First Mate, 15' 1-1/2" x 5'3".

Sprit-Sloop Rig 104sq.ft

First Mate, 15' 1-1/2" x 5' 3".

Balanced Lug Rig 76sq.ft

Marking panel shapes on scarphed ply. Butt-straps can be substituted for scarphing.

Ply set up for scarphing

Scarphing - it isn't as difficult as it looks! If you are frightened, use butt-straps.

Clamping a scarph joint

Holes drilled to accept cable-ties or wire stitching

Bottom panel sprung to approximate rocker before having sides stitched on

Fitting cable-ties

Stitching on bilge panels. Very few ties required, as the panels lie very fair

Stitching on the topside panels. Nice and smooth with few ties required

Bulkheads and frames just sitting loosely - no cut-outs, cross members, or deck-beams in yet

View from forrard - less than an hour from the start of the stitching process!

View from aft - bulkheads up forrard are just lying loosely in place - disregard the gaps

Final stitching at bow prior to application of epoxy "tack-welds" to the inside of the hull

Inside of forrard buoyancy compartment prior to application of epoxy

Close-up of stitching on a bulkhead. Deckbeam has been bevelled, but the plywood is left square-edged

Bulkhead stitching again

Main bulkhead prior to any epoxy work

View looking aft - note two temporary cross-braces to help hold a nice fair shape during glassing operations

Temporary cross-braces held in with temporary screws through hull topsides

Detail view of bulkhead and frame stitching

Mounting cleat for stern seat which runs forward to semi-bulkhead in foreground

Inside aft compartment - aft deck and outboard well will close this in

Looking forward at dry-stitched hull

Hull ready for initial tags of thickened epoxy in between stitches

Stitching at frame. Note the small bevel on the inside corner of the hull panels - this helps with panel allignment

Checking hull is level at all stations to ensure there is no twist

Applying the "Tack-Weld Fillets". This photo is from another one of my designs.

Heavy wood-flour/epoxy fillet forms stem

First layer of 450gsm double-bias glass at stem

Second layer of double-bias overlaps first layer in the centre

Wetting out glass at stem with un-thickened epoxy

Wetting out glass at stem using un-thickened epoxy

Close-up of glass taping inside aft buoyancy compartment.Fillets formed from 50 micron woodflour.

Section showing stem fillet formed with 50 micron woodflour and epoxy. Covered with two layers of 450gsm double-bias tape

Pre-fitting 450gsm double-bias glass to inside of hull

450gsm double-bias glass over fillets made using West System Brand 403 Microfibre Blend

Close-up of 450gsm double-bias glass. Note that weave is just wet-out, without excess epoxy forming pools.

Internal structure prior to final session of glass taping. Note temporary cross braces.

External shot of hull

Interior shot of hull looking aft. The dark fillets are made using 50 micron woodflour.

Scraping temporary "Tack Fillets" using heatgun and hook scraper, to ensure a properly keyed surface for the final fillet and glass layer

Close-up of "Tack Fillets" after scraping.

Dry fitting glass tape to ensure correct length

Dry fitting glass to ensure correctly sized pieces

Pre-wetting joints prior to applying epoxy fillet. Note measured glass tapes ready for application.

Loading zip-lock bag with thickened epoxy. Corn tin holds bag upright. Fold mouth of bag over to protect zip from epoxy.

Cut corner of bag to produce suitably sized bead of epoxy mix.

Epoxy bag ready to go

Apply bead of epoxy and then smooth to a fillet shape using a shaped spatula cut from plastic, sheet metal, or wood.

Carefully lay glass into the wet epoxy fillet, and then brush un-thickened epoxy through the cloth to wet-out

Internal taping complete

Centreboard case sides and bed logs clamped-up over a straight table while glue cures

Centreboard case sides and bed logs clamped-up over a straight table while glue cures

Laying dry glass cloth on internal faces of centreboard case

Using a dry brush to smooth-out the glass cloth

Spreading epoxy with a balsa wood spatula

Finishing with a 2 inch brush. Aim to just wet-out the cloth on the first application - filling the weave comes later

Removing any excess resin

Cloth wet-out, but with no excess resin in pools.

Nice glass job!