Building Baby Dot

[Tim Marchetti]

america's woods

[Tom Painter]

america's woods

Oh yeah, almost forgot about them. Was the Northern spruce cheaper than Sitka?

[Tim Marchetti]

$2/bf compared to $8/bf. Sitka is nice stuff, but not 4 times as nice. At least not on my budget.

[Tom Painter]

That's a really good deal. Sourcing materials is almost as much work as building a boat!

[Tim Marchetti]

Got the centerboard and rudder shaped and I poured lead inserts for both. About 8# in the rudder and 18# in the centerboard.

[timo4352]

Fast again!
Do you use the cnc for the shaping too?
You might make a July 4th deadline - I've given up on that.
Do you have sails yet?

[Tim Marchetti]

I profiled the parts on the CNC, but I shaped them by hand. The machine could have done it, but I enjoy using hand tools. A local sailmaker is making the sail. He says he'll have it done by the 1st. My goal is to launch her the weekend of July 8th

[johnno]

Fantastic Tim! The centreboard looks considerably thicker than mine, and much closer to a foil shape. Are you putting any protection on the leading edge? I just decided t leave mine with the glass coat, and I can touch it up every few years if needs be.

[Tim Marchetti]

Fantastic Tim! The centreboard looks considerably thicker than mine, and much closer to a foil shape. Are you putting any protection on the leading edge? I just decided t leave mine with the glass coat, and I can touch it up every few years if needs be.

Thanks John. I plan to use the same approach as you. The board is removable so I can keep an eye on it and fix it anytime.

[Tim Marchetti]

Baby Dot got to sun herself for the day. I moved her outside to apply Herculiner. I also got a coat of grey paint on everything. It's too dark now for a picture, so I'll post one tomorrow.

[timo4352]

Hmmm....
Another bedliner coated bilge. I've got a bedliner kit here that I never used.....
I wonder if you can paint over it? I'd be afraid of it being hot on bare feets. And just hot sitting inside her.
Tough coating idea though.

[Tim Marchetti]

It takes paint just fine. I painted it grey as I did on my freighter canoe. The canoe has held up for 3 years without recoating.

[Tim Marchetti]

[timo4352]

It takes paint just fine. I painted it grey as I did on my freighter canoe. The canoe has held up for 3 years without recoating.

It sure does! Looking good.
Getting the paint on has to be exciting for you.
Closing in on launch day...

[Tim Marchetti]

Thanks Tim, it is very exciting. Still lots to do.

[Oyster]

looking great tim,
do you have any hatches or weep holes or drains in the buoyancy tanks?
royce

[Tim Marchetti]

looking great tim,
do you have any hatches or weep holes or drains in the buoyancy tanks?
royce

Thanks Royce
Hatches are the plan, but not a priority at the moment.

[Tim Marchetti]

3 coats of paint on the hull and the spars ready for sanding. Even though it was a ton of work and my back, elbows and hands are killing me, I have to say that making the spars was fun







.

[Tim Marchetti]

sheet block shells assembled, sanded and buffed

[chilli]

First off let me say that you've got a beautiful project going there. I really like it. Pretty work.

I would like to ask how you shaped the spars in the photo's above. I have a need for a 6' 6" long "spar" to support a trotline prop stick. The method in which you laminated your stock would allow me to do just what I need with a bit of modification. If you have time in your race to your launch, I am all ears if you could detail that construction technique.

[Tim Marchetti]

First off let me say that you've got a beautiful project going there. I really like it. Pretty work.

I would like to ask how you shaped the spars in the photo's above. I have a need for a 6' 6" long "spar" to support a trotline prop stick. The method in which you laminated your stock would allow me to do just what I need with a bit of modification. If you have time in your race to your launch, I am all ears if you could detail that construction technique.

Thank you for the kind words. To make the spars, you start with a square piece of wood. Layout the taper down the centerline of one side(the flatest side). Cut and/or plane down to the lines on both faces, making sure the faces are all square to each other. Layout the taper again down the center of one of the faces that you just planed. Plane the remaining 2 faces to create a tapered square. Make a simple spar guage http://www.pettigrews.org.uk/lm/page030a.htm. Use your new spar guage to layout the lines for the tapered octagon. Plane the corners down to the lines. You now have a tapered octagon that you can plane down to 16 sides and then round by eye. It's a fun project and there is plenty of information on the web. Even video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zj8qtuedQU. Good luck

[johnno]

sheet block shells assembled, sanded and buffed

I'll take any discards you've got left Tim .....

