newbie looking for a little help

I'm an experienced woodworker and have built 8 kit boats (Pygmy kayaks) and am now trying to move up to something a little more challenging. I've got the the stem, keel, keel batten and forms put together for a rangeley boat using info from the John Gardner book. My forms are on the strongback with some ribbands to show 'fairness'. Things look good so far.....but it seems to me that the keel batten needs to be let into the forms to make things work out and the book offers no info one way or the other. Anybody have any suggenstions? If not, I'll just ad-lib my way through the project.

 

Nope, the keel batten lies over the station molds. like most clinker builds, the keel batten is "proud" of the molds and beveled to make the inside of the rabbit. It's usual to install both the keel batten and the false keel, though you could leave the false keel off until the garboard is hung. The frames lie over the keel batten, when viewed from inside the boat. The boat is usually built right side up if a single person is planking, upside down if a glued lap build or someone is willing to crawl around inside, backing the clench iron.

 

Yep, Par is right (again, ya gotta luv 'em).

When using roves, spend a little time first just simply joining two pieces of wood together till you understand the length to cut off the nail to the right length for the rove to sit nicely and peen the end, after a while it will come naturally. Also make yourself a nice steel hollow punch to set the rove down firmly, without smashing the wood grain. It is part of the practic of roving, do not try to do it on the planks till you understand what you are doing first. Oh, and make sure the planks are finished before joining, not much sense trying to sand a plank when it is roved.

 

One of the nice things about lapped hull construction is the planks can be finished finely,at the comfort of the work bench, rather then on the boat. Rangeley pulling boats were typically clenched, though rivets are a fair bit stouter, resisting movement better then clenches.

 

thanks for the help. In waiting for a reply, I let the keel batten into the molds only to realize my mistake, correct it, and get the necessary beveling done on both the keel and keel batten. The transom is glued up and I'm lining off the molds.....I'm sure I'll have other questions down the road ...thanks again.

 

Oh sorry PAR, I never though of clenched nails, I am so used to roves I forgot they even existed. Ta.

Though clenched nails are kind of nasty I always reckon. Roves look soooo nice, all lined up, whereas the bent nail just smashed into the wood is, well nasty I reckon.

 

Clenches are fine for small craft, particularly if well fastened to frames. They're also faster to install and if installed correctly, aren't especially noticeable under paint. I can also do them by "feel" which is a plus compared to roves.

 

True.