Ptarmigan 17 glued lapstrake yawl

[dalekidd]

Yeah, this boat was originally drawn as a stitch and glue but it's not an attractive design and I'm not a fan of stitch and glue. I love a nice lapstrake and they're easy to look after, no need for glass everywhere

Agreed. Your lapstrake version will make this boat very attractive. I've built three S&G boats without regret, but I chose a lapstrake as my "forever" boat.

[Steve TN 15]

The first bottom layer of on, now to get those chine logs to meet the stem20230310_201325.jpg20230310_201306.jpg20230310_201341.jpg

[neil.henderson]

Looking good Steve :-)

Does the 2nd plank just butt join the 1st, and do you need to chamfer the edge of that 1st plank to make the joint clean? It was one part of building my Hartley TS16 that I found very difficult especially when sliding long lengths of thick plank around during the dry fitting. No doubt you've thought this through & have a solution. This looks like it will be a pretty boat.

Regards Neil

[WI-Tom]

That's a tight workspace! Reminds me of the little garage bay I rented to build my boat. It worked OK, but you do have to be efficient with the use of space, eh? Looks great so far.

Tom

[Steve TN 15]

Neil, it's just the same as your current build but the garboards are one flat panel so it will be faired to accept the next strake but then instead of ending up with a traditional strake step the strake will be faired flush with the bottom panel then a second bottom panel goes on, the joint will then be radiused into the strake. From there on it'll be normal lapstrake.

Tom, it's a little tight but not quite as bad as it looks

[Johan R]

That transom would look good bright finished.

[WI-Tom]

That transom would look good bright finished.

It would also look good painted. Painting's easier...

Tom

[Johan R]

It would also look good painted. Painting's easier...

Tom

I apply paint the same way i apply varnish, with a brush and moving my arm. No difference. You may have a different method that makes things unnecessarily complicated. Perhaps his location in Australia would make paint a better option than varnish if kept on a mooring. It will look good either way.

[WI-Tom]

I apply paint the same way i apply varnish, with a brush and moving my arm. No difference. You may have a different method that makes things unnecessarily complicated. Perhaps his location in Australia would make paint a better option than varnish if kept on a mooring. It will look good either way.

I meant paint is easier to maintain. I agree the application is not a huge difference, though I'd still rather paint than varnish. For one thing, I used water-based latex paints, which seem easier to handle and clean up after than varnish.

But, what to paint and what to leave bright is an individual choice based on individual preferences for aesthetics and maintenance. I find that, lacking the inclination to do a show-perfect finish, a nice clean simple paint job is probably my best bet. But I also don't like the look of too much brightwork. A bit here and there really makes a paint scheme pop. Too much and it starts to look like it's trying too hard for me.

Tom

[Steve TN 15]

Well let me put your minds at ease, yes the transom will be varnished, as will the rudder head, cabin sides and spars although we'll see how the cabin sides go. She will be kept on a trailer under cover so varnish will last quite well.

[neil.henderson]

Well let me put your minds at ease, yes the transom will be varnished, as will the rudder head, cabin sides and spars although we'll see how the cabin sides go. She will be kept on a trailer under cover so varnish will last quite well.

Sounds good to me....................

Regards Neil

[Steve TN 15]

Centreboard case finally glued in, I love being able to get under and over to clean up, fillet the glue joints before the epoxy cures. It'll save days of hard work down the track.

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[Steve TN 15]

Thankfully I have some good helpers because these chine logs are the most difficult in the build and I'd have had a hard time of it on my own. We got them both glued in though so the next job is the first strakes.

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[Johan R]

Anything specifically troublesome with the stringer? I found elastic luggage straps handy to keep tension on a long stringer to help keep it against frames as they are bent into the notches. Twist can be more of an issue i would have thought if the stringer is more rectangular than square in section.

[Steve TN 15]

It's just the bend and twist to meet the stem and the fact that the stem is ply so we've had to get inventive to keep it plumb while manipulating and attaching the chine logs.

[Larks]

Great progress Steve, looking good

[Steve TN 15]

Both the first strakes are dry fitted. Glue up tomorrow then onto finishing the bottom and keel20230321_122110.jpg20230321_122054.jpg

[Johan R]

Two different brand or types of plywood?

[Steve TN 15]

How do you mean?

[Johan R]

How do you mean?

The transom ply looks like a Meranti/sapele type veneer, and the planking plywood doesnt. I have read you have "homegrown" Hoop pine plantation plywood, that is light colour.

[Steve TN 15]

AH, I see. All the ply is gaboon.
The transom has been given three coats of epoxy while it was level. It's all sanded and ready for varnish.

Doing this before mounting the transom makes it easier to get smooth level coats of epoxy without any runs and then protects the wood from any spills and light damage during construction, thereby helping to ensure a beautiful varnish finish in the end.

