How to Build the Regina Cold Molded Whale Boat
While hulls are divided into classes, such as planing hulls that slide over the water and displacement hulls that act like a float, the type and design of the hull isn't especially important. You can isolate the cold molding process from the hull shape and even the fitting out of the hull, once it's complete. The cold molding process remains the same. Essentially, it's the building of a custom, single-form laminate or plywood shape from multiple veneers.
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Instructions
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Building the Frame
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Build a full-size frame using full-sized plans. Keep in mind though, contemporary boat designs are like architecture: you must pay for the blueprints or a license to use the design.
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2
Build a "strongback" for your frame -- a central member to be placed underneath your frame, from which all measurements will be referenced. Transcribe or permanently mount a tape measure to the strongback. Use lumber of any appropriate size; a 4-inch-by-4-inch board should work.
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Build the centerboard -- the structural member that runs the length of the keel. You can use solid lumber, or laminate the centerboard from multiple pieces of lumber, clamping, gluing with epoxy and staggering the joints as you go.
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Transcribe your hull cross sections onto plywood. Cut out each cross section. Make sure you label the cross section members so you know how they correspond to your blueprint. Also, you don't need to use marine plywood, as this is just for the mold and will not become part of the boat.
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Cut notches at the keel of each rib so they can slide onto the centerboard. For example, if your centerboard is 4 inches wide and 6 inches deep, cut your notch to the same dimension.
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Place each cross section at equal intervals along the centerboard, sliding the notch over the inside of the keel. Your scale planes will indicate the distance. When each is in place, you will be able to see the form of the boat begin to take shape.
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Cut a two 2-inch-by-2-inch strip of wood the length of the boat to serve as the boat's gunwale. The gunwale is the edge where the hull meets the deck. Cut a 2-inch-by-2-inch notch out of the gunwale section of the each cross section. String the gunwale from bow to stern. You may want to add additional chines for strength, repeating this process in different lines along the hull, but it's not necessary if your cold-molded structure is strong enough.
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Turn your hull upside down, using as many helpers as you need to turn it safely. Orient the hull in the same position, relative to your strongback.
Cold Molding
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Cover the edges of the ribs of the molds in a nonstick surface, from masking tape to wax.
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Lay long strips of veneer, 4 inches wide, lengthwise along the hull, pulling them taught and clamping them at the bow -- stern or keel -- to hold them in place. Trim the pieces to fit, as needed.
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Roll the outside of the veneers with marine epoxy or adhesive, then lay the strips diagonally at approximately 45 degrees to the angle of the ribs. Clamp them at the ends. Make sure, if you use an adhesive with a chemical hardening catalyst, you don't use too much, or glue a section you don't have time to finish before the adhesive dries.
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Trim the edges when the adhesive dries. Repeat this process on each side of the hull and the stern, staggering the angle with each layer. Make sure you don't trap any air pockets in the layers.
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Sand the hull smooth. Cover it in a single ply of fiberglass mesh and carefully apply fiberglass resin with a resin spatula. The boat can now be fitted out as you see fit.
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References
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