CHAPTER 1

Construction Systems

One of the most important and intriguing considerations when deciding on a boatto build is what system to choose for hull construction. There is a vast rangeof styles to choose from. From the complex, time-and-material-consuming, to therelatively quick-and-easy, each of the systems has something tooffer—that's why they were developed in the first place.

Considering boatbuilding historically, the business has always been aboutinnovation, using the best from the past and embracing (albeit, many timesbegrudgingly) the latest in technology. New fangledness, however, does notnecessarily make the method or the product better than the old way. Is a steelwarehouse better than a post-and-beam barn? Both do the job they were intendedto do.

It's all about using technology that is appropriate for the job. A laminatedepoxy composite hull is great, but if you are in a remote locale where there isno way to manufacture the laminates and the glue is prohibitively expensive orimpossible to import, building in the older plank-on-frame methods withindigenous materials makes a lot of sense.

There is also the matter of intangibles and philosophy. For many, there is acertain mojo when working with natural wood and time-tested methods. There is asmell and a tactile satisfaction that comes with shaping a cedar plank from rawmaterial that was obviously a tree—bark, knots, and all—not thatlong ago. For others, building a boat from raw wood is about as up-to-date asgargoyle carving and as practical as deciding to build an automobile startingwith iron ore and rubber trees.

Take planking for example. Not every style lends itself to every design. Forexample, stitch-and-glue is a wonderful innovation, but the technique isrestricted by the constraints imposed by the manufactured material (i.e.,plywood) used. There aren't many Herreshoff 12½-style boats being built institch-and-glue, much less any Friendship sloops. The hull shapes are simply toocomplex. For those designs, the highly versatile yet somewhat archaic carvelplanking is the way to go. On the other hand, the simplicity of stitch-and-glueand the strength of plywood and epoxy make that technique a top choice forbuilding a kayak. You could build a kayak in carvel, but the additional expense,time, weight, and maintenance hardly make it a first choice.

Then there are the versatile hull designs that can be built with a number ofdifferent techniques. Take the traditional Whitehall-type pulling boat. Abeautiful and reliable hull can be fashioned using carvel, lapstrake (clinker),strip planking (either edge-nailed or glued-strip with fiberglass), glued lap,cold molding, or thoroughly modern, computer carved LapStitch planking.

You'll note that I'm referring to planking methods and construction methodsalmost interchangeably. In many ways, the two are nearly synonymous. Traditionalcarvel and lapstrake planking inevitably imply the use of plank-on-frameconstruction. Strip planking is also known as strip construction, or stripbuilding, and since there's almost no structure to a strip-built hull besidesthe planks, this makes sense. The same goes for stitch-and-glue: it's aconstruction method that relies upon stitched-and-glued panels (in place ofplanks, per se).

PLANKING METHODS

Lapstrake

For hundreds of years, mechanics have had access to a plethora of plankingmethods. One of the oldest is the lapstrake or clinker method where the top edgeof each plank is beveled, overlapped by, and fastened to the bottom edge of thenext one up. Lapstrake boats are strong, relatively lightweight, and generallyeasy to keep tight (at least when new) thanks to the overlapping planks. Dorylap is a variation that uses a bevel on both the top and bottom edges of theplank. This is done to reduce the thickness of the lap. The glued plywoodlapstrake method (or simply "glued lap") was introduced just a few years ago,taking advantage of the benefits of plywood and epoxy to increase the durabilityof the planking, eliminate leaks, and cut down on the number of frames required.

Lapstrake construction in general is best suited for a hull without a tremendousamount of shape or large changes in girth or circumference in the hull movingfore to aft. For a good-looking job and for easy planking, care must be taken tocarefully predetermine, or "line out," the plank locations. Curiously, lapstrakeboats are somewhat "noisy" or musical as the moving water chortles past thelaps.

Traditional lapstrake fares well out of the water for extendedperiods—that's why the method was often used for lifeboats.

Carvel Planking

Smooth or carvel planking has the classic look that is often associated withyachts. Any kind of hull can be built with edge-to-edge-fit carvel planking, aseach individual plank is patterned and sculpted to shape. Where...