CHAPTER 7.

Building in WOOD
RECENT HISTORY
During the past forty years that I have been associated with the building and designing of boats, wooden
boatbuilding has changed in many ways. Until the late fifties, anyone who wanted to build a boat
would almost always have built it in timber. At that time, fibreglass was a relatively new material and
was viewed with suspicion by most boat builders. Steel pleasure boats were definitely oddities, except
in the Netherlands and a few other European countries, where steel was well accepted and often more
common than timber boats were in other areas. In the late fifties through to the mid sixties, due to the
reluctance to accept fibreglass and the lack of appreciation for steel, Ferro Cement gained some popularity
as a boat building material. Ferro appeared appealing in its simplicity and cheapness however more
recently, it has now dropped from favour, and virtually ceased to exist as a boatbuilding option. The
huge number of design and structural problems plus an incredibly poor resale value contributed to its
demise.
At the end of the 1939 – 1945 war there was a considerable pool of skilled labor and the technology
available for building timber boats using cold moulding techniques. During the war, thousands of
patrol boats and aircraft were built this manner so it was a natural transition from war to peace that
many chose this material for building pleasure boats. When the war ended there was a considerable
demand for pleasure boats, and thousands of cold moulded hulls were produced of which a surprising
number remain in service to this day.
Until the early seventies, when the Wood/Epoxy building techniques were starting to appear, most
wooden boats were either carvel planked and caulked in the traditional manner, strip planked or built
using the techniques of laminating multi-diagonal plywood or veneers or straight forward sheet plywood,
using urea-formaldehyde or resorcinol glues and silicon bronze and copper fastenings.
It would be wrong to discuss modern timber construction without reference to the glues or adhesives
that make the various techniques possible. Amongst the earliest types were the urea-formaldehyde
based glues which were claimed to be waterproof but it was found that water-resistant was a more
realistic description.
Next came Resorcinol glues, which are a phenol-formaldehyde and truly waterproof and in the early
1960’s epoxies arrived on the scene; these were the breakthrough in modern timber boat building
techniques that assured longevity in modern timber boats. Interestingly, although now overshadowed
 This wood epoxy
Roberts 434 was
built in Germany
and used in the
charter trade. The
custom designed
shoal keel has
worked well in the
area where she
operates.

by epoxies, resorcinol may be the better glue in many respects as it has superior performance at high
temperatures and is less work sensitive however, the adaptability and versatility of epoxy has made it
a more readily acceptable boatbuilding bonding material. Epoxies can be a glue, a resin and, with a
filler, a fairing compound.
You can now buy moisture cured polyurethane glues which use the moisture in the timber to accelerate
their cure without any other form of hardener. These types of glue are not suitable for all applications
and not recommended for general boatbuilding use in any case check the suitability of any of these
adhesives with your supplier.
By the mid seventies, fibreglass construction was becoming well established, steel small boat
construction techniques were beginning to be accepted and so the scene was set for a decline in the
numbers of boats built of wood. What stopped a total decline in the use of timber in boatbuilding is the
rise in popularity of Wood/Epoxy construction; these new materials and techniques played an important
part in retaining the modest interest in wooden boatbuilding that exists today.
It is noticeable that the continuing interest in wood is not evenly distributed around the world. In
certain areas countries Germany, Scandinavia, parts of the USA, Canada and others with their own
adequate timber resources, the interest in wooden boat construction is stronger than in other parts of the
world where timber is scarce and expensive. Builders should always consider the availability of the
various boatbuilding materials in their own area before making a final selection as to which is best for
their boatbuilding project.
If you feel that building and owning a wooden boat is your type of challenge; that it is worth the extra
time, effort and additional maintenance common with timber boats, that is reduced but not eliminated
in wood epoxy boats; that it is worth the extra costs, as they are expensive to build, and finally, you are
This Roberts 532 wood epoxy hull was built in Brazil where fine boatbuilding timbers are plentiful.
Two years after this photo was taken we received another photo of this boat rigged as a staysail
schooner.

prepared to accept any disapproval from some members of the ecology minded community then a
timber boat may suit you. I do agree that the ‘dock appeal’ of a well finished wooden boat is unbeatable.
A good point to remember is that ‘pride of ownership’ is an important feature of building and owning
any boat.

Earl Rentmeester photo.

Here we see a round bilge
temporary frame being
assembled for a wood
epoxy Roberts 434 round
bilge hull.

COLD MOULDING
Cold moulding has been around for many years and is still very popular for building all types of hulls.
In boat building, the process of cold-moulding is simply the practice of building a hull using laminated
multi-diagonal layers of veneers or plywood over a temporary male mould, in the case of a frameless
This Roberts 532 wood epoxy hull was built in Brazil Two years after the photo on the previous page was
taken we received the shot shown above of this boat rigged as a staysail schooner. Note the natural finish
has been replaced by a regular paint job !
hull, or over a permanent frames and stringers where the hull is built using more traditional techniques.
The easiest and most popular way to construct a cold moulded hull is to build it inverted that is upside
down. After the planking is completed the hull is then turned upright and the interior is added along
with the deck and superstructure. These days cold moulding and the now the more commonly used
wood / epoxy techniques are combined to build a hull. This may involve using one layer of fore and aft
strip planking followed by 2, or more subsequent layers of diagonal planking as described below.

On a chine hull the plywood planking can be installed in larger strips and in some parts of a
developed hull, full or partial sheets can be fitted in one piece.

Once the frames are

erected and checked it
will be time to start
installing the hull
planking. Photo by
permission of Rob
McGill and Nina
Morissette.
After completing the temporary or permanent male mould, the first strip of plywood or veneer is fitted
at about the centre of the hull and laid in place at approximately 45 degree angle and then nailed and
glued or stapled in position on the mould structure. See illustrations and photographs for a clearer
description of installing the veneer or plywood planks on the mould.
Each subsequent plank has to be shaped to fit next to the previous one; this is easily accomplished by
using a small palm plane to trim the edge of each subsequent plank so it fits snugly against the previous
one. Do not try to force a fit as this will create problems when you go to install the next layers of
diagonal planking. The second layer is glued and stapled diagonally on top of the first layer, removing
the staples (if used) from the first layer as the second is fitted. A hull can have 3 to 8 layers of veneer or
plywood depending on the design.

If you are building a cabin top with compound curve as in the Spray 22, then it will be much easier
to plank if your use diagonal ply planking rather than try and force sheet plywood into a twisted
shape; also make for a very strong cabin top.

Sometimes the final layer is laid fore an aft; this is usually the practice if it is intended to finish the hull
‘natural’ that is using a clear protective coating on the hull structure.
Plywood is quicker to install than veneers but is usually heavier so if you are building a lightweight
racing boat veneer would be your choice and plywood may be preferred for a “not so light” cruising
boat. An all veneer hull should be stronger than a plywood one; the reason for this is that in the plywood
planked version there are many layers of short grain across the planks as is normal when plywood
sheets are cut into strips as used for building using the cold moulded method.
When you think of veneer this material can be anything from 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch (3 mm to 6 mm )
in thickness and still usable as the diagonal planking material for your cold moulded hull. I personally
would veneer over plywood planking but cost, availability and your personal choice may cause you to
use plywood planking. Provided you choose good quality materials and pay attention to detail, you
will still end up with a fine hull no matter if you choose veneer or strips of plywood as the basic
planking material.
The hull is then sheathed in fibreglass, Dynel or carbon fiber cloth which can be applied to one or
both sides depending upon the design. The cold-moulding technique using veneers is commonly used
in high performance multihulls and racing monohulls whereas cold-moulded plywood is more common
in cruising boats. As far as the one-off builder is concerned, cold-moulding is a relatively straight
forward process. Using full-size frame patterns, the basic structure goes together quickly as does the
application of the veneer or plywood.

This timber hull on this Centennial Spray 38 hull is finished with two layers of diagonal planking
followed by two layers of fibreglass cloth set in epoxy resin.

STRIP PLANKING – WOOD EPOXY

As mentioned above when it comes to building a timber hull there is considerable cross over between
the technique known as ‘Cold Moulding’ and the Wood Epoxy building methods.
Strip Planking can be put into two categories – Traditional and Modern.
The Traditional strip planking technique relied on permanent internal frames and stringers to provide
the necessary transverse strength. Internal fastenings joined the planks to the frames and edge nailed
them together. This eliminated the need for caulking however very accurate tight fits were needed
between the strips and availability of waterproof glues to seal the joins between the planks made the
process much simpler. This traditional method of strip planking has almost entirely been replaced by
the modern wood/epoxy system.
LEFT & ABOVE
This is a Wood Epoxy
Roberts 246 built using
the strip plank technique.
As you can see the builder
is making a very nice job
of building this hull and
deck. Note the cast lead
that has been bolted to
the timber keel.
With Modern strip planking, commonly known as wood/epoxy, the most common timber used is Western
Red Cedar and instead of edge nailing strips together and onto frames, each strip is only temporarily
fastened to the building frames and, when the process is complete and before fibre glassing, the nails
are removed and the holes filled. The hull is sheathed with fibreglass both inside and outside providing
the strength to replace frames and stringers. Internal fittings such as bulkheads, bunks and furniture
would all be structural, and contribute to the strength. The structure is, in effect, a fibreglass sandwich
panel. The weight and type of glass depends on the size of the craft and should be specified by the
designer.

