NSS wrote:
I'm looking to build a 20' v-bottom spritsail skiff, using stitch
and glue. Pretty much straight from the NC Maritime Museum plan #5:
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...0216_1952_1346
2941
This will be an open boat - structure will include short deck at
the bow (a foot or two long), with a bulkhead at the aft end of it;
a thwart at the mast, centerboard trunk, thwart at aft end of
trunk, and thwart in rear, in front of removable sternsheets. No
side decking, just a strong rail/gunwale. I will probably make
gussets on either side of each thwart, extending from rail to
chine, and box in under the thwarts (flotation filled). As per the
traditional skiff, there will be a relatively heavy deadwood
starting at the aft end of the centerboard trunk and extending to
the rudder. No keelson forward, probably a minimal one aft to bolt
the deadwood through to.
I will epoxy/glass the exterior, and possibly glass the interior too
(haven't decided yet). Ply will be Okoume BS1088.
I'd like to make this boat as light as possible for maximum speed;
it will be basically a toy for the Beaufort NC area, Bogue Sound,
etc.
I'd like it to be as stiff as possible for maximum performance,
moreso than for great seaworthiness. Note the rig will be a bit
taller than that shown in the plans; the norm for the museum built
boats has been 15' or so mast height, vs. the 12' spec'd for the
workboat in the plans.
So my question is, what thickness plywood should I use? The original
boats were planked with 7/8" juniper, with quite a few frames
holding the planks in place. With S&G I will have no frames, other
than the aforementioned structure.
I was leaning toward 3/8" for bottom and side panels, but am
wondering if I should make the bottom panel 1/2" just to stiffen
things up, and for walking around on (hoping to get away without
any floorboards).
Any opinions?
The plans don't specify the ply thickness?
I've only built one S&G boat - a small pram - but I would not want to
try building one with anything thicker than 1/4" for sides/bottom
because of the difficulty in getting it to conform to the compound
curves. And those curves are what makes the hull stiff. That and
gunnels.
--
dadiOH
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