Wa'apa Build - Part 18 (Rudder support installation)

Previously I had cut the timber for the rudder supports, and the holes in the hull to receive them...now it was time to make it permanent.

Supports carefully positioned and clamped in place.

Then screws driven through the bulkhead and into the supports. They are countersunk and will be left in place and filled over.

Then everything taken out, prepped as needed, and then glued in with thickened epoxy. The little spacer blocks were glued in to increase the gluing area and tie in to the bulkhead.

Fillets placed on outside.

That's that...on to the next bit...

Wa'apa Build - Part 17 (Rudder supports, deck supports, inspection hatch...)

Been working towards getting the ends closed up. Lots of little fiddly bits and slow going...

I've cut holes in side of hull behind bulkhead to take timbers for hanging the rudder(s). They will be glued (and screwed probably) to the bulkhead timber.

Template made for the deck(s).

Then after cutting and trial fitting the deck from 4mm ply, I decided to make a light support framework to stiffen and also help the deck take a nice fair shape.

And cut the hole for inspection hatch...

Still need to finish beveling the gunwales where the deck goes, and repeat this on other hull, and get everything glued up and so on...

Wa'apa Build - Part 16 (Gunwales & outer stems)

Progressing slowly...

Gunwales got beveled and stem ends rounded off...

Then roughly fitted and glued on timber for outer stem...

Once cured I planed, filed, and/or sanded the edges flush and fair with the hull sides. I then marked center line for visual reference while rounding.

Using a wood rasp I carefully started working the stem to shape, trying to work both side evenly.

Continued with rasp until everything was rounded and fair, then switched to 100 grit paper to smooth and finish it out.

Then of course I had to do it all over again for the other end...everything twice! ;)

I'll need some filler to fair inner & outer stems together at the top..and I may later decide to carry the rounding all the way up. But right now I'm happy with the result.

Wa'apa Build - Part 15 (Making hollow beams #4)

I left off with both boards and spacers glued up waiting for plywood sides..

With glue cured I planed and sanded the excess spacer and got everything ready for the plywood.

Remnants of side panel sheets provide enough for side caps with still some left over.

Plywood sides cut and everything hit with a coat of epoxy ready for gluing.

Glued spread, caps stapled down. Stapling turned out to be a bit of a pain, but got the job done. Once cured I flipped and repeated for the other side. After that came pulling lots of staples...

Staples pulled, excess planed, and corners rounded.

Not counting filling all the little holes and such, sealing, or painting...beams are complete! They came out to 16 pounds total..or 8 pounds each. According to my calculations, based on using this radiata pine, that is a total of 6 pounds lighter than solid beams with dimensions per plans, or a total of 10 pounds lighter than solid beams of same dimension used here.

Very labor intensive, but I'm happy with the results. They don't weight a lot and they are nice and stiff. I laid them across the saw horses and sat in the middle of them, was quite solid with almost no flex at all.

On to the next!

Wa'apa Build - Part 14 (Making hollow beams #3)

Carrying on from last time...

First up was to get the spacers dry fitted, which as usual meant lots of drilling and placing temporary screws...

Spacers and board labeled to keep track of what went where...

Preparing for epoxy coating and glue up...

Coated and gluing in progress...

That was left to cure overnight and the next day it is time for cleanup and trimming to bond the next board on.

Spacer over sized on tapered end.. 

Planed flush.

Double checking spacers flush and square. 

Board dry fitted....

Taken apart, epoxy coated, and glue spread.

Then screwed back together and squeeze out scraped off.

Next time, the plywood sides...