[Rich Jones]

Spar making is a satisfying task. Built mine for my 20' gaff rigged sloop many years ago. Slow and easy is the name of the game. You can't lose control of those lines or it can go south on you.

[Tim Marchetti]

I'll take any discards you've got left Tim .....

Sorry John, I didn't make extras.

[timo4352]

I'll take any discards you've got left Tim .....

I was thinking it was more like -- "Sorry John, I don't make mistakes"

The blocks are beautiful, just like the rest of your work, Tim

[Tim Marchetti]

I was thinking it was more like -- "Sorry John, I don't make mistakes"

The blocks are beautiful, just like the rest of your work, Tim

Thanks Tim, but there have been plenty of mistakes along the way. I either fix them or live with them and most times learn from them. And I don't take close-ups of them

[Tim Marchetti]

I had fun today. I borrowed a lathe from a friend and made sheaves and a belaying pin. I put a finish coat on the hull 4 days ago, so I hope to set her on the trailer tomorrow. The only parts I have left to make are the tiller and a cleat. The rest is just painting, varnishing, installing hardware and rigging. The sail maker called yesterday and said he'd have it done by the 9th.

[gstanfield]

Wow, very nice work Tim!

[Tim Marchetti]

thanks George

[Rich Jones]

Thanks Tim, but there have been plenty of mistakes along the way. I either fix them or live with them and most times learn from them. And I don't take close-ups of them

Mistakes. That's why God created woodstoves!

[Tim Marchetti]

The rails aren't painted yet, but I couldn't resist sticking the mast in for a photo. I can almost see water under her. She's on the trailer for the remainder of the build. 10 days left..... YIKES!

[johnno]

Looking fantastic Tim, she's a lot of boat!

[timo4352]

Cool!
And in, what? Three and a half months time, Spectacular!
You've gotta be pumped... keep at it. You'll be sailing her before you know it.
Tim

[Tim Marchetti]

thank you gents, your support is greatly appreciated

[Michael Wick]

Tim,

Three and a half months to almost finished. My build of a similar boat was several times more lengthy. I am sure that you are a efficient and competent builder, but I am more impressed by the time you are saving throughforethought, good design, and modern building methods. You acknowledge that there were occasional mistakes, but I imagine that CNC methods meant that there weren't very many. Well done.

[Tim Marchetti]

Tim,

Three and a half months to almost finished. My build of a similar boat was several times more lengthy. I am sure that you are a efficient and competent builder, but I am more impressed by the time you are saving throughforethought, good design, and modern building methods. You acknowledge that there were occasional mistakes, but I imagine that CNC methods meant that there weren't very many. Well done.

Thanks Michael. As I said somewhere earlier in this thread, I have built most of this boat on the computer. The lofting and designing of all the bits and pieces was mostly done months ago. When it comes time to build, I can cut the parts on the machine and start building.

[Michael Wick]

A fellow club member of the TSCA Delaware River Chapter, Ron Gibbs, built a 20 x 4.5 foot sailing canoe named LUNA. She won a builder's prize at last year's MASCF. Like you, he built her by computer. He wasn't quite as quick, but, then, he already had a good boat. We sailed together in June, and he is very pleased with both the boat and his technology. "There's something happening, here".

[Tim Marchetti]

it's down to friggin' with the riggin'.

[Vernon]

Looking just swell Tim, I bet you're pleased.
Vern

[Tim Marchetti]

thanks Vern
I'll really be pleased when the sail is full and my hand is on the tiller

[gstanfield]

Wow, just incredible Tim.

[Tim Marchetti]

Thanks George
I picked up the sail last night. Just a few more details and she'll be ready

[Tim Marchetti]

She's actualy much darker than this picture shows, but the painting and all the little details are done. I just need to lash the sail on and add water.

[Trebuchet]

Wonderful job Tim, she's a real beauty. I've been watching since the beginning and am amazed at your skill and speed.

[Tim Marchetti]

Thanks, I hope I haven't gone too fast and missed something. I'm sure there will be bugs to figure out.

[Tim Marchetti]

just add water

[johnw]

just add water

When?

[Tim Marchetti]

Friday. We are taking here down to Casco Bay for a week. I hope to have some action shots when I get back.

[johnw]

Friday. We are taking here down to Casco Bay for a week. I hope to have some action shots when I get back.

Cool!

I'm going to be building a little(r) catboat of sorts myself. Scarfed some plywood today.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...fixin-to-build

[Tim Marchetti]

Cool!

I'm going to be building a little(r) catboat of sorts myself. Scarfed some plywood today.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...fixin-to-build

Thanks John
I'll check it out