Lapwing

[Charlie Jones]

FANTASTIC!!Great idea Tom- that can be a MISERABLE experience if it doesn't slip off right.

I'll store THAT idea for sure ;D

[Tom Lathrop]

There a few things done since the last post.  First there is the mast tube in the bow with the overboard drain fitted.

Then, there is the drain with the temporary tygon tube sticking out.  I learned something from this one.  Kind of forgot it and left it in too long.  Now I'm cogitating on how to get it out.

This is one of the hatch drain thingamajigs on the mold.  I decided to mold in some 4mm ply around the sides this time.  These are a bit small because I made the mold for another boat and am too lazy to make another.

This is both hatch drains roughly cut out.  All the black marks are from a marker pen.

Now you can see that some work has actually been done.  The holes in the forward bulkhead are for the oars.  Graham came up with this storage idea and it allows a decent length oar to store alongside the centerboard trunk with almost no interference with space in the boat.  There are PVC tubes, capped on the end, that are inside the forward area.  This is water based epoxy paint that I get from the  Devoe/ICI store.  Liz complains abut the smell from the fancy stuff with lots of VOC's.  The final color will be darker since I did not want to use all the tint on the first coat.  I like to roll on the paint for the interiors of open boats which leaves a slightly pebbly finish which I like. 

[Oyster]

This is turning out to be a very nice looking hull. I am a fan of the pebble finish, especially in lighter color hulls in lieu of flattening agents using the gloss paints. The thread was started in late Aug. I wonder how many hours the CNC saved? I take it that you have kept track of your working hours too? Are you planning on competing with me in making your next million too, building  small hulls?? HEHE!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Tom Lathrop]

Graham is planning on doing a CNC version of the Lapwing but this was done in the old fashioned way.  He did cut the mold frame sections but I lined it off to suit myself.  I took guidance from his mold stringer locations but did deviate when the spirit moved to suit my eye.  Just wanted the experience of doing that since it was one of the reasons for building a lapstrake. 

I used the stringers (or ribbands) to get the shape of the strakes and cut both sides the same.  One thing I did different from Tom Hill's method was to carry the stringers all the way to the stem.  I had seen a canoe built to his directions which call for the stringers to be cut off at the first mold.  This one was quite unfair from the first mold to the bow with a hard spot at that mold.  Careful work would not have this happen but it is still an issue.

The mold is available since I have no further use for it.  It is stored under a tarp for a while but eventually must be destroyed if no one needs it.

[Tom Lathrop]

Some work has been done since the last post.  Here is the anchor storage inside the bow compartment and the samson post with underdeck reinforcement.

The last photos show the mahogany deck installed and sanded.  The mahogany is approximately 0.15" thick over 4mm plywood. 

Ok, the order of photos is a bit mixed up.  I am having some trouble with the new photo upload software. 

[Oyster]

Very nice work. I like your anchor storage.  On your deck did you use solid mahogany veneer or plywood?

[Tom Lathrop]

The deck mahogany was sawed from a baulk that is 2 3/4" thick so I was able to do it on the tablesaw with a thin kerf blade.  The thickness of individual strips did not come out as uniform as I like.  I might attribute this to having my carbide blades sharpened recently by a local sharpener that I have some doubts about.  The fellow in New Bern that I trusted closed his shop.  I did use a stabilizer on the 10" blade.  The reason may be something else and I am looking for it.

The surface was first worked with a 8" Makita variable speed sander.  This will be followed with a scraper to level it out,  a half sheet orbital and finally hand sanding.  The mahogany is pretty old true Honduras with a decent figure.

Are you going into the Simmons business?  I need to come down and take a ride.

On my Bay River Skiff, I built an anchor well in the bow but this is much-much easier to build and not too difficult to get to.  A negative is that our soft bottom muck has to be cleaned off before bringing the anchor aboard.  That stuff gets harder than some paint when it dries. 

[Oyster]

I resaw all of my planks for the veneering of the transoms, flipping the bigger planks over. I saw them a bit oversize even with a kerf blade, though I do use an extention to the fence in attempt to keep the board upright. I then drum sand the veneers thats just overszed 1/4" using a good backing board to run it through the sander.

Simmons???? What Simmons??? I see no Simmons or any other brand. On occasions I see a shade of green. ;D  Unfortunately, the little ones are freebies, gifts of a sorts.......... But sooner or later there will be the perfect boat come out of all this mess, is the reason I keep trying.

[Doug Cameron]

Haven't had any word on this lately.  I would like to see one . . . maybe build one.  How's it going Tom?