This is the
construction shown
in the area of the
bow. From forward
end of strong-back,
installation

BUILDING FRAMES
Depending on the design you have chosen, your plans may call for permanent frames or for the frames
to be used only as temporary mould formers, to be removed after the hull planking is complete.
Permanent bulkheads can be utilized, as part of the setting up of the hull framework. If the frames are
to remain in the hull, you will need to build them out of first grade timber or have them laminated to
achieve the most strength for their size and weight. If you are fortunate, your plans will have been
supplied with full size patterns and these can be laid on plywood sheets to enable speedy assembly of
the frames.
THE TRANSOM
The transom can be assembled and installed at the same time as the frames or later, if you feel it is more
convenient, for access to the inside of the hull. It is usually simpler if the transom is left out so we
include the frame past the transom position so that the whole hull can be planked before turnover. After
turnover, the transom can be fitted and the hull trimmed.
Building a boat is just a matter of performing one simple (or not so simple) task one
after another. Below we show examples of some amateur boatbuilders who have succeed
in building attractive and sea-worthy hulls. Our experience is that the hull is the most
daunting part of the project and once you have managed to get past this part of the
project then as they say ‘the going gets easier’ Good boat-building!

Once the frames are constructed

they are set up and the first
stringers are installed as shown
on this Roberts 434 wood epoxy
hull. Note the pre-laminated rib
that was formed using the
outside of the hull mould as a
pattern; this rib will later be
installed inside after the hull is
turned upright. This illustrates
a good case the forward
thinking. Earl Rentmeester is
the builder and he kindly
supplied this series of
photographs.

Here is another view of Earl’s frames and stringers. Note the piece of plywood lying along the stringers;
this is used to check the structure for fairness. The strip of plywood represents one strip of the first layer
of plywood. This strip will be laid diagonally over the stringers at various points to make sure that the
frames and stringers are all fair and ready to receive the plywood planking that forms the finished hull
laminate. Also note the clamping of the joins of top stringers; these are clamped together to provide a
one piece stringer.
ASSEMBLING THE BASIC HULL STRUCTURE
Once you have made the frames and stem you can set up your hull, usually, on a strongback or,
occasionally, on a level floor depending on the designer’s arrangement. You should read the chapters
in the fibreglass section of this book dealing with setting up a male mould. The techniques for building
the fibreglass male mould and setting up a Wood/epoxy hull have a lot in common.
After you set the frames up on the strongback, you should install the stem and stringers or battens,
depending on whether it is intended that the frames and stringers stay with the hull see under Traditional
or Modern in Strip-Planking section.
Generally speaking, Wood/epoxy hulls are built over a temporary mould with reinforcing in the form
of fibreglass and internal support from the furniture but they can be built with the frames and stringers
in place. The idea of a lightweight shell, with a clean interior, ready to receive laminated web floors,
laminated bulkhead grounds and other interior joinery has considerable appeal and is less likely to trap
moisture. Today we build most modern timber hulls upside down and they are turned upright after the
planking. You can install the transom at any stage before the deck is added. Usually the stem, the
keelson, the deck stringer or deck shelf and transom if installed at this stage, will all remain with the
hull when it is removed from the mould former.
FAIRING THE BASIC STRUCTURE
Once the frames, stem, keelson and stringers are in place, you will need to fair off the keelson and stem
and other areas that need to be bevelled to receive the planking. Be careful not to over bevel any one
area however, if you do make a mistake, you can glue a piece of timber on to the affected area and
simply re-bevel to the correct angle.
Use a batten to check over your basic hull structure and to check that you have the bevels at the
correct angles to receive the veneer or plywood planking. In the case of a chine plywood hull the setting
up procedure will be similar except the chine stringers will stay with the hull even if the frames are
removed. In fact, it is more usual to leave the frames in a chine hull.
INSTALLING THE PLANKING
The builder’s next decision will be how he is going to install the hull skin. Generally speaking, your
hull shell will be between ¼” [6mm] for say an 18 foot boat, up to a thickness of 2 inches [50mm] for
a 60 foot vessel. We recommend for the smaller and lighter skinned hulls, an all timber veneer
laminate. For a say 3/8" [9mm] hull skin, three layers of 1/8" [3mm] veneer would be ideal. Once the
total thickness required is over say 5/8" [15mm] you may consider a combination of strip planking and
veneer. You could have an all strip planked hull with at least one layer of veneer to finish off the
exterior. Your plans will specify the hull thickness for the boat you are building.
 Here we see Earl Rentmeester
fitting and installing one of the
diagonal strips in the first layer of
hull planking. A small ‘palm
plane’ will be useful to make final
adjustments to each plywood strip
to make sure that it fits snugly
against its neighbour. Note the
protective knee pads, always
remember to wear safety gear
appropriate to the work you are
doing at the time.

Note the neat joins in the

plywood strips which
have been pre-scharphed
into suitable lengths to fit
diagonally on to the hull
framework. If you can not
obtain plywood or veneer
of suitable lengths then
you will need to pre-
scharph the strips or have
the sheets pre-scharphed
by the outfit who supplies
of the plywood or veneer
for your wood epoxy
boatbuilding project.
Next job is to install the
second and subsequent layers
of diagonal plywood or
veneer. Note the neat first
layer, all strips fitting close to
their neighbours plus the
strips are all neatly trimmed
at the sheer line. See how the
first strip of the second layer
is allowed to go past the
sheer; this is good practice
for all strips but make sure to
trim all before proceeding to
the next layers of plywood or
veneer.
 Once the total number of layers as
called for in your plans have been
installed the next job is to fair the
entire hull using a flexible sanding
board say 3 ft – 3 ins / 1 m long by
6 ins / 150 mm wide and say ¼ in
/ 6 mm thick; try some different
thicknesses of sanding board to find
the best thickness and length for
your particular hull fairing and
sanding application. Fill any ir-
regularities with epoxy filler before
proceeding. Now install the stem
capping as shown here. Note that
the waterline has been clearly
marked so that it will show through
the fiberglass sheathing that will be
added in the next step of the hull
construction process.

Here we see the protective layer of fiberglass cloth laid out ready for installing using epoxy resin. The
builder has pre-measured all the panels of fiberglass cloth so as to make for easier and more organised
working conditions when installing the epoxy saturated fiberglass material. The grain of the timber
and previously marked waterline will show through the clear finish created by the epoxy saturated
fibreglass cloth. We do not recommend timber boats being left with a clear finish as you will need to
use a special UVA protective varnish; also this finish always requires far too much maintenance for the
serious cruising yachtsman.
AABOVE & LEFT: Views of the coated hull, this
shot shows the stripe left to reveal the waterline
marking. You will note that this area is still clear
even though it is covered with the epoxy fibreglass
laminate. Also note the laminated timber ‘flat keel
area’ where the ballasted keel will later be attached
by bolting it to the hull; also note the interior stiffen-
ers and web ‘floors’

