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33% found this document useful (3 votes)
921 views47 pagesShellback Dinghy
fghfdh
Uploaded by
AttilaVájerCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 47
As
How to Build the
Shellback
Dinghy
y Erie Dow Photographs by Sherry Streeter Kit Parts List
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Middle seat
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et) Breasthook
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SSS u Seat say block material ‘atom |
Daggsboud ok poet : Eas
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‘Ouier vem
SS Oartocks (2)
Oarlock —
sockets (4)
Garboard plank 2)
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D Masistep—- === towate spacer block material
vodelom alatt allo anyag Materials List
Bottom from one sheet (4 x 10! of 2" (12mm)
mahogany plywood (SNBCC, Bruynzeel, or
equal in quality),
Rudder blade, daggerboard, and trunk sides
will come out of the remainder of this sheet
Side planks from two sheets (4 « 12!) of '4"
(6.5mm) mahogany plywood (SNBCC,
Bruynzeel, or equal).
Rudder and tiller cheek pieces will come from
remainder.
Stem from several pieces Yo » 1'/ * 42" fir or
mahogany strips to laminate as shown.
Finished siding to be “A
‘Midship frame from enough + x 1!" fir or
mahogany strips to laminate as shown.
Finished siding to be “".
Transom from '* (18mm) mahogany plywood
as above, Requires piece 18 * 36°,
Seats from 38"-, 40"-, and 50'-long pieces of
1 x 8" cedar or pine
Guardrails from wwvo pieces % « 1'4" oak or
mahogany, 12" long,
Inwales (optional) '* x Ys" x 12" from oak or
mahogany
Knees and breasthook from enough 7 * 6"
‘mahogany to make four knees and two breast-
hook pieces,
Seat support blocks from 1's" x 2/6" » 5° mahogany.
KeeV/skeg from 14" » 5° « 10’ mahogany.
Daggerboard trunk logs from one piece 1"
Vax 27" mahogany.
Daggerboard trunk posts from one piece “Ae * 1
x 25" mahogany
Masistep from one piece 1/2 « 3‘ « 6" oak or
mahogany.
Tiller from one piece ‘ x 3 x 42" mahogany or oak
Spars
Mast from one piece 3" x 3" x 10’ spruce; may be
glued up from two pieces of 2 x 4" clear spruce.
Boom from one piece 1?" x 1°/" « 10! spruce.
Yard from one piece 1'4" 1's" x 9' spruce.
Oars: One pair 77" spruce or ash oars.
Oarlocks and sockets.
Rudder hangers: One set suitable hardware,
available from: The WoodenBoat Store or
The Anchorage.
Painter {rom at least 15" of "4" Dacron rope.
Halyard, sheet, and traveler from about 55° of
A" Dacton rope
‘Two '/" round brass thimbles or small blocks,
three small bronze or stainless eye straps, one
#1 bronze snaphook.
Belaying pin: 5" long, from oak, locust, or bronze.
Epoxy glue
Paint and sandpaper.
Chafing strip: '" half-oval brass; about 12'/2'
needed.
Fastenings: all bronze unless noted
Wood screws:
(50) 7A" #8 FHWS; plank to guardrail;
(100) 1" #8 FHWS; plank to transom, stem,
and frame; seat blocks to plank; dagger-
board trunk assembly; outer to inner
stem; bottom to transom, frame and stem;
(42) 1" #10 FHWS; (20) for bottom to keel;
(16) for oarlock pads to gunwales; (8)
oarlocks to pads;
(12) 14" #10 FHWS; breasthook and stern
knees to plank;
(24) 11" #10 FHWS; (4) for stern knees to
transom; (8) for daggerboard trunk to
bottom; (12) for guard rails to breasthook
and stern knees;
(40) 12" #8 FHWS; inwale to guard rail; (14) 2" #12 FHWS, seats to seat support
blocks;
(14) #12 brass finish washers (optional for
seats);
(30) *A" #6 FHWS brass chafe strip to boat;
Machine screws:
(1) a"-20 x 4" FHMS; keel to bottom;
(2) "20 x 24" FHMS; mast step to bottom,
(4) 14*-20 nut; keel to bottom: mast step to
bottom;
(3) a" washer; keel to bottom; mast step 10
bottom;
(1) Y"=20 = 2" RHMS; for tiller;
(1) 4" 1D « 1" copper pipe; tiller bushing;
(16) #10 = 14" FHMS; oarlock sockets to
guardrail;
(2) ax 24" FHMS; maststep to botom.
