Month: July 2020

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Garboard planks

Last week we steamed the garboard planks, this week we installed them!

After spiling and shaping the planks the previous week, we set up Nick’s steam box and steamed the forward end of the two garboard planks, then clamped them in place with a tight twist at the stem. It worked nicely – amazing what the steam allows us to do!

This week we nailed them in place with copper ring nails, starting at the transom and working forward along the hog, finishing at the stem. The tip of the planks was clamped in place using a specially made caul, carefully fitted to the back of the stem, allowing well-directed clamping pressure. So great to get started on planking!

Enke’s floorboards are getting close to completion – some fine-tuning to get the cleats to fit, and we got a start on the toggles to hold them in place. It’s been nice to have the pop-up tent on the dock for shade from the hot sun.

Our neighbours on the dock Joost and Josje have been busy giving Milo a fresh coat of paint, after having had a bunch of work done on her. Looking great!

Our boats have been providing a lot of enjoyment in the fine summer weather we’ve been having lately! They’re great little boats, and a lot of fun!

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Planking has begun!

Somehow a month has slipped by… but we’ve been making progress on our Auk build in the shed, and have reached a big milestone – we’ve cut the first garboard plank!!! Feels great to get to this stage!

We started with milling all the yellow cedar planking stock, and used the new planer dust collection hood with the vacuum. It was effective in collecting the chips, but the vacuum filled far too quickly! We’ll have to work on that.

The keel got milled and shaped, then epoxied into place. After that, a plywood pattern was put in position, and the first garboard plank was spiled, cut, and shaped.

(click on a photo to show it larger)

  • Milling the yellow cedar planking
  • New dust collection
  • Laminating the keel
  • Keel in place
  • Spiling the first plank
  • Transfer to planking stock
  • Cutting first plank
  • Refining shape
  • Offering up first plank

Out on the dock, our other project of Enke refinement is coming along nicely – we’ve got her new floor-boards steam bent in place, and have made cleats to fasten them to, to make them easily removable for cleaning.

Enke’s oars have been given a layer of fiberglass to repair some wear from the oarlocks, and the spars have the white tips given a bright fresh coat.

And a couple of videos from Tom and Duane, showing some of the other activities at the dock and on the water.