Another Coquina

[Reynard38]

I had a good time building a CLC Chester Yawl, so I decided a Herreshoff Coquina looked good.
So far I've made the inner and outer keels and stems, mast step, transom and transom knee, shearstrakes and planking patterns,
Scarfing the plywood now.
Many thanks for Mick Herron who lives about 10 miles away and has given me a lot of good advice.
I picked up the plans from Doug Hylan when I visited his shop in Maine back in April. Also made it to the Herreshoff museum for inspiration.
Sorry for the links, but posting pics to the forum is a bit of a pita.

[cprinos]

lots of people seem to be building these. Can't be too many is what I think

To post your pics, just put the url between "[IMG]" and "[/IMG]".

For example your first one will look like this: (Just change "_image_" below to "IMG"):

[_image_]http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w16/Reynard38/parts1.jpg[/_image_]

[davebrown]

Looks like you're moving along. Did I understand from your post that you scarfed after you cut the planks (meaning you cut the planks from 8' panels, rather than from a scarfed 19 footer?). Also, what is that transom out of?

[Reynard38]

Looks like you're moving along. Did I understand from your post that you scarfed after you cut the planks (meaning you cut the planks from 8' panels, rather than from a scarfed 19 footer?). Also, what is that transom out of?

No I am scarfing the marine ply now. The planks in the pics are patterns I cut out of Luan. The transom is Cypress. it is made up of 4 pieces and splined together. I wanted to use a wood from GA and the numbers for Cypress were very good. I am planning to paint the hull a dark green and the cypress takes on a deep amber color with Epiphanes varnish. Should look good together.

[Reynard38]

Scarfed the first 6mm plywood panel together. I initially tried a scarfing tool that utilizes a power planer. The results with this were a bit disapointing. I turned to my Stanley low angle block plane and was very happy with the result.
It took a bit of elbow grease, but the scarfs were worth it!
Should be cutting the planks by the end of the week.

[Sailor]

Do Doug's plans allow for building with solid planks rather than ply if one wishes? What sort of weight are we talking about once she's built? How fast is she? I know that's relative but a rough idea would be nice. sorry to hijack the thread but I'm considering her after I next boat.

[Binnacle Bat]

Do Doug's plans allow for building with solid planks rather than ply if one wishes? What sort of weight are we talking about once she's built? How fast is she? I know that's relative but a rough idea would be nice. sorry to hijack the thread but I'm considering her after I next boat.

Coquinas are fast. There were three at this year's Small Reach Regatta, which had about 50 boats. Under sail, with a decent breeze, the Core Sounds and the Thistle had to work hard to pass them. I suspect that in a calm, a Coquina could row circles around them.

The D. N. Hylan plans claim to cover both "glued lapstrake plywood or traditional cedar over oak".

Definately worth considering. Coquinas have been on my A list since the WB article came out, and seeing a few up close and crossing tacks with them on a number of occasions, I have only become more impressed (the first one I saw under sail was not well rigged or crewed, but was still impressive).

I suspect that after sailing a Coquina enough to get used to it, you won't be tempted by much of anything close to one in size and portability.

Allan
in the hills

[Reynard38]

Do Doug's plans allow for building with solid planks rather than ply if one wishes? What sort of weight are we talking about once she's built? How fast is she? I know that's relative but a rough idea would be nice. sorry to hijack the thread but I'm considering her after I next boat.

All up weight will be about 450 pounds.
I've never seen one in the water (or rigged for that matter). I took a bunch of pics of the one in the Herreshoff Museum, and saw 2 hulls at Hylans place in Maine, I was originally considering a 12 1/2 but the Coquina is much more easily trailered, very unique looking and should be a much better boat for lake and coastal sailing in my part of the US.
Plus I don't think i've got the skills at this point to take on a 12 1/2!
Funny thing is there are 3 Herreshoffs under contruction in Atlanta now. 2 Coquinas and a 12 1/2. All are within 15 miles of each other.

[Reynard38]

Got the jig assembled and transom, stem and hog in place.
MANY thanks to Mick Herron for lending me his molds!!

[Sailor]

I'm getting excited and if I build Coquina it's at least after the next boat and I'm not even done this one yet. How will I do it? Glad to see you're making progress. She's a fine looking boat and I'm sure you'll really enjoy using her. Keep up the progress and the progress reports.

[Rob Hazard]

What a lovely shape that boat has! I think it's the prettiest boat N G Herreshoff ever designed! Have fun with it!

[Sailor]

It sure is a lovely shape isn't it?

[davebrown]

Looks good, looks good. Very exciting. The planking went faster for me than the carriage and molds. I have made a new problem for myself on mine, but I am nine strakes on all the way around.

[Rob Hazard]

Dave, have you started in on the sheer strakes yet? They are such a distinguishing feature!

