Duck is done

I finished up the paint and varnish.  This boat is done.  I started this project Oct 15.  My goal was 6 weeks.  I think I can say I made it...

Bottom paint

I got two coats of paint on the bottom.  I sprayed it with my Critter sprayer.  The Critter takes Mason Ball jars as the paint can.  It's good that way because you can seal the paint back up for use later.  I'll probably do one more coat tomorrow.

Woodwork is done

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I just got all the woodwork done on the duck.  She is a fine looking boat.  I'm going to stain the decks red mahogany, and paint the bottom and sides brown.  That way if a buyer wants to camo the boat the base is already on.  The last section was the floorboards.  I rough fit each side then scribed them to the hull.  Then I center lined one side then scribed the other side to it.  Nice tight fit.  After paint I'll screw them down.  No glue for these. They need to be removable. I also got the deck stained.

Rub rails

I forgot the rubrails.  They provide two functions.  They act as bumpers if you hit something, they act as splash boards, and they look good.  Ops, that's 3 things...

Inner rails

I got the boat back right side up.  The bottom is done but without paint.  I'll wait until the entire boat is done then paint.  I fitted the inner rails and the splash board.  I'll glue them this afternoon.  Last bit of wood work is the floorboards.  That consists of 1/4 inch ply split down the middle and fitted to the inner bottom.
Should be done by thanksgiving.

Glass on the bottom

I got the bottom glassed.  Not going to do the sides on this boat. Doesn't need it.  Another coat of resin and then paint.

                                                                              Before

                                                                          After

Decks are on

I got all the decks on the boat.  Next step is to turn her back over and finish glassing the bottom.

Decks

I got the fwd deck on.  I coated the underside with resin and then glued and nailed the deck.  Side decks are next.

Sandy

Well, we have a full fledged category 1 hurricane crossing Delaware right about now.  We are ok in the middle of the state but the folks who have coastal property had to evacuate.  This is about the lowest barometric pressure I've seen on this gage...

I posted this pix around 3 pm.  Since then the eye of the storm has passed about 20 miles away.
The barometer has since bottomed out.  This reading is just incredible.  You can see the difference.  The top number is on 28.  That's impressive in itself.  The bottom pix the  reading is way below that.  My guess it's 27.6

Resin

I got the inside of the boat coated with resin.  That will seal the wood.  I'll Do a coat of primer then paint.  Not going to be too much happening over the next few days.  We are just waiting for hurricane Sandy to show up.  Raining cats and dogs right now.

Right side up

Didn't think I'd be here this soon.  I wanted to take the boat off the building forms to make it lower on the saw horses.  that would make it better to glass the bottom.  Note to self.  Don't try to take a boat off building forms with out some help.  I was going to nudge the bow off and put it on the ground, then lift the boat off and do the same.  I propped the bow up and moved it over, the whole boat started to turn over.  Nothing I could do to stop it.  So it wound up on the floor.  No damage.   I put it on the horses right side up.  I cut the excess off the shear.  This is one very nice strong boat.  One of the mid deck brace fell off during that exercise.

While I have the boat rightside up I decided to do the inside rails

Rails glued in.

Ready for glass

Didn't get too much done today.  Had honydoos to work on.  I did get the bottom faired to the sides and I got the bull nose on the bow.  While we were over in Annapolis I stopped in  CLC and got 4 yards of 50 inch 6 oz glass.

                                                                   Bullnose

                                                                        Faired bottom

                                                         Ready for glass

Bottom is on

I got the bottom glued on the boat.  I used a little bit different fastening routine.  I use bronze annular rig shacked 3/4 inch nails for the perimeter.  In the field along each batten I used 3/4 inch # 8 SS flat head screws spaced about 9 inched apart.  I've decided to glass the entire bottom since I have a split bow section.  Plus the screws made a lot of holes so that will just be some security.   Not going to glass the inside.

                                                                                Rough fit

Bottom faired

Side panels glued on

I got the side panels rough fitted and glued on.  The plans call for screwing and gluing with resourcinal glue.  Back in the day you had to use screws to secure the panel because the glue was not that good.  With today's resin you don't need any mechanical fasteners other that as clamps. I'll take all the screws out after the resin bog sets up.

Ready for panels

I got all the shear clamps sorted and now we are ready for the side panels.  I got some nice birch at Lowes.

Bottom frames

Got the bottom frames attached to the boat.  I had a problem with the shears.  I broke one trying to bend it and the other one broke after it was installed.  Hopefully I got it clamped and glued back together.  The other side I married 3 smaller strips together to make the bend.  That's tomorrows project.  Almost ready for wood panels.

Chine log

I got the chine in the boat.  I used a Come-A-Long to get it pulled together.  You need two. One at the aft end and one midship.  No cracking or poping of the wood so that is a good sign.