Rudder Tube Keel assembly finished

Tonight I only had to finish the aft rudder tube keel assembly, and then add Frame 0 to the forward keel piece. Easy jobs.

In the picture below, you can barely see the hole for the rudder tube. The idea in this assembly is that the rudder tube fits in a gap created between "Keel piece #2" and "Keel piece #3". That gap is held open by two side pieces that are perfectly aligned by running 1/8" stock through the two alignment holes in back of the gap, and the three holes in front of the gap. In the picture below, you can see the stock protruding from the front alignment holes.

Then frame 9 will slip into the slot you can see just in front of the assembly. When planked, this rudder tube assembly will be extremely strong and yet relatively light. Much better than trying to carve a solid piece of wood and fit it to the bottom and then accurately drill a hole through it. Ugh... been there. This way, the hole is perfectly aligned, and perfectly straight.

Tomorrow, I will drill a 5/32" hole through the gap to widen it just a tad to the outsides. The 5/32" brass tube will then fit perfectly when I install it later on.

Tomorrow I will also start to assemble the frames on the strongback! Yay!

Aloha!

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