Gallic fishing boat St Gildas

Namabiiru

Namabiiru

Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
301
Points
168

While I wait for some glue to dry on my New York Pilot Boat Phanton (and screw up my courage for the next step) I thought I would delve into another kit I picked up from my LHS before they went out of business.
IMG_1761.JPG
It seems to be a pretty basic kit. The fittings are well made, but as far as the supplied wood I would have expected a bit better quality considering how much the kit cost. Here are some shots of the box contents:
IMG_1762.JPG
IMG_1763.JPG
The deck is pre-printed, but I think I will probably flip it over and do my own planking seams. The sails are also pre-printed so we'll see what becomes of those.

Instructions are, of course, entirely in French so I'm thankful to live in an age of Google Translate....
 
Last edited:
The first step is to prepare the false keel. The photos in the instructions show the outline of the hull planks printed on the keel, but this is not actually present so it must be transferred from the plans and drawn on by hand
IMG_1764.JPGIMG_1765.JPG

This is where I seem to be at a decision point.

The instructions make no mention of a rabbet for the planks, although what little I have learned of POF construction would indicate that the rabbet is nearly always used. The decision I have to make is whether to 1) cut the rabbet into the false keel (which is made of 5-ply veneer) as it is, or 2) remove the stern post, keel and stem entirely and make all new parts from solid hardwood.

Since the entire hull gets doped and painted, I don't think the raw veneer edges will take much away from the finished product, but making all new stem, keel and sternpost would greatly simplify (I think!) the job of cutting the rabbet--really would just be a chamfer using this method--in the false keel.

What do you old salts recommend?

Whichever I choose I think it needs to be done before I start adding the bulkheads. Speaking of bulkheads, there is a diagram in the plans showing the arrangement of the numbered bulkheads on the platten from which they are cut. Unfortunately, the actual platten in the kit is laid out nothing like the diagram so it's a lot of guesswork trying to figure out the numbering of the bulkheads. Nor do the shapes of the bulkheads watch very closely the lay lines for the hull so not much help there.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, guys; have been on vacation in Japan for a couple of weeks. hopefully I'll get back to this and the pilot boat Phantom in the near future. Still puzzling over rabbeting the false keel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top