Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Hello,

Starting a new thread to accompany a FS14 build that my son and I have embarked on. We picked up the CNC kit on Friday afternoon and got to work this weekend. Got all of the pre-cut pieces out of the plywood sheets and got the long bottom/side pieces put together with epoxy. We were able to build the strongback/jig last weekend and so had that ready to go. By Sunday morning, we had braced the frames to the strongback and put the three-part clamping board section of the transom together with epoxy and set aside to cure. By the end of the day we were laying bottom pieces on just to see how it looked. We'll be zip-tying next. Question for everyone - how do you align the transom for screwing to the strongback? Is it first attached via drywall screws to the bottom/side panels, then attached to the strongback once in place with the sides and bottom?

Look forward to taking advantage to all of the collective wisdom on this forum!

Bob

Welcome Bob!!! Really good start to the build!!! Jeff

Great project to work on with your son. Wonderful to see a family building team. Take a lot of pictures. The transom is not screwed to the bottom or side panels during assembly. Screw some cleats on the stringers and attach the transom to them with 4-6 screws. The screws will be removed afterward and filled with thickened epoxy.This will give you the correct transom angle and hold it in place until the epoxy cures. Take a look at the pictures from the FS18 build which is the exact same process as your boat. I am just South of you in Connecticut if you need some assistance. Have fun, Dave

Sometimes you need to put a screw in the side panel at the transom to prevent it from moving but do not drive it in or your panel will not remain fair on the side.

Nelly wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:46 am
Question for everyone - how do you align the transom for screwing to the strongback? Is it first attached via drywall screws to the bottom/side panels, then attached to the strongback once in place with the sides and bottom?

Bob

Welcome Bob!

The transom is not normally connected to the strongback. I used grooves in my transom to assist with the alignment to the stringers, and then clamped a jack to the transom so it would not put too much weight on the stringers and cause them to sag/twist. The grooves are not required and not usually used.

Hope this helps and happy building!

Jeff

Nothing to add except welcome!

Oh yeah, we like it when you keep posting pictures!

Hi! Welcome to the forum!

To make it easier to get the stringers and frames back out after you fill the gaps where your panels all come together, Put tape on the edges where the panels touch the frames and stringers. If you really want it to look neat tape the inside of the seams so the fillets don't go all the way through the gaps. Then you will not need the tape on the frames and stringers.

Again,
Welcome to the forum.

Like the others have said welcome. It is great to see family builds.

Great to see another build in MA! I am just north of you.
Good luck with the build and have fun! The guys on this forum are a tremendous resource.
All willing to help answer questions as you go.

Lost almost a week as we were away over the weekend enjoying beautiful Nantucket. Got back at it tonight and finished up in the dark. We got the panels mostly stitched together. Might need to monkey with it a little bit, but used PVC inside the stitches up at the bow. Still some minor alignment issues and might need another 2-4 stitches on the panels up toward the bow, but otherwise happy with how it’s coming together. Next: thickened epoxy welds.

For those who have used tape inside the seams, Is it too late to do this? If not, is it worth the time and energy to crawl up under the boat to apply tape inside between the stitches?

Also think I’ll use a couple of drywall screws into the stringers, and maybe two on the sides (not 100% tightened down) to hold the transom in place....or can you just stitch it with zip ties? Seems like extra work to attach new piece of wood to the stringer just for the purpose of screwing the transom to it? Am I missing something?