How to Make a Small Wooden Boat
One common method of building small wooden boats is glued lapstrake construction. A glued lapstrake boat can be as small as 2 feet in length and can be as large as your imagination. In glued lapstrake boats, the planks that form the hull, the strakes, are rabbited then glued in place, lapped over each other. At a length of 2 feet, the boat might be used as a boat cradle, a fixture in many generations of maritime families.
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Things You'll Need
- Marine Plywood
- Boat Design/Plan
- Wood Milling and Planing Equipment
- Marine Epoxy
- Marine Caulk
Instructions
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1
Set up framing jigs. These jigs are the form you lay the strakes over to fit them for size, bend them as required and, finally, to hold them in place as you glue them together and allow the glue to set.
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2
Gather your materials and cut your wood to size, according to the plan you select. Mill the lumber as required.
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3
Set the keel of your boat on the jigs and construct the transom--the back wall of your hull. Begin lining the hull planking up to fit over the jigs in preparation for gluing.
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4
Lay the planking in place, gluing the lapstrakes together with marine epoxy, over the jig. Cut and finish the toprails for installation at the top of the lapstrakes. Caulk the lapstrakes with marine caulk as needed, if the boat will be used in the water.
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5
Install the toprails and finish the interior as desired. Paint or varnish the exterior of your boat, install oar locks or, if you wish to be powered by sail, a mast step, mast and rigging.
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Tips & Warnings
A glued lapstrake boat can be powered by a low-horsepower engine if your design has a squared transom.
A lugsail or schooner rig works best with glued lapstrake boats because of the speed constraints imposed by the hull shape.
Boating can be hazardous and appropriate caution is advised.
References
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