Building Meerkat, a very small catboat

[Terry Haines]

I assume you will also deck from the bulkhead forward, otherwise that's wasted space waiting to fill up with water. The foredeck will have the largest effect on hull stiffness - the hull should be straight before you do any decks.

Also you will need access into that volume for drying and maybe storage, I use it to store a wheel on a kind of dummy daggerboard which fits into the trunk for wheeling the boat back up the beach. It's nice to have it sealed for buoyancy - provided there is also buoyancy at the stern - so you can get a sealed hatch cover, but install it before the deck as you may need access to both sides.

However sealed hatch covers are not cheap. Personally I put a hole in the bulkhead for access and a slab of insulating foam under the deck for buoyancy. but each to is own .. .

[johnw]

They aren't that expensive, either. I got a couple of them for less than $30. The one for the forward compartment will be in the top of the deck, the one for the aft compartment will be in the bulkhead. I should have more than 200 lb. of buoyancy in the ends. Not sure if I want to build flotation in under the seat as well, maybe that's overkill. But if I were do do any real beach cruising, I'd do that as well.

[johnw]

I've just spent one of the nicest sailing days of the year fairing Meerkat's hull. I suppose a line of boatbuilding products that worked best on cold, windless, rainy days wouldn't sell...

[timo4352]

I've just spent one of the nicest sailing days of the year fairing Meerkat's hull. I suppose a line of boatbuilding products that worked best on cold, windless, rainy days wouldn't sell...

Chuckle
What do you think they'd call the stuff?...

[johnw]

It would probably be produced either in Britain or the Pacific Northwest. Sunsaver? Rainright?

Another beautiful day for sailing. I, of course, will be building.

[johnno]

Another beautiful day for sailing. I, of course, will be building.

...and another day closer to sailing Meerkat.

[johnw]

...and another day closer to sailing Meerkat.

Boy, I'm sure looking forward to that! She's holding her shape well enough that I don't need to brace the hull to keep her at her right beam. But I'm so eager, it feels like everything is taking 4 times longer than it should. Well, 4x longer than if I'd already built a few of these...

[johnno]

My experience was exactly that...shape comes together very fast, and every job after that seems to take longer and longer. In the end I just focussed on the next job ahead, and stopped thinking about the end, trying to enjoy each step, knowing when it was done, it would never happen again, so enjoy it while it lasted.

[Terry Haines]

The last 25% of the work takes 75% of the time . . .

[johnw]

And 100% of my patience.

So, I've been thinking about the bracing for the decks, which need not have the framing and blocking my Snipe did. It only needs to hold the weight of a person who steps on it long enough that the boat turns over before they go through it. That should be quite light. And since the boat won't be sitting at a mooring, but will be stored upside down, the decks can be completely flat. Simple enough to build. I'm thinking I'll go with a barn-door rudder and skeg, but that means attaching the skeg, which I imagine will take some pieces inside the boat that can transfer any torsional forces to the hull, instead of ripping out the bottom plank. I think I can get by with some 1x2 cedar going across and some wicked long screws, #8 would do. I'll make the skeg maybe 6" deep and 8" long, just enough to protect the rudder and make the boat go straight when it's rowed or towed.

That's the next few days spoken for.

[James McMullen]

Putting some camber in your deck, even just a little bit, will make it much stiffer. Curved thin structures give you better structural qualities for their weight--think of an eggshell. Plywood only wants to bend along one axis a a time, right? You can use that to your advantage to eliminate any risk of oil-canning between the frames.

I would definitely add a little bit of camber into your deckbeams. It really won't add appreciable extra work, but it will improve your structure all out of proportion to the extra effort. .

[Terry Haines]

A flat deck will tend to direct water into the cockpit and will not look as nice as a cambered deck. However a cambered deck can be more difficult to install on some hulls if it curves in two axes. I suggest you experiment with some cardboard or ply scraps.

A compromise option would be a "tented" deck which will shed water and would probably provide nice optics.

I took a look at the earlier pics and I think the two halves of a tented deck will lie almost flat with very little force required to hold them while the glue sets. The center joint should lie on a fore-and-aft king plank, which you may need anyway - even with a flat or cambered deck - to help transmit forces from the mast step to the hull.

