Pooduck skiff building questions

[Dave Gray]

Over the last few months I've been building this skiff. As an inexperienced woodworker, it has been an interesting project and has been a good learning experience. I bought the plans from WoodenBoat a while ago, and have been using the monograph on the Shellback as a guide.

I have the molds up and the bottom is in place. I'm using Okoume plywood, the bottom is 18mm and the sides are 9mm. This roughly translates to the 3/4" and 3/8" called for in the plans.

I'm finding that the curve for the garboards in the front is extremely sharp, such that the plywood doesn't land very well on the molds and on the stem. The monograph on the Shellback indictes the most important parts are the stem, the midship frame, and the transom, but I'm finding the lift off of the molds in the front part of the boat is more than I would wish.

This is still in the dry fit stage.

I've considered using drywall screws to keep the garboards on the mold and epoxy gluing the garboard to everything but the stem, then gluing this last. I've been using plenty of clamps in the dry fit stage and should be able to use them in the glue stage.

This seems like an OK solution, but the last thing I want to do is make a mess and start the boat over. It took long enough to get to this point!

Any ideas would be helpful. I've looked over posts from other Pooduck builders and couldn't find anything relevant on this topic.

Thank you.

[sandingblock]

Hi Dave, built a pooduck myself a few years ago, can't remember too much trouble getting all the planks on, was the first lapstrake boat I've built, things didn't go together perfectly, getting the laps right was a bit of a bear from memory. In the end I just figured if the planks were even side to side on the boat, and all the lines looked fair to my eye, and there wasn't any glaring gaps between some of the molds and the planking then it would come out alright, and so it was. The old saying 'if it looks right it is right' goes a long way, I know (from experience) it can be hard to know what to do when you're learning, you've just got to stand back, cast your eye over her, if she doesn't look right figure out why, if she does - great - move on to the next job.
I'm sure she'll turn out a fine boat.

[Ross Faneuf]

I also built the Pooduck, and I'm very happy with the boat. I clamped to the midship frame, but used drywall screws to hold everything else together. For final glue-up, I did something like this:

1. Dry fit, which you have done. I put in a few drywall screws at this point, and made sure the bevels were fair (particularly at the stem).

2. Do matching pair of planks each side to minimize distortions. DO NOT do one side then the other.

3. For a plank: apply much thickened epoxy to the mating surfaces. Locate plank and put in 2-3 drywall screws in the existing holes (see step 1) to locate plank correctly; epoxy will make it slip and slide like anything. Work from center to ends putting in drywall screws to clamp the joint; don't whack down too hard - you just want to close the joint up. Space 6-8" except where you need closer spacing at stem. If you really need to pull in the joint at the stem (I did) put a little plywood scrap block under the head to avoid just driving the screw right through everything (a bit of masking tape will geep it from bonding too much). I spray first with WD-40 to make sure the don't become part of the joint.

With the joint made up, remove as much of the epoxy squeezle as you can before it sets up. I use a stir stick sharpened at an angle on the disc sander as a scraper, followed by a wipe with a shop paper towel soaked in alcohol. This leaves an almost perfectly clean joint that requires little cleanup.

4. Once the joint has set up, fair up the extra stock you have left to make the joint fair (for instance where the garboard meets the bottom plank on the outside). You have left excess to trim here, right? Not tried to make the joint fair before gluing...

5. Now you're ready to bevel these planks for the next pair.

You will have to torture the ply a little where the garboard meets the stem. Don't give it a thought; it will look elegant when the boat is done. Best way is to screw down the top of the garboard (that is, the lower edge as you work, since you're working upside down) then pull it in to the intersection of the bottom and the stem, where there will be a gap.

[ 01-04-2003, 11:02 AM: Message edited by: Ross Faneuf ]

[Dave Gray]

Thanks, Ross, and sandingblock. I appreciate the pointers. Yes, I cut the planks oversize, relying on the old adage that you can take it off but can't add it back on. To make sure the ply garboards bend sufficiently to meet the stem, I clamped them in place for a week so the plywood would adopt the desired curve. I screwed cleats onto the molds and have drywall screws shot into these, which makes everything pull together quite nicely. Still dry fitting...

I was hesitant to put holes in the hull, but what the hey, they can just be filled in later.

Once the hull is done, I plan to roll on a thin coat of epoxy as a sealer.

A couple of more questions, if you please. Where did you get your sails? sew your own from SailRite? And I keep wondering where I'll find a trailer....

Thanks again.

[Don Bailey]

Hi Dave,
I also built the Pooduck skiff and I agree with Ross and sandingblock. Once you get the rolling bevel right on the bottom plank the garboards should fit well with no gaps. I can remember dry fitting about 20 times before I was satisfied.
I coated the boat inside and out with CPES and then applied a coating of epoxy before painting. Lots of sanding. More time than I thought for sure.
I used Petitt Varnish, Easypoxy sanding sealer and paints.
The sails were made from a Sailrite kit and they went together very easily following their instructions in about 12 hours over 4 evenings using an old Sears zigzag sewing machine. Went through about 4 needles in the process but found it was best to use a sharp one. SailRite kits come precut with each panel labeled well. You tape one panel to another and zigzag sew them together. There is a picture of my wife doing this on my ImageStation picture album.
If you want to see pictures of mine check out my post of boat pics in the Misc Boat Related section. They are on ImageStation.com
Have fun building her and if you have any questions send me an email.
Take care,
Don Bailey

[Ross Faneuf]

My skiff (Ceol Beag) is actually a tender to the big boat (Ceol Mor). I haven't added a sail rig yet (despite an occasional prod from my wife); but I'll certainly add a rudder this year because it's so nice for rowing back and forth to the mooring with 2 people.

The boat is a dream to row (either 1 or 2 pair) and will haul an amazing amount of gear. It also tows very well.

Since Ceol Beag lives on the Rockland dinghy dock, she is not finished out fancy; she is somewhat beat up by the end of the season, and I added a rub strake to the top plank to absorb some of the damage from other boats. I gave her two coats of System 3 epoxy, followed by two coats of Interlux 404 (Barrier-Kote) epoxy primer, followed by 2-3 coats of Interlux Brightside. Mostly Seattle Gray, with a Teal top strake. The thwarts are light tan with 2 coats of non-skid, and the sole has 2 coats of non-skid. There is no brightwork.

I patch and repaint as needed each season.