Cat Boat Part II



The boat is flipped over and it is time to put on the sheer plank. Now that the boat structure is supported by frames, Marty is able to remove every other mold and the other temporary boat framing.


With the molds out of the boat it is possible to appreciate the interior of the boat. It is quite a big little boat. With the boat upright and sitting as it would in the water Marty is able to shape the sheer plank and fine tune the upper line of the boat.


The sheer plank is in place. With the planking complete it is time to focus on the riveting.


Temporary boards are put across the width of the boat to help it maintain its shape now that all of the molds have been removed. Marty has added all of the copper rivets to the boat but has to complete the riveting process by adding the remaining roves. Riveting takes quite a while and helps you find muscles you didn’t know you had.


The port clamp is riveted into place and supports the structure of the boat from the inside. Marty is bending the starboard clamp into place. The next step is to get all of the floors ready for the boat.


Each floor needs to be cut to size with a pattern, shaped with hand tools, and then tried in the boat several more times to get the perfect fit. Marty paints the half-dovetail joint of the floor with linseed oil to help it slide into the keel.


Marty slides the floor into the boat and checks the fit. He traces the shape of the boat onto the floor to determine how much needs to be planed off to achieve the perfect fit. Marty then planes the curve of the boat into the floor.


With all of the floors in place the boat is supported by its own internal structure. Marty applies linseed oil to the interior of the boat to extend the life of the wood. The linseed oil makes the boat glow and highlights the beauty of both the design and woodwork. Dell is already a beauty.


It is much easier to turn the boat over now that the molds and other temporary structures have been removed. This time no tractor was necessary. The next step is to make the boat fair by using hand tools to make a smooth curve on the outside of the boat and lot of shavings on the floor. Marty then uses a torture board to create a smooth surface.


Marty goes for an early ride on the boat, but does it upside down. While aboard, Marty shapes the stem. Jet wants to know when he can go for a ride.


Follow the Cat Boat building process from the beginning:

Cat Boat