Strip and Stitch?

[lewisboats]

What do you think? Strip bottom to get a nice rounded hull to present to the water but a stitched ply side panel for a bit easier and quicker (and perhaps stronger) finish. 18' 4" loa with a strip bottom but solid ply sides. Reduction in surface area over stitched ply bottom is around 3 sq ft. Strips of Cedar or ripped ply...Cedar being preferable for weight. A light glassing (4oz) of the bottom for structural and abrasion reasons.

A row boat with a transom for an electric trolling motor boost if the old arms (or more likely back) putter out or the desire is for fish rather than exercise. Design weight is around 475 lbs but the boat should end up around 200-220 lbs if built with care and attention to detail and weight. Beam is 45" so you might want to add short outriggers for longer oars. Beam on  the waterline is about 33.5" for a nice smooth water flow in all  directions. Stability on the other hand isn't the greatest...so some  care would be needed when landing that large mouth or striper but a net would do wonders in helping.

A design for one hefty or two lighter persons to enjoy a speedy row in.

[Johnny Socko]

I am no expert so I am asking questions not giving criticisms.

I thought Stitch and Glue got its strength through the curve of the plywood which in turn made for less frames or bulkheads and less weight. Whereas planks get their shape from the frames. How are you reconciling this? Are you planning to construct the sides first, and then making the frames to match? As I said no expert just puzzled.

John Sokolowski   

[lewisboats]

Shaping the bottom of strips over a simple mold and then glassing (common in canoe building) with the side stitched, filleted and glued to the bottom after it is molded. Additional support molded in with seating, thwarts and bulkheads filleted in after the sides are stitched and filleted on. Exterior seams on each side glassed. Standard stitch and glue techniques except for the construction of the bottom.

[Johnny Socko]

I see. Thanks.

John

[lewisboats]

Think of it as creating rounded and curved panels for the S&G panels instead of a single sheet of ply as a panel. Not much difference once you glass the strips together.

[PAR]

There you go Steve, thinking out of the box, at a boy. I do a similar thing with radius chines to soften up the hard chine look. The chines only are strip planked, with the bottom and topside planks being plywood. If you're clever, you can "roll" the bottom planks (arc) for a nice transition into the strips.

I'm kind of curious about the shape you've employed (kind of hard to see with out lines), a pretty firm entry, with a quite slack exit. Do you expect a heavy load forward?

[lewisboats]

Here is a bit better picture. Thank you very much...I think that is the most complimentary comment you have ever made concerning one of my doodles :grin: :grin:.

Just so I am clear though...by firm entry are you referring to the transition from bottom to side or are you referring to the fat forefoot/chin or are you looking at the plan view and seeing then entry is a wider angle than the exit?

[PAR]

The bilge is firm well forward, yet slack well aft? A firm bilge will typically employ a relatively quick turn of the bilge, while a slack section will have relatively tall deadrise angles and bigger radiuses at the turn. Deadrise, rocker and bilge turn, plus topside flam or flare would all conspire to the whole of a "firm" or "slack" bilge.