Get On My Level



We're sanding the bottom of the legs of the strongback to get the gluey stuff off from last year's build.  This will make it easier to level.  Building the first skiff last year, these legs were glued directly to the concrete slab. Towards the end of the build a few legs moved. This year, building skiff #2, we are gluing plywood pads to the floor for the legs to sit on, fastened with screws and glue fillets after the strongback is levelled.

  

We're gluing the plywood pads to the ground so the strongback won't move during the boat building process.

We set the strongback on the pads and determined the highest point with a water level.  Shims under each leg were used to raise the whole strongback up to this benchmark.  We made the water level with a long, clear, 3/8" tube filled with water.  Food coloring at the ends makes it easier to see the water.

Leveling the strongback with a water level.

We are sanding the epoxy that was squeezed out of the cracks of the frames.




Working Our Way Out Of A Sticky Situation!!

  

We will put glue on the bottom of the plywood pads.  Next, we will level the strongback.  Then we're going to screw some screws into the legs of the strongback. 




We glued Cedar supports for the floor boards for the other St. Ayles Skiff.  We used Marine Plywod to make the floor boards. 




We glued the frames for the second boat and we're finishing off the first boat.  Pictured is the Coxswain floor board.



Skiff #2:Putting in WORK!

Just unloaded the truck for the next St. Ayles Skiff kit.



We are spreading epoxy on the frames of the St. Ayles Skiff, we used bar clamps and C-clamps so it can stay in place till the glue dried correctly.

Summertime

[A post from the editor]
The progress of the skiff has been slow during the past few months.  We have multiple programs that come through the boat shop and if the weather is nice, we're out sailing.  We installed the outer gunwales, the bow and stern breasthooks, and the rouths, and put a couple coats of varnish on them.  We made patterns for the floorboards and are working on planing the rolling bevel into the sides where it meets the hull.

The white oak outer gunwale was screwed into place and bed using Interlux's Boatyard Bedding Compound.

Patterns on the left for the floorboards, they are made from 5/8" Marine plywood.