BYYB Forums

Over the years I've come to realize that the "moaning chair" is one of my most useful boat building tools. When everything seems to be going wrong, stop what your doing and take some time in the moaning chair.

Yesterday I started to put the sides on my Weekender (at last!). Sadly the old "measure twice - cut once" concept has never been too clear to me. In my case I measured twice and then cut on the wrong line. I didn't realize it until I had the aft part of the port side screwed down with the glue quickly curing. It turned out that I had cut that part 3" too short. Obvious even to me is the fact that boats with missing parts to their sides don't float all that well so I scraped the uncured glue off the parts that were still exposed and took a trip to the moaning chair.

This afternoon I went back out, glued a couple of pieces of wood to act as a but block behind the side and added on the missing 3". I then got the starboard side on with minimal trouble (I'd double checked it). I also trimmed the sides down flush with the deck as I'm going with a different top rub rail that will allow water to drain off of the deck more easily.

Ahoy Andrew,

Oh no! Cutting too short sounds like something I would do. Apparently, though, you made any and all needed adjustments and went on. No stopping you!

Since it is a corner joint, can you reinforce the joint from the interior? Maybe a hefty corner block? or fiberglass tape reinforced with either milled fibers or chopped glass stands covered by an extensive plywood sector?

Others may have much better ideas, but I would reinforce the joint as much as I could. Once you are satisfied with the strength of the joint, just fiberglass as usual. No one will ever know the difference.

Sounds as if you have everything already figured out, though. Good luck on your boatbuilding.

The man who makes no mistakes is the man who never builds anything, and that is the biggest mistake of all.

The Saralee had five transoms before I got it right. Not to worry. Epoxy her up good, grind to shape and you are good to go as Jim says... 8)

i did that with the angle and epoxied the crap out it and also added glass for good measure...in the end it has been a real comfort knowing that the transom and side joints are soo strong. -- took a lot of the headache out of adding a 5hp motor and ladder to the transom....


a.

Quote:Since it is a corner joint, can you reinforce the joint from the interior? Maybe a hefty corner block? or fiberglass tape reinforced with either milled fibers or chopped glass stands covered by an extensive plywood sector?

I used some scrap 1/4" plywood to make a backer piece so it should be water-tight. According to my guestimates the fiberglass should cover it as well.