BELOW: The hull is now upright and requires

careful levelling to ensure that the decks,
superstructure and interior joinery can be properly
installed. Here we see Earl Rentmeester using a
regular carpenters level but he will also be able to
use a clear tube water level in other areas including
the levelling of the waterline from the outside of the
hull.
ABOVE: In this view you will
notice that the transom is not
installed. It is common practice
to leave the installation of the
transom until much of the
interior work is completed; this
allows more light to enter the
work area as well as making
more convenient access to the
inside of the hull at this stage of
your building program.
LEFT: This design can be built
with minimum permanent
frames. As you can see the
temporary frames have been
removed from the fore section of
the hull and the forward
bulkhead ground, stiffening web-
floors and inner keelson have
been added to the interior. Only
remove the temporary frames as
you need access to work on
adding interior stiffening
members etc., you want to keep
the shape of your hull until the
bulkheads and other interior
work is as advanced as possible
in any particular area of the hull
PLANKING Cont.
The completed hull is then finished with a number of layers of fibreglass, dynel or carbon fibre and
epoxy resin. Two layers of cloth set in epoxy resin weighing 18 oz per sq yard or 500 grams per square
metre would be about right. Larger boats say those over 36 ft or 11 m on deck, may benefit from
additional layers of glass.
If you are building an all veneer hull, you could consider using 1/8" [3mm] or better still 3/16"
[4mm] plywood for the first layer. Veneers are often too soft to bend evenly when not totally supported
as happens when laminating over stringers or battens. The plywood will bend much more evenly and
provide a better base for the following layers of veneer that make up the remainder of the hull skin. In
some powerboat hulls, we recommend that you install the plywood planking in two or three or more
layers as it would be virtually impossible to install the thicker plywood at one go and, because of the
shape, it is often necessary to use plywood strips around the bow even if the remainder of the boat is
sheet plywood. As plywood comes in large dimensionally stable sheets it is possible to plank large
areas of a hull quickly and easily. However plywood can only be bent into a compound curve with
great difficulty, and there are limits to how tightly it may be bent before breaking.
ROUND BILGE HULLS
For round bilge hulls, the first layer of plywood will usually be installed in strips varying in width from
3" [75mm] to 18" [460mm]. The strips or panels will usually be installed at the 45 degree diagonal.
The width of the strips will vary depending on the shape of the hull as tight curves will call for narrower
strips and flatter areas will allow the use of wider strips. Up near the bow should be the area with the
least curve and so the strips can be wider. Only trial fittings on your hull will tell you how wide the
strips can be on the different areas of your hull.
No matter where you start the planking, make sure that you install both sides simultaneously. Under
no circumstances plank all one side before starting on the other as you will end with a twisted hull. For
best results, apply one strip on one side then one on the other side working your way along both sides,
forward or aft, in this manner.
TRIMMING THE PANELS
You will find that each strip or panel has to be fitted snugly to its neighbour. It is not just a matter of
cutting the sheets of plywood or veneer into strips and laying them side by side at a 45 degree angle.
You will discover that as the panels are laid around the hull, they twist slightly and each new panel will
need a little bit of trimming. Fortunately, this is a quick and simple matter to rectify by trimming off
the excess material where the edges overlap the previous panel. After first attaching the strip to the
keel, the excess can be gauged and trimmed off with a small hand plane, or if the overlap is considerable,
it can be marked and removed for trimming using band saw or jig saw.
Make sure you get a good fit, because if you force the panels into place by pushing them sideways they
will not want to lay flat and you will never achieve a smooth hull finish. Any forcing a fit may result
in a hull that will have a series of lumps and bumps that will be hard to remove when you install the
subsequent layers; the fit of the first layer is very important. The idea of using plywood for the first
layer is set up a smooth skin to receive the remaining layers but, if the designer specifies a certain
sequence then, that should be followed regardless.
Glue and nail the first layer to the stem, keelson and the deck stringer. If the intermediate stringers
are to stay in the hull, then the panels can be nailed and glued to them as well. If the stringers or battens
are to be removed, then you staple the strips only and these staples are removed before the next layer is
attached. There is no need to edge glue the panels as on subsequent layers, the glue will seep through
and create a bond between the edges.
Before you start to install the second layer of veneer or plywood, you should check for any gaps
between the strips and, if any are found, tape inside the join to stop any glue seeping through and
running down the inside of the hull – saves a lot of work later.
When you have completed the installation of the first layer, the next step will depend on the required
number of layers for your hull. If the plans call for the installation of three layers, it is possible, for the
second layer, to use wider strips as long as they lay flat. If you find that wider strips are hard to fit,
revert to the narrower diagonal strips as used for the first layer but in a diagonally opposite direction.
CHOICE OF ADHESIVE
These days, we assume most builders will be using epoxy glue between the layers however, there are
some drawbacks to using epoxy compared to some other adhesives. For instance, some glue’s may not
have the ultimate strength of epoxy resins, but are more forgiving when it comes to working in less than
ideal conditions. To make the most of the qualities of the true Wood/Epoxy techniques, you should be
working in an environmentally controlled area. Temperature control is important as is the absence of
high humidity. You will need to decide how your building site will measure up and choose your glue
accordingly. See: “Recent History”
MARK STRINGER LOCATIONS
It is always wise to mark the positions of the stringers and keelson on each layer of veneer/ply panels.
This will give you their location when installing subsequent layers of plywood or veneer and it will
also be necessary to have a person inside the hull with a “dolly” to make sure you are getting a good
tight fit as you nail or staple the first layer to the stringers, stem, deck shelf and keelson. Any bouncing
or spring back as you nail or staple will often prevent a good join. The marked stringer locations will
give you the positions through which to staple or nail the second layer to the first and so on. You
should either nail or staple the first layer to the keelson and nail or staple to the stringers depending
upon whether the mould is permanent or temporary. If the first layer of plywood or veneer curls a bit
at the edge as it passes around the bilge area, you will usually find that the second diagonal layer will
pull it into place.
SELECTING THE FASTENINGS
Over the years we have used several types of staples, one being the common galvanised wire type and
the others stainless or silicon bronze. It is always sensible to remove steel or galvanised staples
whereas the stainless or silicon bronze types could be left in the hull but better removed.
Some builders opt to lay the final layer in a fore and aft direction. Unless you are going to finish the
hull clear, I don’t think it matters which way you install the various layers as long as you have a good
bond between the veneers. A balanced lay up is essential and by balanced I mean that all the layers do
not run in the same direction. The plans you are using should give you precise instructions as to the
procedure and sequence for applying the hull skin.
FAIRING AND FINISHING THE HULL
Once the hull has been planked the next job will be to fair off the stem and fit a trim strip. Then, dress
off the bottom of the keelson to accept the laminated timber keel. Any raw end grain of the plywood
should always be covered by a timber facing such as at the stem where the trim strip will take care of
that exposed area. The timber keel can be laminated in position and can be reinforced with copper
bolts. Next, give your completed hull a good check over and dress off any unfair areas before you
sheath the entire hull, keel and the skeg with a layer or more of fibreglass or Dynel using epoxy resin.
TURNING THE HULL
Next job will be to turn your hull upright. As the methods are similar you should read the chapter
covering the subject of turning over fibreglass hulls. Once the hull is upright and level on all planes
your plan may call for applying epoxy resin to the inside of the hull before you are ready to continue
with the fitting out of the interior and the installation of the decks and superstructure. The operation of
turning the hull is similar whether your hull is built of timber, fibreglass or steel so please read the
relevant chapters for additional advice on this important operation.
SOLID FLOORS – WEB FLOORS
Solid floors also known as web floors; these terms do not refer to the area you would walk on, they are
in fact structural members. These ‘floors’ are installed athwart-ships at the lower end of frames under
the sole (the area you do walk on) and usually have a function of assisting in tying the bottom of the
hull to the keel area; they add strength where it is needed at the between the hull and keel. You may find
it easier to fit the solid floors during the framing of the hull, rather laminate them in place later. Our
plans have used both methods and each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. Your plans
should guide you as to the best sequence for your particular design.
It is usually preferred in chine type hulls to attach the floors to the frames in such a way that they can
be faired off with the stringers and the rest of the framing and then the hull skin can be laminated
directly on to the floors. On round bilge hulls involving a “bolt on keel” it may be best to laminate leaf
spring type floors into the hull after turning the hull upright. Again, your plans should guide you as to
the best sequence for your particular design.
TRADITIONAL AND NOT SO TRADITIONAL PLANKING
Before leaving the subject of building your hull, we must give some consideration to the traditional
strip planking technique. Today, if you are thinking of building in timber, then you really only have a
choice between strip planking and cold moulding using plywood. Both methods are relatively straight
forward and do not demand particular skills that would be the case with even more traditional timber
building techniques and, the final decision should rest with the availability of suitable building materials.
If you are strip planking the timber is cut to ¾” to 1 ¼” [20 to 30 mm] thickness and can either be
square in section or a little deeper for example ¾” thick x 1 ¼” deep [20 x 30 mm]. The planks are
“edge glued” one on top of the other. Traditionally, strip plank boats are built upright however I have
seen this type of hull built upside down.

The framing for traditional planking is somewhat larger than used for more modern wooden
boatbuilding techniques. Watch out for the conservationists if you choose this method!
 Note the heavy keel timbers, heel,
stern tube, steam bent frames and
temporary stringers that will be
removed as planking proceeds.

Bow area of a
traditionally planked
Spray hull, note bent
ribs, stem and outer
planking.
FRAMING
You will require temporary or permanent framing made up of sawn or laminated frames similar to
those used for any mould. Sometimes when the hull is built upside down, the method is to install the
planking up to the keelson and then a laminated keel is fitted in the manner described earlier in this
chapter. With traditional strip planking, the planks are fitted one on top of the other and are edge
nailed and glued one to the other. This method of construction provides a strong hull that needs the
minimum of interior framing. The planking timber may be dressed with square edges or may be
machined to a concave section on the top and convex on the bottom. This machining of the planks
allows them to lay one on top of the other and to follow the curve of the hull frames with a minimum of
dressing of each plank. When using square edges, it is usual to dress off the top of each plank after it
has been installed to provide a surface square off the frame on which to lay the next plank. Either
method is satisfactory although, as the planking will usually not go on up the hull in an even manner,
it will be necessary to spile in short planks in certain areas. Some advantages of the specially milled
timber are lost when you have to do this.
BALLAST KEELS ON WOODEN BOATS
For sailboat builders using any timber building method, there is one critical area common to strip
planking, moulded plywood and other timber method in that you will need a separate keel casting of
either lead or iron as ballast and this will have to be attached with keel bolts through the keelson.
If you are building a traditional strip plank hull, you will set up your ballast keel and the timber keel
first and work upright from there. The mould frames are set in place with the stem and transom. The
planking starts at the keel with the first plank let into the rabbet and the remainder of the planking
installed as described above. If you are using Modern timber methods, you will build you hull upside
down in the usual manner and attach the ballast keel after turnover.

