Thread: Duckflat spring boatbuilding school 2010

"25 Secker Rd Mt Barker"

Hmmm...Mapquest crashes when I try to get the driving directions.

I guess I won't be able to stop in for a look-see but it appears you have some interesting things going on. I really like the idea of accentuating the puzzle-joints on the CLC kit.

Howdy MAM,

From a teaching perspective and a design sense I am not sure the CLC is the best direction. Truly ingenious but all those bits making up all those panels make it look quite unboatlike when unpacked.

Suspect a simpler kit that used a little bit more ply might be a better balance.

I do think it will be a nice boat in the end - their basic boatshapes are very nice. So I think Bill will be very happy.

It is one of these boats with glass inside and out - so David has suggested using a 2oz (75gsm) glass rather than the 4oz the plans recommend. Should save some weight where it counts.

By the way ... they won't have any students building at duckflat on sunday. But other days are fine.

MIK

Just putting more pics up now. Oughtred Fulmar, Storer Goat Island Skiff, Joel White Nutshell, Nymph canoe, and CLC kayak.

Duckflat boatbuilding springschool 2010 - a set on Flickr





There are a few nice methods included in this set now - like this marking out of a irregular shape using a piece of chipboard in the plane of the seat top and pointer sticks glued on with a hot melt glue gun.



The hot melt glue gun was also used to tag in the temporary bulkheads of the Chesapeake Light Craft Laughing Crane.



The hotmelt (see the four little dabs of clear glue) holds the bulkhead in place nicely but peels off the timber easiliy too.

MIK

Great set of slides, MIK. When can I come down and help out!?

I noted that the Nutshell builders did not have a midship frame on the building jig.

That wood stain is wild stuff! I am acquainted with that boats' designer, Nick Schaede. He is a very talented builder and designer.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them fiberglassing the Fulmar! What was their rationale?

Looks like a great place to teach.

Howdy Clint,

I was a bit amazed at the glassing of the fulmar too - but its what they wanted to do. They are going to be beach cruising along the West Australian coast and possibly up to the Kimberlys (trailing the boat there of course)

Apart from the Crocs (BIIIIIG) crocs and the sharks - this is what the coast looks like ...



And finer scale - this is typical of large sections.



Add to that a 30ft tidal drop and probably 7 knot currents through some of the sections as all that water pours in and out ... I am surprised they didn't build it of Aluminium!!!

(Aluminium is totally unsuitable of course. The boat would end up much heavier)

So that's one of the possibilities for the boat.

The CLC boat is overly complex I think - we are probably going to put in a sheer clamp rather than put a glass tape on the inside of the join - head inside boat - tools on sticks. We've reduced the amount of glass specified too - the amount of weight and glass on kayaks coming out of America is truly bizarre - we were wondering today whether the sheer clamp is not used because of the weight factor - and then all this extra glass is on.

I do know I go on about this. But its like the little Nymph canoe that is being built - the article shows carbon fibre being used for the inside - but the 2oz glass that we know works fine is much lighter (not to mention cheaper) than the carbon - and easier to work. And the loads that such a little boat are under just don't require the stiffness of carbon - even with the 2oz glass there will be no observable deflection in normal use.

You would be completely welcome of course Clint! If you can get here, you can walk right in and get a nice cup of tea! They are a super good group too! Really great to work with.

MIK

Originally Posted by Compass Project

Great set of slides, MIK. When can I come down and help out!?

I noted that the Nutshell builders did not have a midship frame on the building jig.

Yes .. the midship frame is really unnecessary. Just use a gunwale and inwale instead.

The frame is a complete pain when sailing and adds a lot of messy labour. Also delays the start of planking - which is really slow in a class situation.

Usually the seats are made removable for sailing versions.

But for the centrecase there is a risk that without the midship frame the centrecase can break free at the back of the case if the board hits something hard.

We get round it by having just a straight crossways bearer behind the centrecase just on the floor area and having a ply gusset between it and the back of the centrecase - this gives a huge amount of bonding area to the floor panel.

MIK