The big roll over "Margie/Lou"

I have been waiting for this day for a while now, but the paint had to dry and I had to clear the space in my shop and also I had to gather a few strong backs around to help me out. I got help from My son, Matthew and his friend Jason, also my son Devin and his friend Tony, as well as a couple of guys from the Wooden Boat Forum who live in the local area, so here are some pics from the day.

Here we are ready to drag her sideways and lower her off of the
building platform or strongback.

Rolling her over and hoping she doesn't get away from us.

That's my son, Matthew peeking around the corner.

Lay her down gently boys.

She looks considerably bigger from the top side.

Sliding her up unto the trailer she did not clear the sideboards so I had to remove them. They will be slightly modified and reinstalled though.

Sitting pretty on her trailer.

Tucked inside the shop with all the forms removed.
Now on to cleaning up the inside of the hull and fitting floors and frames.
Stay tuned.....

Well I am trying to get this thing ready to turn over so I can get it inside the shop where it might stay a little dryer and warmer to continue the work. So paint is the next thing to do to the outside of the hull. I could just take it into the barn and do the painting later but it sorta makes sense to me to do this first.

Green.....

Making a lead ballast keel

I wanted to get a couple hundred pounds way down low in the boat since I am building the boast larger than the plans show. It will be considerably more buoyant and so will need the extra weight to sit down on her designed water line. Also this should help in giving a more comfortable and stiffer ride. Anyway I scored some lead in the form of large ocean type fishing weights ranging from 20 to 35 pounds each. I had a total of 168 lbs worth. I made a form in the shape that I wanted out of MDF (medium density fiberboard) and painted the inside with waterglass (sodium silicate) to help keep the molten lead from burning it up. Then I melted the lead in a large pot over the burner from my turkey roaster and ladled it into the form. Now I have this thing that weighs more than I can pick up sitting in front of my shop. Hopefully soon I can get a couple of strong young backs to help me get it into place on the boat so I can bolt it into place.

Melting the lead

The lead has been poured into the mold.

I used my router to flatten the surface of the lead casting.
Now all I need is some help to get it into place on the boat.
The slot in the middle of the keel is for the centerboard to pass thru
when it is lowered.

Painting the hull

started the finishing process on the outside of the hull. This is the first coat of primer and then sanding and then more priming and probably more sanding and...... It will end up a shade of green on the bottom but I haven't decide which one yet.

The unpainted strip on the bilge are there because after I turn it over, I will add some bilge runner for a little added protection in case I get into some shallow water. The sheer strake is unpainted because there are some rub strips that still have to be installed there as well and they will be painted after that happens.

The Whiskey Plank!

Not being much of a whiskey drinker, I celebrated the hanging of the whiskey planks today with a beer. Now I got a lot of filling and sanding to do. Oh boy, not my favorite part.

More planking.....

Well I have only to do the whiskey planks and the planking will be done. Then on to sanding and fairing and getting the keel and outer stem done. then more sanding and priming before I can flip it over and work on the interior.

Learning to use the misery board!!!

My wife and I took a little break and went up to Washington state for the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival last week. We had a blast looking at all the boats and talking to some of their owners. My wife also had some old school friends from long ago that live in PT so we hung out with them and got nice tour of the town and surrounding area. It really seems like a nice place to own a sailboat and I hope to take mine back for a visit after it is finished.
Well needless to say, after coming home from the festival I am enthusiastically back to work on my boat. I got a couple more planks on today and have just four left to finish up the hull. Here are a couple of the latest views

Well I finally got around to doing some more work on the boat. After working out of town for a good part of the summer I would like to get the hull planked up so I cn turn it over and get it inside the shop for more fun this winter. I have been trying various methods of spiling the planks and this one seems to work just fine for me so on we go. Almost halfway done with planking.
Notice also Sharkey the attack cat doing her best to deal with the summer heat.

Starting the planking (it'll take a while)

Here the garboards are one. Lots more to go!

The concept

Here is a sketch of the concept I have in mind. Inspired by the conversion Kees Prins did with his own Fulmar. It will leave a cockpit about 7' long. The cabin is about 4' long with a sleeping flat area long enough for a 6' 2" guy to stretch out. Kees made seating that faces aft and the backs of the seats fold down to make up the rear half of the sleeping platform and this is what I intend to do as well. I will do some drawings of the interior arrangement soon.

Finishing up the lining off

I added the rest of the battens today and then started looking and correcting their positions. This is all done by eye and I try to look from as many positions as possible then do it all over again and move battens as the eye dictates. I think I have it pretty close now but I will stare at it for a week or so and try to nit-pic it till I'm sure it's right, besides I don't yet have the wood to plank it anyway.

Lining off and such

These little strips of wood called batens, represent where the planks will go when thew time comes. They also allow you to see the shape of the boat and make sure everything is right and fair.

Also making the final shape of the transom as all the planks have to be let into it.

This shot shows the beveling of the inner stem, actually the stem as well as the keelson (the plank on the bottom actually on the top in this picture) has been beveled.

Getting started on Margie-Lou

Well I need a bigger boat and one that I can take my family sailing in. Perhaps not all at the same time but at least a couple of them at once. Something to go out for the weekend and perhaps sleep aboard. Big enough for all that but small enough to tow behind the rig and travel to different bodies of water. That's what I'm talkin about!!

 Here is some video for inspiration when I need it. 

Here I am getting the forms together that will hold the shape of the boat while I add the planks.

A strong back is set up and leveled and the forms are attached to this at the proper intervals.

I am doing the hull outside this summer under a roof next to my shop. After the planking is done I will turn the boat over and probably move it inside the shop so I can work on it this winter as well.

Joining battens for use in fairing and lining off the boat for planking.

Here I am laminating the inner bow stem.

Making a scarf joint in the keelson, the backbone that runs from the stem to the stern. There will be two of these laminated together following the curve of the boat.

Reinforcing the transom, originally I was going to make the transom of solid doug fir but did not buy enough so I am doing it as per the instructions instead and using marine ply with fir reinforcement (can't hurt to follow the plans huh?).