The ballast has been fitted in the

Spray 38. It makes sense to me to
form the mould for the ballast as
part of the laminated timber keel
structure and then cut out the part
where the ballast is to be located
and us this part as the mould for
the lead ballast. By permission of
Rob McGill & Nina Morissette.
This drawing from the Roberts 345 plans shows the keel ballast bolted in place. Also not the web
floors to accept the plywood sole.
STRIP PLANKING THE HULL – TRADITIONAL METHOD
Building upright, the first plank that connects to the keel is called the garboard and this plank may need
to be somewhat wider than the rest. As the garboard plank sets the stage for the remainder of the
planking, it is best if it is wide enough to be shaped on the bottom to fit the keel and to have a level top
face as this starts the strip planking off on an even surface. As the planking proceeds up to the bilge
area, it will often be necessary to taper the planks or lay in a few stealers in the centre of the bilge area
otherwise you would finish with the planking too dished in a fore and aft direction by the time it
reached the deck. The idea is to reach the deck level with one long continuous plank, rather than a
series of short ends of planking towards the bow and stern of the hull. The methods you use to ensure
that the planking is level when it reaches the deck will depend on the design you are building. In
general, the beamier the design, the more stealers you will need to ensure a neat and efficient planking
job. Before you start the planking you will have decided whether you are going to be using square edge
planking or the convex, concave variety. As mentioned earlier, the planks can have a greater depth
than thickness. It is a fact that the planks bend into place better if they are rectangular in section rather
than square. Usually the depth is best at 1.5 times the thickness.
FASTENINGS
There are two basic choices for the adhesive, epoxy or resorcinol. As for the nails, you can use a
combination of copper and silicon bronze. Usually copper nails can be used to fasten the strips but, if
a harder nail is required, silicon bronze is the answer. The main function of the nails is to hold the
timber together until the glue is set so it may be wasteful to pay the considerably extra cost for silicon
bronze nails if copper will do the job. As with many decisions you must make during the building of
your boat, the depth of your pocket will have a bearing on your final choice.
LEFT: This photograph shows from
left, one of the ribs, a partial bulkhead,
the inner keelson, web floors and a
covered portion that is where some
of the tankage will be located under
the sole area.

BELOW: Another view of the same

area as shown in previous
photograph. Note the inner keelson,
laminated ribs, web floors and the
partially installed cabin sole. This is
a good time to ascertain where the
lowest point of hull is located; make
sure you provide for drainage of any
bilge water from the ends of the hull
to area where you will install the main
bilge pumping system.
LEFT: The cabin sole should be
installed in such a way so in cases
of emergency that at least the
centre section is removable. The
installation of large joined up
panels of sole plywood that finish
under some permanently
installed joinery such as settees
etc., is not recommended. In any
case all sole areas must have
inspection panels and can often
provide stowage areas for tinned
goods etc. This photograph also
shows one of the bulkheads with
top area shaped to take the cabin
sides and cabin top.
BOTTOM: Here we see more of
the bulkheads shaped to take the
decks, cabin sides and cabin top.
In this view you can clearly see
the substantial laminated sheer
stringer as well as various
bulkheads that are used to divide
the interior into usable living
space such as the head(s) galley
etc. Finally you can see Mary
Rentmeester who is surveying the
size of the Roberts 434 interior.
Time to check the room in the various accommodation areas; Mary Rentmeester agrees that there is
sufficient elbow and headroom in this head compartment. If you have room in your boat it is advantageous
to have individual and separate head and shower compartments each fitted with a small hand basin and
then perhaps one general head with a combination of all elements included in the one area. This is
generally preferable to two or more all purpose compartments.
 Looking aft - the pilot
houese is already in place
in this photo - see more
of pilot house in later
pages by Earl Rentmeester

We are looking
forward to where the
pilot h ouse will be
installed - note the
pilot house raised
sole.

Here we see the

laminated deck
beams in the flush
deck area; note the
fore and aft
intercostals that are
added between the
beams. This area
will gain much of its
strength from the
laminated layers of
plywood that are
used to form the
deck structure.
INTERIOR FRAMING
Once the hull has been completely planked and cleaned off, then the temporary framework can be
removed and any laminated frames that are specified in the plans can be installed. Generally there are
laminated frames where the bulkheads are to be attached to the hull and in some larger designs, a series
of laminated frames may be specified throughout the hull. Sometimes the setting up, frames or formers,
are laminated frames that remain with the hull. This system of permanent frames is usually reserved
for boats of over 50 feet [15 meters].
Any intermediate floors not previously installed as part of the setting up process are now fastened in
place. The bulkheads may be installed and it is often best to leave them standing up square well above
the sheer so that the plywood can be marked out with the side deck width, cabin lay-in and cabin top
camber. The interior may be roughed out at this stage and any large items such as engine, tanks and
large panels of plywood required for the interior, should be in the hull before you start work on the
decks and superstructure.
The cabin sole can be fitted, keeping in mind you will need access to the area of the keel where the
keel bolts are and, in any case, it is always prudent to have removable sole panels. At this time you will
need to decide if you are going to use transverse or longitudinal deck beams. In the days of wooden
boats, all deck beams had to be installed transversely because the deck planking ran fore and aft. Now
that we have plywood to use for decking you may find it easier to use longitudinal deck beams or a
combination of both longitudinal and transverse beams. At the same time as you are installing the
beams, you should frame up for the cockpit coamings and hatch openings.
If you are planning a laid timber deck on top of the plywood sub-deck, then it would be better to use
transverse deck beams so that you will able to through fasten the timber deck planks unless, the deck
itself was thick enough to take these fastenings. Even if you use longitudinal beams and later decide
on a laid deck, you have the option of using the diagonal or herringbone design to pick up these beams.
Before you can fit any deck beams or decking, if not already in place, you will need to install the deck
shelf around the inside of the sheer.
After the camber is cut, you may decide to attach a transverse beam to the top of each bulkhead and
at the deck line before installing beams. This applies regardless of whether your main deck framing is
transverse or longitudinal. Even with transverse beams you will need a few short longitudinal beams
such as for the cabin top in way of the mast step and one in the fore deck, known as the king plank, in
way of the positioning of the mooring bitts, anchor winch or fore deck cleat. Fore and aft king planks
can be wider and shallower and can be checked into the transverse beams.
If you are installing transverse beams, these can either be sawn or laminated. A typical beam would be
1 ¾” wide [45mm] by, say, 2 ¾” [70mm] deep. This beam can be made up of laminations of 1 ¾”
[45mm] wide by ½” [12mm] with one thicker layer to make up the odd amount. The layers of timber
can be set up in a purpose made jig or made over a master beam assembled on the widest bulkhead. It
is a good idea to make up the beams well in advance.
These beams can be laminated, daily or weekly and set aside until needed – when made, be careful to
store them out of the sun and the longer you can leave the beams on the jig, the less spring back you can
expect. Once you have fitted all the deck framing , check it over and dress off any unfair areas. Make
use of a batten
laid diagonally
across the
surface of the
deck framing to
make sure you
have no lumps
or hollows
which will give
you problems
when you start
to fit the
p l y w o o d
decking.

This photo shows the anchor locker bulkhead, deck carlin attached to the inside of the hull and
cabin side carlin where the side deck beams will be installed. This series of photos and those on
following pages are by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

This photo side and fore deck beams

in place. Note the space in the bow area
where the anchor locker hatch will be
located.
 Close up on the
deck beams.

Cabin top beams that were

pre-varnished before the
cabin top was installed.
PLYWOOD DECKING
When you are satisfied the framework for your deck is ready, you can you can start to install the
plywood decking. Your plans will tell you how many laminations of plywood will be needed to make
up the total thickness required. The first layer is nailed and glued to the deck framing and the second
and subsequent layers are glued and stapled to the first. At this stage, you can save a lot of time with
the use of air tools to fasten the decking.
Be careful not over nail the first layer to the beams. Remember the nails are only effective until the
glue has cured. In the case of the staples, these should be removed after the glue has set and between
layers.
When finished, you will need to cover the plywood decks with fibreglass as they cannot be left
unprotected and simply painting them would not offer sufficient protection. After the fibreglass has
cured the decks and cabin tops can be sanded and painted and a non-skid surface applied.

