PDR/Adventure Sailing: A first frame is done.

Our dreams are so often far out of scale with the reality of what he can get done.  My basement is a testament to that fact, as it is somewhat littered with partially complete, or perhaps I should say, just started projects.  Yes, I have finished a few boats.. and today I decided I most decidedly would finish another, my Scow 244.   To that end, I took a day off from work, and after completing a few household projects, I dove in to my little 8 foot long puddle duck variant.

Previously I’d finished the sides, and last night I added the final chine log, the 3/4″ strips running along the deck and hull bottom.  Given how messy my shop is, I took photos in the living room.   It’s a classier look, anyway, looking so much better with the brass and antique wood!

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My car can’t hold a full sheet of plywood, so I had the lumberyard rip a panel out of two sheets of 1/4 inch ply, matching the depth of the sides, thus, making the sides was a pretty fast affair.   This left me with remaining panels that were easier to manage in the car, and in the shop.   I am using those to cut out the frames, starting with the bow panel.  4 feet wide, like all of them, and 13 and 9/16’s high.    For the sides, bow and stern I am using a/b grade.   I may use a/c for some of the interior frames, as I have a lot of that in stock in the garage.

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I am using Gorilla glue at this stage, so that is water splashed about as I moisten the wood before laying out a bead of glue.  I’ll be using epoxy for fillets and to join panels together.

So far I am about 6 hours of actual hands on work into the project.  I could add to than another 6 or so of “lookin’ at stuff”, both in the shop and on the computer. Perhaps double that time.  Most likely.  Dreaming is half the fun.

At this rate I’ll be done by next spring.   Must try to keep going.  Must.  Try.

Read More About This Project in previous posts.

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Author: Bryan Lowe

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