1955 CC Hurricane Restoration

I really fought with the curved bow strips last week. I'm using 1/4" hydrotek Meranti marine plywood which is very stiff and didn't want to bend for me.

So I decided to remove everything I did last week and cut and install intermediate frame members attached at the stem and chine so I'd have something to use for leverage. The original build method used floating strips as intermediates and they really didn't support anything. My plywood would bend at the main frames but flatten out between them, I had a very segmented shape that just didn't like. I think my problem is because I'm using plywood and the original was mahogony planking and was probably steam bent.

I decided to try steaming the plywood and see what it would do. That was the trick, I didn't soak it beacuse I didn't want to ruin it but 10 minutes in the steam box made it do whatever I wanted.

So the starboard side is completely attached and the port side has the full sheets on, I'll try to get the strips fitted after work and installed by the weekend. As usual the second side should go twice as fast as the first.







Hopefully by the time I get to the topsides I've figured out how to be a little neater with the 5200.

I thought I'd sneak this in before Alan posts his sure-to-be-impressive update. I was definitely thinking of his project while I re-did my dining room ceiling and beam facade in T & G knotty pine. Not nearly impressive, but somewhat on topic!

That Dana's a thinker... and you know I love the dog too.
bj

Hope he don't chew up the couch---

Alan, how many things have you ended up wearing around your neck all day ??

Started fitting and installing the plywood inner bottom and transom. Made good progress until I got to the bow curved area. Took a little while to figure out the best way to fit the strips to the curvature. Had some trouble laying the strips on a 45 angle so I went to a 60 degree angle and cut the strips at 5" wide instead of 6", that seemed to be the trick.

I got some dry fitted then stopped to cpes everything. Permanently installed the transom plywood and the rear 2 sheets on the bottom today.

I hate seeing the weekend come to an end,but I look foward to see what Alan has got done every week!

Just think....... back when this boat was built, they had a work crew.

And now it's one man doing what he loves.

Very fine work Alan, and thank you for sharing the ride in photo's.

I will say it again, "This is the best thread in my book".


Dave     

Took Saturday off this week and made a road trip to pick up the hydrotek marine ply and mahogany planking for the bottom. Found a great supplier up in Michigan called LL Johnson that is a full service sawmill. They provided me with some beautiful looking 15' long planks and resawed down to 3/8" for me. Best of all they shipped the lumber down to their South Bend Indiana location that's about 10 minutes from Rob and Dena Leinen's so that saved us about 5 hours total driving and we got to spend a day hanging.

Back to work Sunday. I finished fitting up the spray rails and chines then moved on to fairing(evening) out the bottom preparing for plywood. Fairing was quite a chore as I noticed earlier in the week when fitting the chines that the original hull was lopsided by about 3/8" from one side to the other. The side frame members were actually cut that way from day one. In essence the boat was taller on one side than the other. I ended up having to feather in one side of the boat from 3/8" at the transom down to nothing about 6 feet in to get the boat symetrical. Came out fine but took half a day to get done.

Put a coat of CPES on everything and quit for the day. I think the next few weeks will start to really show the progress being made as there is so much prep work building up to installing the bottom that it seems like I've been at this point for a month. I know otherwise but it will be exciting to see it start to get closed up.

Used a power plane to cut the beveled spray rails. A little tedious but worked out fine.


Using the open chine as a template for glue up worked out fine, the five strips glued up hold the curve perfectly.

I know things can be frustrating at times, I've done a bit of fitting, and no woodworker ever has enough clamps; but I bet you're having a blast. Thumbs up sir!

there has to be somewhere on that boat that i could weld

Morfoot wrote: I have a weird feeling that Correct Craft may want this one back when your done Alan.

Ha, they couldnt afford it!!!

Alan, Ive got absolutely nothing to contribute, other than to say that youre doing a top notch job. Preserving the history while improving on the methods and materials... carry on!

New transom frames installed, I ended up replacing the main center frame, and the 2 auxilary frames. The bottom frame came out super, it retained the curve perfectly and bolted right in after shaping it.




Next step is to fit and install the stem , keel and chine caps.

Todays progress, I spent a few nights this week laminating the stock for the new bottom transom frame. I used 4 pieces of 1/4" white oak and laminated using the existing as a form.



Took the better part of a day to get everything fitted but it's ready for Cpes tonight


Then stripped the transom and prepped it for install tomorrow


Off to the boat show.

Very awesome !! if I ever have a wooden Correct Craft that needs help I am calling you !!