Jim Conlin wrote in message ...
I'm still convinced that cross-bolts are needed here. The several
descriptions in my boatbuilding books of the construction of bow planks all
specify cross-bolting. There will be times when this plank is very heavily
loaded, like when you run the boat into something large and immoveable and when
the boat is on the anchor/mooring in a storm. The Cape Dory 28 is too good a
boat to lose to half-baked 'improvements'.

I will defer on this one to experience.


Jamestown and others have SS and bronze threaded rod. I'd do maybe one 5/16"
cross-bolt per foot of plank length. Counterbore for the ends of the
cross-bolts and bung 'em. The rods will be a big help in aligning and clamping
the assembly. For appearance, use epoxy, not resorcinol. If securely bolted, a
non-impervious finish is OK. If not, moisture will gradually open the glue
joints.

If you insist and are expecting cross-grain strength from the dowels, don't use
the grooved ones. The groove significantly reduce the effective diameter of the
dowel. Instead, just plane a flat into the side of the dowel before cutting the
dowel up. That'll allow the excell glue and air to exit.

Good idea, but dowels are used for alignment only here, if that is the
method he decides on.


The geometry of anchor rollers is sometimes hard to figure out. I suggect that
you get the anchor and make a propotype plank with 2x construction lumber to see
if the anchor clears the stem by just enough.

Have you contacted the builder for his recommendation? Andy Vavelotis now owns
Robinhood Marine in Robinhood, ME.

This is probably the best advice yet...


Do it right,
Jim

RG wrote:

It has been stated clearly here...but I would re-iterate it...If you use the
dowels method..be CERTAIN that you use the GROOVED dowels. You need the
groove to allow the excess glue a chance to get back out of the holes. I did
a project once, and used regular doweling material ( non-grooved) and
puzzled forever why I couldn't camp the material easily. Seems like
something was forcing it apart. It was the excess glue trapped in the bottom
of the glue holes!!!

RichG