I've seen the hoop pine "marine" ply and it's beautiful to work with and gives a nicer finish but it's expensive and Hoop Pine isn't considered durable so the epoxy finish would have to be well maintained or the whole thing fibreglassed

[Johan R]

AH, I see. All the ply is gaboon.
The transom has been given three coats of epoxy while it was level. It's all sanded and ready for varnish.

Sorry. You may have wrote that earlier in your thread, it was just the visual difference that caught my eye. Some say gaboon is not "durable" also. They say the same of the pine plywood here, but a friends test sample seems to have withstood a years test outside without any delamination with no coating.

Am i confusing gaboon with okkume? I only know of Joubert in France and Bruynzeel in Holland that still produce solid mahogany veneer plywood with 25 year warranty. It is eye watering expensive.

[John Meachen]

Sorry. You may have wrote that earlier in your thread, it was just the visual difference that caught my eye. Some say gaboon is not "durable" also. They say the same of the pine plywood here, but a friends test sample seems to have withstood a years test outside without any delamination with no coating.

Am i confusing gaboon with okkume? I only know of Joubert in France and Bruynzeel in Holland that still produce solid mahogany veneer plywood with 25 year warranty. It is eye watering expensive.

Gaboon and okkume are the same thing,they have different local names.You are quite right about the shockingly high price of good plywood and even mediocre stuff is expensive now.

[Steve TN 15]

Both first strakes are glued and faired to the bottom and the forward bottom doubler is glued down.

The aft doubler should go on tomorrow followed by finishing all the dead wood before the next strakes go on.

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[Steve TN 15]

Aft bottom doubler on, forward one faired in and another chine log dry fitted20230330_122756.jpg20230330_122814.jpg

[neil.henderson]

Do you fit an outer stem on that, after fairing? Or does something else get fitted to protect the inner stem? Great progress btw.............

Regards Neil

p.s. we were in Cygnet the other day (as well as Kettering & Franklin) - they are doing some beautiful woodwork in Cygnet icl building a 50 foot birdsmouth mast!

[Johan R]

That looks like quite a large gap between the frame and the transom for a small section batten, though your first plank looks totally fair. Are you fairing with a hand plane or mechanical belt sander?

[Steve TN 15]

Yes the frames are quite far between but the stringer is still quite firm and the 9mm ply follows and holds the form well. It will be backed up internally by the seat boxes etc. We are using electric planes for rough fairing and finishing with hand planes.

[Steve TN 15]

The first real modification has been fitted, the plans don't call for a forefoot but since it's going to be kept on a trailer I figured this will make it much easier to launch and retrieve. I guess it may impede tacking a little but what's the point of a quick tack if you can't get the boat back on the trailer.20230407_112824.jpg20230407_112832.jpg

[Johan R]

I just looked at some of his other boats, seems that is common on a lot of his keels that he describes as "trailer sailers". I note his Duette cat boat has a similar shape as you have made, makes sense to me. I can not imagine people would be using a crane, unless he expects people to submerge trailers deep enough to float the boat on?

[Steve TN 15]

I just looked at some of his other boats, seems that is common on a lot of his keels that he describes as "trailer sailers". I note his Duette cat boat has a similar shape as you have made, makes sense to me. I can not imagine people would be using a crane, unless he expects people to submerge trailers deep enough to float the boat on?

Yes, I think a lot of his plans are a compromise of various goals but they are quite easy to modify to individual needs. I'm just thankful that I've built one boat and know what to look at and change for my purposes.

[Steve TN 15]

p.s. we were in Cygnet the other day (as well as Kettering & Franklin) - they are doing some beautiful woodwork in Cygnet icl building a 50 foot birdsmouth mast!

Yes, I've been down there and been quite envious of the things they are doing and especially the timbers they are using.
It's an all round beautiful place isn't it.

[Steve TN 15]

Another day in the Boatshed saw a lot of housework as well as sanding filler and most importantly we have the deadwood, aft keel section, properly dry fitted. Not glued yet because it has to be shaped first. That should happen on Tuesday
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[Johan R]

Are you making your "deadwood" hollow like some of his designs or solid?

[gray duck]

Steve - I have been enjoying following your thread. Thanks for posting your progress. Great pictures!
I have a question about the forefoot: Tacking easily is one of the best and most important attributes for an inshore sailboat, IMO. Beating up a creek, sailing through an anchorage, maneuvering and docking etc. And while I completely agree that our boats should be as easy to launch and retrieve as possible. How does your change in the boat's design help with launching/retrieving from the trailer (we mostly float/slide on where I live*) (I'm picturing a long keel that you are winching up a series of rollers) and will you change it back if it affects it's sailing characteristics? thanks

*Floating/sliding on side bunks with most of the weight of the boat on it's keel in final position on the trailer