Help with building an Oarling

[dwales]

I am building a Devlin Oarling and I am finding the plans and accompanying generic instructions a little skinny on detail. However between Devlin's book, the instructions, the plans and various web sources (who are mostly linked to this site) I am making good progress. I have just stitched up the panels and I am pleased to say I am looking at a nice boat to be. I have a couple of questions before I launch into glueing:
1 There is nothing in the plans about what the beam should be, though the Devlin website says it is 3' 8". Assuming this to be the case, and presumably this measurement is at its widest point, where do I put the spreader? Is there an optimum location (again not in the plans) or do I just go for what works and looks OK?
2 Without the spreader the beam is about 3' so the spreader will need to stretch the beam by about 8" with the resulting impact on boat shape. Does this seem correct?
3 Would it be usual to do the gunwales next to stiffen everything up, ie before fibreglassing the outside of the hull, or vice versa?

As you can probably guess I have limited boat building experience, si I would appreciate any help I can get.
Cheers
Derrick Wales

[Audioten]

I remember having a lot of questions when i where at this stage myself. What i did where to go with what i felt where right.
My beam ended up being 3' 5" at it's widest. this is on the outside of the ply and not the gulwales. To spread the boat i just had it up on a table and put block's under the fore and aft. This spread it out nicely and i found this to be the best way to get nice looking gunwales.
Before i did the gunwales I glued the whole thing up with thikend epoxy between the stiches. Pulled the stiches and epoxyed that.
Then i put on the outer gunwale and glassed the inside and outside. Then when all that where done i glued in the inner gunwale.

Hope this can helpe a bit. But this is just my experience.

Cato

[ronnio72]

Joel Mill works with Sam Devlin and helps answer questions on these designs. His web site is http://www.boatbuilder.org/ or email at joel@boatbuilder.org. He has helped me with my questions on the egret.

Here is a link to my pictures of the egret... same techniques...

http://groups.msn.com/woodenboatbuilder/devlinsegret.msnw

Ronnie

[James McMullen]

Spreading the beam at the gunwales will also force rocker into the bottom--a beneficial effect. Where you put the spreader will make subtle differences in the hull shape, but it probably won't matter so very much practically speaking as long as you're within, say 6-12" or so of midships. Put it in the middle, stand back and look at it and fiddle with it if it doesn't look quite right yet. When you're happy, then glue the seams. You can put the gunwales on now or later, but I like to put them on later in case you want to adjust and fair the sheer line, which is the most important line on the whole boat to get visually correct. It's easier to do that when the boat is glued together and less wobbly.

Good luck with your boat!

[Steve Hornsby]

Hey Derrick,

My Oarling's beam came out to 3'8" to the outside of the gunwales. I used a combination of blocks (which induce spread) and the spreader. I found the spreader alone kinda created an unatural curve at that point since the boat is really trying to flatten out. I seem to remember the spreader being just forward of the single frame.

When I had a nice shape, I added the fillets and tape to the inside seams to lock the shape in. I then glassed the bottom and taped the outside seams. I used 3/4 in inwales and outwales - nice and beefy. I wanted the hull locked in before I added these.

I applied glass and tape only about 2 inches up from the bottom seams on the inside and out. I saw no reason however to glass it all. Varnish inside and good paint (don't ask cause I don't remember) on the outside.

I added little seats in the front and back for stiffness.

If you search on this forum, I posted some pics and questions a while back.

I love this little boat. I use Barkely Sound 8ft straight blades with homemade outriggers. I've tried longer spoons, but I keep going back the 8ft'ers - they are so light and easy to use.

Good building,

Steve

[dwales]

Thanks guys for your help.

One thing I am still not clear on. Having applied the epoxy fillets to the inside would I then fibreglass the outside followed by installing the gunwales. Or should I do the gunwales first and then fibreglass the outside of the hull. Looking at the galenpics site it looks like he has glassed the outside of the hull before doing the gunwales.
I guess what I am really asking is, will the epoxy fillets on the inside be sufficient to hold the boat shape without the gunwales being fitted?

Derrick

[MiddleAgesMan]

Put the gunwales on early with screws only. They will help keep things fair as you lock up the shape with fillets and tape and other bits of interior structure. Without the gunwales the top edge of the plywood sides will be all wonky.

In building my Goat Island Skiff the gunwales were on and off several times during the early stages. Every time you add a piece of the puzzle you make the hull more and more rigid and resistant to change in shape so keeping the sheer fair at each stage makes the final product that much better (fair).

[ronnio72]

I installed the breasthook, inwales and stern knee first before glassing the hull... due to having to use screws and clamps to hold these items in place till the glue set up... then fill and fair all of your holes... then glass the outside.... then gunwhales.. this will maintain the shape and give the shear stiffness while the hull is upside down.

ronnie