[Tom Lathrop]

Progress on Lapwing has been on hold for quite a while.  First I was committed to designing and constructing a mold for building 12 Optimist prams for local kids.  Then I had back surgery in February that put me in a hard plastic brace from sternum to crotch for over 6 weeks.  The doctor would not let me do any work during that time.  Next I am into a soft back brace and limited activity until the doc gives more freedom.  Then I had to make 12 daggerboards and rudders for those Optis.  I am almost finished with them now after working on them a limited amount each day.

Next week I hope to get back to the Lapwing.  Next job is to prepare and paint the outside.

First image is the Optimist pram mold.

Second one is John Burritt and me discussing some critical issue that I don't remember.  John is the one with the hair.

Third image is some of the daggerboards in process alongside of a covered Lapwing.

Last image is of one of the little darlings rounding the leeward mark in an Opti.  We don't let the mothers see any photos like this.

[Brent]

Tom,  I am certainly looking forward to seeing more progress photos of the lap wing.  Your workmanship is always inspiring.  It is also great that you are able to give the next generation of sailors a boost with those opties.  Best of wishes for a smooth and complete recovery.

---Brent

[Tom Lathrop]

Haven't had any word on this lately.  I would like to see one . . . maybe build one.  How's it going Tom?

Doug,

I think the Lapwing is going to be a great looking boat in a more traditional sense and sail great as is the usual case with Graham's designs.

I will have the mold available for a time to anyone who would like to use it.  At some point, I will break it up if no one wants to use it.  It is rugged enough for travel on a trailer.

[Dale Niemann]

Graham/Tom,

Is a Lapwing kit in the making?  If so, when?

Thanks,

Dale

[Tom Lathrop]

Finally got a little work done on Lapwing.  Cut out the centerboard slot in the bottom and sanded the primer.  I drill two holes near the end of the slot before installing the centerbord case and epoxy it in place.  To control any warping or twist of the CB trunk, I insert a plastic wrapped board of the same dinension as the width of the trunk.  This piece is knocked out later.

The opening in the bottom is opened by a saw cut of about half the width of the inside of the trunk. as in the first photo.  A router with a bottom bearing straight bit is then used to finish the slot to the exact dimension of the trunk as in second photo..  Works good and no need to measure anything.

Dale, a kit is in the plan but will have to wait its turn on the machine and Graham's time.

Frank,  what is the best method to attach photos now??

[Designer]

Dale,

We are working on the CNC version of the Lapwing. John Burrit has been coming over 2-3 afternoons a week and we are into the planking now. It is going very well and have been well pleased with the rigidity of the structure with no building jig and I think that it is very feasible.

I have expanded out all of the plank shapes but I am spiling the planks off of the boat because there can be some variation between as drawn and as built and I want it to be as accurate as I can make it. You can see in the picture how the whole structure goes together with the middle frame and aft bulkhead sliding along the longitudional bulkheads, with tenons passing through the forward bulkhead and held with wedges until the epoxy dries. The transom has a pair of 1/16" deep grooves milled to position the longitudional bulkheads and keep it aligned until the epoxy cures. The stem has the maim mast step integrated and it butts into the forward bulkhead. You can see where the centerboard trunk will be cut through the mid bulkhead where it is left in one piece until the hull is built.

The main advantage in building this way is to save the cost and time to build a jig. A pair of 32" high sawhorses and a couple of cleats to keep the bulkheads straight is all that is not part of the finished boat. The mid and aft bulkheads are trimmed down to seat height after the hull is built.

[Richard Whitney CS#70]

Hi Graham

I currently have my CS 17 on the market.  I want to do another project, try a slightly different building method, harness my learning from the first and fine tune the next boat based on my experience to date.  At the moment having reviewed the reality of my usage, building/boat parking space, steepness of our driveway etc.  I am looking at the Lapwing.

My question is would I be able to build the way you are without a jig if I just order the plans (getting a CNC kit shipped down here to NZ is probably impractical.)

Thanks

Richard

[Designer]

Hi Richard,

It is good to hear from you.

We have had interest in the Lapwing from Brazil to Tasmania and I have been thinking of using the cut files to print full size patterns of all the parts for builders who live outside of reasonable shipping range.

[Doug Cameron]

Graham, add me to that list.

Also, Tom, it that mold is still around in the fall, I can come by to pick it up.

Doug

[Tom Lathrop]

Doug,

The mold is still available and I will keep it until you can come get it.  It's outside but covered with a tarp.

Tom

[Guest Hespie]

Hi, I'm the one from Tasmania. Any more photo's and progress to date?

Regards to all.