Now What?

[flydog]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to fit the gunwale to the breasthook now. I've followed the design implicitly(I think), and according to the plans, the breasthook is raised 1/4 in above the sheer so that when it is planed to the sheer, there is a slight camber. When the gunwale is put in place, you can see that its bottom protrudes below the bottom of the breasthook. The book that I am using as a guide for this boat does not have good photos of this area, but the photos that are provided, appear to show the same thing. As you can see from the attached photo the forward edge of the gunwale protruding below provides a very sharp edge that may cause an injury. I'm not sure of the asthetics of leaving this protrusion. Anyone else seen this before?

flydog

[messabout]

The stick with the clamp is usually called the sheer clamp. No matter what we call it it needs to fit neatly. This is a part of the boat that seems to get more scrutiny by others than it deserves. Make this a neat connection and you get compliments plus satisfaction. Lesser fits, like some of mine, get no compliments.

I think you can make an attractive and functional job of this. Raise the sheer clamp so that it is flush with the bottom of the breasthook. That stick will rise to the top of the breasthook and a bit above the sheer strake perhaps. Fasten the sheer clamp level or maybe a tad higher than the sheer strake. Clamp it 3 or 4 feet aft of the breasthook connection. The clamp will now need some edge set. That means that you'll bend it upwards where it contacts the breasthook. When it is all fastened and glued, plane off the top of the clamp and the beasthook to suit your eye. The clamp will now be tapered and the plane will have made a smooth rolling bevel. The whole thing will look like you planned it that way.

The sheer clamp will want to be rounded, some, on the top and bottom corners. It is easier to do that befeore the clamp is installed.....But dont round the corners all the way to the ends where they join the breasthook and the quarter knees. leave them square for a few inches at the ends where they join the other pieces. Later you can whittle (boat builders call it pareing) or sand a nice transition from rounded to square at the joints.

All this involves a lot of work with the plane. In an earlier posting you said that you were removing gossmer thin shavings. A sharp plane will do that but it won't continue to do so. The plane dulls with use and must be re-sharpened. A really sharp plane is a pleasure to use and a dull one is a misery.

Sharpening is a whole nother subject but it is well worth the time and effort to learn. You must not merely attack the plane iron with a file or coarse stone. While we are on the planing subject, I suppose that you have learned that each piece of wood has an appropriate direction in which to plane. Go the wrong way and you rip out chunks. With a little practice you can tell which way to go. Just be aware that most wood has a right and wrong direction.

Keep up the good work and ask questions at will.

[LP]

I'm going to assume that your sheer clamp is at it finish size and that reduction in cross-section shouldn't be undertaken.

I'm thinking that you could take a piece the width of the clamp and the thickness of the offset and "scab" it underneath the breasthook. if done neatly, it will be bearly noticable. Hope it makes sense.

I guess that still leaves you with fairing the topside of the breasthook though.

Regards

[SamSam]

It would be good if you could scan and post that part of the plans. Are you sure the bhook and the gunwale aren't put flush with the sheer and then when it's planed, if there is a camber, its in the sheer and not the bhook? Are the gunnel and bhook the correct vertical thickness?

[flydog]

Thanks for the advice guys. I went ahead and cut a 45 deg angle back where the gunwale meets the bhook in order to eliminate that sharp edge. The photos from the book just showed it protruding straight down. The directions said the bhook was 1 1/4 in thick and the gunwale 1 3/8 in. There was no mention of blending the two into what would appear to be one piece of wood. I just did not want that sharp edge staying there. Oh well, live and learn. I may take a look at what LP suggests and place a "scab" underneath.

Thanks guys.

flydog