Forms set

I got over to Chestertown this morning and lined up the forms. I also got one 12 foot panel made. This brings back some memories.  These forms were last used in 2000 when we built my Shelley.

Inner transom

Before we can set up the building forms there has to be three things in place.  The transom, the inner stem. and the keelson.    The inner transom is the part that you never see in the boat.  It's behind the decorative wood that you see while trying to catch this boat.  I'll cut out the plywood part of this inner transom prior to gluing on the good wood.  The inner stem is where you attach the hull at the bow.  When all the bottom is on and done I'll attach an outer stem.  That's the chunk that you ram other boats with.  I usually use a real hard wood like cherry for that part.   I'll get over to Annapolis next week and stop in my very expensive wood store and see if I can get some Sitka spruce.  That's for the keelson.  If that's just too expensive I'll get a lesser grade of spruce.  Still does the same work of attaching the transom to the stem.

The big white chunk in the middle is to attach the gudgeons.  Wide enough to accommodate Laser style gudgeons.

New boat

I had some friends up North ask me if I would build them a boat.  These folks currently sail a modified version of the Classic Moth.  The current boat they sail is a very heavy European dingy. They want a lighter more responsive boat.
The boat we are going to build was originally designed around 1963 in England, by John Shelley.  At the time it was the fastest Moth boat on the water.  It still is a very competitive boat.  We are going to build  the hull of this boat in Chestertown Md.   We'll finish up in my shed after Griff gets done.

The hull of the boat will look like the mast head picture but the deck will be different.

                Boat on a trailer  Building strongback on top, 3 sheets of 4mil Ocume plywood on the bottom.

                                                          Building molds on the strongback