This drawing from the Roberts 345 wood epoxy plans shows the steps in setting out the sole, side
decks, decks and cabin sides.
LAID DECKS
A laid deck can be structural or decorative. For a laid deck to be considered as contributing to the
structural strength of the vessel, the planking would need to be at least ¾” [20mm] thickness and the
planks should be set in mastic or polysulphide and screwed to the beams or decking. The screws heads
should be at least ¼” [6mm] below the surface of the planking and protected with timber plugs. If you
install a structural laid deck, you can reduce the plywood deck to compensate for the strength of the
overlay.
 If you are intending to install a laid deck, it will need to look like a traditional installation, regardless
of whether or not it is only intended as a decorative non-skid finish. There are a number of ways to
accomplish this finish including buying pre-made decking, which can come in sections like plywood
sheeting with the grooves cut in to one side or, pre-prepared teak deck planking from specialists that
you can lay yourself or have their artisans do the job.
Before you decide to tackle the installation of a laid deck, be advised that it is a very labour intensive
operation and either you or your hired labour will take several days to install even a modest sized deck.
The planking can be laid in several ways. Traditionally, it would follow the curve of the sheer or it
could run fore and aft parallel to the centre line or a combination of the two or, may even be installed
diagonally at a 45 degree angle. Use silicon bronze or stainless screws, depending upon the deck type,
with the heads set below the surface to allow for a timber plug to hide the screw.
SHEATHING PLYWOOD DECKS AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
The best method of protecting plywood decks and superstructure is to sheath them with fibreglass or
Dynel cloth using epoxy resin. Polyester resin can be used but, if you want the best long lasting job
then, epoxy is the way to go. We have used polyesters for many years with satisfactory results but,
when there is a better product that is not too much more expensive, why not use it. Generally speaking
you need to use two or more layers of sheathing set in epoxy resin to get the best results. Two layers of
cloth weighing 18 oz per sq yard or 500 grams per square metre would be about right. Larger boats say
those over 36 ft or 11 m on deck, may benefit from additional layers of glass.
Before starting to sheath plywood decks and superstructure, you should fill all nail and staple holes
and any other blemishes. All holes should be filled flush with the face of the plywood and all corners
must be rounded to accept the fibreglass. Use a filler, compatible with the resin you are using, to create
a radius for the fibreglass sheathing to smoothly progress from cabin sides to decks, coamings to decks
and anywhere else that it is required.
After you are satisfied the decks and superstructure are ready to accept the fibreglass sheathing, give
the whole area a coat of thinned resin and allow this to cure before proceeding with the sheathing.
Any excessive moisture content in the plywood will prevent you achieving a lasting bond between
the fibreglass and the plywood decks and superstructure so be sure that the plywood is dry and the
humidity level acceptable. Even if you plan to install a laid fibreglass deck over the plywood, it is
still advisable to install at least one layer of fibreglass between the plywood and the laid timber deck.
A fibreglass finish will form an excellent seal for the cabin sides and other areas where there is no laid
decking. If you follow our advice on the above matters, you should have a totally waterproof deck
that will last indefinitely. Once the sheathing is complete and the resin has cured it will be necessary to
apply a non-skid finish to all horizontal surfaces.
 The pilot house and cabin sides are now in
place - note the fore and aft beam at top of
sides that will accept the ends of the cabin top
beams which are notched into this timber.

The pilot house top is now in place

along with the framing, mullions and
cabin top grounds for the PH
windscreen. Earl Rentmeester photos.

The plywood planking

is now nearing
completion on the pi-
lot house and forward
cabin. The corners will
be rounded to give an
attractive appearance
and the whole struc-
ture will be sheathed
with fiberglass cloth
set in epoxy resin.
TOP:
Here we can see the
bulkhead attached to
the pre-laminated
bulkhead ground that
is in turn attached to
the hull stringers.

BELOW:
The overall view of the
pilot house top and aft
poop deck.Note that
some hatches have al-
ready been cut to let in
some light.

ABOVE:
Earl wanted to use a bit more lay-in in the pilot house
sides so found that there was not enough ‘meat’ left
in the top carlins so he solved the problem by using
bracket knees as is and was used in the aircraft
industary and elsewher; Earl Rentmeester photos.
Roberts 370 - Builder Graham Andrew - Australia
This is the start of a sequence of photographs showing the Roberts 370 wood epoxy sailboat being
built by Graham Andrew in Australia. This view shows the forward anchor locker bulkhead tabbed
in place, see the fairing of filler around the perimeter used to make the later layers of bonding fit in
such a way as to add extra strength to the attachment between the bulkhead and the hull. Always
avoid sharp corners between areas when working with fibreglass materials.

Graham Andrew had access to some local timber

which he had milled to the correct sizes to build
his wood epoxy Roberts 370
Above we see Graham taking off the frame
shapes from the full size patterns and getting
started on setting up the hull framework.
 Make sure the floor and
strong-back are level in all
directions carefully check
that each frame is installed
level and upright; use ad-
equate bracing as necessary.

Close up view of the frames set on the

strong-back. Your plans will give you
advice as to how to set the frames up
so that no bevelling is required; a
great saving on work at this stage.

This is a good time to have a helping hand.

I think that those surf boards will remain
idle for awhile !
 This photograph shows the
deck shelf which is located
below the sheer-line and
provides for a bulwark to
rise above the side decks.
Also see the shaping of the
bulkheads ready to receive
the cabin sides and cabin
top as well as one
temporary superstructure
former that will assist in
forming the cabin
structure; see later
photographs.

Another view from inside the pilot house

showing the deck beam with the official
number and length of the vessel carved
into the beam. For those who are not
aware of this long standing tradition; it
was and generally still is mandatory in
any vessel to have size and identifying
number carved into a beam. The official
number is the registration number of the
vessel on the National shipping register
and it is mandatory that it along with the
length of the vessel be permanently fixed
to the vessel in a way so that removal
will deface a structural part of the vessel.
Some Jurisdictions require the weight of
the vessel also. Graham Andrew’s boat
is an Australian registered ship which
allows him to sail it out of Australia and
affords all forms of Consular help when
overseas if need be.
ABOVE:
Here we see the sheet plywood installed on
the poop deck as opposed to the strip plank-
ing used to plank the cabin sides and top.
RIGHT AND BELOW:
The bulkheads and web floors are tagged
in place and the radius filler added to make
sure that the fibreglass bond between the
hull and the relevant areas will not have
any sharp corners where glass bonds are
known to be put under excessive strain and
often fail if not radiused at the corners.
These web
floors are des-
tined to be-
come part of
the tankage
system.

Note the baffles dividing up the

tank into sections; always make
sure there are adequate baffles
to avoid the liquids sloshing
around in a seaway and putting
abnormal loads on the struc-
ture of the tanks.

Here we see that tank tops are

in place and the pipes installed
ready for connection to where
the liquids will be used.
 More tanks with top and pipes
in place.

Here we see the sole framing in the raised

area in the pilot house. There will be con-
siderable useful room under thes sole
area so do not forget to allow for ad-
equate access via hatches.

Another view of the pilot house sole area with the

forward cabin bulkhead in place; the framing of the
pilot house windscreen is just visible at the top of
this photo.
 Graham Andrew elected to use
strip planking techniques to
build the decks and cabin
structure; our plans call for
plywood over a timber framing
to be used in these areas but
Graham is an experienced and
enterprising builder and he
chose the strip planking
method for the exterior of the
entire boat.

Here is another view

of the temporary
framing with the
strip planking being
installed to the cabin
sides and top. Note
the plastic protecting
the edges of the
temporary framing;
this will allow the
frame to be removed
without damaging
the inside of the
planking.

The strip planking is made

over-length so that the cabin
front can be installed after
trimming the excess. The front
can either be flat in profile or
build up as a pre-laminated
curve made oversize and then
spieled to make a fit to the
existing cabin-top and sides. A
tip here is that if you are
missing a rounded template for
cabin front or for that matter
for a transom; generally the
deck camber pattern can be
pressed into service to form a
curve that will look pleasing in
both areas.
 Here is a close up of the
pilot house framing. Note
the areas in the mullions
and the area surrounding
the window aperture that
have been rabated ready
to receive either armour
plate glass or high quality
Perspex or Lucite glazing.

Here is another
view of the pilot
house, bulwark
and trunk cabin.
Note the fine finish
that has been
achieved by
Graham Andrew in
building and
finishing this
Roberts 370 strip
plank hull.

Next the strip plank was covered

with two layers of fibreglass
cloth set in epoxy and sanded to
a fine finish. A little ‘elbow
grease’ or as much as is needed
can pay hansom dividends as
will be seen in the fine finish
shown in this photograph.
Graham is beginning to install the teak
deck. The margin planks are the first to
be installed all round the perimeter of
the decks and cabin top
This photograph shows the side deck planking proceeding at a steady pace. Graham Andrew worked
over the weekend to take these shots and allow us to see most of the deck planking in place.
All the margin planks are
now in place and the instal-
lation of the laid deck can
proceed.
The centreline ‘king plank’ is shown here and the blocks of lead you see at the top of the photograph
are used to hold this wider plank in position while the adhesive sets and ensures that the plank
remains in place.
Here is a close up of the mitred join in the margin planks fitted to the cabin top. To assure a
professional finish remember to always use similar joins at the corners of margin planks and simi-
lar areas. NEVER fit teak decking without using margin and king–centreline planks. Study other
boats, take photographs and note how the professionals finish the planking in the various areas of
deck, cabin tops and cockpits etc
The king plank has now been ‘nibbed’ to accept the side and foredeck planks as they intersect
the centreline plank.
This section has the caulking material applied - Later all will be sanded to give the desired finish.
Here we see the completed side and cabin top laid decking - All that is left is to add the caulking.
Here we see some of the interior joinery. Note the neat bulkhead attachment to the hull; if properly
thought out and carefully installed the lockers, berths and other interior joinery can add an enormous
strength to the hull of any boat.

The toe rail and poop cap rail put a nice and practical finish to the appearance of the Roberts 370
ABOVE: Time for the first of the finish coats. BELOW: Laid Decks are almost completed
ABOVE: View of side deck and fore-cabin top. BELOW: View as fore-cabin top nears completion..
ABOVE: General view side deck and fore-cabin top. BELOW: Rubbing strip and cap rail.
ABOVE: Aft end of the side decks and step to poop. BELOW: Closer view of the foredeck area.
Here we see part of the coaming that has been arranged as storage as well serving its other purposes
including providing a base for sheet winches etc, Note how the curved areas were achieved by using
plywood strips. Sometimes you can create curves like this by scoring the plywood and then bending
to shape, any gaps in the outer surface of the curve can be filled with epoxy putty and sanded to a
smooth even rounded surface. Of course you can also laminate thin layers of plywood or veneer into
just about any curve or shape that you desire to incorporate into you boat construction programme.
 ABOVE:
We have seen this coaming
grow from the laminated
structure through
fiberglassing and now with
the top covered with the teak
decking. See previous page.

