Plywood boatbuilding has been popular for years - it's cheaper, quicker and more accessible than traditional building methods - but in the past you'd need to loft the plans onto the plywood or use large, full-size paper plans to transfer to the panels.
Enter Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machines which allow the designer to transfer all the panels into a computer- aided design (CAD) program that then allows the CNC machine to cut out the panels with great precision and speed.
The builder then gets started straight away with the fun part-assembling the boat with minimum risk of misshapen panels or human error.
Epoxy allowed plywood boatbuilding to become faster and easier. Using a stitch and glue method-where panels are held together with wire or cable ties (stitched!) to get the boat's shape and then secured with thickened epoxy applied as a 'fillet' to hold the shape permanently (glued!) -the epoxy is stronger than the wood it's holding together.
It's a method that hasn't changed much in the years it has been used - The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction: Wood and West System Materials by Meade Gougeon is still as relevant today as it was when first published-and a great source of information for all kit builders.
The nature of a plywood boat kit with pre-cut panels means the risk of a disaster is greatly minimised. It's a great method for first time builders or those who want to get onto the water as quickly as possible. Although problems are minimal there are a few areas where some care should be taken, as well as some best practices to follow.
BEST PRACTICE
Sharpening tools
Esta historia es de la edición September 2023 de Practical Boat Owner.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2023 de Practical Boat Owner.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A sailor's guide to UK sharks and fish
Genevieve Leaper looks at some of the shark species around the British and Irish coasts and how to spot these fish from your boat
Multihull anchoring
Brush up on your multihull sailing skills before heading off on a holiday charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to anchoring
A revolution in fabrics
Marine fabrics are using natural fibres, less harmful chemicals and longer-lasting colours. Jake Kavanagh looks at the cut of the cloth
Shoestring voyage of adventure
Richard King and Serafin Colmenares Jr. look back at the remarkable Pacific voyage of Florentino Das in his 24ft home-built boat
A fine day out with a visitor
Six hours afloat and a guided tour to vindicate a fictional sailing heroine's navigational skills
Boats for Baltic cruising
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-40ft sail and power boats for crossing the North Sea and exploring a Baltic summer
Boatyard life
The tide of the year Is rising. Time for work
Weather or not to go sailing
Ignore the apps: it's much safer to swear by the weather wisdom of a local oracle
The angelic East Coast pocket cruiser
It is 100 years since the first Deben Cherub was launched. Julia Jones looks back at the history of this 21ft river racing class
Best anchor types for varied cruising
Rupert Holmes on choosing the best anchor for your boat, your style of cruising, how you’ll use it and your budget