Planks 7 and 8 Fitted

After explaining in the last post that I didn't have enough clamps to glue 2 planks in a day I found that the last 2 planks don't need as many clamps. This is because there is almost no twist in the them so they more easily take up the required position. So, yesterday I added plank 7, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Here is a photo of the boat with the 7th plank in position.

 

 

Today I made the pattern for the last plank, that's number 8. This turned out to be a pig of a job because there is no longer a piece of exposed mould to fix temporary supports to. Add to that the fact that my 17 foot long piece of ply wasn't quite wide enough and had to have extensions added at both ends (hot melt glue is magic stuff). Making the pattern and checking that it was correct took me almost 3 hours - it has been a 30 minute job for the previous planks.

 

With the pattern made and checked I marked out and cut the last 2 planks. Here is a photo of the boat with them glued in place, still clamped because the glue hasn't set enough to hold them yet. On a hot day like today, over 35 degrees in my shed, the glue goes off pretty quick but still takes 5 or 6 hours to set enough to hold the planks and there isn't any point taking chances!

 

 

This last plank is sometimes called the "whiskey plank" because it is a reason for a celebration. I'm celebrating with a gin and tonic, trying to replace some of the fluid I have lost today!

 

It isn't actually the last plank because the plans call for an optional doubling plank to be glued on top of it. this will add strength to the boat and I have decided that this is a good thing to do as it will help to stop the hull twisting and also help it withstand the inevitable bumps when it is moored alongside jetties or other boats. There are a few things to do before the 9th plank can be added so stay tuned.

Planks 5 and 6 fitted.

I'm back from my sailing adventure. It was a great trip, better than I ever imagined. I have been home for a couple of weeks but went sailing again for a week with the guys from the Wooden Boat Association. In the other week I have been hard at it in the boatshed.

First job was to scarf together more sheets of ply for the remaining planks. Since then I have been on a roll with the planking. I have settled into a routine where I am gluing one plank in place each day. The clamps come off that plank and are used to fit the second plank of that pair. While that second plank's glue is setting I prepare the pattern for the next pair of planks and use it to cut the planks. In this way I fit a pair of planks in 2 days. I tried doing a pair in one day (one in the morning and the other in the evening) but found the pace too hectic and I had to slow down!

Anyway, here is the boat with 5 planks fitted. A few clamps left after the majority moved over to the other side of the boat.

And, again, with six planks. The planking stock is on the bench at the right ready for the next pair of planks to be cut. As I write this, I have made the pattern and cut the 7th pair of planks ready for one to be glued in the morning. If I made another 40 clamps I could glue them both but I don't have enough scrap plywood for 40 clamps and, hey, the planking is almost done.