Construction of Two Portuguese Style Dinghies (Small Boats)

Step 2 Connect Sides at the Bow

Cut a piece of 1" by 1" wood (I used 1" or 3/4" trim I found a Home Depot...in the TRIM section) to run from the bottom of the side piece to the top.
Align the front edges to the piece of trim. I used 1" drywall screws to screw from the outside of the sides in to the trim piece.
I had also set the side pieces propped up on my sawhorses.
The side pieces are almost at a 90 degree angle from one another. Align them as well as you can as this is one of the most important joints you will make.

Comments

[stormy0314]

The correct term for the front of the boat is the bow and the correct name for the "bow stick" is the stem. The back end is the stern and that back panel is called the transom. 12 years with the Navy and 40 years in and around the merchant marine plus having a hobby building boats and I never once heard the term prow used except with Viking ships of old. Prow is a lubbers term for bow though.

[rook999]

LOL! Thanks!

[stormy0314]

Forgot to say I did enjoy this "ible".

[TheThompsonFive]

This is the one part I don't get. If you lap one side over the other, that side will be 1/4" shorter at the transom. How do you deal with it at the other end? Would it not be better to miter the edges?

[Donskov]

They are not supposed to be over lapped but meet at the corners and form very close to a right angle. Since that bow stick (I'll call it that because I don't know the correct nomenclature) stays in the finished boat, you fill the gap between the two sheets with thickened epoxy. In his case he used thickened fiberglass resin.

[thepelton]

I do beleive the front end of the boat is the prow. I was in the USN.