Does this look right

[Fatherandson]

After living on a sailboat for a one year sabbatical, we (54 year old dad and 12 year old son) are trying to build a Moth 11 sailboat stitch and glue. We seem to have more difficulty than we should. We used plans that are sold online, dated 2001. Our panels did not come together so we trimmed them considerably to come up with this. Needless to say the bulkheads from the plans do not fit and we are having to build them to fit, using a bevel gauge for the first time. Given that we are so far off the plans, one of us is tempted to burn it and one wants to press on.

One of the visible problems is that the sheer bulges upward in the middle. We can bring it pretty close to flat if we splay the top panels further apart, away from the midline. The current bulkheads are already holding them out and I could splay them further with wider bulkheads. Alternatively we could use these bulkheads and shave the top of the panel flat. We would install the sheer strake to guide our shaving. I have no idea if that would make it flat in relation to the water line.30C22015-827D-442A-B861-5767EC8B8580.jpg

We may be having these problems due to poor measurement or inaccurate cutting. We had tried to be accurate. One justification to question the plans is that they did not include a fore-aft dimension for centerboard placement. That made me question if the plans are just crap and if she'll sit right in the water or be balanced under sail.

It would be an emotional let-down to start over but it gets very frustrating for dad and the tedium of going back and forth with modifications and bulkhead construction without plans is lost on the son.

[neil.henderson]

The sheer does look as if it might need some correction - is this boat normally built on mould frames? And is it normally built upside down? I haven't built a Moth 11.

I'd be tempted to go back to your plans, especially the lines plan and use the measurements on this to verify what you have so far - your decision to continue or restart will probably be determined by how far your current build varies from the plan.

Good Luck Regards Neil

[Larks]

Looks very wrong - for $83.00 maybe get a set of plans directly from Duckworks and they’ll also likely be able to answer a few questions and offer some tips on the build: https://duckworks.com/moth-11-plans/


Here’s a build in progress that might help: https://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/...ghy-jake-stow/

[willin woodworks]

Before you do anything else, especially cutting panels, go back to the plans and check every single dimension. More than likely there's a math or layout error there somewhere. Avoid the temptation to start "Adjusting" until you are certain what actually needs adjusting.

Its all about spending time with your son and having a good time. Mistakes are a path to knowledge.

[Jim Ledger]

What Larks said, get hold of a proper set of plans.

Sometimes starting over is the easiest route. You're not too far into the build yet. There's noting more dispiriting than building on top of something you've lost confidence in.

Jim

[wizbang 13]

Scale models ,plural, are your friend .

[CPF]

Scale models ,plural, are your friend .

My reaction too. I would go back to the plans and build a model at about 1:8 scale to figure out what's wrong.

With no building jig, the shapes of the panels are critical to control hull shape. I would guess you need to figure out how to get the panels to come together without any recutting.

Chris

[John Meachen]

It looks like there should have been an additional former in the central section.Its a bit late now for a model,but it would have been a very useful learning tool.I suggest you do a search for low rider Classic Moths to get a few ideas regarding daggerboard location.There are quite a few experts in the various enthusiast groups.

[Fatherandson]

Thank you. We will still have learned something from this first attempt

[Fatherandson]

EPIPHANY

I connected the fact that I do not have enough V in the bow with the fact that I have unwanted V in the stern. I made little cardboard cutouts and showed my son how it will change things if we flatten the stern and allow the bow to V.

Can I possibly achieve the change I will need by loosening stitches rather than removing them?

[Larks]

EPIPHANY

I connected the fact that I do not have enough V in the bow with the fact that I have unwanted V in the stern. I made little cardboard cutouts and showed my son how it will change things if we flatten the stern and allow the bow to V.

Can I possibly achieve the change I will need by loosening stitches rather than removing them?

With stitch and glue, yes, you should be able to manipulate them into place while snugging up the “stitching”, but if you have already modified the planks away from the design it's unlikely that you’ll be able to get them sitting properly.

[Fatherandson]

Thanks for the advice from this forum. We are back on track
​Moth pic2.jpg

[StevenBauer]

Looks better. Good job. Did you figure out the centerboard placement?

[Fatherandson]

We got a centerboard number from the designer and a different number from a sailor in an east coast fleet. We went with the numbers from the racer which are 29" from bow to mast pin and 58" from bow to forward edge of centerboard trunk.

[Fatherandson]

The advice to contact Duckworks was also helpful. We did not have to buy new plans.

[gray duck]

looks much better! Looks like a different boat