Frames

Each frame consists of two plywood bulkheads connected by a beam. Use 1/4" plywood for frames 1, 2 and 3; 3/8" plywood for frame 4. I used 1 1/8" pine for frames 1-3 to try saving weight, and 3/4" oak for frame 4. But you could just as easily use 3/4" oak for all the beams. Your choice.

Note that all measurements on the frame drawings are measured either horizontally from the boat's centerline, or vertically from the lower edge of the frame beam.

Very carefully and precisely transfer these measurements to plywood. Start by striking a horizontal line which is perpendicular to the left edge of the plywood, and which corresponds to the lower edge of the beam.

Establish the outer perimeter of the bulkhead first, ignoring for the moment the notches for the various battens and stringers. You can add the notches next, or you can cut out the bulkhead and then add them. Use the Scantling List to determine the sizes of the notches.

Cut the beams a little long. Locate the proper positions of the bulkheads using the lines transfered from the drawings, and by placing each pair of bulkheads the proper distance apart on the beam. Screw them together dry (without glue) for now. You may want to mark the beam and cut to final length at this time, or wait until the frames are glued together. Also, you cut the tunnel batten notches in the beam now, or wait until the frame is glued up.

After glue-up, cut or drill limbers between the batten notches so that bilgewater can make its way aft (see Construction Drawing). If you have a drill press you can use the method shown in the photo. Otherwise they will have to be sawn. If sawn, they can be cut rectangular like the batten notches, or you may want to cut them triangular for simplicity.

Alternatively, you could simply cut the batten notches a little over-wide, leaving a gap for the water to pass. Also cut a limber a the tunnel keel.

Transom

The transom is constructed much like the frames, but with a different sort of beam. Because the deck slopes down toward the transom, the beam is necessarily low. Width has been added to give it the strength it needs. I pieced mine together using two lengths of oak and a pine filler (see photo inset). The beam can also be pieced together in solid hardwood, or shaped form a single piece of hardwood.

Before gluing the beam together, cut the notches for the tunnel battens.

The plywood transom pieces are cut from 3/8" stock. Later in the building process this 3/8" ply will be laminated over with 1/4" marine plywood to cover the ends of the longitudinals which are notched into the transom.

Stem

Cut the stem a few inches extra long. It will be trimmed to the proper length later.

The stem can be sawn on a table saw, or perhaps on a bandsaw with a tilting table. Being a hand-tool user, I roughed out my stem with a drawknife and completed the job with planes.