Form and Function

The Pungo is overseeing the construction process with some envy.

As part of the construction project, I've found it necessary to improve my work space. So, I constructed a simple work bench as well as a small work platform next to the hull.

The work bench along with some plastic sheeting form a fairly effective separation between the one remaining parking space in the garage and my work area.

With the hybrid method, the hull panels are constructed within external forms which help to maintain the shape before the hull form is epoxied into a stable shape.

The deck on the other hand is constructed by laying the cedar strips around a series of internal forms which define the deck shape.

These forms are temporarily hot-glued into the semi-completed the hull.

Here you can see how the cockpit apron will be fitting on the forms... but we are not ready for that. I just laid it in position to assist in visualizing the deck design.

Once all of that is accomplished we still have to secure some scrap pieces of wood into the inside of of the bow and stern along the sheer.

Ah, my first carving job!
...with many more to come.

Finally, we'll mark onto the forms the center line of the deck. I then laid over the marks a thin line of masking tape which will facilitate the process of transferring the intended design from 2-D onto a very curved 3-D surface.

Now we are ready to strip. Well, hold your horses! Before you begin to strip, you need to have a plan. Unless you are some improvizing boat building genius, you won't want to play this by ear.

CLC offers three shades of cedar strips.

You can tell CLC by percentages how much of each you would like. Of course this will depend on the specific design that you have worked out... plus a bit of guess work.

Even if you calculated it out the last square centimeter, you would be hard pressed to predict how many strips you might break while trying to bend them into shape or simply mess up carving them incorrectly.

I requested one third of each shade.

Next up: The Design