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This sweet 10ft clinker-built double-ended skiff looks extremely difficult to build, at least to me – but it’s wonderfully pretty nevertheless
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Click here for photographs of a similar boat.
It would be easy to build in strip plank, wouldn't it?
Easier, though still not easy. I'm tempted to model one up using CAD for epoxy lapstrake, but even that will be tricky.
I just think that anyone who can build this in clinker and make it tight with these hard bends would more than earn my respect. Anyway, I'd love to see someone do it!
Gav
If you're tempted to do a CAD model, I'd be tempted to build it… if only I had more time!
It would certainly be interesting to see a bit more 'shape' than that suggested in the drawings accompanying the original article.
Steve
Fibre Glass ?
I mean like make a plug roughly that shape with pseudo clinker ?
Jay Benford has a very similar design in one his books complete with plans.
http://www.tillerbooks.com/Small_Craft_Plans.php
http://www.benford.us/scp/11peapod.html
Where are plans available for the double ended 10ft skiff ?
It's here: http://intheboatshed.net/2007/08/27/a-challenge-f…
Gav
A further look through the site leads me to think the 10ft skiff plans are in a book called "Boat Building for the Amateur". Does anybody know the author and publisher ?
Details are at the Amazon site here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Building-Amateu…
Thanks for "info" on Skiff book , have done the deal with Amazon and maybe over a year or so it will turn into a proper boat
Well done – do please let us know how you get on!
Gav
Hi, I have downloaded the plans to make a model of this boat and would welcome some advice as how to achieve the bending of the planks and clamping them in place, Would steaming them be the answer?.
Many thanks for making them available.
Eric
Hi Eric,
I think the answer to your question depends mostly on two things: 1) what scale are you considering? and 2) what style of construction are you planning on using? If you're planning on glued plywood lapstrake construction, I would suggest taking a look at the files on the following pages (if you haven't already)
http://intheboatshed.net/2009/08/07/plans-for-mak…
http://intheboatshed.net/2009/06/10/model-making-…
That model was 1/8 scale and assembled with cyanoacrylate glue (aka superglue). I cut and permanently assembled all the parts of the keel, stem and sternpost out of 3/32" model balsa first and then temporarily glued them to the model building jig for planking. The planks were 1/32" model aircraft plywood, and I just taped the expanded plank sheets to the plywood sheet and cut them out carefully with an x-acto knife – you could also use a box cutter. To get them seated properly on the jig you have to bevel the landings on the stem, etc. but you can do that pretty easily bye eye since the balsa is very soft. To clamp the planks in place I used a small pair of vice grips and an assortment of binder clips, but it was a bit tricky to get everything set up. I'd recommend doing no more than one plank at a time and alternating sides. No steaming was necessary, but you want to be sure that there's adequate glue and that the glue has set properly, since the planks will spring out if unclamped too soon. The inwale and outwale were also cut from hobby balsa, and these might benefit from steaming into place before gluing – mine cracked after they were in.
If you're planning on a different scale, you should be able to scale those sheets to whatever you'd like. I had a little trouble finding 1/32" ply, so I think 1/8 is about the smallest you can reasonably go unless you up the planking thickness.
If you're planning on a more traditionally built model, I'm not sure I can help you too much. I would think that at 1/8 scale it'll depend on the material you use – balsa will probably have to be steamed, as shown by my cracked gunwales – but stronger or more elastic woods might not. Anything larger than that (say 1/4 scale) will probably need steaming, but I'm not sure. Something else to consider is that most hobby woods will probably be quite dry and may have been kilned, which makes them a little harder to bend.
Anyhow, I hope that helps. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.
Regards,
Paul
I'm planning on attempting to build this boat, difficult curves and all. I went to the Beale Park boat show recently and picked up some tips from people who've taken on similar projects, so I'm fairly well armed.
The planks will be steamed in my Barn, and I'm intending to solve the problem of the boat's difficult angles by steaming them for longer than normal, and giving them a resin undercoat once they're done, just to make sure they hold the flexibility.
I'd love to show you the pictures once I've finished, Gavin, and can I say what a wonderful resource your posts have been – they've steered me on the right course from the start!
I'm delighted to hear it Will – and I will be very pleased to publish anything you send me about the project. Gav
Is there a table of offsets for this boat?