Hi Guys,

Thanks for the kind comments. This will be a challenge but theres no fun if it aint difficult. I did up a drawing of the front on view and revised the side on and top down view. The design of the connection between the main hull and pontons (cant remember what its called) has changed to allow a bit of adjustability. Im going to keep the ears and yes that is a wing between the ears. This will be adjustable aswell to help keep the nose down a little when the chop gets up.

Kiwiboater:

Your absolutely right about Bethune. Although I think the Jap boat rammed them on purpose BUT the Ady Gil shouldn't have been there in the first place and its a crying shame shes gone.

I was going to run it on Hydrogen!!! but its too expensive. Im still trying to find some way to run it on something other than petrol....methanol maybe. We'll see. (I wont be doing any conversions on my Zenoah)





I've got to the drawings of the internal ribs out individually. Hopefully the build will start next week sometime.

All the best, Comments and suggestions welcome.

Brandon.

Hi Brandon.

A rounded bottom? Looks good, but impossible to do with a sheet of plywood.
But I have an idea: Why not fill out the spaces between the profiles (spants) with blocks of foam. Then shape them on the outside to make the right shape of the whole bottom. After that you could glue your own 3-dimensional plywood on by using strips of fx 0.8 mm wood. Use 4 or 5 layers laid diagonally for each layer. Angle about 45 degrees to the chine.
Inner layer: Use a glue that does'nt melt the foam. Other layers: Use epoxy glue.
Afterwards you chop out the foam, and sand the bottom to smoothness. I guarantee you a bottom that will be superstrong.
(It's a lot of work).

Cheers!
Woodie.

Woodie,

I'm going to use door skins to skin the boat. They are around 3-4mm thick and quite flexible and I'll steam them if needs be to get them to fit nice. Also the ribs inside are going to have the exact profile required..I'm being quite fatidious in their design (it took nearly an hour to do up the transom alone which is the simplest one of them all). As the ribs will be 9mm thick I'll use panel pins (very small nails) to tack the door skin in place before glueing. So it should be alright....we'll see next week!!!

All the best,

Brandon.

Brandon.

You can bend plywood, and you can twist it.
But you can't bend AND twist, and that is what you intend to do. No matter how thin the plywood is, it's no-go. Just try the same thing with a piece of paper.
But give it a try. Maybe I'm wrong.

Cheers!
Woodie.

Woodie,

I understand what your saying. I didn't state this earlier but the skin will be put on in strips between the ribs. So I'll start at the top and go down bending the wood around the bottom of the ribs rather than lenghtways along the boat...don't know if it makes any difference or even if it is correct but its the only way I could see to skin the boat.

All the best,

Brandon.

Brandon.

That's a kind of solution. But in my opinion much harder to do than what I have suggested to you.
My solution is'nt easy either. But I promise you that it's less frustrating and gives a much stronger and pretty result.

But it's your project, and you should do what you feel is best.

Cheers!
Woodie

Woodie, Plywood (in my case, 1/8 Luan) will bend and twist at the same time. Cut your strips wide enough with extra on the opposite side of the twist. Find a way, i.e. strap it to what you're going to glue it too, soak the wood with a spray bottle on both sides and let dry... Tighten straps and repeat the process. When you get ready to glue it, it will almost lay flat just as you need to!!!
Be patient, it will work!!!!

Good luck!!!

Doug.

Isuzu.

I totally disagree. Doing as you describe will give an imperfect result, that calls for correcting sanding, spatula and filler. It will also weaken the plywood, as the only way to make plywood bend and twist at the same time is to desintegrate the layers by watering it as you suggest.

A boat builder would NEVER do that.
And I'm a boat builder.

Cheers!
Woodie.

Hi guys,

Said this before but IM NOT USING PLYWOOD FOR THE SKIN. It's a door skin which isn't ply. Its just...well sheet wood and only 3-4mm thick. So lets not start an argument where one ain't required!!!

We'll see how it goes. Not long to wait now. Very EXCITED. Cant wait to see this baby smashing through some big waves...Thats right Mr Wave I didn't slow down!!!

All the best,

Brandon

Hi Brandon.

Even if you use doorskin, I don't agree.
But let's leave this issue.
Even though I have professional knowledge about this issue, I don't want to destroy a good debate about such a fine project by playing "wise guy".

Cheers!
Woodie.