Dinghy

Topsides of dingy done

Posted by Paul

With all the underside taping completed, I started and finished all of the topside taping, well almost. I glued and taped ply pads into the underside of the tops in the stern behind the transom to take the rear deck hardware. I also glued and taped a timber block into the middle of the bow anchor locker again for an eye at the bow.

I then glued the stern steps in. I will still have to clean and round the joins, shape the hull sides and tape all of these. I then kerfed the anchor locker lid. I decided to experiment with the shape and the kerfing. I will need to kerf many different shapes in the internal fitout, so this experience will probably be handy. I decided that a shape like the bonnet of a car might be good, so I cut the front overhang of the anchor well into a curved shape instead of a flat line square to the hulls. I then kerfed the panel along the lines I wanted the panel to bend. There is a slight bend down from the back to the front and curved bend from the centre to the corners at the front but flat and square at the back, so that the front corners are noticeably angled down. I have also taped the last of the panel joins along the top and ply bow fronts today. Apart from the last few tapes the hull is completely sealed now.

dingy 2 bow shapedingy 2 bow kerfs

I spent about 4 hours on the boat today for a total of 34 hours. Most of today was extra work that I did not need to do, but this is a fun side project and I have no time limit on it (almost), and also because the methods learnt will make the actual build easier or faster. The great thing this illustrates is just how versatile and easy to use the material is. I guessed the kerf lines and it worked fairly well. I have glued the lid on and tomorrow can clean up and round the front join, cove the sides and tape them and tape the forward join. I still also have to shape the transom at the top and glue a layer of 9mm ply to the rear and maybe also the front.

Then all that will be required is an all over sand to feather out the tape lines and a final coat of something, resin or paint, the hatches cut out and sealed and the deck hardware applied. I have gone over my time estimate on this boat but I should be able to get it into the water with about 6 more hours work. Next weekend I move the hulls so I want to finish this boat and the forward beam this week ready for the big move next weekend.

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Paul