The Forms Take Shape



Transom blank ready to cut.

With all the forms transferred and cut, I now mill the mahogany for the inner keel. Taking a some time aside to build up the forms for the inner and outer stem laminates to be bent around for lamination using the strips that were milled the other day. 

Next I transfer the transom pattern to the glued up blank and cut it out.



Now with a coat of thickened epoxy resin slathered in between each of the slats that were milled earlier. I slowly clamp the whole sandwich to the form; which has been covered in duct tape to keep the final laminated stem from sticking to it. setting this aside for 24 hours to cure.

Clamps and wenches remove

Once cured the the stem is removed from the mold cleaned some and covered with duct tape, as it then placed back on the form and the next set of slats are glued up for the outer stem. These are then clamped to the form against the inner stem. With this process, the outer stem will be sure to match exactly the inner stem when they a joined up after planking is complete.

By the end of the weekend and with a lot of sweat in a 80f shop the forms are mounted an aligned with the transom, keel, and inner stem glued in place. Next step is a lot of hand work, planing the bevels onto all of these parts so they will accept the strakes (planks).