A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

I made a new spiling batten out of the previous one, spiled the next plank, and made a full pattern out of 3mm MDF. I had thought I would have to dog-leg scarf this one, but as I had been supplied with 8" (200mm) planks I didn't have to, and I think the next one will be even straighter. Then I drew around the pattern onto the next kauri board, cut it out with my jig-saw slightly clear of the line, planed it to the line, drew around it onto the next board, cut that one out then planed the pair to match, which is my usual process.

I was not entirely happy with the way the after ends of the previous planks fitted onto the transom, so I looked at my books again and cut the rabbets a different way, as you see here. You can also see the spiling batten and the patches I was talking about last time. I cut away part of the end of the plank so I could see what was happening there. This is shown in my book, "Thoughts on Clinker Lapstrake Dinghy Construction" by Peter Peal, who did his boatbuilding apprenticeship in Auckland in the 1930s. It's very interesting. Well, the other way would have been alright too, if I had done some more work at fitting them, but they seemed OK at the dry fitting stage. The other end of the plank is hanging from the roof beams.
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This is the result.
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The other end, dry fitted.
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A general view.
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After more fitting and fiddling, I got this pair of planks permanently fastened down today, with sealant and the same screws. I didn't steam them. I am leaving them overnight and will clean them up tomorrow, drill the holes, clench the nails, and do the beveling for the next pair (strake?). That will be four strakes done, only five more to go......

I was going to put another photo in, just a general view from aft, but I selected the wrong one, so I deleted it but it still gets counted as one of five. It will appear as an "attached thumbnail". It's from when I was transferring the planking marks from the battened side to the other side, some time last year.

Cheers,
Ian

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

So, here are the 3mm holes positioned and drilled, with the nails pushed into them, ready for clenching. Just add kneepads.
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And here is the fantails' eye view (except they don't fly at night), all clenched up.
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The clenching success rate seems fairly good, but there will be quite a few nails to tidy up after we get her off the moulds. I have given up any idea of being able to take a plank out and replace it at some future date, but even John Gardner says there is a lot you can do with epoxy these days, or words to that effect.
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The work on this strake has been spread over eight days. We'll see how long the next one takes.

I am wondering if the ease of clenching is related to the hardness of the wood. The density of western red cedar is 370 kg/m3. Kauri is 449 kg/m3 (560 for heartwood).

Cheers,
Ian

[ADonald]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Going really well Ian. Are your planks working out ok from the raw material, width wise?

[Mike1902]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Kauri and copper, a pleasant combination of mediums to work with.
Coming along nicely, Ian.

Cheers,
Mike.

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Thanks, Andrew and Mike.
Yes, with the 8" boards I have not had to dog-leg scarf any so far, although the last two only just made it. The next one is straighter. I have spiled and marked out the pattern for it today, ready to cut out tomorrow. An advantage of scarfing the planks is that you can have straight grain in both pieces, but because mine have some sweep in them they have a certain amount of cross-grain near the ends. My last one split a little bit within the width of the land after I beveled it, where the twist is greatest, so with a concession to modernity I glued it with 5-minute epoxy.
And yes, it is quite nice to be building a boat without having to mix epoxy all the time and then use heaters to set it. However, I do think that plywood/epoxy are really the materials to use these days. The old skills and techniques are still used but the materials are more easily obtainable.
Cheers,
Ian

[Eric Hvalsoe]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Moving right along there Ian!
On my boats the transom lands become facets. The gain is done only on one plank, the underside plank, blending into the beveled lap.
The 'facet' only occurs on the outboard (aft) face of the transom, I don't try to fair the entire thickness of the transom for a land, that would be pretty much impossible.

The land becomes a flat facet on the aft side of the transom - the facet is struck across two line off marks and and carried onto the preceding lap. I ball park this angle when doing the gain on the bench, tidy it up on the boat. Thus the stern hood ends do not come together flush around the radius of the transom (as they come together flush along the stem). The stern gains become wedge shapes of variable angle and depth as defined by the transom radius. These gains come to a feather corner. It is a matter of geometry and allowing the plank to lay down with a minimum of fuss. Simpler than it sounds. If I have a varnished transom and painted hull, the transom is masked 'round in a fair curve.

