Periwinkle - 17ft x 5ft 2in - 155 sq.ft sail area

Plan View showing one particular deck layout

Frames, bulkheads, and molds laid out on 3mm MDF to be cut as patterns

Using lead "Ducks" to hold flexible batten in place while drawing deck camber on patterns

Patterns for frames and bulkheads cut from 3mm MDF

Using patterns to transfer shapes to 12mm/1/2in marine plywood. Accurate work is essential

Some of the frames and bulkheads cut from 12mm/1/2in marine plywood

Assembling a mold. Permanent Side Deck Knees and Semi-bulkhead attached to temporary mold

Plastic masking tape separates permanent parts from temporary mold to prevent glue sticking mold to hull during assembly

A mold made from 19mm/3/4in stock and 12mm/1/2in plywood gussets

Two bulkheads, 4 frames, 3 molds, and 1 transom all marked, cut, and assembled.

Two bulkheads, 4 frames, 3 molds, and 1 transom all marked, cut, and assembled.

Marking stem laminations onto 12mm/1/2in marine plywood.

Use good quality jigsaw blades and cut to the line.

Laminating inner stem components

Transom doubler dry-fitted and screwed into place using silicon bronze screws

Transom with doubler dry-fitted. Stem lamination in background

Transom doubler dry-fitted with silicon bronze screws

Stem and frame #1 dry-assembled

Transom doubler glued into position using high-quality epoxy

Epoxy squeeze-out cleaned up and given a basic fillet. This will be perfected after curing.

Positioning floor timbers on a mold, with space between the inner faces for the centreboard case bedlogs

Using a router and a round-over bit to pre-finish the cut-outs in frames before installation.

Measuring and marking station locations on the strongback

Using diagonal measurement to ensure station locations are square with the centreline

Cross-checking squareness using straight-edge, adjustable-square, and string-line

String-line down centre of strongback forms the reference for installation of molds, frames, and bulkheads

Molds, frames, and bulkheads with legs attached. Transom in foreground without legs, as it will be set on a jig

Initial strongback set-up. This shows the shape of the boat for the first time

Initial set-up from aft quarter - transom being hand-held in position

Cross-spalls are made from high-quality timber, and are firmly attached to the strongback

Close-up showing legs attached to a frame

Checking frame#1 is vertical. This is a rough check. Later, a plumb-bob will be used for fine adjustment

A pre-finished floor-timber fitted to a mold using light screws. The blue tape is to protect the mold from being glued in during planking

A deck knee attached to a temporary mold. After planking, the mold will be removed, but the deck knee will be left glued into the hull.

Shape starting to appear!

Jig to hold transom in correct location

Using a plumb-bob to check that a mold is vertical

Bracing to hold a mold vertical

The scene fifty yards from the workshop door!

Marking the edges of the keelson using a batten and ducks. The blue line is a "snapped" chalk line used to mark the centreline of the keelson

Keelson dry-fitted to the hull set-up.

Narrow strips to the side of the centreline are temporary battens attached to the molds, frames, and bulkheads to hold them vertical

Keelson dry-fitted. Note the light plywood box structure which hols the transom in the correct orientation.

Close-up of keelson - timber is Silver Quandong (Elaeocarpus grandis), and the screws are silicon bronze

Arrangement of keelson, inner-stem, and keelson - all dry-fitted only at this stage

Hull form visible. Battens either side of keelson are temporary, and will soon be removed. Note diagonal brace to ensure inner-stem remains vertical.

Keelson has taken up a nice, fair curve. Time spent levelling up the stations using a water-level and spirit level will be paid back down the track

Plumbob used to establish position of transom reference to the centreline

Gluing keelson into position. Thickened epoxy being applied to base of stem, which had just previously been given a coat of un-thickened epoxy to prim

The silicon bronze screws are all set in epoxy

Plumbob being used to check alignment of stem while keelson is being glued

Bevelling molds, bulkheads, and frames for the garboard strake (first plank)

Nailing a batten into place along the upper edge location of the first plank

Using modified block plane to bevel keelson. The same technique will be used on the sebsequent plank laps

Second batten nailed along the cenreline of the boat (on the bevelled keelson)

Hot-melt glue used to apply MDF cross-pieces to battens

Hot-melt glue used to apply MDF cross-pieces to battens

Completed spiling batten

Completed spiling batten

Completed spiling batten showing shape of garboard strake

Cutting scarphs on two sheets of 9mm (3/8in) plywood planking material

Cutting scarphs on two sheets of 9mm (3/8 in) plywood planking material.

Spiling batten laid on the plywood planking material, giving the shape of the garboard strakes

Rebates cut in the plank ends. Half of the rebate is cut on one plank and half on the following plank

Garboards glued into position, showing the shape of the lower sections of the hull

Rebates (gains) at the transom

If you look carefully, you will be able to see the hollow sections in the fore-foot

Hardwood battens temporarily clamped and screwed to forrard ends of planks to maintain fair curve while glue cures

Temporary screws along centreline. After screw removal, the centreline will be planed down to a flat to recieve the external keel batten

Spiling batten for broadstrake (plank #2) laid out on planking material

Butt-strap at aft end of broadstrake (plank #2). Planks are scarphed in the middle, but the ends are butt-strapped. Screws will be removed when dry.

Broadstrakes attached - screws are temporary.

Nice hollow in foreward sections

Broadstrakes (plank #2) attached

Planking progressing

Planking 40% complete!

Using modified block plane to cut accurate plank-lap bevel. Note lower batten to guide the block plane extension arm

Finished bevel on second plank, ready to accept the next plank.

Battens delineating upper and lower edges of the next plank. These battens are held by 18 gauge brads, and are easily removed

Battens joined together by simple frame work to form a pattern (spiling batten) which will be used to mark out the next plank.

Third plank glued into position

Long, lean hull shape becoming apparent with third plank attached. There is a lot of 'hollow' in the forrard sections.

Planking 60% done!

Fourth plank on Port side. 25mm x 22mm (1" x 7/8") clamping batten attached to ensure fair curve to plank laps

Fourth plank glued to starboard side. Clamping batten attached to ensure fair plank lap.

Fourth plank, starboard side, with temporary clamping batten attached.

Planking 80% done. A long, lean boat - she should be fast!