beveling side pieces

[Brian Watford]

I have just finished cutting out the side pieces and have started working on the butt joints getting ready to attach them to the bottom. The bottom gets bevelled to make it go together better. It doesn't seem to me that the side pieces should be bevelled along the bottom edge, however, it seems like if it were done properly it would work well. :? Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Can anyone tell this is my first boat? :oops:

[Joe Nelson CS#35]

If you are building one of Graham's designs, you shouldn't have to worry about beveling any of the edges. Epoxy will fill the gaps. Most of his designs don't have much flair to the sides. This means that the angle between the bottom and sides will only have a small gap. I would worry more about stitching it tight than beveling the edges.

[Garry]

It probably will help to bevel the forward sections since they have more of an angle. This will help to keep the panels in alignment as you pull them together. The aft sections probably don't need it but it wouldn't hurt to bevel them a little just to keep from trying to fit them together corner to corner.

[Designer]

Brian,

Joe is right, there is no need to bevel the sides. The only beveling necessary is down the centerline which helps in alignment. The beveling of the centerline allows you to have flat surface to flat surface rather than a corner pushing against a corner. The exact bevel is not necessary, in fact a rounded edge would be better because as the bevel changes along the centerline a rounded bevel would always present a "soft landing" which aids alingnment.

[Scott Dufour]

Thanks for that post Graham. I'm about at that stage now, too, and I was trying to figure out what to do to ease the centerline edges. I really like the rounded edge idea. A soft landing, and easier to boot. Love it.

[Brian Watford]

Thanks for the input. I guess it would have been helpful if I had mentioned that I am building CS17 #113. The rounded edge thing sounds like the way to go.