Bottom Planking
Prior to top planking, I put in some corner braces along the chine and transom and made some timbers in the battens near the transom. Instead of using a router or some fancy power tool I just used a wood rasp and smoothed it out with sandpaper and it turned out pretty nice. Timbers are small cutouts to allow water to pass through to one area of the boat. In this case it will allow most the water that gets in the boat to pool up near the middle of the transom. When I take the boat out of the water I can just sponge up any water remaining in the boat before it is stored. I know some people will go crazy about this but I decided to not put in a drain plug. The benefits don't seem to out way the risks. I could completely mess up the angle when drilling through the transom, not only that but it's probably more likely to rot there first. The only time I'd ever use it is when the boat is on the trailer and I want to drain water out. Which from what I've read from other squirt builders is that the can easily soak up any water with a sponge or towel.
I made the bottom planking just like the side planking and rough cut it to size.
I used steel screws temporarily for fitting it into place and again used a wood rasp to get a nice clean line along the bow of the boat where it transitions from an overlapping joint to a butt joint.
The two bottom planks also have a transition from a butt joint to an overlapping joint along the stern. In the photo below you can se where I made my transition. Approximately 32 inches from the point where the center of the chines attach to the stern. This does not have to be exact.
Once I perfectly fit the butt joints of the bottom panels to the stern I glued each panel separately just like I did the side panels. Then after they were permanently in place I faired them down smooth with my hand plan and sander.
I'm really liking the lines of this boat! Now to get ready for fiberglassing and painting.
Prior to top planking, I put in some corner braces along the chine and transom and made some timbers in the battens near the transom. Instead of using a router or some fancy power tool I just used a wood rasp and smoothed it out with sandpaper and it turned out pretty nice. Timbers are small cutouts to allow water to pass through to one area of the boat. In this case it will allow most the water that gets in the boat to pool up near the middle of the transom. When I take the boat out of the water I can just sponge up any water remaining in the boat before it is stored. I know some people will go crazy about this but I decided to not put in a drain plug. The benefits don't seem to out way the risks. I could completely mess up the angle when drilling through the transom, not only that but it's probably more likely to rot there first. The only time I'd ever use it is when the boat is on the trailer and I want to drain water out. Which from what I've read from other squirt builders is that the can easily soak up any water with a sponge or towel.
I made the bottom planking just like the side planking and rough cut it to size.
I used steel screws temporarily for fitting it into place and again used a wood rasp to get a nice clean line along the bow of the boat where it transitions from an overlapping joint to a butt joint.
The two bottom planks also have a transition from a butt joint to an overlapping joint along the stern. In the photo below you can se where I made my transition. Approximately 32 inches from the point where the center of the chines attach to the stern. This does not have to be exact.
Once I perfectly fit the butt joints of the bottom panels to the stern I glued each panel separately just like I did the side panels. Then after they were permanently in place I faired them down smooth with my hand plan and sander.
I'm really liking the lines of this boat! Now to get ready for fiberglassing and painting.
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