[davebrown]

No I haven't, Rob, and I don't know if I am going to do the molding method. I might just use another plywood shear and double the outwale. I have a time issue going on that is much worse than usual--I might lose my shop in February, so I have to get this hull able to transport. I was slated for getting all planks out by Sunday of this week, but last night I made an error that is knocking me back at least one day: I reversed the no. 10 strake (if you recall, on the plans they switch and are gotten out "upside down" on nos. 11 and 10, with the keel direction opposite of the prior strakes). I started precutting my rolling bevel and realized that I had just taken an 1/8x1/2" slice off of the TOP OUTSIDE of the plank--which effectively ruins it. I can just get the plank to barely fit, since it is slightly oversize, with that erroneous cut removed. It would be best to recut the plank and throw away this one. I only have one more sheet of ply laying around though, so this means next week if I do that. Another fix might be to leave the error on there and tack on a 1/2"x1/4 or so rub/spray strip along that hurt edge. It would hide the error, save time, and probably give me a little rub protection. I do not think it could be merely filled and faired. My jointery and fitment skills are pretty good, but I am lousy with fairing and the final paint. In fact one of my goals with this boat is to really take time to do the finish right, and this error collides with that. Watcha think?

[Sailor]

If there's no time to do it right, there's certainly no time to do it over again later!
Just my thought.

[m2c1Iw]

(if you recall, on the plans they switch and are gotten out "upside down" on nos. 11 and 10, with the keel direction opposite of the prior strakes)

I hadn't noticed that and I'm up to #9 so many thanks for alerting me even if it is via your unfortunate set back.

Mike

[Rob Hazard]

Dave, I thought long and hard about making the sheer strake of ply like the others and adding a large half-round molding in imitation of the molded sheer strake. Structurally it made more sense to me, as it takes advantage of the cross-grain strength and stability of ply. Somewhere around here is a thread with photos of a Coquina built in Oz that has that style sheer strake. In the end I opted for milling and shaping a solid mahogany strake. But I wouldn't cry foul you if you decide to do it in ply. Whether you decide to varnish the sheer or paint it may have an effect on how well that error you describe gets hidden. It's worth exploring.

When you say you have to move the hull soon, does that mean flipping it and trailering it, or can you keep it on the building form?

Ordinarily I object to working in a rush, but it sounds like you've hit an unexpected time constraint. These things happen!

Rob

[m2c1Iw]

Ned in Tassie http://www.nedtrewarthawoodenboats.com.au/
did a traditional hull with a half round I believe.

Mike

[davebrown]

Sailer, I agree with you about the point of doing it right. However, I made this error on the tenth plank, not on the shear. It is not a structural error, but a visual one. I simply skinned off about 1/8" from the outside area, over the lap, under which will be a running gob of 'pox. It might be a perfect solution to simply put on a slender spray rail, as I mentioned. I am not losing sleep over it. I think it one of those things that discretion is the better part of valor: if I didn't mention it, people wouldn't see anything except a nice, clean spray rail. Since I am railroading the OP's post, I'll put a photo up on my "Coquina update" thread tomorrow. This little error was nothing compared to the 48 tacks I had to remove from the damn garboard (which I put in thinking they were copper--about half were copper plated steel. I took them all out).

As for the shear, Herreshoff's molded sheer is wonderful--but also not essential to the boat. It helps define what Coquina is, but she will be no less if I use a final ply shear and a double outwale.

Rob: I will have to move the boat on a trailer, upright. I think. So I want to get it turned and at least get some inwale/outwales on it, and then I can put in some temporary braces and gingerly move it. It'll be alright. I am at a stage where I can do that. If I had half the planks on the hull, it would be much worse. The carriage on this thing is huge, as I suspect yours was.

[davebrown]

A post script: I temperarily clamped a batten on the injured plank to get a visual. It looks like I am going to cut a new plank. I don't want to mess with those lines. It is too good looking to fool around with.

[Rob Hazard]

When I got my building molds out of sheets of MDF I cleverly saved the scraps and used them to make a cradle to hold the hull upright. I flipped the boat using the buddies-&-beer method, resting the hull on some folded moving pads while I took the building form apart and assembled the cradle.

[Doug Hylan]

Dave,
Don't worry about moving your boat without the sheerstrakes attached -- if it is a glued lapstrake boat it will be virtually impossible to alter it's shape with all the other planks already installed. If you can borrow a full size pickup truck, just slide the entire setup into the bed and off you go. Don't let your time crunch cheat you out of one of boating's finest pleasures -- running your eye down a well made Herreshoff molded sheerstrake.

As with other things NGH, the molded sheerstrake is not just a visual delight. It also puts soom extra meat in one of the most highly stress sections of the boat. You can easily accomplish the same structural thing with some kind of glued on molding, but not the same aesthtic thing.

