Building "Elfyn"

[Rod Tait]

I have started a new build. It is the full sail/row version of Ian Oughtred's "Elfyn". First video of making some preliminary parts is on my YouTube channel.

tracingframes.jpg tracing stem and frame patterns
Laminatingframes.jpgLaminating frames
Laminatingstems.jpgLaminating stems

[dalekidd]

Looks like a great start!

[pvg]

Looks like a fun build and a beautiful boat. Oughtred's plans are a pleasure to work from.
Have fun!

[Rod Tait]

A few more photos of the set up. Ready to set the aprons and keelson in place. Then on to scarfing planking up.
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[Rod Tait]

Couple of videos are up on my YouTube channel that cover the progress so far. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...tbYOB6W53aRc4a

[Rod Tait]

Stems and keelson in place and shaped to accept first plank. Next I begin scarfing plywood.

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[Andrew2]

Building one of Iain's similar boats, I scarphed the planks on the boat. As in, cut the ply from a long wide ply battern with off sets, and set the bits up on the jig, mark the sections to accurately join them on the bench.
The idea of of scarphing whole sheets sounded wasteful. Anyway, worked for me.
Looking forward to your progress.

[Woody Jones]

Really like the Elfyn. My kind of boat...Oar and Sail. Looking forward to more!

[Rod Tait]

We are on to planking. Took a while for the marine ply to come in so could not proceed for the last few weeks. Here I am just making pattern for garboard plank. Also third video up on YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/OrcaBoats
spiling.jpg

[Rod Tait]

"Elfyn" now has two planks on.
firstplanks.jpg
twoplanks.jpg

[Rich Jones]

Nice boat and nice progress.
Nice shop also!
What is that other project going on? Beautiful looking kayak.

[timo4352]

You do very neat work.

[Rod Tait]

Thanks. Shop is small and a bit crowded and very messy right now, but it works. The other boat is a "Black Pearl" kayak underway for a customer. Latest video on progress to date just uploaded this am.

[Rod Tait]

Elfyn is all planked up with outside stems, keel and rub guards installed. Looking forward to getting her painted and rolled.
plankedhull.jpg

Keel.jpg

[Steamboat]

Looking good!

[Rod Tait]

All the fillets are in, the hull has been sanded and the first coat of primer went on. First two strakes will be white, but maybe we paint the sheer strake another colour.
primer.jpg

[Rod Tait]

Elfyn is upright, fillets are in and permanent frames installed. Working on guards and inwales. We decided to go with blocking and spacers for the inwale.

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[timo4352]

Nice work

[Edward Pearson]

Rod if they’re not glued on yet, a longer piece of inwale at each oarlock/kabe is good practice to distribute the rowing strains over a wider area. It looks too late to socket the frames into the inwale as they’ve been cut off, but you could insert a 3/8ths dowel through the inwale to the frame head to secure it physically.

[timo4352]

Rod if they’re not glued on yet, a longer piece of inwale at each oarlock/kabe is good practice to distribute the rowing strains over a wider area. It looks too late to socket the frames into the inwale as they’ve been cut off, but you could insert a 3/8ths dowel through the inwale to the frame head to secure it physically.

Or you could pin the frames with a heavy copper nail or copper rod drilled for an easy slip fit, and epoxied in..
I did this with the toe rails on my last project..

[Rod Tait]

Pieces are not glued in yet just set up to see how it looks. We did not want to look at edge grain of ply so I have glued on a thin strip of yellow cedar which will add a bit of colour between the inwales and outwales so just need to trim that up flush with planking. Took a bit of figuring out mathematically to determine spacing and size of blocking so that there is a good solid block at each oarlock area and over top of the frames. He does not like the look of the oar set up on the plans so we are going with standard raised blocks over the rails with recessed bronze socket and oar collars.

[Rod Tait]

Now that I am back to work on this project, more photos and videos are coming with latest on YouTube now. Blocks are glued in and now I will mask off and paint around them before I finish up the rails. Hull is to be painted inside so easier to do it now before the planking is behind the inwale blocks. I had thought of painting and then rivetting the rails and guards on in one go but decided to go with the plans and gluing them on.
blocking.jpg

[Rod Tait]

Finally got the gunwales/guards in with the spacers and uploaded a video on my channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdQZKnVu_CQ&t=9s Now to work on the insides. So if one is putting the optional bulkheads in fore and aft, then the Rangs are not needed? I can't see how both can be accomodated.

gunwales.jpg

[Rod Tait]

A whole bunch of work begins on the interior of Elfyn, now that the gunwales are on. Thwarts and framing for the fore and aft compartments. Also risers installed as we are going with wrap around seating. Latest video on the riser installation is on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/OrcaBoats
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[Rod Tait]

I now have the fore and aft bulkhead compartments in and am now working on the sailing components. Ordered the special rudder hardware from Classic Marine in the UK and mast lumber has arrived. And videos of completing them along with the daggerboard box and shaping the horns are on my YouTube channel if interested. https://www.youtube.com/user/OrcaBoats

compartments2.jpg

[MattMKE]

Your YouTube videos are great! Very educational for a new builder like me.

[Rod Tait]

Your YouTube videos are great! Very educational for a new builder like me.

Thanks. Some channels are good entertainment and a lot of work have gone into producing them. Many of them I watch. I try to keep my videos simple and informative should someone be building something similar.
Latest couple of videos are up on my channel. Link above.

[Rod Tait]

I am now working on the spars for Elfyn. After marking with spar gauge and shaping with the power planer, I figured it was time to make a sanding drum. I will have a few more videos out soon.masts.Movie_Snapshot.jpg sparsander.Movie_Snapshot.jpg

[Rod Tait]

Looking to put side seats to go between the two thwarts for sitting on the sides while sailing. I have them dry fit, but was wondering how wide they should be. What is the minimum width one feels comfortable sitting on. Rough fitted and extra wide right now so was thinking around 8 inches - curved to hull.
.

[chris.harris71]

Looking great, Rod… I’ve watched quite a few of your YouTube videos. Good stuff!

[Toxophilite]

Hey you're over in Coquitlam. Do you launch in Port Moody? I'm just past Deep Cove. Lovely build! I think my Gartsides' side benches are around 10" the plans call for 12". I am envious of your shop

[Rod Tait]

Yes, in Coquitlam. I actually rarely put boats in the water locally. Too much effort with little place to find peace and serenity. I take my small boats to the interior lakes and enjoy fly fishing. Shop is small but suffices. Harder to work in during winter when I can't open the shop doors. I think I will go with 8 inches for side benches as have other considerations to work around (bulkheads, hatches, etc.)

[Toxophilite]

Certainly Indian arm is loud and crazy during the summer. I occupy a house there from Sept to June and try to sail the year around. As soon as it's not hot and sunny Indian arm is quite serene. I found Buntzen, if you can sail away from the madness of the beach to be nice. Regardless of the size your shop looks nice as does your current build.

[Rod Tait]

We are going with fore and aft floorboards rather than the traditional cross planking. 3 sections that will easily lift out for cleaning and maintenance. Or to retrieve your favorite fishing lure or keys when they slide under there.
floorboards.jpg

[Liberty53]

Great work!