Doubler

[Guest lreice]

I've got the mocassin 2 plans and when going over them I see a page about a doubler. It isn't very clear in the instructions...what is a doubler? and do I need to do it?

Any other recommendations before I start building would be apreciated...thanks in advance.

leo

lreice@comcast.net

[John Burritt]

Unless I'm mistaken, the doubler is a piece which is basically the same shape as the center portion of the bottom of the boat. Its epoxied in to help hold the shape of the bottom and add extra strength where you sit. In short, yes, its necessary.

Keep reading the plans and ask more questions before starting. Better now than after. Graham also is more than willing to explain whatever you need. Either email or phone him direct.

[Guest Anonymous]

You were right...reading the plans again cleared it up...reading the plans over and over, doing the steps in your head, is probably the best advice you can give.

[Guest graham]

Leo, John's explaination was correct. The doubler is exactly that, a "doubled" section of the bottom where you sit. This allows the boat to be light and give that nice arced bottom shape but have strength just where you need it.

You will find the doubler shape on the cut out sheet shown as the dotted line on the bottom 1/4 panel near the bottom of the sheet.

The shape as shown is the same as the bottom, except it is shorter and the ends are rounded and the edges are reduced by 1/4" to allow the sides to meet the bottom. I like to put the doubler in after the boat is assembled but before the seams are glassed. The doubler is glued to the bottom and can be held down while the glue is drying by props forced between the doubler and and some temporary spreaders slipped under the inwales or stapling through the doubler into the bottom or a number of sand bags or a combination of all three. It is important that the doubler be touching the bottom all over.

After the doubler is glued in place you can fillet the chine joint and fill any gaps between between the sides and the doubler before glassing.

[Stuart Benbow]

What I tend to do when building things I'm not entirely sure of, after re-reading the plans that is, is to build them in miniature using basswood from the hobby store. I've got a really nice 1/12th scale Stevenson Projects Vacationer, and I'm working on a modified 1/12th scale Weekender, which is my test-bed for all of my crazy ideas. For a fraction of the cost of a single sheet of plywood, I can build the whole model and make as many mistakes as it takes to figure things out.