Had a big milestone this past week. There is now one layer of hull bottom complete from bow to stern!

Not that it sounds like that much, but when working on a project this big, you have to take the "eat the elephant" approach of one small bite at a time. I'll get very discouraged if I look at everything there is yet to do, but I take great pleasure in meeting each next step.

Probably my biggest concern with my entire build revolves around glue strength. Early on, I had some issues with epoxy bonds not being good. Since then, I've gotten better, but...

More recently, I've been using PL Premium (construction adhesive) for much of my skin to frame joints. I feel that the glue will not be exposed to immersion; the entire thing will be encapsulated in epoxy and cloth and that I should be getting a good (if not better than my epoxy skills) bond.

But ... there is still that doubt.

Managed a handful of pieces at the bow ... just about there. Note that in the picture one side isn't planked as far forward as the other, thus making it look skewed.

The big news of the week happened at the stern. Side planking is going on!

 

Had a good, productive week.

More bottom skinning on the bow. The curve is really getting pronounced, and its really getting to be a strain to bend some of the plywood into shape. I tend to find that nerve racking... waiting for something to "give." We only have a couple of more feet at the front to finish on the first layer of bottom skin.

This week made some progress... slow but sure is about the best my schedule allows. Got several more pieces of hull bottom in place. This brings us up to the bow and we're actually starting to bend some pieces. I think they will come out fairly well.

The curve doesn't show up very well in the picture, but it's pretty pronounced. Next piece will have even more twist to it and will have to be cut narrower to deal with it, I think.

Sometimes it just takes a different viewpoint. This last week I was trying (around family issues) to get back to skinning the boat. Only real issue was that I had laying the plywood at a 45-degree angle as specified by the designer was really using some wood.

I had discussed with the designer this problem, and he felt the cutoffs would be used at the bow (where the beam is a lot less). Sounded reasonable, but as I tried to lay things out, it just wouldn't work.

Tried and true, or trying?

You probably don't get into the task of building a boat, at least not one 28' long like mine, without some ideas of your own about how a boat should be built. I mean, if you just want what somebody else does, you could just buy a boat pre-built with much less work. Cost wise might be more, but quite possibly not.

Over the last weekend and holiday, Dane and I managed to get the rear half or a little more of the boat hull bottom in place and fastened down. Adhesive and screws seem to have it nicely. Obviously, there will be another layer of bottom to place after the sides are done.

After some time off to gather supplies, health issues and then weather delays, building has finally resumed.

The EDC acronym may not be one you are familiar with, but I would encourage everybody, especially boaters and builders, to think about some of these suggestions.

I have recently had articles here on Mad Mariner discussing tools and workshop spaces.

Today, I want to mention those tools you always have at hand. No, not a toolbag in the garage or car trunk, but actually on your person.