Boatbuilding with Woodstrip
In this page, I am going to give some information about how to build a small Sailing boat using Woodstrip construction. To start off set up station moulds with three hundred millimeters spacing. The moulds are nineteen millimeter MDF wood. Put the first rows of strips on and run the strips from the gunwhales upwards. The strips are six millimeter bead and cove, made out of something like Atlantic Cedar.
When the hull is completely covered in wood strips, then it is time to rough plane the outside of the hull. Do the rough sand with a Random Orbital machine with 40-60 grit. Then fiber-glass the outside of the hull. The Layup schedule will be a first layer of six ounce square weave fiber-glass covered by a one and a half ounce veil layer. Use epoxy resin for its superior strength and durability. After the fiber-glass has cured, use wet-and-dry sandpaper to smooth the surface and then apply extra coats of epoxy resin.
Now sand the interior of the boat using whatever tools will work the best. You can try a belt sander, a random orbital sander, or star sanders on drill bits. Then you are ready to glass the inside of the hull. The layup schedule for the inside of the boat is to start with five ounce kevlar followed by one and a half ounce veil cloth in the cockpit area. Then eyeball, fit and glue the sheer strips. Fit and fiber-glass three bulkheads using three millimeter plywood. Also fit forward, aft and half height bulkheads at the end of the daggerboard trunk.
Assemble and install the mast support and struts, laminate the up-curved frames for the seat tanks. Install the seat tank frames noting that the plywood gussets at the frame have the maximum bend. Strip up the seat tanks and sand and glass both sides with six ounce fiber-glass. Glue the tank frames to the seat. Install the fore and aft decks. The foredeck is 1.5mm birch ply and the aft deck is 3 mm birch plywood as well. Finish off with some varnish.
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