Building Navigators - Oct. 26 Update

[Barrett Faneuf]

Busy week, even though the pictures don't look like it. In a probably-vain attempt to have a semblance of a life, I try to restrict my boatbuilding time on weeknights.

So last week a whole lot of this happened:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/pc725bb97f0e876415cf8a25f4a1ce330/fac2d7bb.jpg

Boring, but necessary. Got most of the frames laid out.

This weekend, the going got dirty. And sawdusty. And gluey. Ripped the 5x3/4 keel pieces and stringers (don't know what to call 'em - Welsford calls them "Seat front battens") from that salvaged Doug fir. Whole lotta sawdust. Then a lot more measuring to get all the screw holes in the right places. Then nobody's favorite, epoxying and fastening. Fastening from underneath, hurrah :rolleyes: . I've added "Fasten from below" to my list of Least Favorite Instructions, at least for boats that are built upright.

I also answered the "What's the right way to clamp ____ recalcitrant piece of wood?" question again: Any way that works. My complement of clamps is pretty small so I had to do one piece at a time then scavenge clamps for the next step.

Product review: I am VERY pleased with "Walgreens" brand disposable latex gloves - the cheap ones. Size medium. These held up better than I could ever have hoped, not ripping despite scrambling around on gravel and holding screws for power drill, etc. Mr. Glove says: "They're a winner!"

The final tally: Both boats ready for centercases and frames.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/p57690d2fdb62565a0d556e413e71cc1a/fab92c8c.jpg

Next in the queue:
Make frames and centercases

Check out all the pics in the gallery (http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288806687)

Ciao for now- time for a much-deserved tea with French Vanila creamer (don't knock it till you're tried it - it's my new addiction)
-Barrett

[D Gobby]

The Twins are looking good Barrett.

[Banjo]

Hello Barret, moving along nicely.

Have fun shaping that bottom chine rail and sheet! It's an activity that involves a small power plane and VERY supple joints! :eek:

I cheated at that stage and made my frames first, then got the profile I needed from them to shape the bottom chine rail before fitting it to the bottom sheet. My back is not not as supple as it once was so I always look for easier alternatives, hehehe..

Keep us posted, I am enjoying following others work as much as I am making my own Welsford boat.

[Barrett Faneuf]

Hi Banjo,

I was worried about the chine rail as well, till I looked very carefully over the plans - there isn't one specified. As far as I can tell, one hangs the bottom strake and then creates an epoxy-and-f'glass tape fillet. Looks plenty sturdy to me. Then I plan to reinforce the outside of that joint with cloth and epoxy, as well, after the boat can be flipped. Having built kayaks this way (the deck to hull seam), I'm not worried about the strength here.

[Shalfleet]

You are moving at an impressive pace Barrett and the brace of Navigators look really nice! The construction approach is interesting and I am wondering the pro and cons of upside-down v.s. upright build. I love the look of Walkabout so I'll be following your project closely. Watch out with all that hair in the electical tools ;)

[Banjo]

Originally posted by Barrett Faneuf:
Hi Banjo,

I was worried about the chine rail as well, till I looked very carefully over the plans - there isn't one specified. As far as I can tell, one hangs the bottom strake and then creates an epoxy-and-f'glass tape fillet.Hmmm, I havn't seen the full plans for the Navs. Mine (Sweet Pea) has a chine rail on top of the 12mm ply bottom sheet with cloth on the outside only, but I have added a small fillet internaly where I could to add a little more strength and avoid hard internal corners. Easier to keep clean and looks nicer in my opinion with filleted corners.

Barrett, there is a new forum for John Welsford boat builders on Yahoo, the address is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jwbuilders

It's only just started but in the previous forum there were quite a few Nav builders in there, I'm sure they will shift to this new forum pretty soon.

Shalfleet:
So far I have found the right way up method works well. It allows you to complete all the fiddley bits internaly, get your levels correct first go, complete painting and even fit hardware etc to the point where the boat is around 90% complete. Then it's just a matter of flipping it over to complete the bottom work, skeg and surface covering, paint it up to the second chine level (or wherever you stopped previously) and flip her over onto the trailer.

NOTE: I plan to employ a few mates (payment: Beer and steaks AFTERWARDS :D ) to help me flip the trailer upside down to fine tune the fit to the boats bottom profile while it's topsy turvey! smile.gif That way the boat will fit nicely on the trailer with no surprises.

And there you have a complete boat on the fitted trailer ready for rigging and any odd bits you decided to leave for later.

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Hey Barrett, it's been six weeks since your last progress report. If you kept up the pace of your first coupla weeks you should be finishing up by now. :D How's it coming?

Steven

[cbob]

Barrett, Checked out the album, great presentation. BTW there are metric tape measures, some, metric only - unconfusing, some metric/inches-feet, good for a linear conversion table, and there's the type that are inches feet one side and hundredths and tenths of feet, and feet, good for racing measurements that require tenths rather than inches, easy to use the wrong side however. Your doing great. cbob