally) and it works well even in constant salt spray, D) My boat lives on a trailer, not in the water, so I'm not too concerned about immersion, E) after three years on my hurricane shutters, despite a wee bit of chalking, it is still hard as nails--much harder than any other architectural paint and comparable to/harder than Brightside, which I've also used in both marine and architectural settings.
After three months of beach/surf launchings this is the worst I've been able to give her...
That includes her interior in which sand is ground in repeatedly. If you can see the (horrendous) brush strokes I should explain by saying that the stuff dries VERY FAST, too fast for my roll-and-tip technique. I did manage quite a bit better in the inside, thankfully.
By the way, it doesn't seem to cure fully for about 3 weeks.
All in all I recommend the stuff very highly so far.
Here is the final installment in this building series.
Here she is on her trailer. It is EZ Loader's UPS-able trailer. Also visible is the custom cover I had made by a local seamstress of a fabric similar to sunbrella. Both are adequate, but not remarkable.
The forward bunks are not factory-spec. I bought some extra brackets at the marina and cut the existing bunks in half, redrilled the holes in the new centers of the bunks, and mounted one pair in the original aft position and one pair in the new forward brackets. As the hull is curved, the bunks only contact in the center few inches. Still, this doubles the contact area, and since the new position puts the support farther apart, the result is much more stable. Investment in brackets and bolts: about 12bucks.
The plans call for the halyard cleats affixed to the side of the centerboard trunk. As the trunk is only 3/8" thick the cleats didn't hold well and they began to pull out. So I borrowed from Joel's design for the shellback and installed belaying pins through the thwart.
Finally, I orginally put leathers and buttons on my oars per standard practice. However, when I put the oars in the spar bag along with the sails, they stained the sails when the leathers were the least bit wet. Eventually I recalled having read of an alternative in WB some time ago. I finally found the article which as it turns out was written by Jim Tolpin of DIY kitchen cabinet fame. Here you can see the result--leathers on the rowlocks instead. I have not tried them out yet but the process of installing the leathers on the rowlocks is straightforward.
I am grateful for the helpful replies and supportive comments through the course of this series. My purpose in writing this series has been to provide a resource in the archive of the forum to be of help and perhaps inspiration to anyone contemplating building to this design. I recommend the pooduck without hesitation.
After a season of sailing, now nearly over, there are a few observations I can offer those with an interest in the Pooduck Skiff.
First, I have been out in some high winds in open ocean and never used the reef points. I encourage anyone else to get them, though, since if we ever find ourselves racing, I'll appreciate all the holes in your sails I can get! Lowering or omitting the jib is by far the easier and more comfortable reefing maneuver.
Second, the jib sheeting scheme as drawn in the plans has proven awkward. The eyelets in the forward edge of the center thwart has claimed a fair number of bruises and a bit of blood. In answer to this situation I have made the jib self-tending, which has worked out well. However, as the jib overlaps the mast by a wee bit, I mounted the jib boom a few inches forward of the stemhead.
Third, I added jaws to the boom. This peaks up the main a bit, but I really don't know if it affects the performance positvely, negatively or at all. The jaws are leathered and they squeak until I douse them.
Fourth, I made the mast about 6" higher than called for. I had a really smart reason for doing this, which I have since utterly forgotten. I am very glad I did, though. More accurately, my adult passengers sitting on the forward seat are glad I did this.
Also, despite the durability of the hull as I built it, I decided to get one of those beach dollies for crossing the sand and beach cobble in order to protect the hull.