Tools
Claw hammer
Block plane
‘Smoothing plane
Spokeshave
Burt chisel, about "4"
Crosscut handsaw, fairly fine
Hacksaw
Tape or folding rule
Framing square
Combination square
Sliding bevel square
Spirit level
Set of twist drills in sizes to A"
Countersink
Small electric drill with '4" or ¥#" chuck
C-clamps, about a dozen 4" to 6"
Sharpening stone for edge tools
Manual screwdriver—the type of your choice as
Jong as its bit fits the screw slots
Pencils
Wood rasps
Mill file (for metal)
Putty knife
Scraper
Center punch
Optional tools that will
make the job go more
quickly
Bandsaw
Sabersaw
Electric drill press with Y" or °/4" chuck
Variable-speed electric or cordless drills for
drilling holes and driving screws; two will
make the job go faster
Regular and drywall bits for drill screw gun
Portable electric plane
Bench grinder (for sharpening edge
tools)
Combination taper drills/countersinks for the
screw sizes used
log! vodelom alatt allo anyag Cutting the Pieces and
Laminating the Stem
and ’Midship Frame
pattern sheet and begin. The patterns allow the builder
to bypass the lofting process and transfer the shapes
of the station molds, ‘midship frame, and transom
directly to wood. Here, points are being pressed along
4 mold station line into 'A" construction-grade ply-
wood. The drawing, secured with pushpins, has been
positioned so the baseline falls along the factory edge
of the plywood
pressed
of the pieces and to locate reference marks such as the
centerline and sheer points, the drawing can be removed
and the outline penciled in (use a batten for curved
shapes)
eel comf
ble, without going i will mak thing
the disagreeable grain of the plywood less of a chore
later. A block plane, set very fine, works well for cles
ing up to the line
jecause | plan to bu fe Shellbacks in the
ure, I made a pattern for each piece out
plywood. If you're building just one boat, paper works
just as well. Here, my pattern is positioned on the 14"
marine plywood transom stock and traced. This oper-
ation can also be done directly from the drawing, as
were the molds
he bevels for the transom edges are noted on
the pattern sheet and may be sawn by setting the
bandsaw table to the proper angle, This is easier to do
than it appears, but ifit seems too unnerving, saw the
shape square and cut the bevel with a plane. Shellbacks have a 'midship frame which provid
© strength and stiffness to the hull. tt is laminated
using this clamping jig, The shape, ti
tern drawing, has been transferred to {" construction
grade plywood. Here, cleats are being screwed in place
to help keep the glued strips in alignment.
nc is made of two layers of 0 the stem
greater width), fastened together.
thickness ns may va
pending on the type and quality of wood being,
used. Generally, if single layer will bend around the
shape of the jig without breaking, then a stack of many
strips will also make the bend. I'm using " Douglas
fir veneer, sawn into 14" strips. It will take 18 strips
to provide a stack of sufficient thickness for the ‘mid
ship frame. A rather thick, slow-curing epoxy is spread
‘generously on the top surface of each strip.
All surfaces of the jig have
ging tape to ensure release
rather loosely to ac
been lined with p
nce the epoxy has cured
stic packa
A in both dire
sprung into place. A larger clamp here makes easier
work of what can be a rather difficult push, The ends
tend to slip sideways and head rapidly for your chin
unless a clamp is installed to that lower cleat as well
before you release your grip.
can be gradually slacked off, and finally re
Scraping off the excess epoxy while its still wet will
make smoothing the cured frame much easier ed and
he 'midship
frame. A film of plastic tape was applied between the
strips of what will be the inner and outer stems so that
they could be laminated together and separated after
cure
bu
worked down with a hand plane. Drywall screws
temporarily driven to keep the inner and outer stems
from separating while being surfaced.
