Alignment and Preparation for the Build

Having got all the stations fitted, I now take the moulds down, one by one. Firstly, I have to cut them in half and then hold the two halves together by butt-straps.

Three butt straps holding the two halves of the mould together

  

The reason I have to do this is that I will not be able to remove the moulds from the finished boat as they will be too tight a fit. So what I have to do, when the boat is finished, is remove the butt-straps and then the moulds can be taken out of the hull in two halves.

Whilst the mould is out, I cut out a notch 1" x  3" (25 x 75mm) to accept the hog: which is a long piece of timber (1" x  3") that lies on top of the keel.

The notch for the hog

I now return and secure the mould back on its station, making sure it is exactly vertical and aligned along the centre line. To do this I tie and stretch a piece of string along the centre of the notches I have cut for the hog (remember the boat is built upside down, with the keel on top.)

String tied along the centre line of the boat

Having got the station accurately back in place I give extra security to it by adding stays that secure the uprights to the strongback

Stays holding the station in the correct posotion

As you might have noticed, constructing the building jig is very time consuming, but, just like a painting is only as good as the drawing beneath it, so a boat is only as good as the building jig upon which it is built. 

I have to resist adding, in every post: 'fingers-crossed', 'hopefully', 'with any luck'.