Silva Bay Shipyard School Blog

The boat is finally planked! Whiskey all around. Trevor graciously provided the drink for the whiskey plank. This shot is after the edges have been planed off the planks and the fairing of the hull begins.

Another view of the Catboat.

Once the hull is roughed out with the block plane, one must employ the services of the ‘misery board’ to sand and further fair the hull – sore shoulders. The hull is looking sweeeeeeeeeeet… sweet to the Piratical eye.

Now that the hull is fair and beautiful the seams are caulking with cotton. This is done by twisting and rolling the cotton into the caulking bevel. On larger boats this is done with a mallet. The cotton is lubricated with tung oil to help it find its way into the seam.

Detail of hood end and caulking in place. Looks watertight?

This massive glue up operation is going to be the mast. The spar is 16′6″ long and made of VG Fir. One small scarf was needed to get the length.

Here is the mast after it has been planed down to 3″1/4. Now the process of beveling and making square things round begins!

Here is the centerboard being tapered for hydro-efficiency. Mahogany marine plywood, with the handle finished bright. Check out that new spokeshave… snap.

Here is a shot of the seams after they have been caulked and sealed with red lead paint. Not toxic at all? Check out the wild twist in on those planks – this is the shapeliest boat on the lot!

Another view of the sweet hull lines.

And overall. Next we will fill the screw holes with epoxy, sand and paint. Soon we can flip this fine craft into is correct position. Only 8 weeks left?

The boat has turned!

Here is the hull looking forward with ribbands and moulds still in place.

Looking aft.

... and out comes the moulds and the ribbands, leaving only BOAT behind! The moulds will be stored if the owner wishes to build another – now for all the interior work. We are going to finish the hull bright on the inside – more below.

What a great shape – this hull looks great out of the water. The lines!

David at work on the centerboard trunk. Notice that sweeeeeet sheer line.

Here is a detail of the unsanded interior after the moulds and ribbands were pulled. Looks pretty good for a bunch of first timers – so good, in fact, we are going to varnish it – my next carvel work will be museum quality? New website with that adventure forthcoming…

The transom in its curved rakishness.

The boat is now ready for the sheer clamp. The forward section – ahead of the first deck beam, will need to be blocked between frames to accommodate the breast hook and mast partner.

Here is a shot of the rough fit… meeting at the stem with a mitre?

Oh snap. Sikaflex and tension will seal that right up?

After some serious hand planing, the sheer clamp is in and beveled to the camber of the deck. Looks pretty ship-like.

And a quick coat of tung oil makes the boat look SHARP.

… from the stern.

David is getting to work drilling bolt holes for the centerboard trunk… freehand? That is pro!

Here is the beautiful thing installed and looking sweeeeeet.

Forward looking with deck beam installed and CB Trunk.

Looking aft with deck beam and deck support. Quarter knees are next.

Here is a shot of the the monstrous breast hook and mast partner. 2×6 fir, laminated into 2×12 and then half-lapped into what you see… beefy. The mast will come through this chunk and the mast partner will take most of the abuse. Fitting it should be easy right? All three sides?

Cleaned up and ready for some fitting…

Through the magic of time lapse – no problem… it just fell right in…

Here is a shot aft of the floors going in and the attached deck support at the transom. Stern knees are next.

Here is the forward section faired and almost ready for the decking. DECKING! And we still have 33 working days left!

One contiguous surface!

We have decided to beef up the aft deck support so that little feet can’t warp the decking. The spaces will be filled by the quarter knees.

Here is the starboard seat riser going in…

A shot with the quarter knees installed and both seat risers in place.

The quarter knees are 2″ thick – monsters. The floors are on their way.