Preview: How to Build a Caledonia Yawl, Part 25 – Shaping & Drilling the Seats & Partners

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Dressing the side benches and thwarts maintains their strength while removing the appearance of bulkiness.

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10 Responses So Far to “How to Build a Caledonia Yawl, Part 25 – Shaping & Drilling the Seats & Partners

  • Richard Roth says:

    Great series!
    One question: Do you put screws or bolts through that thwart into the centercase?

    • Geoff Kerr says:

      I use screws. Through bolting would work as well. Builders get to make so many decisions!

  • Thomas King says:

    Am I missing something here. I’m sure there are commercially available wood screw pilot bits available in a wide assortment of sizes.

    • Geoff Kerr says:

      Wood screws require accurate sizing and pilot drilling for maximum strength. One diameter for the shank, and one for the root of the threads…plus the countersink for the head… Many/most of the readily available “one-shot” drill bits are tapered in the thread portion, and a proper wood screw is not. Look carefully and you will see the threads and root are straight until the very tip. If you find bits that are right, treasure them. If you are faced with a large planking project consider grinding a few of your own or having a machine shop turn you out a dozen from shank diameter bits you supply.

  • Matt Haverly says:

    This was fascinating – as is this entire series.

  • mark bratton says:

    getting ready to install mast partners on my caldonia. I measured off my plans the mast leaning aft 5 degrees. is this accurate? is this for appearance or is it functional?

    • Geoff Kerr says:

      This is a question more appropriately asked of the designer…that said, it is my belief that the mast rake is key to the balance of the rig, center of effort, sail handling and so forth, so do it as drawn. Measure off the stations to get the distances to the center of the mast at the partner and at the step. I usually set the partner first then tweak the step to get the rake just right.

  • Chuck Keller says:

    I’ m really enjoying the build and the degree of craftsmanship needed to make a glue/lap boat. I see that Geoff is right handed and using a right hand circular saw. Most circular saws are left hand. So Geoff can see and do a better cutting job with his right hand saw. I have both right and left handed saws. Being right handed I use the right handed saw most of the time.

  • terry brower says:

    Is there a DVD available of the complete video series showing construction of the Caledonia Yawl as built by Geoff Kerr?

  • Larry Cheek says:

    One further word of appreciation for this entire series: I’m currently building my first glued-lap boat, and despite having completed four stitch-and-glue and strip-plank boats, feeling like a complete doofus beginner again. Geoff’s videos clarify the processes more thoroughly and helpfully than any books possibly can.

    My current project is Clint Chase’s Deer Isle Koster, not an Oughtred design, but most of Geoff’s techniques and tips would appear to apply to any small glued-lap boat.

    If I avoid even one irredeemable planking error, which would mean plowing into a new $120 sheet of okoume ply, that’s the equivalent of—what, four years worth of OCH subscription?

    Both for practical instruction and inspiration, this is terrific.

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