Turning it Over
I turned the boat upright after the bottom and sides were glassed and sanded. It was a bit heavier this time, but with care and the handy billy I was to turn it upright and set it on saw horses. The strong back was no longer needed.

I next made the fore and aft deck frames. I had saved the pattern of the deck camber used for the transom and used this to make a mold for laminating the frames. The lamination strips were 1/ 4" thick by 1-1/2" wide and were cut from extra 2xs that were laying around. At the same time I laminated the frames for the side decks. The frames were individually cut to length and installed. The for and aft hatch openings were cut and installed at this time as well. The carlins for the sides decks were made out of 1x4s. I installed the side deck frames after the carlins were fit.

The fore and aft bulkheads were made from patterns glued up with battens. Both of these took several fittings to get a tight fit. When they had just the right fit they were screwed and glued in place with thickened epoxy. I used epoxy fillets around the edges on the inner compartment sides of the bulkheads to ensure strength and watertight seals. During this time I also made a separate watertight compartment enclosing the lower portion of the mast down from the partners to the step. During a knockdown this compartment would flood, but the foreward main compartment would not. This is necessary because the mast rotates and is meant to be easily unstepped.

The decks were next and went on fairly easily. First I trimmed any excess glass and topsides ply to the shape of the sheers. The fore and aft decks were each cut from single sheets of 1/2" ply. I cut each slightly oversize and fit them, especially the after deck to obtain the shape at the transom where it would be a flush fit. The fore deck needed to fit well against the stem. When these edges were ready I clamped the decks onto the boat and screwed them in place. Then I trimmed the sides flush using a hand plane and a router. I used the traditional method of covering the decks with canvas. The canvas was cut oversize to shape, lapped and seamed, and painted onto the decks. Using a paint brush and roller worked very well for this. I thinned the paint and used just enough paint for it to soak through the canvas, effectively glueing the canvas to the deck as it dried.

Somewhere during this period of time I managed to make the centerboard and rudder. These were fairly straight forward and fun to make. I used 2x8s for both, plus 3/8" through bolts and drifts. The gudgeons were made earlier.

I've just finished painting the hull and am about to fit the rub strakes and rub rails

Within the months of May and June I plan to gather parts for the trailer and begin making that.

I plan making the cleats during mid May. The oars, mast, and sprit I'll make mid summer. I'll be posting my progress...