Building the Sea Scull: In Stitches

Why is it called "stitch and glue" boat building? I can answer half of that now.

Stitching is using wires to attach the boat panels together, holding the panels together only as long as needed to complete the gluing.

Yesterday was stitch day for the Sea Scull. Stitch day is the first time that the builder gets to see the shape of the boat.

Cutting the Sea Scull panels

After cutting the bottom and side panels to the shape described in the boat plans,

Drilling stitch holes in the Sea Scull side panels

you drill the stitch holes along the bottom edge of the side panels while they are still clamped together for cutting. Might as well drill them both at once.

I prefer to use brad point bits for accurate location and clean holes.

I placed the holes about ¼ inches in from the edge. I used my scraper as a high-tech measuring device to layout a hole every 4 inches along the panel.

Don't drill the bottom panel yet !!!

Stitching the Sea Scull stem

While the side panels are still clamped together, loosely stitch the boat's stem.

Wire twisting pliers on 18 ga. copper wire

When working with thin supple wires like 18 gauge copper, you can use wire twisting pliers. These cool pliers clamp both ends of the wire like vise grips. With a pull on the knob, they both tension and twist the two ends together.

16 gauge steel wires in the Nemah stem

On bigger boats with stiff plywood, you have to use thicker, stiffer steel wires. The wire twisting pliers won't work and you have to tough it out with vise grips.

16 gauge steel wires in the Nemah transom

It is best to complete the stitching with the boat upside down on saw horses.

Start by placing the side panels upside down on the saw horses and spreading the panels so they stand by themselves. Since the Sea Scull has no transom yet, I installed clamps to simulate the transom.

Spreading the side panels.

Use clamps and scrap boards to spread the side panels and support the bottom panel.

Now drill the bottom panel !!!

Flop the bottom panel up on the side panels and forget to take a picture.

Start stitching at the bow. I drill 5 holes on each side of the bottom panel and install 5 wires on each side of the bottom panel. But, I tighten only the first 3 of the 5 wires, leaving the last 2 wires loose to make it easy to install the next 5 wires.

I work my way down the boat, 5 a side, moving/removing the scrap spreaders/supports as needed.

Eventually I reach the transom and, like every stitch and glue boat that I have built with a transom, the bottom panel and side panels have different lengths. No biggy, the side panels will be trimmed after the inside transom joints are glued.

Stitched stem of CLC Chesapeake kayak

When building a boat with no transom, like a kayak, the stem and stern always meet.

No shit!

That is because,

well,

Stitched stern of CLC Chesapeake kayak

they had no choice since I stitched them before stitching the bottom panel to the side panels.

Swingset, ladder, ropes, pulleys. etc.
to roll the Lady C over.

Now the fun starts - rolling the flimsy boat over. This can be a bit nerve-racking since you are worried that the whole thing might collapse into a heap of scrap, and waste a lot of way-too-expensive epoxy. But, ya gotta do it.

Rolling a big boat like the Lady C required some mechanical assistance.

First, I clamped lots of temporary support on the Sea Scull hull, such as re-inforcement at the top of the side panel where it will roll and spreaders to maintain some stiffness

Then I set up a second set of saw horses with rails where the Sea Scull will rest when righted.

I covered the saw horses and rails with scrap carpet to protect the Sea Scull finish.

OK, so they aren't really scrap carpets. They are area rugs from in the house. But, my wife is out shopping. A man's gotta do...

I'll beg for forgiveness later.