Another Vera Cruise build

[nc721]

Starting my third season building my boat. Seemed like a good time to start participating in the forum a bit more. I am currently planking the sides. Really starting to look like something now.

[hoodman]

Dang, nice job! Where you been hiding?

[JimmY]

Dang, nice job! Where you been hiding?

Uh, it looks like one of those temporary car canopies.

[footer]

Looks great so far.

[mrintense]

That sure looks familiar!

[denbrlr]

Another closet builder Glad to see your post. Looking good.

Lee

[nc721]

Thanks Lee. Thought I was ready to go for the season but Mother Nature had different plans. Expecting snow where I am in New York and unseasonably cold weather for the next two weeks.

[nc721]

Finally got a little warm weather and was able to glue my last side panel on. Also did a little experimenting with the West system scarffing attachment for my circular saw. Pretty happy with the results.

[mrintense]

Hull is getting there. I remember how exciting it was for me getting the siding and bottom plywood attached. I look forward to seeing more progress on this. And I am glad that I am no longer the only Vera Cruise builder here.

[nc721]

Working on the bottom planking now. It is challenging working with a 16’ sheet of plywood. A little nervous about the epoxy work. Even the extra slow hardener still feels like not enough time.

[nc721]

Just getting things fitted in this pic.

[mrintense]

I'm sure you know this but take extra time and make sure you have everything ready before starting. I even went so far as to predrill my plywood washers and start the screws in each one so they were ready to go before I started gluing things down. If you can get some help, it makes a big difference.

[steveh41]

On warm days keeping the epoxy in the frig can give you a little extra time too...

[nc721]

Carl. I saw your trick with the wood washers and made up a 5 gallon pail of them before I started. Added a steel washer and wrapped them in packing tape so they wouldn’t stick. Has worked well so far.

[mrintense]

I learned the plywood washer trick from someone else here years ago. They do work great, however it is important to replace them with the final screws before the epoxy sets up because they can be a bear to get out otherwise.

My approach to these was to cut lots and lots of long strips of wax paper a bit wider than the washers, then screw down a washer with the wax paper in there and tear it off for the next one. I can't tell you the number of times I over drove the screws and crunched the washers without any damage to the actual planking.

I remember putting these skins on as being fairly stressful, always worrying about getting them done soon enough (before epoxy started to set up) and still having time to clean the undersides afterwards.