Build a boat in 7 easy steps

David emailed me: he saw the photos in my previous post and said he’s been admiring this design for a while. But doesn’t understand the buding method.

It can’t be that difficult to explain I thought, so last night I got out pencil and paper. Here’s how it works, all fiddly detail – daggerboards etc – ignored. Obviously it would help if I could draw…

Step 1: Make a kit of parts.

The plans give dimensioned drawings of all the pieces. Mark on ply. Cut. (Actually I skipped this by buying the parts ready cut from Fyneboat Kits. I believe the same can got in other continents. I’ve done this stage before with my canoe – dull.)

Step 2: Build the jig

And set up the cross pieces at the spacing and heights specified.

Lay the bottom over…

And you have a squashed armadillo. Or if I could draw, the bottom panel nicely curved and ready for…

Step 3: Set up the other parts you cut out.

There’s lots of battens and string holding stuff in place that I’ve not drawn.

Step 4: Fix the stringers – one side done!

These sit in notches that I forgot to draw.

Step 5: Fit the planks (section view)

The planks are cut to fit. The stringers give you the shape, and something to fix them to. (Also forgot the stringer that sits on top edge of the bottom panel.)

Step 6: Fit the seat fronts and tops.

These are cut to fit. Fit planks and stringers to both sides first – not shown here.

Step 7: Fit the decking.

This forms bouyancy tanks fore and aft. The seats are tanks also.

That’s it really. Of course it’s not quite so simple: the frames and bulkheads have double thicknesses in places; the seats have framing; there’s the daggerboard case; the king and queen planks; the tunnel for the tiller lines; etc.

But hopefully this does illustrate what I see as the beautiful economy and elegance of the method:
- no redundant moulds
- most of the internal fit out is done as you go
- everything is an integral part of the strucure and the building process.