LEFT:
Here is an overview of the
main hatchway, sliding hatch
and hatch ‘garage’

RIGHT:
Here is a closer view
at the shiding hatch
and garage.
ABOVE:
Here is a small sample of the sole area com-
plete with teak planking. Note the mast support
which will be trimmed with timber or similar.

TOP and LEFT:

The decking on the cabin top and decks is now
completed, sanded and ready for use !
For the Spray enthusiasts here is - Building a timber Spray
Wood / Epoxy, Plywood, Strip plank, Round bilge timber.
You have a wide choice of materials when you decide to build your own Spray. The first few
Sprays that were built from our plans utilized fiberglass as the primary building material. It
was not long before we were asked to re-draw the plans to enable the Spray to be built from
other materials; in this case we decided that multi chine would be the most practical hull form
but we later prepared round bilge plans for this material. Plans for multi chine plywood soon
followed and the latest Spray plans include versions that can be built in strip plank timber.

MULTI CHINE PLYWOOD

Spray designs are available for building in multi-chine plywood hull form. The Spray 22, Spray
22, Spray 28, Spray 33, Spray 36 are the designs that area available as plans and patterns to
build in this manner. The advantage of using this building method is that if you are familiar
with wood working techniques and marine grade plywood is readily available in your area,
then this may be
the boatbuilding
method to suit
you. One thing to
remember is
that while
p l y w o o d
construction
costs about the
s a m e a s
fiberglass and
more than steel;
the resale value
of plywood
boats is less
than with other
materials. If you
plan to keep
your boat for a
Multi chine plywood Spray 27 hull. considerable
period and you
want to get sail-
ing as quickly as possible; then you may want to choose that method.

ROUND BILGE, STRIP PLANK, LAMINATED TIMBER AND COLD MOLDING.

Firstly I would like to pay tribute to Blair Boats - The New Zealand boatbuilders
who have done such a fine job of building the Centennial Spray 38 for Rob McGill
& Nina Morissette. A truly beautiful boat by competent and artistic builders.

For many years we were asked for ‘Wood Epoxy’ Spray plans. We would offer the Multi-chine
plywood plans as described above but many builders wanted ‘The real thing’ that is round
bilge Spray plans that could be built in strip plank, cold moulding or a combination of these
techniques. In certain areas countries including Germany, Scandinavia, parts of the USA,
Canada and several other areas with their own timber resources, the interest in wooden boat
construction is stronger than in other parts of the world where timber is scarce.
COLD MOULDING & DOUBLE DIAGONAL PLANKING.
Cold moulding has been around for many years and is still very popular for building all types
of hulls. In boat building, the process of cold-moulding is simply the practice of building a hull
using laminated multi-diagonal layers of veneers or plywood over a temporary male mould, in
the case of a frameless hull, or over a permanent frames and stringers where the hull is more
traditional. After building the male mould, temporary or permanent, the first strip is nailed and
glued or stapled in position and each subsequent strip has to be shaped to fit the previous
one – this is easily accomplished with a small palm plane.

The second layer is glued and stapled diagonally removing the staples (if used) from the first
layer as the second is fitted. A hull can have 3 to 8 layers of veneer or plywood depending on
the design. Plywood is quicker and easier than veneers but is usually heavier so if you are
building a lightweight racing boat veneer would be your choice and plywood for a “not so
light” cruising boat. and ideal for the Spray. The hull is then sheathed in fiberglass, Dynel
cloth which can be applied to one or both sides depending upon the design. The cold-mould-
ing technique using veneers is commonly used in high performance multihulls and racing
monohulls whereas cold-moulded plywood is more common in cruising boats.

As far as the amateur builder is concerned, cold-moulding is a relatively straight forward

process. Using full-size frame patterns, the basic structure goes together quickly as does the
application of the veneer or plywood.

Frames are cut from

1”X 8” - 25 mm x 200
mm timber or 3/4”-
20 mm plywood if
preferred.

The two photos

below are by
courtesy of Rob
McGill & Nina
Morissette.

Wood Epoxy hulls are normally built inverted First and second layers of diagonal planking in
and rolled over after planking is completed. place on this round bilge Centennial Spray 38 hull
STRIP PLANKING – WOOD EPOXY
Strip Planking can be put into two categories – Traditional and Modern. The Traditional strip
planking technique relied on permanent internal frames and stringers to provide the neces-
sary transverse strength. Internal fastenings joined the planks to the frames and edge nailed
them together. This eliminated the need for caulking however; very accurate tight fits were
needed between the strips and waterproof glues to seal the joins made the process simpler.
This traditional method of strip planking has almost entirely been replaced by the modern
wood/epoxy system.

MODERN STRIP PLANKING

With Modern strip planking, com-
monly known as wood/epoxy, the
timber is instead of edge nailing
strips together and onto frames;
each strip is only temporarily fas-
tened to the building frames and,
when the process is complete and
before fibre glassing, the nails are
removed and the holes filled. The hull
is sheathed with fibreglass both in-
side and outside providing the
strength to replace frames and
stringers. Internal fittings such as
bulkheads, bunks and furniture would
all be structural, and contribute to the
strength. The structure is, in effect,
a fibreglass sandwich panel. The
weight and type of glass depends on
the size of the craft and should be
specified by the designer.

Today most stems are laminated our as shown above BUILDING THE FRAMES
but occasionally they may be cut from solid flat boards Depending on the design you have
and then laminated so that the laminations appear chosen, your plans may call for per-
when you look down on the stem. Deck and cabin manent frames or for the frames to
top beams are laminated in a similar manner as shown be used only as temporary mould
above. Photo by and permission of Rob McGill formers, to be removed after the hull
& Nina Morissette. planking is complete. Permanent
bulkheads can be utilized, as part of
the setting up of the hull framework. If the frames are to remain in the hull, you will need to
build them out of first grade timber or have them laminated to achieve the most strength for
their size and weight. If you are fortunate, your plans will have been supplied with full size
patterns and these can be laid on plywood sheets to enable speedy assembly of the frames.

ASSEMBLING THE BASIC HULL STRUCTURE

Once you have made the frames and stem you can set up your hull, usually, on a strongback
or, occasionally, on a level floor depending on the designer’s arrangement. The techniques
for building the fibreglass male mould and setting up a Wood/epoxy hull have a lot in common
 Modern strip plank hulls are ‘Stealer’ planks are often required to
planked with the hull inverted. keep the planking on an even keel.
Photographs of the Centennial Spray 38 on this page are
by permission of the owners Rob McGill & Nina Morissette

After you set the frames up on

the strongback, you should install
the stem and stringers or bat-
tens, depending on whether it is
intended that the frames and
stringers stay with the hull see
under Traditional or Modern in
Strip-Planking section.

Generally speaking, Wood/

epoxy hulls are built over a tem-
Many times your plans will call for either strip
porary mould with reinforcing in
plank, double diagonal planking or a combi-
the form of fibreglass and inter-
nation of the two as is shown here.
nal support from the furniture but
they can be built with the frames
and stringers in place. The idea
of a lightweight shell, with a clean interior, ready to receive laminated web floors, laminated
bulkhead grounds and other interior joinery has considerable appeal and is less likely to trap
moisture. Today we build most modern timber hulls upside down and they are turned upright
after the planking. You can install the transom at any stage before the deck is added. Usu-

The transom is often fabricated

off the hull and added before or
after turn-over, check your
plans for details.
FAIRING THE BASIC STRUCTURE
ally the stem, the keelson, the deck stringer or deck shelf and transom if installed at this
stage, will all remain with the hull when it is removed from the mould former.

Once the frames, stem, keelson and stringers are in place, you will need to fair off the keelson
and stem and other areas that need to be beveled to receive the planking. Be careful not to
over bevel any one area however, if you do make a mistake, you can glue a piece of timber
on to the affected area and simply re-bevel to the correct angle. Use a batten to check over
your basic hull structure and to check that you have the bevels at the correct angles to receive
the veneer or plywood planking. In the case of a chine plywood hull the setting up procedure
will be similar except the chine stringers will stay with the hull even if the frames are removed.
In fact, it is more usual to leave the frames in a chine hull.

THE TRANSOM
The transom can be assembled and installed at the same time as the frames or later, if you
feel it is more convenient, for access to the inside of the hull. It is usually simpler if the
transom is left out so we include the frame past the transom position so that the whole hull can
be planked before turnover. After turnover, the transom can be fitted and the hull trimmed.