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Thanks, Eric. I found yours last night but wanted to do another transom gain today, so here it is, screwed down. This method is shown in a couple of my books (by John Leather and WNC Stirling). I think the garboard gain and the next one are as you describe. I am not trying to get them completely flush as on the stem, but I think you can see in an earlier photo that the second one on the port side is not quite sitting down properly. Anyway, it's well sealed. I'll keep both methods in mind. I'll have another look at the other HV threads.
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Here are a couple of clamping or holding arrangements and another general view. I just have to cut the forward gain on the port plank and this pair (strake) is ready to install permanently.
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The extra mould I made caused a hard spot in this plank so I took it out.
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Regards,
Ian

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

So, after the usual distractions and interruptions, here is strake no. 5. No drama this time. I think the transom lands are improving. The other HV threads were helpful, thanks guys.

Permanently assembled with sealer in laps.
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Nailed and beveled.
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Transom laps 4 and 5.
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Preparing the spiling batten for #6.
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Cheers,
Ian

[Eric Hvalsoe]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Ian it looks like you're doing the transom lands about the way I do them - presumably with the facet touching the line off marks (the line off marks are not clear to me). Then it looks like you are putting some gain in the upper plank. I know people do this. I've done variations of this. I've done gains several ways over the decades before settling into my current habit which is to simply wrap the upper plank (no gain) around and onto the transom and stem. Many years ago I was teaching at the Center, still cutting gains for both planks. Seemed 'dangerous' to do all the gain on one plank. Somebody wandered into the shop who said they had taken a boatbuilding class from Gardner at Mystic. Put all the gain on one plank. I thought mmm, if its good enough for gardner...and it sounds like less work...and I'm less likely to split the upper plank...(that is another reason I prefer ring nails over screws for the hood ends). So the transom corners are high. To each his own.

For whatever reason or multiple reasons my planks tend to grow away from the last mold aft. I think this has something to do with the twist of the gain. It's possible I suppose that my current technique makes that phenomenon worse, I don't know. To mitigate this a wee bit I do in fact very slightly edgeset the spiling batten towards the keel, just between the last mold and transom.

I'm sure working with the Kauri is quite a bit different than the softer cedar. I might be dimpling with a burr (bit) for the nailheads.

[IanMilne]

Re: A Hvalsoe Dinghy in New Zealand

Thanks, Eric. The way I've done these last two is pretty much as shown in my books by John Leather and WNC (Will) Stirling. I admit they still look a bit messy.

We're away now for a couple of days.

Cheers, Ian

[IanMilne]

I did another posting last night, but it seems not to be here. I'll see if this works.
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Ah! It worked.
Cheers, Ian

[john welsford]

Thats looking really nice Ian, lovely work with the best materials. I'll be starting the build of a new rowing boat in a couple of months but will be using glued ply lapstrake, still, from a distance it will look ok and if I'm careful when I draw her, she will look nearly as nice. Not as nice close up though.

John Welsford

[Mike1902]

Great work ,Ian. Coming along nicely.

Cheers,
Mike.

[ADonald]

Nearly done with all those planks, looking very even too. Well done Ian

[IanMilne]

Thanks very much, John. Coming from you.....
I think glued ply lapstrake is the sensible way to go these days, but this is an interesting exercise.

Thanks too, Mike and Andrew.

Here are the photos I tried to put up last night:

These are the books I mentioned earlier, by John Leather and WNC (Will) Stirling.
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I am using my 3mm combined drill and coutersink to drill the nail holes now (and my 3.5mm one for the screws).
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Matching up the pair of planks.
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Some home-made lap-gauges.
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I tried steaming the end of plank 7 but it wasn't necessary after all.
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I haven't had to dog-leg any of the planks so far and it looks like I won't have to scarf any of them. The last two are practically straight and I was able to get each pair of planks out of one kauri board. I should have enough kauri left over to make the rest of the parts. It's all 9mm thick but the thwarts and risers can be in two layers.

The seventh strake is permanently installed now, with sealant and screws, ready to clean up and nail tomorrow.

Cheers,
Ian