So the boat project putts along…. I have two hulls ready for cedar strips now. I started the stripping process by tapering enough strips for one hull. I started 5 feet from the end of the strip and cut a straight line to the end on the opposite side. I knew this was not the ideal shape but I didn’t think it would make that much difference…it does! You can see from this picture (1 and 2) that the strips are not following the hull properly and that is after just 4 rows on each side. Since the hulls require 17 rows in total, Kevin cut 18 strips of MDF on the router table at the proper dimensions ( the tapered part plus one foot) and I used the other hull to do a test fitting, big improvement. I traced the new shape on enough strips to finish the first hull and used a jigsaw to cut them. This worked okay but they still took quite a bit of time and the results were ……less than perfect. When the strips were all on there was still a thin slice where the two different strip shapes met so we shaped and installed an insert for the four places. I epoxied the ends on the hull where the strips land but used Gorilla Glue to glue the strips on to the bulkheads, holding them in place with masking tape. I did not glue the strips together. That hull is now hanging from the ceiling and I am working on the next one. The first set of strips we cut were not very uniform in thickness so there will be lots of sanding and shaping to come.
The second set of strips are much better quality. We used two sided tape to stick an MDF pattern right to the top of the strip and used that as a cutting guide for the band saw. It worked great and I don’t expect to have to do much planing etc to get them to fit. This hull should go much quicker (these things are all relative) and will need less work in the end.
The third picture shows the added width of one of two bulkheads to anchor the strips at the 7 foot mark from each end. Strips are alternated 7 and 11 feet The tight radius of the curve will mean more filling later on but I couldn't imagine beveling every strip and fitting each one, not for a trial boat anyway.
Once the hulls are stripped, I will check the fit of the strips on the inside and then coat the entire inside with a layer of epoxy. I may have to use masking tape on the outside in a few places where the gaps are larger than I would like. When that dries the hull will be one solid unit and I can start shaping the outside. I am not sure how I will do this yet, but I might make an aluminum frame, cut a belt from a belt sander in half, holding it at the ends only.
My decision to have rounded hull cross sections was based on information in posts to the Boat Design forum but I am not sure yet if the extra work involved will pay off. Stitch and glue would be MUCH faster and less work but not quite as nice…depending on how good the shaping job is! These hulls will definitely be painted, I won’t be showing off this handiwork under clear epoxy……!
