Nutshell Pram EXCUSE ME Attaching Pieces to the Ladder Frame

 06 Feb 22:

Today we cut the ladder frame sides to length and screwed in the cross supports.

Used the 3 inch bevel from the WoodenBoat store to find the stern transom angle...

...and transferred the angle over to the ladder frame stern transom support. You may choose to level the ladder frame fore/aft and side to side at this point, but we are going to level right before we install support legs to the molds and frames, then check level again.

Attached the temporary wooden cleat to the inner transom face. You may want to bevel the transoms before they are installed, we are going to do it after they are attached to the ladder frame. We also cut the cross pieces, measured where they are located on the frame per plans and screwed them into place. Also attached a temporary spall to the miships frame.

Installed the bow transom and planed the first two plank bevels per the pattern lines.

Laid out the centerline between the two transoms and marked the centerline with sharp pencil at each point vs Sharpie. Using a sharp pencil is a trick that Louis Sauzedde taught us, more accurate than snapping a chalk line. FMI: Tips From a Shipwright)

Screwed the forward and aft mold and midhaps frame to the ladder frame cross pieces.

Stern transom is temporarily screwed to the ladder frame supports.

The wooden cleats that we attached to the transoms earlier are used to help align the transoms to the ladder frame crass pieces.

Aft mold attached to the front face of ladder frame cross piece. 

Midships frame spall attached to aft side of ladder frame cross piece.

Forward mold, aka Mold #1, attached to aft side of ladder frame cross piece. 

Bow transom.

The bow transom has a wooden positioning cleat as well, and angled ladder frame cross piece. Bow transom angle taken from the patterns and plans.

Next we'll level the ladder frame and add braces to the molds and frame per the plans. Then check level again before the bottom plank is installed. 

Log of EXCUSE ME.

Pascagoula Diamond Bottom Catboat MARGARET ROSE 03 Jul 20 Skeg and Transom Sanding

03 Jul 20:

We sanded the transom with 120 grit discs on a DeWALT 20V random orbital sander.

The skeg would fit through the DeWALT Tabletop Planer so we ran it through to remove excess epoxy and get the laminations smoothed out.

Video link: https://youtu.be/fWhUtQZAhrY

Log of MARGARET ROSE.

Pascagoula Diamond Bottom Catboat MARGARET ROSE 27 Jun 20 Transom and Skeg Laminations

27 Jun 20:

Made some parts for the Pascagoula Diamond Bottom catboat MARGARET ROSE, glued together 4 pieces to make the transom, stuck them together with TotalBoat THIXO Wood and sandwiched a strip of muslin in between the outer and inner layers of cypress. The muslin will help ensure a watertight membrane between the laminated layers. Light clamping while it dries. Also stacked, glued and screwed strips of cypress to make a skeg aka deadwood. Then we started considering the bow stem profile, the stem pattern from our Penobscot 14 is a good start.

The transom will be laminated up with 2 pieces of 3/4 inch thick cypress (top and bottom) per layer, and 2 layers. We offset the location of the horizontal seam on each layer. We will glue the pieces together with TotalBoat THIXO Wood from Jamestown Distributors, a wood colored thickened epoxy adhesive, dispensed from a Newborn 18:1 High Thrust Caulk gun.

Dispensed the THIXO and spread it out with a putty knife. Also put THXO in the seam. We placed a layer of muslin between the layers of the transom, to help make sure there was a good fill with the THIXO and to create a watertight membrane. The next transom layer is laying nearby, and the offset seam is visible.

We used the plastic putty knife the force the muslin down into the THIXO, then added a skim coat of THIXO on top of that. We also put a coat of THIXO on the inside face of the second layer of the transom.

Had some fun with the THIXO. We appreciate the support of the team at Jamestown Distributors, they are always handy for Tech Team help and send us complimentary goodies to try out on our restorations.

4 transom pieces laminated, ready for clamps.

Light clamping for thickened epoxy, just enough to see a tiny bead squeeze out of the seams. Too much pressure can force all of the adhesive out and there would be a glue starved joint.

Next we turned out attention to the skeg (deadwood). We put a bead of THIXO between each layer and then screwed the layers back together one at a time. The Frearson Head silicone bronze screws will hold the cypress strips together as the epoxy dries and they will be captured in place and act as small drift pins.

Before we took the dry skeg apart we numbered each layer and drew an alignment line, the line helps get the pice lined up so the screw can find its old screw hole.

Skeg video: https://youtu.be/stYM6UTkWKo



Tiny beads of epoxy squeezeout are best, we have a few dry spots that need attention.

We used the DeWALT 20V brushless drill with pilot hole countersink bit to make a few new screw holes, the DeWALT 20V brushless impact driver to drive the Frearson Head silicone bronze screws from Jamestown Distributors and the THIXO to glue everything together.

Restocked.

We used the putty knife to spread excess epoxy into the dry seams.

Here's a trick shared by Louis at Tips From a Shipwright, we placed a few screws under the sked to hold it up off of the table while it was drying.

Lamination Tips: https://youtu.be/AZzBhr-6A_E



Shifted our attention to marking a centerline on the ladder frame strongback. Pulled a tight line then marked the line on each station crossmember.

We'll need to make a bow stem pattern, took a look at the pattern from our Penobscot 14 to see how it might look.

Log of MARGARET ROSE.

Pascagoula Diamond Bottom Catboat MARGARET ROSE 19 Jun 20 Transom

19 Jun 20:

We used the pattern we made a few days back to trace out the transom. The transom will be 1 1/2 inches thick, there will be a lot going on back there with the big bar door rudder and horse for the sail. We'll make it fro two layers of 3/4 inch cypress, each layer is cut from 2 pieces to get the height we need, and we offset the join line on each layer to get the most strength and lower the chance of leaks. The 4 pieces will be fastened with thickened epoxy, with a layer of muslin in between the outer and inner boards to create a watertight membrane.

Log of MARGARET ROSE.

St. Jacques Log 08 May 17 Quarter Knees and Oarlock Pads

08 May 17:

Sanded the top of the transom parallel to the gunwale and gave it a gentle curve up to the sculling notch. Did the port side first and then sanded the starboard side as close as possible by eye.

Then I realized that I could make a pattern to transfer the curve from one side to the next.

Cut out the quarter knees, fastened with silicone bronze screws and sanded fair to the transom.

Cut out pieces to build up an oarlock pad, fastened them with Jamestown Distributors TotalBoat THIXO.

St. Jacques complete build log.

Winnie Log 26 Apr 17 Rudder Carriage Bolt and Transom

26 Apr 17:

We had a question about the length of the rudder assembly carriage bolt on a Super Sailfish. So we went out and measured our Standard Sailfish's bolt which is the same bolt as the Super Sailfish, Super Sailfish MKII and wooden Sunfish. The bolt measured 4 3/4 inches. All of the early Alcort wooden boats and the fiberglass Super Sunfish MKII had a smaller transom than the fiberglass Sunfish. The bolt on the old style rudder assembly for the fiberglass Sunfish is around 7 inches.

Standard Sailfish rudder assembly carriage bolt.

Fiberglass Sunfish rudder assembly carriage bolt (longer).

While I was poking around Winnie I noticed that the transom varnish is kind of crunchy, I think I was in a hurry and used some old varnish. So I'll clean that up and maybe try Total Boat Gleam Satin. I like it on the seat in the Penobscot 14 so far. I also like that JD sends along a free application kit with the varnish that includes 2 paint pots, 2 stir sticks, 2 foam brushes, 2 paint strainers, and a pair of latex gloves FREE (a $10 value).

Winnie's Log