Guide to Strip planking construction?

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by Dhutch, Dec 29, 2012.

  1. Dhutch
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 83
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 22
    Location: Cheshire UK

    Dhutch Junior Member

    Cant someone point me in the direction of a good guide or book on strip plank construction?

    Its very much in the first stages of coming together, and or planning for the future, but Im looking towards building a boat and strip plank keeps coming up as a quick and cost effective way of building a well shaped boat. Ive read a fair bit on the forums about specific points, but could do with a more all round guide, or ideally for comparison, two.

    I dont know if anyone has read the Selway Fisher guide? £18 for the PDF?
    The Dave Gerr book comes up a lot for design, but no real recommendations for construction books, which I dont think it includes?
    Currently im reading the Gougeon brothers book, parts of it anyway, but again theres not a great deal of specifics as far as i can see.

    Obviously on one level its a fairly basic concept, but there must be a stack of do's and dont's as well as clever solutions to problems and ways to do things neatly simply?


    Daniel
     
  2. alan white
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 3,730
    Likes: 123, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 1404
    Location: maine

    alan white Senior Member

    Try Gil Gilpatrick's book on canoe building.
     
  3. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
    Posts: 4,862
    Likes: 116, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 1180
    Location: spain

    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Also...strip planking can be the old fashion way or strip planking can be modern style with a strip plank core for a epoxy glass sandwich.

    Westpoint and oceanpointer lobster skiffs are the old way.

    http://www.westpointskiff.com/construction/



    Different detailing. Do some googling and you will find people building them and helpful build tips
     
  4. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Michael beat me to it.

    There are about a dozen different strip planking methods to consider. They range from literally a narrow carvel plank, over conventional framing, to a wooden core sandwich style of build, that could only really be considered a composite method. Of course many variations in between.

    The plans you select will specify which style you'll be using, at which point some study could be helpful. A general overview is available in several texts and online references, but specifics are often application defined. Do you have a specific design you're interested in? There are lots of little tricks to each method, that can be helpful, but a catalog of these will be hard to find. The Gougeon brothers book on boat building, will offer a modestly in depth overview on the modern methods and would be a place to start.

    These would be my choices after your comfortable with the Gougeon book:

    "Building Strip-Planked Boats" by Nick Schade
    "Cold-Moulded and Strip-Planked Wood Boatbuilding" by Ian Nicolson
    "The Boatbuilder's Apprentice" by Greg Rossel
    "Boatbuilding Manual" by Robert Steward
     
  5. Dhutch
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 83
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 22
    Location: Cheshire UK

    Dhutch Junior Member

    Thats all for the recommendations. Sadly?, the design of the boat is still fairly up in the air, I had thought I could make what I wanted from plywood but im not so sure anymore. One boat or designer that has caught my eye was the work of Nigel Irens (link below) and the fast displacement boats he has designed. Sizewise, I envisage it around the around 20ft, which appears to give a plausible size boat, that will also fit in my garage!

    http://www.pattersonboatworks.co.uk/New_Boats/Fast_Electric.html


    Daniel
     
  6. liki
    Joined: Nov 2008
    Posts: 221
    Likes: 12, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 114
    Location: Finland

    liki Senior Member

    I have the SF guide and it is not a bad practical guide for the construction methods used for strip-planed SF designs. For theoretical discussion of different methods it is not the correct book.
     
  7. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Daniel, without much more information about what you want, it's difficult to provide more in regard to texts. The Nigel Irens boat you like, is a foam/carbon sandwich and way outside the realm, of what a novice or back yard builder can expect to preform.

    There are lots of 20' powerboat designs available. Most will be "hard chined" as they'll be blasting well past displacement speeds, where these shapes tend to work better. 20' displacement, semi displacement and/or "efficient" powerboats will be considerably less available, mostly because folks want the puddle blasters, not sedate or efficient power cruisers.

    Round bilge hull shapes are sexy, but for the most part unnecessary in powerboat designs. This is why there are so many hulls with chines.

    Maybe it would be best if you define your needs, desires and skill levels, so the choices can be narrowed a bit.
     
  8. rick gray
    Joined: Dec 2012
    Posts: 87
    Likes: 4, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 30
    Location: port coquitlam B.C.

    rick gray Junior Member

    Strip plank cutting. you can buy the blades to cutt trip plank sections( concave at top,convex at bottom) you strip cedar on table saw ,then run through router jig to cut to shape.
     
  9. Dhutch
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 83
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 22
    Location: Cheshire UK

    Dhutch Junior Member

    I understand its a foam cored boat, and do not intend to attempt this, nor do I intend to do too much cutting of strips into curves and tapers, however rightly or wrongly I understand it shouldnt be beyond the realms of possibility for me to create formers and plank them to form a composite hull of a similar shape.

