Hello, after rummaging around the plans bag, and finding the Speranza, which i did start and hope to continue as the infill to this build, sorry Alan... But don't blame me, someone did a post on an old Gentleman's cruiser, and i was hooked, the power of the press hey !.. Away we went, cutting keels, bulkheads, dry fits , fitting stringers, then realizing this is going to be bigger than I though.. Regards Muddy ....

Just a note about the Bulkheads, There are 1/4" x 1/4" Stringers and 3/8" x 1/8". After the bulkheads were all marked out, remembering the old rule measure twice and cut once. Picked up a piece of 3/8" x 1/8" Obechie and placed it onto the bulkhead checking the marking out, whoops something was wrong the marked location was to small, wishing to return the next day and start cutting at first light, they were remarked, but when i did four from the Transom, for some unknown reason i decided to measure again.. The air was blue..... I had by accident picked up a piece of scrap of 1/2" x 3/16".. A long pause and "to ponder" what to do next. Scrap the bulkheads and start again or make do and mend, 5mm marine ply aint cheap, in other words apply some modelers license.. Modeler's license won, as it usually does. So the stringers were "Shimmed", maybe not pretty, but it worked and hopefully does not make the structure weak..And now its been skinned, who knows about it..!

Running gear or furniture.. Once the skeleton or frame was completed it's a good idea to dry fit all the running gear, Drive motors shaft's and prop's, plus the radio gear and battery boxes/trays, and even sound unit locations. Then start the skinning. This hull has very curvy bottom skins, in that they turn from the transom to the bow 90 degrees sharply. Tried some test pieces of vertical grain ply, ( 1.5mm ) but it was the same as horizontal grain.. Skins were placed in as large as pieces as possible at about 45 degrees to the keel, or planking in ply.. Not a pretty sight, but makes life a lot easier. The skins were dry fitted with brass pins first, mainly to assist in the cutting of the skin shape. When the bottom skins were completed and rough trimmed the side skins were applied and these were vertically grained, again makes life a lot easier and they fall onto the stringers, means less brass pins and elastic bands. Not forgetting to drill some 1" holes in the breast-hook and No; 1 former, as i always pour in a little Fibre glass resin to help seal the bow section and add some strength. Regards Muddy....

Hello, Fitted the combing, the deck , and started the Fore Planking, this time with Mahogany planks (5mm x 1.5mm ) and white wood caulking (0.5mm) mounted vertically. Adding some colour to the motor mounts, and drive chain, makes it easier when final assembly takes place as in electrical wiring. Regards Muddy....

Started on the upper-works/cabin. Ring saw came into its own again. Followed up by the small mini drill, similar to a Dremil but with a bigger chuck which is handy, using Dremil 1/2" drum sander to clean up the window inner edges. Used 1.5mm ply for the cabin sides as they are going to be veneered, found a pice of veneer under the bench it nearly had roots, and i think, think, it's Teak. This was all glued up under weight using a PVA glue, probably the one in the pics, but an Alphatic. then when glue well and truly dry, Using a No10 scalpel blade to remove the innards of the window frames, and a quick swish with some fine grade sandpaper, not sure about any window frames as yet. ( to many windows for me ... ! ) Regards Muddy....