After the screws have been removed, a sli
stem can be set aside, and the inner one can now be
cut to shape and
ing to the full-sized pattern
ked with reference lines accord-
Here, a line of small common nails has been
positioned with their heads on the outline of
the center frame. By carefully positioning the frame on
these nails and thumping it with a mallet in several
places, the nailheads will ransfer the shape. The points
can then be connected with lines and the center frame
sawn to its proper shape
n positioned on the
The finished fi
pattern sheet and a cross spall is screwed in
place at the position indicated. Sheer pointsand a cen-
terline are also transferred to the frame and spall , 1 be ir 8 f
ts sometimes possible to buy these panels pre-scarfed
for length, but often more appealing (and less expen-
sive) results can be obtained by doing this yourself
Start with three 4 x 8 sheets, Cut one in half (so it's
44), and along the factory ends of what are now four
panels, draw a line 2" in from the ing the
basis of an 8-to-1-ratio scarf
y ate an even taper
but a power plane used carefully is fast and clean. The
planing of two sheets at a time is being done here at
sawhorse height, with a board placed under the ply-
wood edges for support
fey Finishing with a belt sander has brought t
edge. When the glue lines of the plies appear straight
and even, it sa sign that the job has been completed.
there are people scarfing, what follows is a very reli
able, rather easy way. The base surface of this press is
at sawhorse height. Epoxy is applied generously to the
scarf surface. If you're using rather thin epoxy, it might
be wise to apply a prime coat first to avoid too much
penetration of the second application into the edge
grain
adjoining panel is brought
d, and then both are scr
base piece to ensure they stay in position. With a plas-
tic film both under and over this joint, a second pair
of scarfed panels can be set in place and the process
repeated a board slightly wider
laid over the joint
and the sliding pressure board is lowered into place.
More plastic film
than the searfet
Tused to use three hydraulic jacks for apply
ing pressure, but have since found that
wooden blocks cut to the right length and set firmly
in place allow a greater feel for the amount of pressure
being applied. Remember that epoxy requires less pres-
sure than other types of glue.
The Shellback layout sheet cont:
s that, when plotted at full
12-long scarfed panel, give the shapes of the hull’
planks. Here, a batten is sprung and tacked along the
measured points, ater which it will be sighted for fair-
ness and penciled in. Once all three planks are drawn,
they can be cut out. A circular saw works well, being,
quick and easy to control while sawing out the long,
gentle curves, Dress to the lines with your favorite
plane, and proceed to use these planks as tracing pat-
tems for their mates, Remember to transfer any refer-
ence marks (such as “frame placement”) from the
drawing to the planks. Building the Ladder
Frame and Setting Up
then laid th its
“enterline and mold lines as a be or me g up begins by building the ladder frame
urements, These lines are also necessary while setting
up, so don’t erase them. Ifthe required 10' plywood is
notavailable, you can scarf two pieces to length as with
the sides.
shown he plan, using quality
straight, preferably dry lumber. When the ladder frame
has been leveled athwartships by shimming between
ivand the sawhorse, it should be screwed in place, Its
also helpful if the horses can be fastened to the floor.
@J The correct angle for the placement of the
ansom support boards is lifted from the
plans with a bevel square. The boards
drywall screws, a
This same angle is also
hull. Its now time to sweep the floor and turn atte aftermost 1 = 2 crosspiece
tion to the setup.
tached with
10st pieces involved in the setup.
wed on the back edge of the
10 marked at either end of the
chalkline is snapped between
them, which marks a centerline on all crosspieces. These
marks should be penciled in for future reference.
