Plywood Kits without stich and glue

That Storer design would have less wastage if it was a straight box - and would probably look a bit better too.

Really - if you want a boat, make it look as if you meant it, not as if you were a scrooge.

 

They are completely useless. One of the virtues of 'proper' wire is the ability to tension and re-tension as the hull develops.

Most instructions tell you to put the panels together loosely, and then work back along the hull pulling the panels into alignment.

The ability to re-adjust easily is paramount.

Plywood is inherently a 'natural' product, and you will get slight variations of hardness, bendability etc right where that 'tricky' curve occurs. The ability to apply some tension here, and loosen off there is all part of the skill.

 

I guess...but normally its best to allow the plywood panels to " float ". On the build jig. Floating panels are more likely to be fair.

With cable ties or wire stitches you can gently tension .....whack the floating panel with the palm of your hand...free it up from friction on the frame stations ...get a fair curve....then patrol the wire ties and tension a bit more

Hot melt glue or. somekinda interlocking zipper joint would not allow this..any inacuracy would be permanent

 

Seam attachment can be done countless ways - one method is to stitch them. Taped seam construction can be quite effective and light, regardless of seam joining technique. Most experienced builders use several seam joining methods, usually after building a project with hundreds of stitches.

The original poster is talking about a CNC kit approach, where the seams self align, further making assembly easier. The trick with making a kit is to insure proper panel alignment, lower setup costs and possibly an easier, more accurate build. Tabs, notches and every sort of contrivance has been tried, with more to come, I'm sure. The cleverest one I've seen uses precut planking, soles, bulkheads, partitions and furniture, all pushed into a set of female forms. The hull panels are first, lightly tacked to the reverse station molds, where their fillets and seams are completed in continuous, hole free runs. Next, the bulkheads and elements of the interior are dropped in and taped, followed by cleats for seat tops, soles and counter tops, lastly the deck is applied, after everything gets some paint. With the inside of the boat finished, it's rolled over, the molds removed, seams raidused, taped, sheathing and paint. Of course, the kit is more complex and you have to arrange staging to get inside in the early phases, but each engineering approach will have it's good and less so things to consider. The more clever designs are using soles and other horizontal surfaces as part of the strongback, saving some material.

 

Tom; Point taken. The use of the Disney rodent slur was ill advised. I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by that crass remark.

I have built more than 50 small boats using almost every method including a few stitch and glue projects, strippers, lap strakers, carvels, tortured ply. and skin on frame. I have built plugs, molds, and done GRP layups. I am older than dirt so I have had ample time to explore methods, mistakes, and an occassional good result. My remarks were based on my own experience and admittedly biased preferences.

My intent was to respond to the OP who is exploring ways that might not require the S&G method.

 

Good reply messabout. I was at first a bit steamed at the put down but then toned down my reply so we could go on having our good discussions about boats. I'm not actually older than dirt, being only 82, but am classified as a curmudgeon by my wife as well as others. I do claim the new definition of Curmudgeon though.

Curmudgeon/ modern: anyone who hates hypocrisy and pretense and has the temerity to say so; anyone who has the habit of pointing out facts in an engaging and humorous manner.

Don't always measure up but seldom revert to the older version.

Curmudgeon/archaic: a crusty, ill tempered old man.

Interesting PAR. Some years ago I reworked the design of the one design Windmill racing sloop so it could be built in a female mold (basket) using the taped seam technique. Learned about that method in the 1960s' in a book by Richard Creigh Osborne. No stitches were involved and many boats could be built to strict class tolerances. The mold dictated the shape just like on a FG boat. The purpose of doing that work was to make it practical for a beginner to build a minimum weight competitive racing boat in wood which was difficult to do for those with little knowledge of wood. Earlier boats built by plywood on molds and stringers very often turned out very heavy and non competitive, especially after the class went to full air tanks that added still more material. Windmills built to my plans have proven fully competitive to the best FG/foam boats in National Championships.

 

Tom; Hooray for Windmills. One of my favorite all time boats. My town had the very active fleet 47 for several years. Our fleet included national and district champion several years running. As boats go, the Mill is a bit boxy, sometimes cranky, always demanding if it was to be sailed well, but I loved it anyway.

Too bad that the class has fallen from its former popularity. Sometime in the 70s the nationals were held at the New Orleans Yacht Club. There were some 70 boats registered that year. That made a most interesting starting line. One of the highlights of my sailing career occurred there. Leading the fleet, I got into a lengthy tacking duel with John Dane, an Olympic sailor of some repute. I lost the duel in the end but still managed a very good finish.

 

Yeah Tom, the technique I've described was also used to control a one design and to permit the same set of molds to be used repeatedly, further insuring the class dimensions. They were plywood and you could get 3 or 4 boats out of them, before the edges where so torn up you have to make a new set. The cool thing is you just need to make 5 new mold profiles, saving costs and building ease.

 

The last mold and set of templates I did was a few years ago for an Optimist. Two fleets of boats are now up to 26 from that mold and still counting. I place stringers at the chines, sheer and along the bottom and the panels actually register against the stringers. Probably last for hundreds of boats if the interest in building them lasts that long. Built it to International Opti tolerances which are completely absurd and would not do that again.

 

GRP Sheet project

MM

I was very interested in your sheet GRP project have you progress any further

cheers Andy