Magzter GOLDで無制限に

Magzter GOLDで無制限に

10,000以上の雑誌、新聞、プレミアム記事に無制限にアクセスできます。

$149.99
 
$74.99/年

試す - 無料

Build your kit boat like an expert

Practical Boat Owner

|

September 2023

Polly Robinson shares her best practice for constructing a boat from a pre-cut kit, and how to troubleshoot potential problems

- Polly Robinson

Build your kit boat like an expert

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

Practical Boat Owner からのその他のストーリー

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Keep your boat dry this winter

Ashore or afloat, winter cold and damp can have a detrimental effect. Jake Kavanagh looks at options for keeping condensation and moisture at bay

time to read

9 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

First time above the Arctic Circle

JoJo Pickering is wowed by mountains, deep anchorages, fjords and endless daylight while sailing a 48ft yacht on Norway's west coast

time to read

7 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Legendary boats

Saša Fegić shares his pick of the boats that shaped sailing history and transformed the sport

time to read

13 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Diesel engine fluids

The key to a smooth-running diesel engine is making sure you look the fluids, as John Panye explains

time to read

10 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Dismasted off the Lizard

Richard Ayres makes his first Mayday call when his yacht is dismasted and prop fouled close to the Manacle rocks

time to read

6 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Safer boarding quidance for small craft

Skippers and crew of small boats are being advised to consider boarding aids such as additional ladders, handholds, and alternative means of access, such as a tender.

time to read

1 min

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

The new old navigation

You can do it with your eyes shut

time to read

3 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Ex-lifeboatman's nine year solo voyage

A former Plymouth lifeboat volunteer has returned from his 30,000-mile circumnavigation on his 36ft yacht, nine years after setting off.

time to read

1 min

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Island of dreams

Modern intrusions vie with the trill of oystercatchers close to Dave's dream home

time to read

3 mins

November 2025

Practical Boat Owner

Practical Boat Owner

Ella's Arctic record attempt on pause

Ella Hibbert, who is the first British woman to sail the Northwest Passage single-handed, has halted her solo sail around the Arctic due to safety concerns ahead of attempting the Northeast Passage behind schedule, but vowed to continue again next summer.

time to read

1 min

November 2025

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size