Shorty's Simple 18" PDRacer 10-20-04 Introduction: This is a building key and set of plans for a very basic PDRacer that is 18" high and has airboxes at the ends for emergency floatation. The building key is optimized to get the most work done in the shortest number of sessions, the most work is done in the first session which the assumption is that you could have help come over to start your project. This is just one way to build a PDRacer, using one collection of boat building techniques. There are many different ways to build a PDRacer, so feel free to modify this set of building instructions to meet your own personal needs. ### BOAT SPECS ##### Side Height: 18" high sides Hull Construction: internal chine logs, with end airboxes for emergency floatation Airboxes: bow = 18" stern = 12" Leeboard: side kickup leeboard, on a simple pivot with bungee hold down Rudder: non-kickup simple blade (basically just a rectangle) Tiller: stick bolted to side of rudder, so it pivots Gudgeon & Pintles: aluminum angle iron home made ones Hatches: rubbermaid containers glued to the bulkheads Sail Rig: leg-o-mutton sprit sail, 59 sqft (3 sided sprit) on 16' mast Mast: made from 2x4x16' - is 2-1/2" round at base, same diameter up to 5', then taper to 1.5" at top Extra stuff: 5' oars - for auxiliary ### BUILDING KEY #### MAST - take 16' long 2x4, mark bottom of mast so that it is 2.5" wide up to 5', then taper from there to top which is only 1.5" square. Taper only one side - take left over piece from mast tapering, cut 2 strips that are 1/2" thick x 1.5" x 5' long - mark 1.5" channel on the sides of the mast, centered where the strips will go - glue and nail these strips to the lower end of the mast. Make sure to nail only on the centerline, later will run through a router to make the mast a hexagon. MAKE CHINE LOGS & FRAMING PIECES - take 2x6x12 cut 3/4" strip on side to make 3/4" x 1-1/2" x 12' strip, cut that in half to make 2 of 3/4" square strips from main piece, cut another 3/4" strip, and cut in half again to make 2 more 3/4" square x 12' strips from main piece, cut another 3/4" strip, leave so makes 3/4" x 1.5" x 12' from main piece, cut another 3/4" strip, leave so makes 3/4" x 1.5" x 12' from main piece, cut another 3/4" strip, leave so makes 3/4" x 1.5" x 12' left with 1-3/4" x 1-1/2" piece, cut 9'6" off for sprit boom, rest is for tiller - run sprit boom thru router with 1/4" round over bit - run tiller thru router with 1/4" round over bit - take 2x6x8 cut 1.25" strip off side, mark "port gunnel" cut 1.25" strip off side, mark "starboard gunnel" remaining piece, cut 5' off, then rip in half to make 2 of 1-1/2" square sticks - will use these for oars mark each "oar handle" remaining 3' piece, cut 12" section off, then slice that in half to make 3" x 3/4" x 12" boards mark one "Rudder Backup Plate" take 3" x 12" board and cut in half to make 2 of 3" x 6" boards mark one "mast step" and other "bow bulkhead backup plate" take remaining 24" x 3" x 1.5" piece, and cut 2 of 1.5" x 2.5" x 3" pieces from it mark each "mast step spacer" - run oar handles router with 1/2" round over bit - take 2x4x8 cut 1/2" strip off side, mark "center skid" cut 1/2" strip off side, mark "port skid" cut 1/2" strip off side, mark "starboard skid" - take remaining piece, cut 48" section from it making a 48" x 1.5" x 1.75", mark "spray rail" - leaves 48" x 1.5" x 1.75" SIDES - cut 18" x 96" strip of plywood - cut another 18" x 96" strip of plywood - mark each piece with bow / stern, port / starboard, and inside / outside (should use factory edge as the gunnel) - mark bottom rocker profile on one side - clamp together - cut both at same time - while still clamped together, sand the edges smooth - glue & nail 3/4" square chine log to the bottom of the side panel, on the inside (each side panel) - glue & nail 1-1/4" x 1-1/2" gunnel to top inside edge of each side panel, this is the gunnels - trim bow end of gunnel to match side panel - glue & nail 3/4" square chine log to bow and stern, on inside of side panel - sand sides as needed to make chine log and plywood edge smooth & even LEEBOARD - take 1x12, cut 15" off, mark it "leeboard backup plate" - mark and cut bottom of it to match curve of side panel - glue & nail to the starboard side panel on the inside, this will be the external leeboard slide plate - take remaining 1x12, cut 48" off for leeboard - take small piece left over and mark it "rudder blade" - drill pivot hole in side panel - use router to smooth corners, or feather the board as desired - attach leeboard handle, it is made from 3/4" x 1-1/2" strip - attach to side panel, then install stop block at gunnel so when leeboard is up, the handle stops on the block RUDDER - round the corners of the rudder blade - use router to smooth corners, or feather the board as desired BOW BULKHEAD - cut bulkhead from sheet of plywood - cut it's end off so only 47-1/2" wide, it goes on inside so not full width - clearly mark it with "Bow Bulkhead", plus which side faces bow, which side is top - top of bulkhead, bow side cut 3/4" square frame log to fit all the way across glue & nail - bottom of bulkhead, bow side measure chine angle from side panel and cut frame log from 3/4" x 1.5" raw stock glue & nail - sides of bulkhead, bow side cut 3/4" square frame log to fit between other framing logs glue & nail - bottom of bulkhead, bow side place mast step backup plate on bottom center glue & nail - bottom of bulkhead, stern side assemble mast step, clamp in place: 3/4" x 3" x 6" step plate 2.5" x 3" x 1.5" spacer (there are 2 of them, one to each side) 1/4" bulkhead 3/4" x 3" x 6" bulkhead backup plate drill 4 holes, mount with 1/4" bolts so heads are on stern side, threads on bow side - starboard side, middle of bulkhead cut rim and lid from a rubbermaid container cut hole for hatch (rubbermaid rim & lid) will mount later with PL Premium when caulk other parts STERN BULKHEAD - cut bulkhead from sheet of plywood - cut it's end off so only 47-1/2" wide, it goes on inside so not full width - clearly mark it with "Stern Bulkhead", plus which side faces bow, which side is top - top of bulkhead, stern side cut 3/4" square frame log to fit all the way across glue & nail - bottom of bulkhead, stern side measure chine angle from side panel and cut frame log from 3/4" x 1.5" raw stock glue & nail - sides of bulkhead, stern side cut 3/4" square frame log to fit between other framing logs glue & nail - middle of bulkhead cut rim and lid from a rubbermaid container cut hole for hatch (rubbermaid rim & lid) will mount later with PL Premium when caulk other parts STERN TRANSOM - cut stern transom from sheet of plywood - bottom of transom, bow side measure chine angle from side panel and chine log from 3/4" x 1.5" raw stock make sure only 46" wide so will fit between side panels glue & nail - top of transom, bow side cut 3/4" square frame log to go 46" across, center with room each side glue & nail - center of transom, bow side measure and cut 3" wide rudder backup plate to fit between logs glue & nail BOW TRANSOM - cut bow transom from sheet of plywood - bottom of transom, stern side measure chine angle from side panel and chine log from 3/4" x 1.5" raw stock make sure only 46" wide so will fit between side panels glue & nail - top of transom, stern side cut 3/4" square frame log to go 46" across, center with room each side glue & nail BOW DECK - cut bow deck from sheet of plywood - top side of deck, cross wise, stern side find 48" x 1.5" x 1.75", marked "spray rail" mark where it will be mounted - but do not attach yet - in center, just forward of spray rail, cut 2.5" square hole for mast - mount 3 short strips of 3/4" square frame log on forward and sides of mast partner hole will deflect water and provide abrasion resistance - glue & nail spray rail on - (optional) attach ribs underneath deck for added strength MAKE IT GO 3D - layout all parts approximately where they go, with everything upside down (gunnel on ground) - notch corners of bulkheads so fit between framing logs - test clamp everything together, make sure that all parts will fit make sure that 48" bottom will fit on hull, and that bulkheads aren't too wide - glue & nail stern bulkhead to sides make sure that the top and bottom line up with the side panels, so after deck and bottom are on there are no gaps - glue & nail attach forward bulkhead to sides - glue & nail attach stern transom - glue & nail attach bow transom - square up the hull, then temporarily attach diagonal brace from transom to side, using one screw each end ATTACH THE BOTTOM - mark outside of sides where the bulkheads are, so can know where to drive nails - mark 3/4" along sides of bottom plywood sheet, so know where to drive nails - apply LOTS of glue, have roll of paper towels ready - start at stern, nail along transom first then start nailing up the sides - if working alone, prop up the bow end of the bottom with a stick clamped on somewhere - work forward nailing the sides, make sure using lots of glue till all the way on - mark across where bukheads are, nail across there - trim and sand the bottom as needed - fill in holes or gaps along bottom with filler (titebond II & belt sander dust or flour) SKIDS - mark channel where skids go one down center one on each side, half way between center and chine - start at stern, drive screw thru skid into transom, lots of glue keep working going forward, drive