Next, the two station molds are aligned
he proper side of the crosspiece, tempora
ily clamped with centerlines matching, then screwed
in place
The ‘midship frame is installed in the same
way. Remember to cut the limber holes in the
frame’ bottom edge, as shown.
ioning cleat screwed to
he transom is brought
up under the ladder crosspiece and, with the center-
lines in agreement, the transom is clamped to its sup-
port boards. Next, pilot holes are drilled and drywall
screws driven, Onlookers may cringe at the thought of
marring the mahogany transom with temporary fas-
tenings, but these holes will be bunged later on.
and ‘mid
1. Note the con
struction of the forward end of the building ladder,
with the fore-ancl-aft 2 x 4 that will support the stem. Planking
tioned by centerlines. The pl
distance from the forward face of its 2"-wide cleat to
the notch that will support the stem
screws can be drilled through into the transom, ‘mid-
ship frame, and stem. A single screw is installed first
at the transom so that the forward end of the panel can
pivot, if necessary, into alignment. The centerline and
transom mark on the bottom panel must be checked
for position before drilling this hole
Ifthe setup is correct, lines tra
the full-sized patterns to the ster will fa
the top of the construction base and forward face of
the forward station mold (No. Ys on the plans). If this
doesnt happen, check all your measurements in this
area to determine what’ wrong. Before installation,
plane a rough bevel on the stem’ sides, using the cross-
sectional view on the full-sized pattern sheet asa guide
helpful to hold the forward end
bottom panel to the stem while drilling
After you've drilled all the holes, remove the panel,
clean the contact surfaces of drilling dust, apply epoxy.
12 and reposition and screw down the bottom perma-
nently. Temporary screws may be driven into the mold
edges if the bottom tends to lift away from them,
he stem bevel should join the pm be
na smooth transition; it can be checked for
any needed adjustments by holding a batten actoss the
first two molds to simulate the inside surf of the
‘garboard where it meets the stem. The planks them-
selves could also be used for this purpose.
he edges of the bottom panel must now be
peveled to give a landing for the garboard
planks, Start with a very sharp plane, held at about the
same angle at which molds, frame, and transom meet
the bottom. Work along the entire length rather than
bevelinga short area at a time, Notice that a batten has
been tacked in place along the surfaces about where
the garboards will land.
The garboard planks come next. Start by post
joning one of them with its edge at the firs
knuckle of the center frame. Don’t allow it to drop
below this point. You transferred the “frame” marks
‘when cutting the plank, and now with the frame place-
‘ment mark determining fore-and-aft alignment, drive
small nail through the plank to hold it in place. Repeat
the process at the transom. Bring the plank edge to the
‘second lap” mark at the stem, and tack or clamp it in
place there. The plank should lie in the right place at
the station molds also, but their agreement here is Not
as crucial as at the three permanent points. Pilot holes
can now be drilled for the bronze screws that, along
with epoxy, will hold the garboard planks in place.
lush with
ne inside fac batten, and allowing t
stick to rest along the surface of the bevel, accuracy
ccan be checked at any point between stations. Planing
is complete when the bevel checks correct and the edge
of the bottom has been worked down to nearly a
feather edge
13 a line parallel h nf
the screws wont break through i le of the boat. These
holes should also be set back from the plank edge so
the screw won't be hit when you're planing the edge
of the plank flush with the bottom.
[tS easier to position screw holes in the rather
narrow stem bevel if
length is marked and trimmed away first
st of the excess plank
Withall screw holes drilled and the fit c
or all mating surfaces, remove the garbos
brush away the drilling dust, and apply a generous coat
of epoxy. The edges of the plywood station molds should
be covered with plastic tape to prevent squeezed-out
epoxy from bonding them to the hull
Once the epoxy has been s}
no longer work because the surfaces
pery. Installing the garboard is easier if you
first screw into the ‘midship frame. This will keep the
plank balanced while the ends are screwed down.
One method of cl
seam snugly togetl
is to use drywall screws driven through as s
not necessary to pre-
