May

Building the strongback. The strongback is a frame on the floor that supports the boat while it's upside down, and it's a way to make sure the boat is all level, even when the floor isn't level.

Once the strongback was all screwed together, we made the legs for the boat. The legs are temporarily attached to the frames. By changing the height of the legs, we were able to level up the boat, and by running a string from the front 2x4 to the back 2x4, we were able to line up all the frames on the spine straight down the centerline.

End of May, Beginning of June

Frames one and two attached - had to open up several notches more because the frames were fitting too tightly on the spine (or sometimes hardly at all). Come to find out, the plans are wrong again and it wasn't our mistake. We had followed the design exactly, measuring out our notches to be 10mm across, but when we tried to slide them onto the spine, they didn't even begin to fit. Well, no wonder, because the wood we were trying to slide it onto is 12mm plywood. So we spent an afternoon widening notches, sanding, and finally epoxying and screwing the frames onto the spine.

Third frame on.

Frame four and transom on. Looking like a boat!

6-12.

The weights have been hanging, along with the circular saw for a while, to help bend the wood that has to curve with the side of the boat.

Here's the port side piece bent and attached. We had to notch out the bow for the end to fit into, and soon we'll be planing this piece so that the sides of the boat can be attached and fit smoothly on without too many gaping holes!

Belt sanded the bow to make a nice taper. Now the boat can cut through the water!