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Hacking off 3/4 of and inch or so, isn't going to weaken the joiner of that size much, so move it as much as you can and whack out what you need with no worries.

Thanks - Another option I'm considering is moving the bulkhead to the other side of the joiner and stringers - it seems that might correct as well - any forseen problems with that?

Took a different tact all together and filled the hole with solid wood wedges - looks like it was designed that way!

(04-05-2018, 01:31 PM)michael_coletta Wrote: [ -> ]Took a different tact all together and filled the hole with solid wood wedges - looks like it was designed that way!

That is the principal skill in boat building: to fix your screw-ups so that it looks like it was always meant to be that way. That skill is usually needed a lot!

New question.  For reasons I can't explain, the triangular section that the aft hull sides don't cover ended up on the bottom of mine instead of the top back corner.  I plan to fill it with plywood pieces like the plans suggest.  But since it is at the water line, I also plan to make a new panel joiner for that piece and to goo the crap out of it.  An alternative is to buy a new piece of plywood and cut to fit instead of cutting as the plans said.  Thoughts?

When I  built my weekender, my deck ended up an inch and a half too short.  This drove me nuts for a couple days because I had done everything right I thought.  I ended up making a creasant out of a piece of ply and adding it to the boat.  I couldn't seem to get the side pieces to fit the way the plan said they should have, so I bought new ones full size and ignored the huge off cuts.  I built Duckie out of ACX, so I  didn't sweat the huge off cuts. 

Happens to everybody.

Al

I just read this whole thread, so now I understand the issue, I think.  The angle that is set in  the plan is pretty important to your boat handling.  If you have your bulkhead already glued into the boat, the only thing that you can do is build the mast box to sit at the proper angle and set it by itself.  After that you can wedge the mast into it, or like I did, angle it into the box with wedges.  If you set the mast angle with wedges you will be able to play around with the angle later on when you get interested in balance and weather helm.  Also, if you leave the box a little loose, you will always be able to get the mast out when you want to.  If you make it snug, the stick will swell and lock itself in there maybe for ever. 

Wedging the mast is a traditional method of stepping the mast.  After having to do it on my boat, I understand why. 

Al

[attachment=1741][attachment=1740][attachment=1739][attachment=1738]Al,
Thanks for taking the time to comment.  Yeah in the end I did set the mast box at the correct angle (or very very very close) and built wedges that I attached to the back of the mast box to make the fit snug to the bulkhead.  And I think there is a little slop inside the box to do as you suggest - but it is just the regular dimensions.  I'll try to add more pics, but I struggle to resize them where they can be posted.

Also I think you were saying you did end up fit cutting your hull sides to the boat, but I also took from your comment that gap filling the sides is OK too.  Did I read that correctly?  I haven't glued them on yet, but I have finally gotten them attached and filled the gap the best I could.

I hope you are doing well - I saw your post about your treatments.  I'll be praying for you.  I'd love to find a way to join you at a messabout someday when my build is finished.

Here's what happened.

I can't seem to do anything the way I am supposed to.  I couldn't find any lumber that I would consider using even on a dog house when I started my weekender, so I used 3/4 inch acx for my keel.  The result of this was that my keel was just a bit slim of inch and a half.  Everything after that seemed to not quite line up according to plan.  As I went down the line, I ended up making my mast box about an eighth too big all around.  OOPS.  Too late, so I came up with the idea of sticking some window shims in the hole between the mast and top edge.  Later I discovered that my weekender tacked better if I angled it a little bit forward of straight down the hole.  Maybe my mast box isn't exactly angled where it should be.  By being able to play around with that I was able to make the boat sail better.  How can that be wrong?  Also, I have no trouble pulling it out of the hole when I want to work on it. 

You will have to figure out quite a few things that aren't covered in the plan.  That is one of the attractions of boat building for me.  Keep asking questions, but maybe more important, keep studying about boats in general.  You are building a fun little boat.  Take it from me.  I was a total newbie when I picked up my saw and it worked out for me wonderfully.

Al

Oh, and figure out some way to drain the foot of your mast box.  Water will get in there, so you will want some way to get it out so that you can sop it up.

Al