Getting a straight keel?

Welcome to PocketShip.net! This bulletin board is for builders of the Chesapeake Light Craft-John C. Harris "PocketShip" design, a 15-foot micro cruiser sailboat built from a kit or plans.

For more information on PocketShip, click here: http://www.clcboats.com/pocketship

This site gathers PocketShip builders in one place. Here you can share photos, tips, questions, and---eventually---your sailing adventures in PocketShip! CLC will also post design updates and tips here as they come up.

We'll try to knock down spam as quickly as possible.

Moderator: John C. Harris

Forum rules
Spam or commercial posts will be deleted.
This is a civil forum: no flames or drunken tirades.
Please stay on-topic.
PocketShip's Web Page: http://www.clcboats.com/pocketship
If you need CLC customer service: http://www.clcboats.com/forms/contact_us.html
We'll try to delete spam as soon as it appears.

Getting a straight keel?

Postby SMHolmans on Fri Nov 02, 2018 1:58 pm

I've seen a couple of blogs where the keel didn't turn out straight and true after it was glued up. The manual doesn't offer too much advice on how to make sure this doesn't happen. Are there any top tips on how to ensure straightness, before I find out the hard way?
SMHolmans
 
Posts: 174
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:38 am
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom

Re: Getting a straight keel?

Postby craig on Fri Nov 02, 2018 2:30 pm

When you glue it up, it will be on its side. If you don’t prop up the underside of the keel at the stern, it will be crooked because the floor is straight and it’s taking on the shape of the floor. So, prop up the keel at the aft end enough to make it take the right shape, taking into account how much taper there is in thr design and the piece of wood you have cut to form the bottom of the keel.
Titania, launched January 2015
craig
 
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:04 pm
Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Re: Getting a straight keel?

Postby TassiePete on Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:52 pm

Hi,

I had a string line running from the tip to the end of the assembly and used a few shims along the aft part of the keel to get the line exactly over the centre-line.
There is also a shim under the nose block (2nd photo). These shims need to be placed to support the keel at (what will be) the bottom and the top, so there won't be a twist in the keel.
Also note the spacer blocks inside the case at each clamp. The keel turned out straight ...

Keel_4.JPG
Keel_4.JPG (118.12 KiB) Viewed 2900 times

Keel_5.JPG
Keel_5.JPG (113.1 KiB) Viewed 2851 times


Cheers,

Peter
TassiePete
 
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 4:31 am
Location: Port Huon, Tasmania ( Down Under )

Re: Getting a straight keel?

Postby riverron on Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:12 pm

I like the idea of using the string. I shimmed up the stern, but compensated too much. I think using the shims along with the string should get good results. I just sighted it, which was not accurate enough, but was able to fix.
riverron
 
Posts: 256
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:29 am
Location: Richmond Virginia

Re: Getting a straight keel?

Postby SMHolmans on Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:20 am

Thanks guys. Now I know exactly what to do.
SMHolmans
 
Posts: 174
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:38 am
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom


Return to PocketShip Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests

cron