Deck Beams

[Rambler]

I own a 16-foot, 1956-ish, White Runabout-similar to a Lyman of the same size. Close as I can figure she was rebuilt around 20 years ago. Whoever he/she was used plenty of iron finishing and roofing nails and has caused me no end of pain in refastening the old girl. One project however that is getting me down id the deck. Deck beams, of cheap pine, were built in fore and aft. They attached to the dash on the aft end and were nailed into the shear-strake on the forward ends. For increased strength, I am going to switch to athwartships beams (prolly 2 instead of 5) and a breasthook. The problem I am having is how do I get the correct camber to the deck beams so that the new deck looks decent. The old beams are all rotten at the hull from the fasteners and don't make for a decent pattern. I made a jury-rigged pattern-maker using a system of calipers and battens (don't ask how). I won't attempt to post a pic here, but I made a website, of sorts, to keep my family up-to-date (the boat used to be theirs).
http://homepage.mac.com/preussen/PhotoAlbum.html

[rkrough]

I'm not a 100 percent clear on what you are doing, But here is how I did a similar project. I made the aft beam(which was also the dash) first. The boat I worked on was around 5'beam at the dash. The top of the curve I made 7/8" higher that the ends which equates to about 3/8" rise per foot of span.(I don't think there is any set rule for the amount of curve.That was what looked to good to me and what I thought would shed water the best) I used a batten to establish the curve I wanted and transferred the shape to the dash panel. I cut, finished and installed the dash panel.
I next cut a rabbet into the breast hook to receive the plywood deck.and installed the breast hook.
I tacked some straight 1x3 pine strips across the top of the sheer where the beams would be located to provide a reference. Using a long straight edge spanning from the bottom of the breast hook rabbet to the top of the dash. I measured down to the bottom of the 1x3 pine strips at 6" intervals across the beam to establish the curve. I transferred the measurements to a scrap piece of plywood to make a pattern and then using a batten I connected the measurements to establish the curve. I cut it out and then trimmed it as necessary to fit where the beam would be located and used the straight edge to align vertically it with the breast hook rabbet and top of dash, Once I was satisfied I then carefully transferred the plywood pattern onto some 3/4" thick mahogany to make the permanet beam. After installation I used a block plane to bevel the top of the beams so they would meet flush with the bottom of deck plywood.
I suggest you prefinish as much as you can before putting the deck on,including the bottom of the deck surface It is a bear to work under there once the deck is on.
Hope this helps

Rich

[ 09-18-2002, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: rkrough ]