Utility build

[Roberta]

Joubert Okoume will cut pretty well without splinters, but the Meranti will splinter a lot. It's best to cut wide and sand to the finish line if using Meranti. Meranti wil need extra coats to fill in the grain for a really glossy finish. It is very pretty wood, but more difficult to work with. It is heavier than Okoume, but there is a significant cost savings.

Roberta

[BarnacleMike]

Fairing continues. Here are some photos showing progress on the transom. I found a heck of a void in the "marine grade" Douglas Fir that I hadn't noticed before. Oh well. I'll fill it with epoxy & keep moving forward.

[areame]

Looks good, really clean!

[vupilot]

Very tidy work.

[BarnacleMike]

Just got off the phone with Homestead in Ohio. 5 sheets of BS 1088 Meranti Hydrotek are on the way.

[mrintense]

I've been in a partial holding pattern since August while waiting to save for my next batch of lumber. I'm hoping to go to Houston after Halloween to get what I need to finish the hull for the flip.

[BarnacleMike]

Just minutes ago I picked up the crate of plywood that arrived from Homestead. Feels like Christmastime! I'm anxious to get it home this afternoon & open it up.

[darthplywood]

Just minutes ago I picked up the crate of plywood that arrived from Homestead. Feels like Christmastime! I'm anxious to get it home this afternoon & open it up.

man! i remember when Homestead Hardwoods dropped my crate of plywood off.......words can't describe it. It really is the closest thing a boatbuilder can get to christmas morning as a kid

[AaronStJ]

I glanced at the photo, before I read the post, and thought: oh no! OSB! You can't possibly out that on your boat.

Enjoy your plywood!

[BarnacleMike]

With a name like "Dragon," I assume this is Chinese plywood?

In any case, I like the looks of this stuff better than the Douglas Fir plywood I've used up to now.

[BarnacleMike]

I'm cautiously optimistic, but I believe the fairing phase is basically done.

My first step in the planking phase is going to be to cover the transom with a layer of the Meranti. My plan is to bright-finish the transom, and I want it to match the deck. Right now, the transom is 3/4" Douglas Fir plywood. Before I can add another layer, however, I've got to sand some bits of dried epoxy off of the transom.

My goal is to have at least one side of the boat planked by the end of the year. At Christmastime, with 2 kids & being a single parent, that may be more of a challenge than it looks!

[BarnacleMike]

Thankfully, it was pointed out to me that if I cover the transom first, then the end grain from the side planking will show around the transom when it's bright finished.

So, it looks like I'll be planking the sides first. I had considered scarfing the side planking, but I'm thinking that butt-joining it will be easier. I'm planning to paint the sides, so I don't think it will really matter whether I use butt-joints or scarf joints. I'm planning to start from the transom, using shortened 4' pieces of plywood. Then I'll add the full 8' length pieces to the front. That will keep the butt joints in the flatter aft section, just forward of frame #1.

[vupilot]

I found the butt joints really simple Michael. A little tip that I think is in the boatbuilding book is to overlap the ends of the pieces being butt joined a couple inches and clamp them to hold them. Then cut on the overlap portion, that way when you put them together on the boat they align like a puzzle with nearly no gap.
Enjoy, this is one of the fun tasks.

[BarnacleMike]

Boatbuilding Friends,

Okay, I've gotten a few different opinions on this; all from people I trust. The topic is planking. The issue at hand is whether to cover the transom first, or last. (Again, my plan is to paint the hull Whidbey White, and leave the transom bright finished.)

The "last" camp makes the point that otherwise, the end grain of the side & bottom planking will show around the rim of the transom.

The "before" camp makes the point that otherwise, the end grain of the transom cover will be subjected to more wear, being at right angles to the water flow.

It seems to me that there's not really a "correct" way to do this; rather, more of individual preference. Still, I'm a newbie builder, and I wanted to ask for more opinions before I make my decision. What would/did YOU do?

Another question: Butt joints. Boatbuilding With Plywood states that I should drive screws through the planking and backing block, using screws that equal the full depth of the 2 layers of plywood. For 2 layers of 1/4" plywood, that means 1/2" screws. I don't have 1/2" silicon bronze screws, and I did not see them on the Glen-L site. I do have 3/4" screws. Is there anything wrong with using these for the butt joint, and then just grinding the ends off later?

Thanks all!

[mrintense]

Okay, I've gotten a few different opinions on this; all from people I trust. The topic is planking. The issue at hand is whether to cover the transom first, or last. (Again, my plan is to paint the hull Whidbey White, and leave the transom bright finished.)

The "last" camp makes the point that otherwise, the end grain of the side & bottom planking will show around the rim of the transom.

The "before" camp makes the point that otherwise, the end grain of the transom cover will be subjected to more wear, being at right angles to the water flow.

It seems to me that there's not really a "correct" way to do this; rather, more of individual preference. Still, I'm a newbie builder, and I wanted to ask for more opinions before I make my decision. What would/did YOU do?
Thanks all!

Hi Mike,

I am not sure if this is possible, but would it be possible to steam a few pieces from something like solid mahogany to the shape of the sides and bottom and then butt the side and transom planking into them.

A second possibility, do the transom planking first but leave it a bit short of the sides and bottom planking. Then fill in this area with solid lumber (like trim).

Another possibility, again I am not sure about this yet, but when fiberglassing the hull, wrapping the fiberglass around the edge as additional protection.

I wish I had better answers but I am not at that stage of the build yet. However, I am wrestling with the same thoughts.