Bowsprit

I was wondering where and how to install the attachement point for the bobstay (around the first chine on this boat)?

I can screw in a stainless steel ring. But I do not like this solution. The stay pulls in the wrong direction and I am not sure to be able to dismantle it due to the post glued right behind it.

I have seen pictures of modern catamaran where such stay is directly attached to the hull with a simple hole through the bow. Very strong solution, very light, nothing protruding... We will think about it!

Forward deck

One more deviation to talk about... On the original drawing, there is a forward bench, made for rowing. As we mainly plan to sail, we decided to replace the bench with a deck. The opening in the frame A will be closed by a 10" hatch.

The forward post goes through the deck and will be glued to the bow.

The aft frame C will also be closed with a small 4" hatch.

Aft bench

I always wondered from the original drawing, how it was possible to install the aft bench. There is a filet inside, but no real access...

After thinking probably too much about it, we decided to glue pieces of wood along the 4 sides (hull stbd and port, transom and frame C). The bench; once cut will come and rest on these support at the right place. We will then filet the external side of the bench and put some fiberglass to reinforce everything.

Mid bench

We made good progress over the past few days. The bench is in place. We deviated one more time from the orginal drawing. The wood beams that goes accross the boat to support the bench are cut at dagerboard case. We managed to keep it in one piece.

The mast, boom and gaff planks are all cut and glues together, nice and as strait as it can be...! Now it will be long work to make them round

Gunter rig

I am starting to gather information on how to rig properly the main sail. I am wondering if I should use one or two halyard to hold the gaff...?

Extract from François Vivier "Construction bois LES TECHNIQUES MODERNES"

Housekeeping

Gunwall

I wanted to install the inboard gunwall 15 mm x 35 mm in one go... But I found it difficult and was afraid to damage the fragile nut...

So I cut 2 pieces of wood 7.5 mm x 35 and will instal them in 2 steps instead of 1.












Starboard gun wall is in place with thickned epoxy.

On this picture, you can as well see the center frame and dagerboard cage (24 mm wide inside).

Learning curve

I found a spot on the upper chine, around the aft frame, where the chine was deviating in and out... One would not noticed, but once I saw it, I could not leave with it. With the circular saw, I reopened the chine...











And then play a bit, open here and close there. Once I had the right curve, all was glued together and covered with fiber glass.













That's my learning curve!

Note that I found similar problem, much more obvious on the bottom of the boat. You must be very careful with that center chine, otherwise the bottom of the boat will be looking like a wave!

Dagerboard cage

Le puits de dérive...

Plywood 6 mm on both sides. Note that I covered the inside with fiber glass, to avoid premature wood wear.

The holes for the shaft must be drilled before to install the frame in the boat, as the access inside the boat is very limited on both sides once in place.







Once all the boat chines are covered with fiber glass, you can remove the center frame, it was there temporarily only.

Then you cut the frame into two pieces and glue it together with the dagerboard cage. The hull will be cut off later.

Filet and tie raps

To answer the questions about the tie raps for the stiches, above is a picture of a tie rap in a fillet of epoxy. Once the epoxy is dry, you can cut or grind the tie rap.
















Once the tie rap is cut off, you can lay the fiber glass.

In areas where the wood is highly stressed, I leave the tie raps and increase the thickness of the fillet to hide the tie raps. There are great chances that the filet opens without the tie raps, prior the fiber glass is in place.