Started the Corbie 5 IOM build today! For real, as opposed to in 3D on my computer. This week I made the strongback out of 3/4" MDF. It's about 8" wide (exact width doesn't matter too much as long as it is as wide as the boat) with sides about 3" tall that have been screwed to the top. To that I aligned and glued the base alignment jig pieces. I used weights and pins to hold the pieces flat while they dried. Just used Titebond II for this process. The alignment jig is designed to hold the frames in exact position relative to each other. The spacing between the stations is exact, as is the horizontal and vertical alignment. You can also see that the slots for the frames are all different lengths. This is so ensure that each frame will only fit in a very specific slot. Frames that must be faced a specific direction so that port and starboard are correct, have two different sized slots and can only fit the correct way. Pretty cool, huh?! This is the inte...

First : I've changed the name from Wampum III to Wampum VM (for Vintage Marblehead). It may not be the final name change though, but it will do for now. It's a Vintage Marblehead sailboat, but with a few modern updates to help the builder. However, the boat should sail essentially the same as it did in 1933, when it was originally designed. Second: I've finished clear coating and laminating the frames, and have just installed them on the strongback. In order to do that, I've laminated the entire keel build-up, and have also shaped the keel. In the pictures below, you can clearly see how the keel system works. The main keel is built up of several laminations of 1/16" plywood on top of a 1/8" inner core. You can also see that the front section of the keel only shows the inner core, but the aft part is shaped wood. The lead ballast will be secured to both sides of the inner core section, and will be molded to match the wood. When I cut the fra...

The Wampum III is on its way to reality! Last week I cut the frames. Sixteen sheets total! Yowza. This weekend, I made a strongback to build it on. Now I am busy laminating the double-frames, laminating the keel layers, and clear-coating the rest of the frames. I'm also going to start on a plywood mock-up of the ballast. I laser cut those sheets and will laminate them together. I'll then fit them to the keel and shape the entire thing. Then the ballast mock-ups will be removed, further shaped with thickened epoxy, and then eventually molded in refractory cement. Finally, after the molds have cured, I will cast the lead ballasts. Fingers crossed that it all works! Here is the strongback made from 3/4" MDF. The sides are 4" x 48", and the top is 8" wide. Notice that I've drilled holes in it where the keel alignment holes are. With the Wampum III, you will want a very flat space on which you laminate the keel. You'll do this before you...

HUGE step today... I cut the Sun Wind II from the strongback... she's free! And she only weighs 3 lbs. 3 oz. (1446 grams). Not too bad, if I do say so myself. And that includes the fin. So far, I am extremely happy with how she turned out. Now to start to clean up the inside. Will need to grind down a few more drips, sand a few rough spots, and then epoxy coat the keel and any place else that needs it on the inside. Phew! Aloha!