Bottoms Up

I laid out the bottom sections yesterday and the day before.  It was cold out, and inside the shop, but I wanted to work on the skiff, so I laid out the remainder of the plywood as directed in the building instructions and traced out the bottom of the boat on the two pieces.
There was plenty of wood to spare and once I had the pattern traced I cut out the 2 pieces leaving about 1" extra along each side and about 4 inches at the bow.  I just used the foot of the jig saw as a guide by putting it on the line as I cut instead of putting the blade on the line.
After I had the wood stove going to heat up the place a bit I cut out the 4" wide butt block  for the scarph to just shy of the inside edges of the bottom, about 1/4' shy of the full width.
Just as I had scarfed the side panels together way back when, I scarfed the 2 bottom pieces together as well.  The main difference is that I haven't put in any fasteners and I am not sure that I will.
I have since learned about how poorly brass does in the water and though it won't be such a problem in the side panels, in the bottom it could be a problem.  Hopefully the glue, the skeg, the grounding pieces will be enough mechanical support if the glue isn't enough.  We'll see.

wale of a good time

The last wale was attached yesterday.  It was the port gunwale lamination and I attached it to the hull the same way I did all the others and the chines, with Gorrilla glue laid on then spread with a putty knife to get good coverage.  I then lined up the marks I had made that located it's position to the hull, starting amid ships and working out to the stern, then going back and working fore ward.  I used 1inch sheet rock screws to attach it to the hull, and then clamped lightly between the screws any place that the joint seemed at all wide.
I will let this sit a day or so and then once the clamps are pulled remove excess glue.  At this point I can flip the boat over and start on attaching the bottom.
The bottom, so I have decided to use the same 4mm luan plywood for the bottom.  What this means is that I will definitely be putting in some framing and floors in the middle.  Along with the bulkheads fore and aft, the skeg and its inner false keel, and the strips of wood to each side of center on the bottom, I think he called them grounding strips, the overall affect should be a light, but strong hull.
I will have to buy one more piece of plywood for the decks.  There goes the budget.  I think that is now $70 invested,  not much considering the fun I have had doing the work so far, the learning, and the possibility that I may have a rowing boat that floats when all is said and done.

New Year

I have started out the new year by taking a little break in the building of the skiff.  Not that I haven't spent some considerable amount of time in the shop looking her over and wondering about things.

Would the Luan be strong enough to use on the bottom of the boat?

Would 1/4 inch ply, if I were to buy some, make the curve at the stern that is a little bit sharper with the mistake in measuring I made?

If I used the 4mm (luan) and installed floors to walk on would that due?

Where exactly do I want to put the bulkheads?

Seat box or traditional risers and thwarts?

Fortunately, I still have things to do before I get to the point that I have to make those decisions.

Actually, yesterday I finished the starboard gunwale installation and did the lamination of the wales on the port side.  That all seemed to go well enough, though I am becoming increasingly aware at my inexactness, or my 'Ce La Vie' attitude about tolerances and measurements.  I am realizing that I am the of the SureForm level of detail rather than the plane level, the pencil width, or there about rather than the micrometer.  I have built most of my furniture at home, but a cabinet maker I am not.  I am the type to look at cabinet makers, luthiers, boat builders, as demi-gods and I a mere mortal.

I did light up the wood stove last night as I was doing the wales.  Made the whole time even more enjoyable.