INSTALLING THE PLANKING

The builder’s next decision will be how he is going to install the hull skin. Generally speaking,
your hull shell will be between 1⁄4” [6mm] for say an 18 foot boat, up to a thickness of 2 inches
[50mm] for a 60 foot vessel. We recommend for the smaller and lighter skinned hulls, an all
timber veneer laminate. For a say 3/8” [9mm] hull skin, three layers of 1/8” [3mm] veneer
would be ideal. Once the total thickness required is over say 5/8” [15mm] you may consider
a combination of strip planking and veneer. You could have an all strip planked hull with at
least one layer of veneer to finish off the exterior. Your plans will specify the hull thickness for
the boat you are building. The completed hull is then finished with a number of layers of
fibreglass, Dynel or carbon fibre and epoxy resin.

If you are building an all veneer hull, you could consider using 1/8” [3mm] or better still 3/16”
[4mm] plywood for the first layer. Veneers are often too soft to bend evenly when not totally
supported as happens when laminating over stringers or battens. The plywood will bend
much more evenly and provide a better base for the following layers of veneer that make up
the remainder of the hull skin. In some hulls, we recommend that you install the plywood planking
in two or three or more layers as it would
be impossible to install the thicker plywood
at one go and, because of the shape, it is
often necessary to use plywood strips
around the bow even if the remainder of the
boat is sheet plywood. As plywood comes
in large dimensionally stable sheets it is
possible to plank large areas of a hull
quickly and easily. However plywood can
only be bent into a compound curve with
great difficulty, and there are limits to how
This jig was constructed to laminate various
tightly it may be bent before breaking.
part of the boat. If you plan ahead you can make
the jig multi-purpose; here it is being used to
laminate part of the transom. Photograph by
permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette,
ROUND BILGE HULLS
For round bilge hulls, the first layer of timber veneer or plywood will usually be installed in
strips varying in width from 3” [75mm] to 18” [460mm]. The strips or panels will usually be
installed at the 45 degree diagonal. The width of the strips will vary depending on the shape
of the hull as tight curves will call for narrower strips and flatter areas will allow the use of wider
strips. Up near the bow should be the area with the least curve and so the strips can be
wider. Only trial fittings on your hull will tell you how wide the strips can be on the different
areas of your hull.

No matter where you start the planking, make sure that you install both sides simultaneously.
Under no circumstances plank all one side before starting on the other as you will end with a
twisted hull. For best results, apply one strip on one side then one on the other side working
your way along both sides, forward or aft, in this manner.

TRIMMING THE PANELS

You will find that each strip or panel has to be fitted snugly to its neighbour. It is not just a
matter of cutting the sheets of plywood or veneer into strips and laying them side by side at a
45 degree angle. You will discover that as the panels are laid around the hull, they twist

It takes considerable wood-working skill to create a transom like this one shown here on a Centen-
nial Spray 45 being built in Slovic Republic It also takes a lot of experience to create a smooth
flawless finish as is apparent on this beautiful example of the wood workers craft.
slightly and each new panel will need a little bit of trimming. Fortunately, this is a quick and
simple matter to rectify by trimming off the excess material where the edges overlap the
previous panel. After first attaching the strip to the keel, the excess can be gauged and
trimmed off with a small hand plane, or if the overlap is considerable, it can be marked and
removed for trimming using band saw or jig saw.

Make sure you get a good fit, because if you force the panels into place by pushing them
sideways they will not want to lay flat and you will never achieve a smooth hull finish. Any
forcing a fit may result in a hull that will have a series of lumps and bumps that will be hard to
remove when you install the subsequent layers; the fit of the first layer is very important. The
idea of using plywood for the first layer is set up a smooth skin to receive the remaining layers
but, if the designer specifies a certain sequence then, that should be followed regardless.

Glue and nail the first layer to the stem, keelson and the deck stringer. If the intermediate
stringers are to stay in the hull, then the panels can be nailed and glued to them as well. If the
stringers or battens are to be removed, then you staple the strips only and these staples are
removed before the next layer is attached. There is no need to edge glue the panels as on
subsequent layers, the glue will seep through and create a bond between the edges.

PLANKING THE HULL

Before you start to install the second layer of veneer or plywood, you should check for any
gaps between the strips and, if any are found, tape inside the join to stop any glue seeping
through and running down the inside of the hull – saves a lot of work later. When you have
completed the installation of the first layer, the next step will depend on the required number
of layers for your hull. If the plans call for the installation of three layers, it is possible, for the
second layer, to use wider strips as long as they lay flat. If you find that wider strips are hard
to fit, revert to the narrower diagonal strips as used for the first layer but in a diagonally oppo-
site direction.

CHOICE OF ADHESIVE
These days, we assume most builders will be using epoxy glue between the layers however;
there are some drawbacks to using epoxy compared to some other adhesives. For in-
stance, some glue’s may not have the ultimate strength of epoxy resins, but are more forgiv-
ing when it comes to working in less than ideal conditions. To make the most of the qualities
of the true Wood/Epoxy techniques, you should be working in an environmentally controlled
area. Temperature control is important as is the absence of high humidity. You will need to
decide how your building site will measure up and choose your glue accordingly. See: “Re-
cent History”

MARK STRINGER LOCATIONS

It is always wise to mark the positions of the stringers and keelson on each layer of veneer/ply
panels. This will give you their location when installing subsequent layers of plywood or
veneer and it will also be necessary to have a person inside the hull with a “dolly” to make
sure you are getting a good tight fit as you nail or staple the first layer to the stringers, stem,
deck shelf and keelson. Any bouncing or spring back as you nail or staple will often prevent
a good join. The marked stringer locations will give you the positions through which to staple
or nail the second layer to the first and so on. You should either nail or staple the first layer to
the keelson and nail or staple to the stringers depending upon whether the mould is perma-
nent or temporary. If the first layer of plywood or veneer curls a bit at the edge as it passes
around the bilge area, you will usually find that the second diagonal layer will pull it into place.
 SELECTING THE
FASTENINGS
Over the years we have used sev-
eral types of staples, one being
the common galvanised wire type
and the others stainless or silicon
bronze. It is always sensible to
remove steel or galvanised sta-
ples whereas the stainless or sili-
con bronze types could be left in
the hull but better removed. Some
builders opt to lay the final layer
in a fore and aft direction. Un-
less you are going to finish the hull
clear, I don’t think it matters which
way you install the various layers
as long as you have a good bond
between the veneers. A balanced
lay up is essential and by bal-
anced I mean that all the layers do
not run in the same direction. The
plans you are using should give
you precise instructions as to the
procedure and sequence for ap-
plying the hull skin.

FAIRING & FINISHING HULLS

Once the hull has been planked
the next job will be to fair off the
stem and fit a trim strip. Then,
dress off the bottom of the keel-
son to accept the laminated tim-
ber keel.
Any raw end grain of the plywood
should always be covered by a
timber facing such as at the stem
where the trim strip will take care
of that exposed area. The timber
keel can be laminated in position
and can be reinforced with cop-
per bolts.
Next, give your completed hull a
good check over and dress off
any unfair areas before you
sheath the entire hull, keel and the
skeg with a layer or more of fibre-
glass or Dynel using epoxy resin.
The series of photos above show the process of shaping and
laminating the timber keel. Later photos will show the bal-
last added after turn-over. Photographs shown above by per-
mission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette
 TURNING THE HULL
Next job will be to turn your hull up-
right. Once the hull is upright and
level on all planes your plan may
call for fibre glassing the inside
before you are ready to continue
with the fitting out of the interior and
the installation of the decks and su-
perstructure.

SOLID FLOORS
You may find it easier to fit the solid
floors during the framing of the hull,
Final fairing completed the hull is now ready for turn-over. rather laminate them in place later.
Photograph by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette Our plans have used both meth-
ods and each approach has its
advantages and disadvantages. Your plans should guide you as to the best sequence for
your particular design.

It is usually preferred in chine type hulls to attach the floors to the frames in such a way that
they can be faired off with the stringers and the rest of the framing and then the hull skin can
be laminated directly on to the floors. On round bilge hulls involving a “bolt on keel” it may be
best to laminate leaf spring type floors into the hull after turning the hull upright. Again, your
plans should guide you as to the best sequence for your particular design.

TRADITIONAL AND NOT SO TRADITIONAL

Before leaving the subject of building your timber hull, we must give some consideration to
the traditional strip planking technique. Today, if you are thinking of building in timber, then
you really only have a choice between strip planking and cold moulding using plywood. Both
methods are relatively straight forward and do not demand particular skills that would be the
 If you have ideas of building an exact Spray replica; best check out these photos first !

case with even more traditional timber building techniques and, the final decision should rest
with the availability of suitable building materials. If you are strip planking the timber is cut to
3⁄4” to 1 1⁄4” [20 to 30 mm] thickness and can either be square in section or a little deeper for
example 3⁄4” thick x 1 1⁄4” deep [20 x 30 mm]. The planks are “edge glued” one on top of the
other. Traditionally, strip plank boats are built upright.
 FRAMING
You will require temporary or per-
manent framing made up of sawn
or laminated frames similar to
those used for any mould. Some-
times when the hull is built upside
down, the method is to install the
planking up to the keelson and
then a laminated keel is fitted in
the manner described earlier in
this chapter.
This is the pattern for the keel of the
The planking timber may be
dressed with
square edges or
may be machined
to a concave sec-
tion on the top and
convex on the bot-
tom. This machin-
ing of the planks al-
lows them to lay
one on top of the
other and to follow
the curve of the hull
frames with a mini-
mum of dressing of
each plank.
Here we see the hull upright, note the notch in the keel in preparation for
fitting the ballast keel. We recommend that you actually laminate the wooden When using square
section of the keel where the ballast will be located and then before turn- edges, it is usual to
over saw out the section that represents the ballast; this portion can then be dress off the top of
used as a mould for the actual ballast casting. each plank after it
has been installed
Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette
to provide a sur-
face square off the
frame on which to lay the next
plank. Either method is satisfac-
tory although, as the planking will
usually not go on up the hull in an
even manner, it will be necessary
to spile in short planks in certain
areas. Some advantages of the
specially milled timber are lost
when you have to do this.

