December, 2014

The Carlins (Continued)

After testing the fit of the starboard deck carlin, I taped the deck edge and setup a dry run with the clamps to see where the clamps needed to go to ensure a tight joint.








Prior to fitting the carlins, I scarphed both carlins' ends to 13 cm off the ends to round off nicely around the front and aft curves and be ready to receive the next pieces.

To protect the gunwhales I used a pipe insulation foam tube that comes with a slit on one side.

View of the transom from the bow. I marked the location of the different clamps along the carlin.

I used a cedar timber as counterweight on the port side as the starboard side clamps were heavy enough to tip the boat a bit over the cradle.

Depending on the angle of the carlin, I used a smaller clamp to secure the bar clamp and prevent it from slipping

Same counterweight technique used on the starboard side when clamping the port side deck carlin. 

Then, the all important dry run to set up the clamps at the right place to obtain a tight joint between the carlins and the top edge of the deck





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The dry run setup view from the front.

Placing the clamps near where I'll use them during fitting.

View of the port side from the stern after fixing with epoxy resin and colloidal silica.

View of the port side from the bow after fixing with epoxy resin and colloidal silica.

View of the port side carlin after removing the clamps. I used the hand plane as the first step to remove the excess material.

The hand plane does an excellent job at removing the excess material and the blue tape at protecting the top of the deck.

View of the port side carlin after removing the clamps.

The inboard edge of the forward deck is covered with a 60 mm wide x 2 mm thin Mahogany veneer I cut with my table saw. The veneer goes around from the inner edge of the king plank to the end of the scarph on the starboard side carlin. The veneer bent nicely around the curves without problems and were held in place with clamps during the dry run show on this image.

Because of the torque applied during the three-dimensional bend, small gaps appeared between edge of the deck and the veneer.

To ensure a tight joint between the deck and the veneer, I used the same counter torque and clamping technique used when fitting the rubbing strakes.

I carefully clamped a cedar timber over the deck where the timber was not actually touching the deck. I used scrap pieces of wood in between to prevent imprinting on the deck. Later, I used bar clamps to pull the upper edge of the veneer tightly against the edge of the deck. 

View of the counter torque and clamping technique used on the forward starboard side.

 View of the counter torque and clamping technique used on the forward port side.

When building the deck frame it really pays to plan where to place the reinforcements blocks to also serve as clamping blocks perpendicular as much as possible to the tightest curves.

Another view from behind.

And a final view from the port side, completing a 360° view of this clamping technique.

I have collected a small amount of Mahogany dust from my belt sander to mix with epoxy and apply it to any of the deck joints. This ensures almost invisible joints once varnished.

For the transom veneer I used two separate pieces since I didn't have a plank wide enough (about ~16 cm) to trace the transom curvature and cut it out in one piece.

View of the transom after adding the protective blue tape and ready to fit the transom veneers.

View of the transom from the starboard mid section after applying epoxy resin and colloidal silica to fit the transom veneers in place and securing the pieces with a few clamps.

View of the transom from above after applying epoxy resin and colloidal silica to fit the transom veneers in place and securing the pieces with a few clamps.

The ends towards the port and starboard carlins were scarphed to meet the corner pieces.

For the aft corners around the transom, I followed a similar technique (if not the same) as used by Laurie Smith on Rob Holroyd's MR 3708 Wicked.

Designer Keith Callaghan was kind to share the reference photographs and explain the technique.

A veneer is fitted to the port side rounded corner with epoxy and colloidal silica.

A veneer is fitted to the port side rounded corner with epoxy and colloidal silica.

View of the concurrent fitting of the venner over the aft corners.

View of Pícara from the bow after fitting all the carlins and inside veneers.

View of Pícara from the bow after fitting all the carlins and inside veneers.

Next, as with the rubbing strakes, I followed the same process to remove the excess material until the top of the carlin is flush with the top of the deck.

1) Shaving, 2) Sanding with an electric palm sander, 3) Hand sanding.

Here's an image of Pícara after sanding down the top edge of the carlins and inside veneers.

Next, I traced the bottom line of the carlins from the top edge of the carlins and veneers based on the dimensions recommended by Keith Callaghan and the ones I chose around the curves to give Pícara the stylish look she deserves.

For tracing the bottom lines at the forward and aft curves, I used a piece of scrap 3 mm plywood I had previously cut across the grain. It proved very flexible and did the job without a problem. 

Rough finish view of the aft starboard rounded corner after shaving off the extra material.

Rough finish view of the aft port rounded corner after shaving off the extra material.

Rough finish view of both aft rounded corners after shaving off the extra material.

I went around the inside shaving and rough sanding of the bottom edge of the carlins. Rough finish view of the inboard edges of the forward deck after removing the excess material on the bottom edge.

View of both aft rounded corners after rounding off and smooth sanding the top and bottom carlin edges.

View of the inboard edges of the forward deck after rounding off the edges and smooth sanding the veneers.

Carlins accomplished!

I then fitted a rough block of Mahogany to cap off the end of the king plank.

Later, after sanding the king plank's end cap down to about 13mm of thickness, I fitted a 15cm x 4cm x 12mm piece of Mahogany stock to be the wedge under the mast step.

View of the Mahogany stock wedge for the mast step.

Selden mast step over the wedge.

Thank you for visiting my blog! Until next month.

Cheers and happy sailing in 2015!