[Reynard38]

Making progress on the Coquina. Just attached the 4th pair of planks. Also found a mill with some black locust lumber after a months searching. Bought 5 2x10s 10' long as it was such a pretty wood.
It's pretty amazing how accurate the plank dimensions are. Everything is hitting within 1/8th inch or so (so far!)
Mold 2 is the only one that is off a bit, but I am choosing fair and sweet lines over hitting the marks at #2 and its working well. It definetly gets easier as you move down (up?) the side of the hull.

[Sailor]

Nice work. That BL will make for some awesome boat parts. I wish I could find some. Don't even need 10 foot pieces. A few stems and knees would suit me just fine, though some 10 footers would rip into beautiful ribs.

[Reynard38]

Among the parts I'm planning on using the black locust for are the ribs. Thought the interior of the planking will be painted I will finish the ribs and plenty of other parts bright.

[Sailor]

Send any leftover BL my way!

[Reynard38]

I'm sure I'll have some left, but Nova Scotia is a long way from Georgia!

5th pair of planks on. Outer stem in place to check for fit.

[davebrown]

Reynard, I didn't have time to reread your post, but if it is your intention to put the outer keel and false (outer ) stem on at this stage, it will save you some effort. I waited until the final plank and it made it much more difficult to sight down the inner keel (hog) and plane to a proper right angled edge/alignment of garboards. Mine didn't come out terrible, but it could have been better and the angle of holding a power tool is very tiring stretched out over the planing. If I am stating something obvious that you have already figured out, apologies.

[Gerarddm]

Nice! Keep posting.

[Reynard38]

7th plank on. Cleaned up the transom.

[Rob Hazard]

Looking good, Reynard. I would second Dave's suggestion that you work on the outer keel now while it's still within easy reach. Easier on your lower back and the work will come out better as well.

[Reynard38]

Thanks. Doesn't the outer stem need to go on before the outer keel?
If the outer stem goes on before the planks isn't it more difficult to fit the plank ends into the outer stem?
So far I've trimmed the plank ends with my Low angle block plane using the outer stem as a reference ( held in place with clamps)
I do agree it would be an easier reach without the last 5 or so planks on.

[Rob Hazard]

I don't see the order of assembly there as critical. You can make the outer stem fit over the outer keel. In fact it makes better structural sense to my mind. In any case the brass stem band covers the whole joint.

[Reynard38]

Scraping uncured epoxy from inside the hull. An old garage creeper makes it a lot easier!
8 planks and still smiling.

[Reynard38]

StArting to install the shearstrakes

[Sailor]

Cool, where's the pics of how you built the shaped sheerstrakes?

[Rob Hazard]

Lovely!

[Reynard38]

Cool, where's the pics of how you built the shaped sheerstrakes?

I'll add a pic of the jig I used tomorrow. It attaches to my router and allows the router to ride along the edge of the stock.
I used 2 router bits to form the bulb shape of the SS.
One concave and one convex.
Biggest challenge was finding the right combination of bits!

[davebrown]

that shearstrake really is spectacular. what is made of? white oak or fir?

[Reynard38]

that shearstrake really is spectacular. what is made of? white oak or fir?

Cypress. I'm trying to use as much wood from my home state as possible.

[Reynard38]

Sailor,

Here's a pic of the jig I attached to my router to make the shearstrakes. The plywood discs ride along the edge of the plank, and are adjustable for width of cut.

[Reynard38]

And here is the result:

[Sailor]

Cool

[John Meachen]

Looks nice,an accountant would never allow a shaped sheerstrake like that now!After all the work involved in producing the sheerstrake I would have used wooden pads under the cramps to avoid the risk of bruising the wood.I have no experience of cypress so I may be mistaken in believing it to be soft.

[Reynard38]

Looks nice,an accountant would never allow a shaped sheerstrake like that now!After all the work involved in producing the sheerstrake I would have used wooden pads under the cramps to avoid the risk of bruising the wood.I have no experience of cypress so I may be mistaken in believing it to be soft.

I had the same thought before I glued it in place an had to tighten those clamps, so I turned to my little bandsaw and some scrap 1" square stock.....



The clamps stayed in place much better this way.
I'm doing 1 side at a time due to my clamp supply!

[Reynard38]

It's planked! I got the shearstrakes in place.





Thanks again to Mick Herron who came by to give me a hand. They went on with a bit of fiddling.

[Reynard38]

Another pic. Starting to taper the shearstrake bulge at the stem.

[Sailor]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I'm sure my Dad will be poking around here soon enough in preparation for his Coquina build. I hope my son is cool enough to get me boat plans for christmas one year......

[davebrown]

I think that shearstrake is just exactly right. what a beauty! i lost my shop, so i elected to get the hull planked before moving--i am doing a standard planked shear. i might double up on some of it though for a faux version of that. don't know until i get another shop.