[johnw]

Well, I installed the aft deck beams before reading this, so it's a bit late, but still possible. The forward deck needs to be flat so that the deck plate that provides access to that section will fit.

I've installed the mast step, as well. Little by little, it's turning into a boat.

[johnw]

Also sealed the interior of the boat with epoxy thinned with alcohol. Brushes on nicely.

[johnw]

Here's the current state of play. The access plate doesn't get installed for good until the inside of the boat is painted. I'll use a wide plank under the foredeck for the access plate for the bow.

[johnno]

Well, I installed the aft deck beams before reading this, so it's a bit late, but still possible. The forward deck needs to be flat so that the deck plate that provides access to that section will fit.

John, I wouldn't worry too much about the deck. The boat is pitching and rolling and moving water across the deck in all directions in reality, so you can't make the water stay out with anything except a little coaming, if you really want to. And the deck is so tiny, I'm sure it'll be plenty strong.

[timo4352]

Hey John,
The boat is 9'6" - right?
With the front and rear decks, how much interior, or cockpit, space do you have left?

[johnw]

About 7', which is nearly as big as the cockpit on some 30 footers. Funny how that works out when you eliminate the accommodations, engine, etc. And I figure the aft deck will actually be strong enough for someone to sit on, so add about 1'3" to that if you're rowing with maximum load. Of course, the person forward would have to stay huddled up low in the bow to make up for how high the person in the stern would be sitting, I suppose. Most of the time, I'll be sailing it alone, at least that's the plan.

[David G]

John,

Any webbing will increase the rigidity of your monocoque, s&g hull. Flat decks included. Adding a bit of camber will increase the rigidity a bit, and add substantial strength to the deck itself. I'd glue on a small arch to your installed deck beams and build in some camber. It's nice visually and structurally - for very little cost/effort.

[johnw]

I'm sure that's true, but by the time the keelson's in, the decks are on, and the thwart's installed, it's going to be pretty stiff already. I'll think it over, though. There's a danger that I'm so eager to sail it, I'm skipping steps that might make it better.

[David G]

Impatience, eh? What's that like? I've never experienced it. <G>

[johnno]

I'm very glad I didn't put any camber on Little Egret's decks, it would have spoiled her lines. Horses for courses I reckon.

[johnw]

Well, I've thought it over. The El Toro I got the rig from, like the one I raced as a teenager, has a flat foredeck and no aft deck at all. That worked just fine on the El Toro. It's a very small catboat, as the thread title says, and I think you can overdo things on a boat like this. I'm going with flat decks.

Rain today, and I'm building outdoors, so I'm unlikely to make much progress.

[Jim Ledger]

I'd camber them...'cause if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.

[johnw]

I'd camber them...'cause if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.

Had I your skill and patience...

But then, I'm building outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, so my build time is constrained. I have to keep reminding myself of this when I think of some cool new thing to do.

[johnw]

The mast step, she works!



Gives a better idea of what the boat will look like in the end, and after all the sanding I've been doing, I need to see that.

[andrewpatrol]

hey shouldnt that white cloth be hanging from the mast like you're sailing

[johnw]

That's plastic, and it's the roof of my "workshop!"

[Terry Haines]

That's plastic, and it's the roof of my "workshop!"

Some guys just suffer for their craft! I'll stop bitching about the lack of air conditioning . . .

[johnw]

I will admit, I've got excellent ventilation.

[Lew Barrett]

About 7', which is nearly as big as the cockpit on some 30 footers. Funny how that works out when you eliminate the accommodations, engine, etc..

Of course, they will have enclosed berths, galleys and....most important.....toilets (I know....they're heads on a boat, but toilets sounds better)!

[Terry Haines]

You're never far from the head in such a tiny boat, but in these days of reduced privacy when everyone has a cell phone with a built-in camera and instant access to the internet and the consequent eternal fame, caution is required close to land . . .

[johnw]

Of course, they will have enclosed berths, galleys and....most important.....toilets (I know....they're heads on a boat, but toilets sounds better)!

Isn't it amazing how much you can have if you don't insist on having everything?

[johnw]

You're never far from the head in such a tiny boat, but in these days of reduced privacy when everyone has a cell phone with a built-in camera and instant access to the internet and the consequent of eternal fame, caution is required close to land . . .

