Final Framing and Planking

For the past week or so I have worked to set all the chine logs and finished all the frame work. I made a mistake on the breast hook where the sheer clamp connects to it. I thought it needed to go on the bottom with screw drilled into it. But after looking at it when I started to fit the outside planking I noticed it did not look right. So I cut them loose and moved them to the top side if the boat was flipped upright. That seemed to put everything all into place. I also moved up the Sheer clamps to make them match the stem better. I figured since I had to do all that might as well do it all right.

I also worked on fitting the side planking; I used a paper template for the first one and cut it all out. I put it on my scarfed together plywood sheets that are now 16 foot long. Traced around the template and cut it all out with a skill saw, it all went a lot smoother than I thought it would. After fitting the first one I put it on the other side to see how closely matched it was and it looked pretty good so I used it for a template and cut out the second one. Everything went looks well after being glued and screwed together. I will need to do some Bondo work but that’s ok it will all work out.

The past few days I fitted the bottom planking on same as the sides. The front bend part is the hardest by yourself. I had to lean on it and drive in a screw as fast as I could, was not much fun but I got it done. I used sandbags to help me hold the last sheet in place since I could not use any clamps to help. I also put in all the screws as I went to help hold it down to the glue better. I think it turned out better than I expected and I plan to start the finish work on the outside to smooth it all up today. I ordered the fiberglass and it should be in this week so I can work on it this weekend.