PocketShip.net

Hi all,

Sequencing my PS build here in NH, I hope to prepare as much as I can in my basement (including lots of "bench projects") before assembling the hull in our garage next spring. I also intend to epoxy together the hull panels, and fiberglass the side and topside panels (using peel-ply). That will leave me with six hull panels ready to wire next spring, but a potential storage issue over the winter. My questions:

Does anyone have advice or issues with the plan if I store the resulting ~15 foot panels flat (supported on saw-horses and perhaps covered with a sheet of plastic for protection) over the winter months?

Similarly, I would FG the floors (holding off on attaching the cleats until floor installation as other builders have advised). Then the interior FG application would extend up onto the floors by ~2+" overlapping the prior application of FG (rather than trying to work the FG up to the underside of the floors' cleats once floors were installed in the hull). Any issues?

Lastly (for now!) - Does the inner face of the transom receive FG? I can't tell from the manual. I'm tempted to apply FG to the transom exterior (and interior if appropriate) on the bench - another winter project - before transom installation into the hull next summer. That would allow me to wrap the exterior hull FG application aft onto the transom rather than forward onto the sides as depicted in the manual.

Your thoughts and advice are most welcome. Thinking ahead is essential and the forum and blogs are so incredibly helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Mark

Lots of questions, but I'll do my best to give you some answers. First, I probably don't need to tell you this because it is stated emphatically in the book, but make sure you fiberglass the INSIDE faces only on the side and topside panels, and NO fiberglass on the bottom panels. Otherwise you will have a much harder time bending them properly, especially at the stem end, and it's hard enough already. I don't think you need to be especially careful about storage as long as nobody is walking on the panels and that sort of thing. I don't see any reason to cover them with plastic sheeting myself. I would just stack them all together once the epoxy has completely cured, which can take several days depending on the temperature. In fact, I'd give it an extra week to cure just to be on the safe side--you surely would not want to find the panels stuck together. An extra precaution might be to put plastic sheeting between the panels but that is probably overkill.

I like your idea of fiberglassing the floors (I call them floor joists) before installation. I had the devil of a time trying to get the fiberglass panels laid on smoothly the way I did it. And as you say you are going to overlap an inch or two of the bottom fiberglass over the floors for strength. The floors are an integral part of the boat's structure, so those joints should be strong. The floor joists are not just there to support the floorboards. Also be sure to sand the floor joists' epoxy so the epoxy fillets and overlapping fiberglass stick well.

I don't believe the inner face of the transom needs fiberglass. It is 3/4" plywood--plenty strong. The only reason I can think of not to fiberglass the outside ahead of time is that the fiberglass panels lap around the hull sides to the transom to add strength. The epoxy joints are strongest when you attach them to bare wood. Not as strong when attaching to sanded fiberglass/epoxy. (Does this make sense the way I wrote it?)

There are plenty of other things you can do ahead of time: Jump to Chapters 6 and 7 and build the rudder and tiller and all the spars and the tabernacle. Then if you are still bored you can go to chapter 8 and build the gallows. Epoxy and varnish all those parts. You could even fit all the hardware on the spars ahead of time. You might be glad all that is already done when you are close to finishing the boat itself.

Good advice, Dana

When I started my Pocketship in 2013, I had very little experience with building with the specific materials and techniques that Pocketship uses. I elected to 'get my feet wet' by going straight to the rudder - a very stand-alone piece that is easy to work with, and uses most of the techniques you will use throughout the rest of the build.

I had great success with it - and am very glad I chose to build my rudder first. Gave me a boost of confidence and some valuable experience with working with epoxy before I started on the centerboard housing and putting the keel together.

On the topic of the transom, I don't remember exactly what the manual recommends , but I did go ahead and fiberglass the inside of the transom. Not sure it makes much difference at all, but I did it.

Thanks Dennis and Dana,

Good advice all around. I have previously built a CLC kayak; with than experience - and the benefit of John Harris' excellent Stitch & Glue boatbuilding course this summer at WoodenBoat School, I took the plunge and glued my centerboard today. I intend to get as much done as my space and workshop temperature allow over the winter, and the rudder is certainly on my list. Come springtime and reasonable garage temperatures, I hope I'll be ready to start assembling an actual boat. Looking forward to it - and to sharing advice over the forum.

All the best,
Mark

Sounds great. I know you will get a lot of enjoyment building the boat (maybe more than sailing it ). I live in a fairly warm climate (Oklahoma) but it still got too cold for fiberglassing. I decided to use a small electric heater and added insulation to the garage door so I could keep things going. Probably used more energy than I'll ever save sailing instead of motoring, but otherwise I don't think I would have ever finished the build. I get some consolation from having solar panels on the roof--maybe they contributed a bit to the cause at least.