Build Progress - Panga 25

[subbie95]

Well, we have the jig all put together, leveled, plumb and true! Everything appeared to be going great until we attempted to attach the bow mold...turns out the front tip of the boat will be about 5" below my barn floor! So, the next step it to raise the entire jig about 8", should be a ton of fun!

[Fuzz]

As long as you are having to raise the jig you might want to think about putting it on casters also. Almost everyone finds the need to move the boat around at some point. You could wait until the hull is glassed and locked in shape or not ever need them, just an idea to think about.
Love the Pangas. Keep posting lots of pictures.

[subbie95]

Making progress! We raised the jig about 8" and started to put the bottom panels on...which lead to several questions:

1. Do you bend the bottom panels first OR hang the side panels before starting to bend the bottoms?
2. Is it necessary to zip tie the bottom panels to the frames? When we bend the bottom panels, it lifts the panels away from the frames at the center line.
3. Should the bottom panels essentially be in contact with the frames all the way across the boat?
4. It doesn't seem like bottom panels are going to reach the front edge of the bow mold, is this normal?

Any advice on how to bend these things is greatly appreciated!

Some pics of our current state:

[Fuzz]

I just looked at the study plans and it seems you are using 1/2 inch for the bottom? If that is correct you may need to kerf it some to get it to make the bends. Take this with a grain of salt as I have not built a panga..........yet

[TomW1]

Making progress! We raised the jig about 8" and started to put the bottom panels on...which lead to several questions:

1. Do you bend the bottom panels first OR hang the side panels before starting to bend the bottoms? BOTTOM PANELS FIRST
2. Is it necessary to zip tie the bottom panels to the frames? When we bend the bottom panels, it lifts the panels away from the frames at the center line. NO ZIP TIES TO FRAME JUST BOTTOM PANEL TO BOTTOM PANEL
3. Should the bottom panels essentially be in contact with the frames all the way across the boat? YOUR LOOKING FOR FAIRNESS THE PANELS MAY RAISE UP OFF THE FRAMES SOME
4. It doesn't seem like bottom panels are going to reach the front edge of the bow mold, is this normal? NO. BUT CHECK YOUR BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS ON KERFING AS THE 1/2" WILL NOT BEND AS ENOUGH WITHOUT IT AS WITH IT AND WILL MOST LIKELY ALLOW THE PANEL TO REACH THE EDGE OF THE BOW MOLD.

Any advice on how to bend these things is greatly appreciated!

Some pics of our current state:

[BrianC]

What is the height of the hull's centerline at the transom? I hope to have a Panga 25 in my future and knowing this will help me from having the same problem - Thanks!

[subbie95]

I'll take some measurements tonight to give you the height of the transom.

I have the bottom panels bent and zip tied, they look nice and fair and straight.....but they don't touch the frames in many locations. I let them "float" as the build instructions say, and only installed a single screw in each panel at the centerline of the transom, but something seems off about how they interact with the stringers and frames. I've posted the question on the technical board, but wanted to put some progress photos up here as well.

[Fonda@kauai]

You need to stitch the sides and bottom all at the same time.
I had to kerf my bottom panels to get them to cooperate. There's a drawing Jacques did somewhere that shows where the straight lines are in the bow, and I kerfed as close to those as I could. I kerfed about half way through the panel and filled the kerfs with thickened epoxy later when I glassed the inside. I believe they were 3/8" ply.
I also temporarily screwed the panels down to the frames for a few days. After a few days I removed the screws and the panels seemed to "relax" more into the desired shape. They floated a little in spots, but we're talking like a 1/4". I also used tie wire instead of zip ties, and found I could tighten them a little more each day as the panels got used to the bend and gave a little more.
Other than that looks good

[PangaRon]

Good luck on your Panga build! For info I used 3 inch ratcheting cargo straps, one click at time, but my frame was secured to the ground. You will have to be patient as it takes time for the plywood to "relax". I did not have to kerf my panels, but it took several days to get the plywood to form. I also used bailing wire and not zip ties to pull the panels together. Another trick is to use steak in the middle of a length of bailing wire and then turning it to slowly to pulling down the panel.

[subbie95]

Starting the process of hanging the side panels. One of the sides doesn't seem to want to lay right, but I'm sure it will comply after tedious hours of adjusting I still have the sides held in place with ratchet straps, I'm hoping that when everything is wired together that they'll stay pretty close to the same spot when the straps are released...time will tell. I'm switching to tie wire so I can make adjustments in each direction going forward (tighter and looser).

One question: one side panel lays nicely below the bottom panel edge, while the other seems to want to raise up a little...so that it's along side the edge of the bottom panel.....is that a problem? It's not along the entire edge, just about 12 inches slightly in from of the transom. It might go away as I tweak everything.