Lag'in on the Blog'in.....

Well It's been a while since I updated this thing and I got an email from a buddy down in Australia asking if I had fallen in a hole or something. He is building the same boat as me but modified in yet a different manner. Anyway, over the last month or so, me and my sweetie have been busy doing all kinds of things from vacationing to camping to putting in a garden, trimming trees and working. So Bruce, I have made some progress and here are a couple of pics to prove it.

The cockpit sides and sole have been installed and bilge back in the cockpit area has been sealed and painted. I need to go and get more plywood now to continue. There will be a bottom added under the side benches for storage and then the side benches will go on over the framework. Up at the top of this picture, you can see I am making a pattern for the v-birth.

Another shot of the cockpit area.

Making the pattern for the v-birth floor.

The floor of the v-birth is ready to be installed. The area is just where our feet and legs will go. To the rear of this are two seats facing to stern and the backs of these seats will fold down when it's bed time to make for the rest of the sleeping area. There are a couple of drawings near the start of this blog that show how that will work.

Footwell and cabin mockup

Today I fitted the footwell sides and did a little mockup of the cabin front and real to check headroon and see how it looks. I'm not sure I like it and may make a couple f changes. We'll see.

The sides of the cockpit footwell with supports for the sole.

Looking back from the cabin

Cabin mockup

Cabin mockup

Cabin mockup

Cabin mockup

Cabin mockup

Cockpit seat frams are in

I spent my Saturday morning boat allotted time finishing up whatever panel filleting that still needed to be done. Yesterday I glued in most of the seat framing for the cockpit. Now it's time to do a lot of sanding in and around the floor area, especially below the waterline. I hope to seal this area up and paint it before I actually close the areas off. After the seat and floor panels are install the only access will be thru a couple of small inspection hatches so I will need to seal and paint while I have good access.

Cockpit seat frames are installed and awaiting paint in the bilge.

Another view.

trial fitting the cockpit framing

A couple of weeks ago I did some playing around trying to figure out the best arrangement for the cockpit seating and now I have most of the frame pieces made. Here I am just doing a trial fit to make sure everything will go together. Not too many things are straight and aligned in a boat so with all these curves it pays to try things out and test fit as much as possible before attaching.

The deck carlins are permanently in so it's on to the cockpit framing.

Fitting the seat frames in place

The plywood strips across the foot well area is just temporary to help align things.

One year along

I started this boat one year ago today on my birthday. The hull is done and a good part of the interior framing. I still have more of that and then install the cockpit sole, seats and build a cabin plus the masts and on & on it seems. Well it won't be done this year but I am very hopeful about next. I didn't do anything on the boat today except clean it up and take it outside for some photos. My wife Debi and her sister took me out for birthday breakfast this morning and then I went to work. Well there's always tomorrow.

View from a stepladder behind.
The camera angle makes the transom look a lot wider than it is.

Here I am getting ready to install the deck carlins and
have it clamped on in place to check it's fit

This is one of my favorite times of year when all the grass is green, it won't be long till everything is brown around here.

I'm just about done with the floor framing and will soon ad the cockpit and cabin soles.

You need a lot of clamps to make a boat.

I bought a plank of wood the other day that I thought I could get both carlins from but it was only large enough for one so I'll get another piece tomorrow.
I do like this view though, don't you?

Deck & floor framing

Today I installed the short deck beams that go along side the cockpit and cabin. Tomorrow I will go and get the material for the carlins that surround those areas.

Short deck beams installed and one long one at the front of the cabin area.

I also added some beef to the floors so the cockpit and cabin sole will have something to attach to.

I also enlarged my limber holes in the floor. I had just cut a triangle in each next to the keelson but decided they needed to be a little bigger. I still need to clean up and seal the holes now.

Progress slow and hopefully steady. Soon I will be able to seal and paint those areas that will be hidden from view.

Cockpit seat mockup

This week I have been doing some mockups to decide how to frame the cockpit area and the seats along the sides. Also the cross member that supports the aft wall of the cabin and trying to visualize how all these things fit together. Not many parts f=of a boat are square but they do need to align with each other and intersect at times so I think doing mockups before glueing is a good thing. I have t go to the lumber store and buy some 3/4" marine play as well since the cockpit sole, the rear cockpit bulkhead and the cabin aft wall will be from that.

Cockpit seat framing mockup.