Room for error in the plans?

[yoyoecho]

I just wanted to get some input on how much room for error there is in the plans. I have also been building violins and mandolins where a 100th of an inch in the thickness of the plates can make a major difference to the sound of the completed product. So you must stick the the plans and cut everything just a little bigger and then work down. There is no gluing it back on if you take off to much. I would hate to follow the same process with this project (lot of re-cutting and sanding) if the plans already have a little room for error built in.

[Craig]

The plans are pretty forgiving. When I built the Saralee I measured everything with a micrometer, marked it with chalk, carefully cut the pieces with my chainsaw, pounded them to fit, and painted the whole thing shut! It came out just fine. Really , you want to try to adhere to the plans as best you can. Keep in mind that these boats were designed to be father and son garage projects and as such were designed to tolerate gross mistakes and still come out looking and sailing very well. With your experience you should have not problems. In most places +/- 1/8" is good enough. Happy Building!

[Frank Hagan]

Its funny ... toward the back of the Weekender plans they quit giving exact dimensions for things, as it is "cut to fit in place" from that point on. Each one of these boats is a little bit different.

There's a lot of room for error, and being within 1/4" is probably good enough for everything.

[Barry Pyeatt]

The biggest difference in how things will turn out as far as fitting correctly will be in the initial stages with the lofting of the keel, bottom, deck, bulkheads. And then the subsequent cutting of the parts. The closer you are to the design measurments the better things will fit.

But as Frank stated, once you get the major components assembled, it becomes a Cut to fit proposition.

It isn't a violin or a fine piece of furniture, it is a boat. Designed to take a few hard knocks and bumps and scrapes. If you remember that, your dad will have a ball with it.

[Dave Ruedel]

All good advice. Cut the keel, sole, and bulkheads as close to the plans as possible, also the deck. After that, you will find little deviations from the plans, probably not much, but enough you actually want to measure on the boat itself. You can always make a part smaller, but it is murder trying to stretch them bigger. good luck, and have fun building!

[Charlie Jones]

well- there IS one sorta critical part. The placement and angle of the front bulkhead controls the slant and placement of the mast. You DO want to try to get as close as you can with that angle and location. It's not something to get frantic about if it's 1/8th out, but do try for the correct angle.

[Bill]

I'm gonna bet that any error you do make, has been made before...and has been worked around in some shape or form. You have a great group here of people to back you up, help you out, moan to, and ask any question along the way. You will probably never get any definitive, written in stone answer..(everyone has some good ideas..) the nature of these boats call for customization and trying things out...this includes recovering from any error. If you build instruments, I would think this would be very relaxing and fun for you. Bigger stuff, bigger room for errors. I think we have another musical instrument builder on board here somewhere (Tim?) Maybe you could exchange some ideas and thoughts there...

http://www.timtone.com/tt/ttphotos/PhotosSailing.html

Don't worry...start cutting..your help is an easy email away...

Best of luck,

Bill

ps. Happy Holidays