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Start :: Assemble pieces and jig :: Stitching the hull :: Fiberglass outside of hull :: Fairing and priming the outside of the hull :: Building the inside :: Final finishing

Assemble pieces and jig

The first step is to assemble your larger parts (side/bottom panels, stringers, a seat tops) by epoxy gluing the pieces together with butt blocks. The butt blocks are pre-cut and included in the kit. It is very important that you take care to glue these parts straight and symmetrical! For example, the top of the stringers must be flat. You can use a chalk line on the floor or draw long strait lines across both sides of the parts.

When gluing the butt blocks, the first step is to prime the parts with a coat of epoxy (not thickened). Priming these small areas should take approximately 3 oz of epoxy.

Mix a small batch of epoxy to which you will add wood flour until your mixture it the consistency of mayonnaise.

Apply this epoxy/wood flour glue to the parts evenly, a notched spreader makes this easy.

Use weighs to hold the butt blocks down. Do not squeeze out the epoxy with excessive weight! Epoxy is gap filling. Squeezing out the glue will weaken the joint. A few epoxy bottles is plenty of weight, around 20 lbs

Assemble the strongback. The strongback is the wood grid used to support the molds. For the FS12, and most other small boats, a pair of 2x4's is sufficient. The plans show the dimensions and the location of each mold/frame. At this point in construction we use the word "molds" - later these same parts become the frames of the boat. This is not always the case, in some boats there are many more molds than frames and not always in the same place! Using the frames as molds is one way we make our boats easy to build and less expensive.

The stringer cuts must line up with the strongbacks: outside of stringer notches match inside face of strongbacks.

(NOTE: Pay close attention to how mold spacings are measured! Depending on the hull shape, measurements may be to the front or rear face of a mold, see the plans. If you fail to take this into account, over several molds, the mistake adds up and will cause problems later when stitching together your bottom and side panels)

If you construct your strong back as we describe, the outside of the stringer notches will align with the inside face of the strongback 2x4'.

Secure the molds to short vertical pieces of 2x4's (mold supports). The mold supports must be perfectly aligned (square with the strongback and mold).

Check with a carpenters square that the molds are plumb and square before screwing the mold supports to the strongback

Use a long straight edge to make sure the last few molds are level. The aft part of the bottom of a planing boat must be straight lenghtwise.

Note: despite what the picture shows, the clamping board should be on the transom at this point.

Insert stringers into the slots. Stringers should be straight and extend from the transom to the front face of the first mold.

Bow mold: The bow mold may be made of disposable plywood or particle board..

The bow mold's purpose is twofold. The most obvious is to line up all the the panels with the centerline. Be sure the mold is centered and plumb. The second purpose is to shape the side panels. Pulling the side panel down into the correct position causes the side panels to open up amidships, giving the side panels the correct volume and curve. Failure to use the bow mold may result in a "droopy bow" which is s slight drop in the sheer line towards the tip of the bow. In addition to the bad sheer line, your casting deck may not fit properly.

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