PDRacer Sailboat - Articles

Because I put the chine logs on the inside, I had to notch the bulkheads to fit between the framing logs. I slathered on lots of glue, and clamped the bulkheads in place, then drove several screws in each.

One definite disadvantage of building a rectangular boat, is that if you are just slightly crooked, it is very easy to see. I squared up the hull as best I could, then drove in a couple of temporary braces. It is only 2 sticks and 4 screws, but makes the entire structure very rigig.

I attached on the bow and stern transoms, then sanded all the surfaces that would contact the bottom. I have been on a number of home made boats that use 1/4" plywood for their bottoms, and they all "oil can" (flex on the water). I used 3/8" plywood for my bottom because it adds extra stiffness and impact strength, incase I hit a stump. I made my previous brick entirely from 3/8" plywood and that was a mistake, the extra weight really made it a bear to move around, and I don't think it added much stiffness or strength to the sides.

The picture shows a neat trick if you are working alone, I propped one end of the plywood with a stick so I could drive screws into the stern. After the stern was screwed around the perimeter, I removed the stick and the weight of the plywood curved itself forward. This is another time that I used the marks on the outsides where the bulkheads are - they provided a guide so I could mark across the bottom and drive screws into the logs along the bottom edge of the bulkheads. And ofcourse I used so much glue, that immediately after I had to rub the entire hull down with paper towels.

And here is my hull. If I really wanted to, I could toss it into the water and float along.

Funny story - Tim Cowden was getting ready for one of the Conroe Messabouts, and he wasn't finished with a boat he was working on. He brought the boat and wrapped it in construction plastic, and used it that weekend.

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