25 Pages of Laser-Printed planning goodness. These are the plans and building notes for the vessel. If you want to see what is on those pages and see more about the future of the project, go to Simplicity Boats website. Notice the nice new STANLEY LeverLock 30' tape on the right.

Here is the future bottom of the boat. The design is innovative in its use of one sheet for the entire bottom, while still maintaining almost the entire width. This is done by flipping the cut away portions and using them for the front. The scarfing in this design is done with butt blocks. Notice the use of dog to hold down your work.

Again, very hard to see, but this is the future sides. They are 16" high and should give the boat a very comfortable and safe feel to go with that 103sqft sail.

This was the hardest part of the day, so thats why it gets the Framing Square award. Those are the cut exactly to angle butt blocks for the 2 joints in the bottom ply. Those front sections were cut from the sides, which saves ply, but also provides an extra joint.

This is whats left after you cut out the bottom and sides. 2 Pieces butt stock with the grain, 1 piece butt stock against the grain. 2 Keel pieces, 1 piece stock for gussets, 1 piece stock for mast holder thing.

Here is the plywood sections being scarfed with butt blocks. Thats right there are 3 HID light fixtures on one joint because the plywood is a bit warped here and there. Nothing we can't straighten out though..

Thats all the epoxy I have left. I am gonna need half the money for the epoxy and glass from Stephen before we assemble.

Framing Square award goes to the actual cutting of the stem, but I dont have a picture of that. It was cut on the table saw after a little trig work and seems to be just about perfect. I joined the right site with epoxy only using a handy sodium light. The left side was joined using epoxy as well but screwed in place also to insure a titebond.

Here is a closer detail of the assembly. A false stem will be mounted here later for looks and hydrodynamics. The actual strength will come from the tiny piece of clear poplar that I got from the HomeDepot^TM. I should have no problem fairing over the screws that I used later they are about even with the wood.

I am now standing Inside the great craft. What you dont see is that the sides end only 4 feet out of the picture :-). From here we will need to fiberglass those butt-joints on the outside and then build a temporary frame (or permanent) that will give the middle of the boat shape. Besides that there is only the stern board and bottom and a few other but lengthly little items involing strength and sailing bits.

Screwed the bottom to the sides, which had already been joined to the transom and frame. This really signifies that the project is headed for the finish. There were some problems though.

Like this. In the front there was an uncloseable gap, which also is uneven on each side, but only by like a quarter inch, not exactly that noticeable in the long run. The problem was african engineered with two ripped pieces of plywood.

After purchasing some new sandpaper, I used the belt sander to trim off the ends flush with the transom. I will definitely have to resand the entire transom. It has weathered in the months of rest.

Closeup view of smoothness. Next time: epoxy on joints and first gap filling. Epoxy ordered yesterday. I will post the cost when I know it.

Here you can see the skeg, which is set in a piece of cypress with a dado cut in it on the table saw.

Boat is starting to look pretty nice. Also notice the rails on this boat are of *gasp* cedar! Thats right... choc ful o knots for bending enjoyment. I used cedar because it is very light and should help keet the CG low.

That patch up job on the front worked out ok too. Once it is sanded after the next coat, you will never know there was a serious misfit there. Also here you can see the texture of the fiberglass.

Well...a little more than half finished glassing. Hope to complete all glass tomorrow. School starts tuesday and work will dramatically slow down. After glass is finished, I will coat once with epoxy then wait a week for it to harden and sand it down good. Next Time: Glass Smoothing & Interior parts carpentry.

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