    It would be my first boat, but im pretty good with my hands, and have a fair bit of experience with wood and epoxy from a number project repairing and replacing parts of boats and some furniture making.

    The previous thread to this is below and contains some of my thoughts as to what I would use the boat for and some of how ive arrived where I am in terms of looking into building using strip plank.

    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/bo...nt-hull-plywood-tunnels-hull-speed-45015.html


    Daniel
     
  10. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
    Posts: 3,497
    Likes: 147, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 2291
    Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada

    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    I see little advantage in using strips over your original plan to use plywood unless hull shape or esthetics requires it. A stripper hull is quieter in the water, however that is meaningless for a power boat. A strip-built is fragile but once it is glassed it becomes a fiberglass boat with a wood core.

    The ready-milled bead and cove strips cost a fair bit and I have only seen them in “canoe” sizes. The router bits are, as far as I know, only available with ½" arbors. A few folks on the Kayak forum have reported problems fairing B&C at the sanding stage. It’s no big deal to bevel the strip edges to fit; some folk leave them square and rely on the epoxy to close up the joints and seal the hull before glassing.

    At canoe sizes at least, the strips are very easy to handle and bend in both directions and I have found no need for tapering and curve cutting. Cutting your own strips is simple and if you have a bandsaw and a thickness planer you can save a lot of money. I don’t but I managed fine with only a skilsaw and an el-cheapo table router, and I have only average handyman skills.

    I don’t know where the idea comes from that strip-building is fast. Compared to what? Certainly compared with plywood the hull construction takes considerably longer, after which there is a great deal of sanding both inside and out and making a good job of fitting the frames to the stripped and glassed hull shell surely requires considerable skill.

    Whatever you decide, good luck with the build and don't forget to post pictures!
     
  11. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Strip planking isn't fast and is tedious, but is also user friendly. A novice can get on with a strip build, while a carvel, molded or lapstrake can be intimidating affair.
     
  12. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
    Posts: 4,862
    Likes: 116, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 1180
    Location: spain

    michael pierzga Senior Member

  13. Dhutch
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 83
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 22
    Location: Cheshire UK

    Dhutch Junior Member

    The driver for using strip plank rather than plywood would indeed be hull shape, if I can make the final design (which as said, is currently very much up in the air) could be made with ply then it would be. Equally, if it could be made using combination of strip plank and ply topsides to reduce the strips needed, that may be another option. However, as per the other thread my preference is to build a low-wash fast displacement hull rather than a planning hull, which is where the plan for a finer hull shape come from.

    Yes, I guess the word 'quick' was somewhat carelessly used, but includes the fact this will be my first boat, and a one off built. It also covers the fact that I intend to take steps to ensure relatively brisk progress, and for instance, not spend time cutting curved and tapered strips, assuming the design will stand it (or change the design!). Having seen my uncle make a cold moulded hull, this was also certainly not exactly rapid.

    There most certainly will be photos!

    Thankyou for the price list. I have used robins before, and I expect they will be the suppler. Its too early for me to know if bead and cove is required or desirable, the thickness of core need, and the cost implications of either method. Obviously b&c offers a better fit, and reduces the epoxy required, but increases the cost of the material. I guess in part I was hoping there would be a guide that would go some way to aid these sorts of design decisions.

    The Irens boat is lovely, and several others with more knowledge than me have also suggested it should be suitable for strip plank core construction. It has also confirmed to be that I would prefer to have a painted hull, with wooden topsides, which if nothing else somewhat simplifies things.

    Obviously given the're trying to build/sell the boat and design the shape is not freely or readily available which is one of many slight sticking points to date. Watch this space!


    Daniel
     
  14. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
    Posts: 4,862
    Likes: 116, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 1180
    Location: spain

    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Unless you have a wood shop with good quality machines its better to purchase the strips.

    It should be a very simple boat to engineer and build . low power, low speed and inshore use. The frame work required for the cockpit sole, plus longitudinal engine beds will stiffen the structure.
    Will the boat be electric ?
     

  15. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I disagree, strips are easy to make, just rip them out on a table saw. Bead and cove is way over rated in value, except on very light strips that sag under their own weight on a jig and with bright finishes.
     
Loading...
Similar Threads
  1. Rick Goodwell
    Replies:
    10
    Views:
    1,896
  2. Jhomer
    Replies:
    0
    Views:
    1,974
  3. licensedtochill
    Replies:
    6
    Views:
    1,051
  4. b0z0x
    Replies:
    8
    Views:
    1,442
  5. b0z0x
    Replies:
    13
    Views:
    1,809
  6. John Perry
    Replies:
    5
    Views:
    1,503
  7. Caper85
    Replies:
    10
    Views:
    2,035
  8. tmark
    Replies:
    0
    Views:
    1,593
  9. rwatson
    Replies:
    0
    Views:
    2,264
  10. Windship277
    Replies:
    7
    Views:
    2,079
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.