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Joe Fabbri
08-18-2011, 2:03 PM
Hi Guys,

I've been kicking the idea of building a boat around for a long time. Actually, I began a small row boat project in my high school woodshop club, but I never made it past the keel. I started with no real understanding of how to go about things, and add that to having no time real to devote to it, so it never got under way.

Anyway, I've recently come back to the idea of doing it. I'm thinking of making a flat bottom dory, something simple, that would be a nice rowing boat.

I'd like to keep costs to a minimum, because I don't want to spend all year on it, which is what I'd do if I went for expensive materials. I was thinking of making the planking (I'd rather not do plywood) from 1x pressure treated pine. I know it's not the typical way of doing it, but I think for an inexpensive boat it could be a good choice. They might tend to shrink a lot, but being wetter than other wood, it would be easier to wrap around, I'm thinking. And when it's in water it should swell fine again.

By the way, I'm thinking of doing the carvel style, not lapstrake side.

Has anyone done a similar project, using similar material?

If so, what's a good way of sealing the seams? I know traditionally it's cotton and some tar type substance, but are there good enough modern sealants where you don't need to bother with the cotton?

I'm not familiar with boat building at all really, so excuse me if any of my questions are elementary.

Thanks,

Joe

Bob Smalser
08-18-2011, 3:28 PM
http://www.northbayboatworks.com/BoatsDelivered/Swampscott/DoryTest.jpg

John Gardner's The Dory Book is a good place to start, as not only does he have dozens of traditional dory plans, he has detailed sections on how to build one traditionally. But the only thing carvel about a dory is its bottom...the sides are lapped and riveted if solid and glued if plywood. Just stick to the lighter sport boats like the Swampscott (above) and not the high-speed racing designs like the Alpha or the heavy workboats like the Bank Dory or Heavy Batteaux.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0877420904/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_0/191-9440292-7984256?ie=UTF8&condition=used

However there are simpler, faster-to-build rowing designs out there in the form of traditional flatiron or sharpie flat-bottomed skiffs that should go together in less time than a dory. But as these are primarily shallow-draft lake and pond boats, where you plan to use the boat is a critical factor. My favorite is Atkin's Maud and Emeline:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/392848652.jpg
http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Oar/MaudeAndEmeline.html

Cotton caulking does a lot more than keep the water out. It tightens and strengthens the entire hull, allowing thinner planking and a lighter weight hull. So you should forget about omitting it in favor of sealants. Besides, while it may look tedious and intimidating, in practice it's fast and easy in a small boat. And you only need to buy one caulking iron and a skein of cotton to do it...your existing shop mallet will work fine for small jobs. Whitehalls (below) are good examples of carvel-planked pulling boats, although they often have a lapped shear (upper) strake. Although a tad heavier than lapstrake, carvel was used in pulling boats, hunting boats and naval boats because it is fast and silent in the water and easier to repair.

http://fishwells.com/Boatyard/Thumbs/wood2.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/306698154.jpg

So you'll have to acquire both planking skills....lapped and carvel....to build most boats, and having done plenty of both, I can't say one is easier than the other. They are both a helluva lot more fun and pleasant than working with plywood and glue, and when the time comes can be repaired and renewed with a screwdriver instead of a Sawzall. They also have much higher resale value than plywood, withstand abuse better, and generally last longer.

Regarding materials, their cost always pales compared to the value of the manhours it takes to build a boat, and scrimping can be pound-foolish. In building traditional, one of the most critical factors in planking stock is moisture content, which you generally want to be in equilibrium with the air so it won't shrink or swell too much in service. That's usually around 12-15% MC in most areas, and I'm not sure your local pressure-treated pine is anywhere near that dry. If you look around real lumberyards and fence suppliers as opposed to box stores, you may find "S-Green" framing stock that is cheap and will bend easily and #2 cedar or cypress fence boards that will make good bottoms and planking. You can always edge-join for width, scarf for length, and plug loose knots...all areas where modern epoxy is a real boon. Building in solid doesn't mean the boat will cost more in materials.

The more difficult transition for most woodworkers is getting away from squares and levels in favor of string lines, bevel gages, making your athwartships measurements equadistant from the stem (called "horning") and lining off and eyeballing fair (unlumpy) curves with the aid of flexible battens. Also plan on drawing the elevations of the boat full-size on a sheet or two of white-painted plywood so you can make full-size patterns from cheap doorskin for what you are having trouble conceptualizing in your head. You'll learn a lot doing it and it will save lots of time by making your mistakes in pencil instead of wood.

David Warkentin
08-18-2011, 10:21 PM
205520If you are interested in a ply boat, take a look at the Goat Island Skiff. Here is a pic lifted from internet.

raul segura
08-20-2011, 3:36 PM
John Gardner's The Dory Book

In high school I fell in love with boats this book was my introduction to.
Never built a full size dory but did build 4ft. model ended up adding sails a deck etc. Non ply would sure make it pleasing to work with.

raul segura
08-20-2011, 4:25 PM
This is an old design you can sail/row is ply but originally lumber and has a nice story to it.

http://www.vintageprojects.com/boats/row-dory-plans.html
look below the picture for the dory pdf. down load. I had thought of building this on.
I like idea of using ceder fencing supply, nothing like good wood though.

Not all dory but will have to rummage through.

http://cruisenews.net/construction.html
South Haven Dory Plans

http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/design.htm

http://www.grandpasarchive.com/page2.html
Free Boat Plans

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?cat=406
over 12 pages

Joe Fabbri
08-21-2011, 2:52 PM
Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delayed response.

Anyway, I'm thinking about waiting until I find someone taking down an old fence, either pressure treated or cedar. I've seen a few people lately who have some old piles of fencing. It might be a good source of dry lumber, and free.

I'm also going to go to my local library and see if I can't find that book you mentioned, Bob. Otherwise, I'll get it off Amazon.

By the way, Bob, is that a picture of you standing next to a boat you built? If so, it's a really fine looking craft there. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Joe

Regarding the cotton thread, where would you normally find something like that? Strictly a marine supply store?