Sharpie construction

[Rigadog]

I have been considering building Reuel Parker's version of the Egret. I will be building it by myself and I don't like the thought of having to do the sides out of full sheets of plywood so I was thinking of cutting them into narrrower pieces (9"), staggering jounts and maybey using seam battens. I feel this would be a more peasant, less awkward way to do the job. Is there a better way? Could I do a simple lapstrake version? Would strip-planking be a waste of time since the boat has a simple form? (If I strip-planked I'd be tempted to all a wee bit of curve).

[MiddleAgesMan]

I don't know that design but I will say this: don't try to reinvent the wheel.

Build it per the plans, at least as far as the basic hull goes.

[MiddleAgesMan]

Further, why use small pieces and do all of the extra joints when you can put it together per the plans with just a couple joints?

[RodB]

Built out of ply (two layers if you need to curve it a bit) it will be very strong and simple to build. Read Parkers Sharpie Book again.

RodB

[JimD]

Assuming you are building out of standard 8 foot lengths of plywood you might see about scarfing or butt blocking the lengths in place, so you don't have 30 foot lengths flopping around.

[Bill Perkins]

Sure you can build the boat glued lapstrake . I think you're right ,it would be more practical and fun for a single hander. I think it produces a handsomer boat ,if you get the placement of the strakes right .I built a 24 footer that way .

The strakes were 8 or 9 inches wide and about 26 ft long . I scarfed and glued the 3 pieces of each plank together on a full length bench . For the gluing and placement of the finished plank I waited for a helper (about 50 clothespin type wedged clamps had to be set, all drips wiped up before curing ). No doubt you could place the prescarfed pieces of the plank on the frame one at a time by yourself and get the scarf joints properly aligned and clamped ,but you'd be making more work for yourself . I liked getting the plank properly glued together and perfectly faired right on the bench . This then served as a pattern for routing the matching plank for the other side .

Strip planking would be a waste of time to produce such a simple form . Let it be simple , or choose a curvier boat if that's what you really want . Building lapstrake you can easily add one little bit of shape unavailable to those building in sheet ply . Hold off placing the sheerstrake till the boat's right side up (it should be wider than the other planks by the width of your rubrail ). Clamp the plank in place at each mold but leave free at the transom . Then twist the plank to see if you like the look of a bit of tumble home there . If so , just plane a flat landing on the transom at that angle . Maybe you'd plane the first mold slightly too , but I didn't have to.

[Rigadog]

Thanks for all the advise. I like the idea of a lapstrake Egret and I like the idea of working with narrower pieces.

[Tom Robb]

A friendly chat w/ Mr. Parker might be a good thing. What could it hurt?

[Rigadog]

We've emailed back and forth a few times, but I don't want to waste too much of his time until I buy one of his plans. He seems a busy guy.

[Tom Robb]

So buy the plan. What's it cost? Considerably less than the boat. Build a model from the plan and you'll have an affordable boat you can keep and see some of the problems involved in the big one before you spend any more money on the idea. It'd sure beat that unfinished mess in the garage that you gave up hope on. There's way too many of those out there.