Herreshoff Catspaw sail/row 12’8” stretched to 14’...strip planked and glassed

[Larks]

Thought this might be a build worth sharing: I’m fortunate to be able to help out a couple of very good mates - semi retired boat builders - letting them take over my forge to build this for one of the guys uncles/Godfathers (he is 86 and wants a new row/sail boat to play with). To be built glued strip plank in Australian Red Cedar with Scented Rosewood keel, stem and transom and glassed over.

Should be interesting and informative to watch (they work quite relaxed hours so I don’t know what their timeframe is to complete the build but they get a lot done in a little time and are good company - today was about a five hour day for them):

Day 1: [IMG]IMG_3001 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]


Strongback and stations assembled and aligned

[IMG]IMG_3002 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

Scented rosewood all thicknessed, transom pieces, stem and keel pieces marked out for cutting and gluing (the shed smells quite literally like roses, it really is delightful timber).

[IMG]IMG_3003 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[garyb]

Yes, I ×would like to follow this build. Keep the pictures coming!
Good luck with it

[johngsandusky]

Sounds great. I looked at a Catspaw to buy once, it struck me as fairly roomy.

[FF]

Nice, I wonder, did they use the fullsize paper patterns that Woodenboat sells? Frank
www.oarandsail.nl

[garyb]

You might point the builder of that Catspaw stripplank to my Morbic stripplank site. It's a similar type build, it appears, and he may find some of the pictures useful at certain steps. Morbic strip-plank Link

Sounds like your friends are already strip plank pros, and in that case I'll learn from you. But, to share a couple tips that I found most useful (learned from others): I recommend hot glue for the strips to the molds (they can be heated up later and molds removed after flipping, without leaving any nail holes in the strips). And I found this tape: Shurtape CP66 really useful to help hold strips tightly against previous strips. This tape stretches and then sticks really well, but can be peeled off easy the next day, so it performs a very good clamping function.

[Larks]

They’re certainly working gentleness hours, but nevertheless yesterday they managed to get the transom, keel and stem timbers dressed, glued and roughly shaped:

[IMG]IMG_3016 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]IMG_3015 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Larks]

And today: completed shaping the stem, keel and transom, ready to start planking tomorrow - (the skeg? sitting aft on the keel isn’t yet attached)

[IMG]IMG_3018 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3017 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]IMG_3019 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3020 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[wizbang 13]

I don't understand a boat that is to be strip planked , starting out with a conventional wide board transom and a sawn stem .
13 feet...a 3/8 inch ply transom ...or a strip planked one.. !.
A laminated stem , or no stem at all!, just a filet...it's strip planked !
It does not NEED a stem or a heavy non stable transom.
b

[Larks]

I don't understand a boat that is to be strip planked , starting out with a conventional wide board transom and a sawn stem .
13 feet...a 3/8 inch ply transom ...or a strip planked one.. !.
A laminated stem , or no stem at all!, just a filet...it's strip planked !
It does not NEED a stem or a heavy non stable transom.
b

Boat building Bruce - there’s always more than one way to skin a cat......


[IMG]IMG_3027 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[UCanoe_2]

Just wonderful, Larks. And those guys are fast!

[Todd Bradshaw]

Nice. I'd make the sprit longer (and crossing the mast lower) so that the sail would brail better when desired.

[Larks]

Faired

[IMG]IMG_3035 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

and glassed

[IMG]IMG_3042 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3044 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3045 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[johngsandusky]

Sweet!

[Rich Jones]

Nicely done!

My last two builds were strip planked and glassed inside and out. I've had enough of fairing and glass work for awhile!

[Larks]

Primed (high build primer) faired and primed again ready for another fairing round tomorrow. Rudder and centreboard shaped and glassed (both from rosewood), 2kg of lead inlet to the CB prior to glassing (not in pic):

[IMG]IMG_3055 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Larks]

Inside of hull glassed then frames epoxied in place:

[IMG]IMG_3093 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3115 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Rich Jones]

The ribs, while not really needed, add a touch of class.

[stromborg]

Those "semi-retired boatbuilders" are cranking right along. Always interesting to see how much a cohesive group of talented folks can get done in not much time.

[Max F]

Aaaah lovely

[Larks]

Those "semi-retired boatbuilders" are cranking right along. Always interesting to see how much a cohesive group of talented folks can get done in not much time.

Yes, although we’re taking the time to sit down and enjoy a good coffee together every now and then, when they get on with the job they don’t mess around.

I’m really enjoying their company - and encouragement for my own project - it’s a pleasant, fun and productive atmosphere with them up here.

[Larks]

The guys are off for a week or so on a paid job so slower progress for the moment, but here’s where they’ve got to:

[IMG]IMG_3197 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3198 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[hawkeye54]

I believe an appropriate comment is : " Just . . . . WOW ! ! ! "

[johngsandusky]

Beautiful! Just looking at the picture makes me smile.

[Larks]

'Sorry that I’ve skipped a couple of weeks but here’s the latest - launched this morning. Somewhat "rough" rigged to get the sail up and try it out, still a few refinements to make:

[IMG]IMG_3344 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3343 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3341 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3352 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3360 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_3365 by Greg Larkin, on Flickr[/IMG]

[johngsandusky]

Gorgeous!

[hawkeye54]

Looks great, Greg ! ( any 'special' significance to the 'sail number'? )


Rick

[Larks]

Looks great, Greg ! ( any 'special' significance to the 'sail number'? )


Rick

Name of the brother of one of the guys who built it - it has been built for his uncle/godfather

[Toxophilite]

Very handsome!

[Rich Jones]

Stunning workmanship!