Please advise. How can I get the boat to bow out like it is supposed to? I had to use a 12 screws, glue and 2 clamps to keep the sides attached at the bow stem. In the end i had to shorten the braces in order to keep the sides attached at the front stem. I'd like for the sides to bow out mor in the front...it looks akward!! Please help any advice is welcomed. This is my first attempt at ever trying to build a boat...
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What plan are you working from? If it was a free plan download, where can we find it? You have to remove the screws, and seperate the ply from the stem and begin again. It looks like you need a bevel cut into both forward edges of your stem. It should be a triangular shape to allow the ply to start out at the correct angle from the stem. The degree of this angle should be detailed on the plan. The other option is to not use a stem at all. Join the bow with the stich and glue method. First place a small bevel on the inside edge of the ply where they meet. Scribe a line about 3/4 to 1" along the edge of the ply where the bow meets. Drill holes through both sheets of ply at the same time large enough to accomidate a plastic wire tie about an inch or so apart along the scribed line. Join the bow with the wire ties loosely. The ply will form a more natural curve after you attach the transom and insert your frames and bracing. Once you are satisfied with the shape tighten up the wire ties. It will do you good to measure from the bow back to both corners of the transom. An equal measurement will assure that you are square before applying the epoxy fillet joining the bow. Relax, you will work it out and end up with a nice boat. Be sure and follow-up with us. Where abouts in Ohio are you? We may have someone near you? -Kruez-
ReplyDeletei have it on file and can email it to you...i am located in columbus ohio.....
ReplyDeleteif i go with the stitch and glue method will the stitches hold the excessive force applied to the bow when inserting the support brace?
ReplyDeleteWith the stich and glue method there will no longer be "excessive force applied to the bow". It will act somewhat like a hinge and conform to a more natural shape... Build the rest of the boat as the plans suggest. It would also be good to use a new stem with the right miters/bevels. It may be that your plan calls for a square stem with the ply attached at 90 degrees. The one in your picture is 180 degrees.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any information (stitch and glue for dummies!!!) or know of any good resources on the net?
ReplyDeleteGo to http://www.boatbuilder.org/godzillishull.htm and half way down the page you can see how I bring the bow together. Use good construction screws, drywall screws may snap off when removed. Keep the fasteners as for forward as possible. wet out the inside of the bow with clear epoxy, run a fillet and glass. After the epoxy has cured pull fasteners. When the outside of the hull is shaped and sanded, it would be a good idea to add a couple of layers of glass to the outside of the bow. Go to http://www.boatbuilder.org/ to get to the front page of the website, I hope you find some usefull information there. ---Joel---
ReplyDeletegood Stitch and Glue Tutorial for smaller boats: http://www.jemwatercraft.com/forum/
ReplyDeleteHi mickhwlett plywood only wants to bend one way,you could try heating the ply but don't know how you would heat such a large area, bogsdolics
ReplyDeleteAn easier way than modifying the bow connection at all: simply tape the stem with good old duct tape to whatever extent needed to hold it together. Insert your spacers to get the shape you want, making sure the duct tape holds together. Prop up the stern of this structure high enough so you can easily access the joint at the stem, and (with the Handyman's Secret Weapon still in place), brush on enough epoxy mixture (I like to add enough sawdust flour to get it to about peanut-butter thickness) to hold some fiberglass tape in place on the inside of the bow joint. Let the thing set up overnight. Next day or two, do the rest of the interior joints the same way. After this has all set up, you will have a firm enough structure to do finish work on the outside joints, more epoxy-flour filler on the inside and start to put in some framing members and gunwhales to stiffen it up. My guess is, if the two of you in the picture decide to get into the little boat you will have created, the next time you will want to make a twelve or fourteen footer. JR Sloan, Spokane
ReplyDelete