a screw every 6"-8" - later will remove the screws and fill the holes, they only act as a clamp OARS - run oar handles thru router - find scrap plywood, cut oar blades approximately 8" x 6" blades - glue & nail blades to oar handles MAST - after glue is dry, run entire mast through router with 45 degree bit to turn it into an octagon MAKE SAIL - LEG-O-MUTTON SPRIT - measure luff size along factory edge of polytarp mark head of sail - locate clew mark big spot there - draw line from head to clew - locate center of desired location of the draft usually 30% up, and 30% back mark big spot there - fold dart from tack to draft spot tape dart down with duct tape, both sides - draw line from tack to clew - put strip of duct tape along inside of line from head to clew and from tack to clew - cut excess tarp from aft edge of sail - make loop of line for clew end of line enters the clew area of the sail and goes in and out of tarp duct tape both sides to hold clew line SAIL RIG - lace sail to the mast - tie snap link onto mast, this makes the snotter - screw cleat to base of the mast, on aft edge below the sail. Cleat is used for both a down haul and a snotter cleat. - drill hole in aft end of sprit boom - tie main sheet to clew of sail go thru sprit boom stopper knot thru snap link on rudder blade END SESSION 1 - TAKE A BREAK AND LET THE GLUE DRY FOR A DAY SKIDS - remove screws - fill holes with filler (titebond II and belt sander dust, or flour) SEAL AND PAINT - flip it upright - sand the top to make it flush for accepting the decks - fill holes with filler (titebond II and belt sander dust, or flour) - use PL premium (concrete blend) around the inside of every seam, and to fill gaps in bulkhead corners smooth the fillet with your finger - paint entire inside, including insides of air tanks do not paint the top of the gunnels or bulkheads - place decks on temporarily mark where they need to be glued to gunnels - flip upside down, set it on a couple of blocks so air can flow underneath - paint the entire bottom - paint the leeboard - paint the rudder - paint the oars - paint mast & boom - paint bottom of decks make sure not to paint where they will be glued - paint tops of decks END SESSION 2 - LET THE PAINT DRY PAINT 2ND COAT - flip it upright - paint 2nd coat on everything - upside down on blocks again - paint bottom END SESSION 3 - LET THE PAINT DRY RUDDER - flip upright - make angle iron gudgeons cut 3" from aluminum angle iron one one side, drill one 1/4" hole at each end on other side, in center, drill single hole for pivot bolt repeat to make a 2nd one - install pivot bolt between them to keep aligned - mount gudgeons to transom with 3/4" spacer between the angle iron and the transom - drill hole for snap link in top of rudder blade - attach tiller to rudder blade so it can pivot up and down easily - make pintles cut 2 of 12" sections of angle iron drill hole in one end, this is pivot hole put pintles in gudgeons with pivot bolt clamp other end of pintles to rudder blade drill and mount to blade HATCH COVERS - mount rubbermaid rim and lid to the bulkheads both bow and stern bulkheads use PL Premium concrete blend DECKS - glue & nail decks to the hull trim and sand as needed OARLOCKS - either mount commercially made oarlocks or can simply drill hole in gunnel, and use loop of rope for oarlock FINISHING TOUCHES - touch up paint as needed - paint designs on the rest of the boat, do something exciting, something that you haven't seen anywhere else - paint boat's name on the stern, or just use a big black marker - paint "PDRacer.com" on the stern so the club gets a little advertising while you drive down the road (paint it upside down if you plan to cartop) - paint hull number near the bow on both sides - paint the puddle duck logo somewhere, like on the stern deck TOOLS NEEDED Shop apron Safety glasses Sunglasses Hat Ear muffs Hammer Phillips and flat head screw drivers 50' extension cord Circular saw Saber saw Table saw Chicken sticks Drill Sanding disk Cordless drill dremel Paint brushes Builder's right angle Bevel guide (Angle keeper) Pencils Pencil sharpener clamps center punch to recess nails caulk gun Workmate & small work table Tarp or construction plastic - to keep glue off ground stencil of puddle duck logo big black sharpie marker to write boat's name BUILDING SUPPLIES nails titebond II glue sawdust that has been run thru blender - as filler material flour - as in bread flour, or similar powder for filler material mixing cup screws sand paper - stick on for 5" sanding disk paint drill bits router bits -- 45 chamfer, and 1/4 round, 1/2 round if needed masking tape duct tape metal cutting blade for circular saw paper towels vynal gloves