In a boat this tippy, I'm likely to hold my fire until I get to shore unless I'm becalmed anyway.

[johnw]

Well, I had to devote a few days to making a living (buying books for the store,) but today I dry-fitted the skeg. Something accomplished, in any case, and I've got to get that accomplished before I can put the after deck on. I've decided on the barn door rudder protected by a skeg. It may be the boat would be quicker with a kick-up rudder, but this is a catboat, after all.

[johnw]

Cut the centerboard slot in the keelson:



And installed the skeg. I put it on bedded in butyl rubber, in case I decide at a later date to go with a kick-up rudder instead. Right now, the plan is a barn-door rudder.



Right now, I'm thinking a barn-door rudder will be less trouble working off a beach. More wetted surface and drag, but this isn't a racing boat. The skeg is 6" deep, which is deeper than a Beetle Cat skeg, but the boat has more rocker as well.

[johnw]

Spent most of the day taking friends sailing on Black Swan (that's what it's for, after all, not just to sit there being decorative while I build another boat.)

I did start the keelson taking the bend of the hull, with hot water and a heat gun and a lot of weight.



It will be a big help if it dries to something close to the right shape, because it's halt-inch western red cedar, and there just isn't much for the screws to pull down on.

[JimD]

Right now, I'm thinking a barn-door rudder ....

Barn door all the way. Won't look like a catboat if its anything else.

[johnw]

By the way, my fillets look terrible, in part because instead of sanding the milled glass and epoxy, I covered the fillets with filler (Evercoat.) That way I can sand the filler instead of the milled glass, and avoid putting tiny glass daggers in the air. It ends up smooth, but the different colored stuff will look bad until I paint the boat.

And yeah, it's largely aesthetics that dictate the barn-door rudder, but I'm thinking it might actually be easier to deal with sailing off a beach.

[Lewisboater]

Spent most of the day taking friends sailing on Black Swan (that's what it's for, after all, not just to sit there being decorative while I build another boat.)

I did start the keelson taking the bend of the hull, with hot water and a heat gun and a lot of weight.



It will be a big help if it dries to something close to the right shape, because it's halt-inch western red cedar, and there just isn't much for the screws to pull down on.

Through bolt it with small brass screws to hold it in place then screw it and fillet it in. Remove bolts and fill holes.

[JimD]

... That way I can sand the filler instead of the milled glass, and avoid putting tiny glass daggers in the air...

I always filet with fumed silica. No daggers. And yes, if you don't want to bother with the moving parts of a kick up, a shallow blade rudder is the wise choice.

[johnw]

Through bolt it with small brass screws to hold it in place then screw it and fillet it in. Remove bolts and fill holes.

That's a good idea, thanks.

[johnw]

I always filet with fumed silica. No daggers. And yes, if you don't want to bother with the moving parts of a kick up, a shallow blade rudder is the wise choice.

Do you glass over the fillets?

[johnw]

Got the centerboard slot cut today:

Before: https:

and after:




So, deck the boat, build the centerboard case and centerboard, install the centerboard case, paint the boat, rig the boat, launch the boat, go sailing.

Am I forgetting anything?

[johnw]

Oh, build the rudder. Unfortunately, work will take me off the island again tomorrow. Still, my goal of finishing before the Pt. Townsend show is looking good.

[timo4352]

Rudder?

[johnw]

Rudder?

Thing at the back you wiggle around to amuse the fish.

[Terry Haines]

What's the get-me-home plan for when the wind dies, or even worse, picks up and blows you enthusiastically downwind as soon as you discover the boat won't point? There are various options, including oars, trolling motor, getting a tow from a dog - labrador's are best, a long piece of string back to a tree onshore and the ever-popular sailing the long way around the globe . . . I have always wondered if that's how the trade winds were discovered

[johnw]

paddling or oars. I do plan to make some oars, but I'm also pretty sure this boat will point, as long as I remember to build the centerboard.

[SBrookman]

Oh, build the rudder. Unfortunately, work will take me off the island again tomorrow. Still, my goal of finishing before the Pt. Townsend show is looking good.

Rudder? You can borrow mine. I must be a bassakward builder. Built this last year but still don't have a hull a to hang it on.