How Are Wooden Boats Made?
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Traditional Method: Plans
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There are two basic ways that wooden boats can be built. In the traditional method, the builder first needs to know what type and size boat he or she will be building and must then acquire plans to guide the building process. The boat builder then moves on to lofting. Lofting involves scaling the original boat plans up to full size so that templates are created for the cutting of the boat's timbers. These scaled-up plans are often simply drawn on the floor.
Molds & Skeleton
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The builder then makes molds that will allow him or her to put all the timbers together into the physical form that the boat will ultimately take. The keel is built next and is followed by the stem, the rabbet, frame sockets and the transom. All of these components are put together piece by piece until the boat's skeleton is complete.
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Hull, Deck & Rudder
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Once the skeleton is done, then the hull is built by attaching individual boards to this skeleton. These boards are attached one by one and have to be bent into the shape dictated by the skeleton. They are permanently secured in place by nails. If the boat is to have a deck (and therefore an interior), that is built next, along with the rudder.
Finishing
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The builder then must seal the seams in between the hull's planks, usually by filling them with cotton. The seams become watertight through the swelling of the cotton and boards once the boat is in the water. The builders' last task is to treat or paint the boat's hull. This is done to protect the hull from the hostile marine environment.
Modern Method
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Today's wooden boat builder is able to build a sound boat much more easily and quickly than ever before. A builder can now purchase a wooden boat kit that provides all they need to build the boat they want. Building a boat from one of these kits basically consists of putting the pre-cut wooden pieces together with nails, screws and various adhesives, until the boat has taken its final form. The builder then seals the hull's seams with an acrylic sealer or caulk before painting and sealing the boat's exterior.
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