BALLAST ON WOODEN
SPRAYS
For Spray builders using any tim-
ber building method, there is one
critical area common to strip
External cast lead ballast bolted in position.
 planking, moulded plywood
and other timber method in
that you will need a separate
keel casting of either lead or
iron as ballast and this will be
attached with keel bolts
through the keelson.

When building a traditional

strip plank hull, you will set up
your ballast keel and the tim-
ber keel first and work upright
from there.

The mould frames are set in

In my early boatbuilding days I always melted my own lead place with the stem and
and cast either the ballast in one piece or in sections depend- transom.The planking starts
ing on the type of method of installing the ballast - bold on at the keel with the first plank
ballast in one piece and ballast was cast in ingots or layers to let into the rabbet and the re-
be installed in ‘envelope keels’ as on fiberglas or steel boats. mainder of the planking in-
stalled as described above.
If you are using Modern timber methods, you will build the hull upside down in the usual man-
ner and attach the ballast after turnover.

FASTENINGS
There are two basic choices for the adhesive, epoxy or resorcinol. As for the nails, you can
use a combination of copper and silicon bronze. Usually copper nails can be used to fasten
the strips but, if a harder nail is required, silicon bronze is the answer. The main function of the
nails is to hold the timber together until the glue is set so it may be wasteful to pay the consid-
erably extra cost for silicon bronze nails if copper will do the job. As with many decisions you
must make during the building of your boat, the depth of your pocket will have a bearing on
your final choice.

INTERIOR FRAMING
Once the hull has been completely planked and cleaned off, then the temporary framework
can be removed and any laminated frames that are specified in the plans can be installed.
Generally there are laminated frames where the bulkheads are to be attached to the hull and
in some larger designs; a series of laminated frames may be specified throughout the hull.
Sometimes the setting up, frames or formers, are laminated frames that remain with the hull.
This system of permanent frames is usually reserved for boats of over 50 feet [15 metres].

Any intermediate floors not previously installed as part of the setting up process are now
fastened in place. The bulkheads may be installed and it is often best to leave them standing
up square well above the sheer so that the plywood can be marked out with the side deck
width, cabin lay-in and cabin top camber. The interior may be roughed out at this stage and
any large items such as engine, tanks and large panels of plywood required for the interior,
should be in the hull before you start work on the decks and superstructure.

The cabin sole can be fitted; you will need access to the area of the keel where the keel bolts
are and, in any case, it is always prudent to have removable sole panels.
 When you have
turned the hull
upright now you
will want to fair
off the interior
before laying out
any framing in-
cluding bulkhead
grounds, solid
web floors and
sole bearing
stringers etc.

Note anchor locker (on left),

forward bulkhead and side
deck beams in place and
faired ready for plywood
decking to be installed.

Anchor ‘bits’ extend down to keel and

are bolted to bulkhead and also have
attachment to deck beams. A very
strong and secure arrangement.

Photographs on this page by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette
 Install bulkheads with access
cut-outs where doors will later
be installed; the bulkhead will
be easier to handle if not too
flexible due to excessive open-
ings at this stage. Note correct
cabin side lay-in has been cut
at this stage, could be later if
preferred.

Cabin sides and cabin top

beams installed on bulkheads;
cut-outs can now be enlarged.
Cabin top carlins are now in
place ready to receive remain-
der of cabin top beams.

Photographs on this page by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette

Cabin top beams are installed and

checked for fairness in all direc-
tions. Cabin sides were laminated
out of two thicknesses of plywood,
glued and nailed, nail-holes filled.
You may want to pre-laminate the
sides or use other methods if you
plan to finish the cabin sides ‘natu-
ral’.

Much of the interior of your

hull will either be the inside
of cabinets or on view so
make sure to clean up the
interior of the planking,
sand and apply finish coats
of either varnish or paint
as you prefer.
 It is a good idea to varnish the
beams before the plywood deck-
ing in glued and nailed in place;
varnishing at this stage is much
easier than after the deck is in
position. All glue ‘dripples’can be
avoided by masking the beams or
using other protective measures
when installing the deck.

The cabin sides and bulkheads

are installed ready for installa-
tion of the cabin top beams etc.

It is also recommended to paint

to a finished stage any areas that
will be difficult to access later. For
instance you should mask the un-
derside of the foredeck where it
will be attached to the beams and
then paint the underside of the first
layer of the decking so that when
the plywood is glued and nailed
in position you will have a com-
pleted area that will need no fur-
ther attention for some consider-
able time.

Cabin sides, cockpit well framing and

cabin top beams all installed. Note
framing for the various hatchways.

Photographs on this page by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette
 Side deck planking
being glued in posi-
tion. Note the spac-
ers inserted be-
tween the planks.

Aft deck planking; note covering

boards and fine example of cast pol-
ished bronze fittings such as the
mooring fairlead. You can make
patterns and have these items cast
in bronze or find an example and
use a pattern.

Photographs on this page by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette
 Note the deck prism set in
place; these prisms let in an
amazing amount of light and
are recommended where you
want light but where a hatch
location would be
inappropriate.

Fore-deck planking in-

cluding king plank in
place. Note anchor bits
which not only look right
on this boat but are a
very practical solution to
securing an anchor line or
towing hawser should the
need arise.

Another photo of the fore-deck

with planking completed and bow-
sprit, mooring fairleads etc all in
place. You may want to study
these photos to get ideas for fin-
ishing your own Spray.

Photographs on this page by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette
 Please note that all of the pho-
tographs of this Centennial
Spray 38 are by permission of
the owners Rob McGill & Nina
Morissette - Construction by
Blair Boats in New Zealand

Decks, cabin structure, cockpit

well and seats all completed and
protected with a layer of fiber-
glass and epoxy resin.

Ports and windscreen have

been added as well as sub-
stantial rubbing strip. Be-
low we see the finish coat-
ings in place and decks
are now ready to receive
the fittings and deck hard-
ware.
Note the quality of the bronze hardware.
Some of these items can be purchased
‘off the self’ or you can make your own
patterns and have the items cast. Avoid
‘cheap’ fittings of this type as they may
fail under load.

Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

 Here we see some more ex-
amples of the fine cast bronze
hardware that has been in-
stalled on this Wood Epoxy
Centennial Spray 38

Cast bronze
and polished
whisker fit-
tings.

Here we have a birds eye

view of the completed
decks and cabin structure
on the beautiful example of
the Centennial Spray 38

Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

 Below and left is shown the
methods to laminate the
trail boards for this Cen-
tennial Spray 38. First step
is to temporarily fasten
cleats in place to accept
the first lamination of tim-
ber.

Laminated timber in
place to form the shape
of the trail boards.

Trail boards marked to shape and trial

fit for final trimming to shape

Photographs on left and above by per-

mission of Rob McGill and Nina
Morissette

The finished trail board,

carved with attractive tradi-
tional pattern and ready for
final finishing and attach-
ment to the bow.
 The rudder timbers are lami-
nated around pre-prepared
stainless steel webs that are
welded to the rudder shaft.

High build finish is applied

to the competed rudder
.

Rudder installed on this Cen-

tennial Spray 38

Photographs on this page

by permission of Rob
McGill and Nina Morissette
 Make sure to lay out your engine
room so everything is readily and
easily accessible. It is usually best
to install the engine and associated
equipment before the deck beams
and deck are installed. An access
hatch can be arranged if you wish
but I am of the opinion that these
are prone to leak and it is best to
cut access through cabin top or
cockpit sole if engine ever needs
removal. Advice never fit a used
engine in your Spray !

Side panels are great when

they allow access to the engine
room from a ‘walk-through’ as
is often possible in a center
cockpit vessel.

Vacuum bagging is often

useful when laminating
wood epoxy or fiberglass
parts on your Spray.

Completed cabin
sides, ends and top.

Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

 Fuel manifold allows for switch-
ing tanks and filters without hav-
ing to stop the engine. A twin fil-
ter system is recommended as this
prevents a clogged filter from stop-
ping the engine at an in-opportune
moment !

On a sailboat is it often dif-

ficult to find a suitable lo-
cation for the various
electrical junctions. In this
case the builders have cho-
sen to locate this gear un-
der the double berth in the
master cabin; provides a
good solution to the prob-
lem

Another view of part

of the electrical instal-
lation shown above

Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

 From top left: Sole in aft cabin, steer-
ing arm and emergency steering key,
copper ground plate, cut-outs for navi-
gation instruments, beams were var-
nished before deck was installed.

Photographs on this page by permission of Rob McGill and Nina Morissette