O.K. here’s the scoop. I decided to try my hand at an HWS and since I just happened to have the template and rocker measurements handy for the Steve Forstall/Yancy Spencer Fish, thought I’d give it a go.
First I created the template file in Aku Shaper then I used Jedail’s program to print out the ribs and stringer. Next I glued the paper templates to 1/4" marine ply and cut out with a Black N Decker jigsaw. Cleaned up the edges with a surform and sanding block using 60 grit. Cut the notches for the bottom chine in the ribs and glued the skeleton together using Gorilla Glue. After that, I drew the outline on the bottom of a half sheet of 1/4" birch ply. I penciled in the stringer taking care to make sure it was nice and straight and then marked off the glue points for the balsa blocks that will hold the stringer straight and in place. Made a nifty little tool just for this purpose out of a scrap piece of 1/4" ply and two 1/4" balsa blocks glued to either side of the ply. (See pic below)
The blocks are now glued into the place and the stringer/skeleton fits perfectly straight between them. I’m now ready to glue the frame to the plywood bottom and will do so after I pick up some 3M 5200 adhesive. I hope to have this step completed by Friday afternoon but we’ll see how things go.
As you can see below, the first tail rib is 1/2" too short. Oh well, rookie mistake.
Here’s the tool I made to mark the stringer blocks evenly.
BTW- The ply is sitting on a rocker table which is sitting on top of a banquet table.
Yep it’s a mess alright. At least we finally put all the Christmas items away. The funny thing is, all of my tools have a very specific location so I can grab what I need instantly. It’s everything else that’s in total disarray.
Nice to hear you had a chance to ride your board. Sounds like conditions weren’t prime but hopefully that will change this weekend. From what I understand, you can generally expect the shorter HWS to sit lower in the water. I guess the density of the wood makes em less buoyant than foam.
Surely if it’s hollow the spaces only weigh what the air weighs. If you fill the spaces with foam you add the weight of foam and therefore the overall weight is greater and it will be less buoyant?
