The Utility: Incremental progress on the planking

It has been a week of small, incremental progress on the Utility. Even when you can only spend 15 – 30 minutes a day on the project, each little step gets you further along, and can take much of the prep work out of the next major task.

So it has been for me over the last several days. One morning, I simply measured and marked the location for driving screws through the planking and into the chine. That evening, I “connected the dots” between these marks, giving me the line along which to drill the holes. The next day, I marked points along this line, spaced 3 inches apart. I drilled holes on a few of these points, and drove a few screws. The next day, I did a few more... and so on. 

Aft starboard side panel, dry-fit & screwed on.

Once the aft starboard side panel was screwed on, I trimmed the edges down some with a block plane. Then I went back and beveled the rims of the screw holes just enough so that I can drive the screw heads down flush with the plywood surface, while still achieving good compression of all the plywood layers beneath the screw heads.

Screws spaced 3" apart; Holes beveled for flush fit & layer compression.

At this point, the aft starboard side panel is screwed and fitted into place. I will have to wait until I have more free time to remove it, apply the epoxy, and then put it back on. In the meantime, I’ve resumed the fairing for the port side panel.

And, oh yes... Don’t think I’ve forgotten the Zip. I’ve assembled its breasthook & have been sanding the sides, as time permits.

Zip breasthook assembled & being sanded.