Brian Neely, the shop manager at WoodenBoat School
in Brooklin, Maine, started my drift boat design Conchita
in September last year. I took these photos when I
was at WoodenBoat School this year teaching a Build
your own boat class.
Brian
is fitting the white oak outwale |
The
outwales are on and Brian is cleaning up getting
ready to put on a coat of primer |
This
photo is the tombstone transom that will be
finished bright |
This
photo shows the oak outwale and the mahogany
rub rail. The sheerstrake or sheer plank will
be finished bright as well. |
Here
the boat is off the strong back with the sheer
plank coated with epoxy, the paint is on the
mid- plank and half the garboard, and the bottom
and half the garboard are masked off ready to
be sprayed with pick up bed liner. The bottom
and garboard have a layer of 9 oz tape covering
that joint and they also have a layer of Kevlar
and fiberglass cloth over that, both set in
epoxy. Between the cloth and sprayed liner the
bottom and garboard are just about literally
bullet proof. It will be bullet proof when the
tape and cloth go on the inside. At this point
the hull weights about 220 to 225 pounds. Brian
and I could lift her without much trouble. |
Brian
is standing between the boat and strongback
to give a idea of scale. |
Brian
is standing inside the empty hull to give an
idea of the large volume of the hull. I’m
always surprised when these hullsl are turned
over just how much volume there is. Brian plans
to put in water tight compartments in the bow
and stern along with seating and leaning posts.
The rowing seat will move fore and aft so the
boat can be kept in trim when there is a large
difference in the weight of the anglers at the
bow and stern. On either side of the rope seat
will be water tight storage compartments. |
It’s
always a pleasure for me to see one of my boats
being built and Brian has done a truly fine
job. |
More columns by David Nichols
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