Strip planking info wanted.

[viking69]

Hi all,
Well in a few months I am going to start to build myself a 30 foot cat using the strip planking method. I would be glad to hear from anyone who could point me in the direction of books, videos or web sites that will be of benifit. Also any of those living in Aus that have built a boat using this method have you any good sources for materials etc.
Thanks
Andy

[seaclusion]

Try Bateau.com for info. Also get the Gougeon Brothers book on Boatbuilding commonly known as W.E.S.T. System.
Gougeon Brothers at:
http://www.westsystem.com/

Richard

[viking69]

thanks i have that book on order. it seems as if it is the bible for this process. I would have thought more people would have some of those great tips that you can never find in a book that make the job easier.

[cat man do]

I have made a bit of comment on this site

Speed Strip tongue-and-groove strip planking - Boat Design Forums

Have a wade through here for additional info that may help

http://boatdesign.net/forums/search.php?searchid=932780

Also dont use glue for strip planking as it is way hard to sand.

The bond only need's to be as strong as the timber used.

Invest in a good 2 speed sander with a flat pad, I use a Hitachi sat 180.

Have fun,

Dave

[viking69]

thanks for that. yeh have a good range of tools as the brother is a builder so have all the sanders, planers routers and thicknessers etc that you can imagine. do not think much of my boilermaking gear will be of much use :-)

[Pblais]

The real trick is you are making planks with a shape in 3 dimensions. That is the whole trick to it and the bane of it. When to bend and when to cut becomes the whole ball game because for a few years it may not matter but eventually it will. The skill is in the knowing as much as it it is in the seeing.

I can't help but hope you have the very best possible luck possible. It's a great challenge. Being lucky is way better than being good.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Pblais

The real trick is you are making planks with a shape in 3 dimensions. That is the whole trick to it and the bane of it. When to bend and when to cut becomes the whole ball game because for a few years it may not matter but eventually it will. The skill is in the knowing as much as it it is in the seeing.

I can't help but hope you have the very best possible luck possible. It's a great challenge. Being lucky is way better than being good.

Pblais, Are you talking strip plank or traditional planked vessel here.

Strip plank on a 30 ft cat would be somwhere between 8mm and 12mm thick, depending on design.

They will go anywhere you want.

When they get to a stage where they start getting too much curve across the width of the plank, just pull a straight line , cut, and start stacking them up again.

Dave

[viking69]

the size in the plans i have ask for 15mm to be used. It is a 9.4 waller design boat. i know it will not be the fastest out there but should make for a reasonable coastal cruiser for just me and whoever i pick up along the way. I looked at various methods of building a cat around this size that still has a bridge deck and strip planking seemed to be the best allround comprimise for me. cant afford to go buy a new seawind or even a second hand one for that matter.

[cat man do]

Wow 15 mm is pretty generous, how much glass?

Remember every KG you save on the build is an extra KG of beer you can carry

I have a 16mm core with 600db in and out on a 50 ft cat.

Have you had a look at Kiri, lighter than WRC and no allergy.

Dave

[viking69]

It has 550gm cloth outside of hulls and 440 inside. yep have been looking at the kiri and it looks like a good proposition. one other question when i was looking at the kiri compared to red ceder it gives hardness test figures but do they the same as strength comparisions or should that be given as a different figure.

[cat man do]

My last 9.3 metre cat had 10mm WRC and 440 in and out, and it was incredibly strong.

The few test panel's I did with Kiri showed it up to be superior to WRC in all aspect's.

Dave.

[delmarrey]

Here's a friends boat built in NZ and done with Karri wood. The hull was triple strip planked. The first layer was done at a 45º angle; the second was done horizontal and the third done the opposite 45º angles. A very strong boat and light. It's one of the most beautiful boats I've ever seen inside. You can see the angled planking lacquered over.

[Alan Wheeler]

Ummm, that would be Kauri. Beautiful timber, but the native NZ timber is no longer available. Fijian Kauri is all that can be obtained now and it has none of the beauty of the NZ stuff. The odd log is still dug up from a swamp every now and then, but they are between 10,000 and 40,000yrs old and sort after for making guitars and violins etc.

[cat man do]

This stuff i'm talking about is Kiri, a lighter than WRC, not as light as balsa timber from China.

Highpoint Timbers Homepage

Edge glue strip's together, and glass either side to get a light stiff hull.

Much easier than cold moulding, triple diagonal.

Dave

[viking69]

So i am guessing no one around brissy or SE QLD sells it for you to get it all the way from WA. i must admit i am leaning towards this timber and will be getting a quote from them.