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Step 13Keel Jigs, Keel, and Stems
I agonized over the shape of the keel. I didn't have my notes from the Marshall Islands with me.
I finally decided on 23" from the underside of the deck to the bottom of the keel at the middle and 17" at the stem knuckle (where the keel line meets the front line of the stem). 45 degree raked stems.
I made some tee shaped jigs to support the keel and stems. The middle jigs are 22 5/16" tall and the jigs at the ends are 17.25" tall
For double-entry prose purposes, the keel has 6" of rocker (curve). The boat is 16' long at the deck and about 13' long at the stem knuckles.
First I set up the keel on the jigs and lashed it into shape.
Then I rough-sawed the stems and eyeballed them to see how they were. I tried different angles of stem rake.
Then I traced the curve of the underside of the breasthook onto the stem and cut a mating surface. When that was tight I did the same thing where it met the keel.
I slathered up the mating surfaces with epoxy glue.
I countersank and put permanent screws through the breasthook the stem. I used stainless flathead square-socket drive screws. They have a self-tapping thing on the front which is nice, less likely to split the wood they're driven into.
I did two different versions of the stem-keel joint. The notched one in the first photo is much better.
I put temporary screws into the sides of the stem to lash the keel while the glue dried. I pounded wedges under the lashings to make it extra tight. I countersank and put permanent screws through the keel into the stem.
When the glue was hard I took the clamps and wedges off. The end with the simple stem-to-keel joint started to pull apart, so I re-lashed it til the glue was truly dry.
I finally decided on 23" from the underside of the deck to the bottom of the keel at the middle and 17" at the stem knuckle (where the keel line meets the front line of the stem). 45 degree raked stems.
I made some tee shaped jigs to support the keel and stems. The middle jigs are 22 5/16" tall and the jigs at the ends are 17.25" tall
For double-entry prose purposes, the keel has 6" of rocker (curve). The boat is 16' long at the deck and about 13' long at the stem knuckles.
First I set up the keel on the jigs and lashed it into shape.
Then I rough-sawed the stems and eyeballed them to see how they were. I tried different angles of stem rake.
Then I traced the curve of the underside of the breasthook onto the stem and cut a mating surface. When that was tight I did the same thing where it met the keel.
I slathered up the mating surfaces with epoxy glue.
I countersank and put permanent screws through the breasthook the stem. I used stainless flathead square-socket drive screws. They have a self-tapping thing on the front which is nice, less likely to split the wood they're driven into.
I did two different versions of the stem-keel joint. The notched one in the first photo is much better.
I put temporary screws into the sides of the stem to lash the keel while the glue dried. I pounded wedges under the lashings to make it extra tight. I countersank and put permanent screws through the keel into the stem.
When the glue was hard I took the clamps and wedges off. The end with the simple stem-to-keel joint started to pull apart, so I re-lashed it til the glue was truly dry.
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