Boatbuilding Tips

Strip Planking 28: Smoothing the Deck Interior ...

Nick Schade writes: Unlike the outside where sanding is easy, the inside can be harder to to smooth. I find scrapers are the easiest way to deal with the concave...

Strip Planking 28: Smoothing the Deck Interior ...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: Unlike the outside where sanding is easy, the inside can be harder to to smooth. I find scrapers are the easiest way to deal with the concave...

Strip Planking 27: Fiberglassing the Exterior o...

Nick Schade writes: After installing the riser, I glassed the outside, reinforcing the coaming and securely attaching it to the deck. The riser was initially installed using hot-melt glue which...

Strip Planking 27: Fiberglassing the Exterior o...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: After installing the riser, I glassed the outside, reinforcing the coaming and securely attaching it to the deck. The riser was initially installed using hot-melt glue which...

Strip Planking 26: Installing the Coaming Riser...

Nick Schade writes: The coaming "riser" is what I call the vertical part of the combing around the cockpit. This is made of the same wood I made the rest...

Strip Planking 26: Installing the Coaming Riser...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: The coaming "riser" is what I call the vertical part of the combing around the cockpit. This is made of the same wood I made the rest...

Strip Planking 25: Fixing a Broken Seam [video]

Nick Schade writes: While rolling out the fiberglass before glassing the deck, I ended up cracking a section on the back. The break was along a glue line. To fix...

Strip Planking 25: Fixing a Broken Seam [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: While rolling out the fiberglass before glassing the deck, I ended up cracking a section on the back. The break was along a glue line. To fix...

Strip Planking 24: Fairing and Glassing the Dec...

Nick Schade writes: This largely time-lapse video starts out with scraping and proceeds through sanding to glassing and finishing with a fill coat. I've found a good source of high...

Strip Planking 24: Fairing and Glassing the Dec...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: This largely time-lapse video starts out with scraping and proceeds through sanding to glassing and finishing with a fill coat. I've found a good source of high...

Strip Planking 23: Cutting the Cockpit Recess [...

Nick Schade writes: I like to put what I call a "recess" around the cockpit. On some boats, like these microBootleggers, the recess is not all that recessed, i.e. the...

Strip Planking 23: Cutting the Cockpit Recess [...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: I like to put what I call a "recess" around the cockpit. On some boats, like these microBootleggers, the recess is not all that recessed, i.e. the...

Strip Planking 22: Straightening a Crooked Seam...

Nick Schade writes: After carefully stripping the back deck, I notice the feature line had a funny bump in it. I used 2" wide strips on the back deck and...

Strip Planking 22: Straightening a Crooked Seam...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: After carefully stripping the back deck, I notice the feature line had a funny bump in it. I used 2" wide strips on the back deck and...

Strip Planking 21: Stripping the Back Deck [video]

Nick Schade writes: The back deck of the microBootlegger has two "chines" or hard knuckles on each side and a relatively flat area in between. Like stripping the bottom earlier...

Strip Planking 21: Stripping the Back Deck [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: The back deck of the microBootlegger has two "chines" or hard knuckles on each side and a relatively flat area in between. Like stripping the bottom earlier...

Strip Planking 20: Installing a Center Accent L...

Nick Schade writes: I want a light colored accent strip running down the center line of the foredeck. Depending on how the strips line up at the bow, his strip...

Strip Planking 20: Installing a Center Accent L...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: I want a light colored accent strip running down the center line of the foredeck. Depending on how the strips line up at the bow, his strip...

Strip Planking 19: Releasing Forms in Staple Fr...

Nick Schade writes: I used hot-melt glue to install the strips, this let me avoid putting staples in the strips. But now the boat is glued to the forms. Before...

Strip Planking 19: Releasing Forms in Staple Fr...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: I used hot-melt glue to install the strips, this let me avoid putting staples in the strips. But now the boat is glued to the forms. Before...

Strip Planking 18: Trimming off the Excess Glas...

Nick Schade writes: After you have wet out the fiberglass and the epoxy has set, you can trim off the excess 'glass. This is easiest done as soon as the...

Strip Planking 18: Trimming off the Excess Glas...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: After you have wet out the fiberglass and the epoxy has set, you can trim off the excess 'glass. This is easiest done as soon as the...

Strip Planking 17: The Cotton Swab Test [video]

Nick Schade writes: When is the best time to apply the next coat of resin? It all depends. But if your schedule allows, you will get the strongest bond when...

Strip Planking 17: The Cotton Swab Test [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: When is the best time to apply the next coat of resin? It all depends. But if your schedule allows, you will get the strongest bond when...

Strip Planking 16: Removing White Glue Lines [v...

Nick Schade writes: Sometimes when you are using carpenters glue between strips, you will end up with white glue lines. These lines are typically due to the glue being too...

Strip Planking 16: Removing White Glue Lines [v...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: Sometimes when you are using carpenters glue between strips, you will end up with white glue lines. These lines are typically due to the glue being too...

Strip Planking 15: Fiberglassing the Hull [video]

Nick Schade writes: This video shows the fiberglassing of the hull of the microBootlegger. I'm applying one layer of 4 ounce E-glass with a coat of epoxy resin. After the...

Strip Planking 15: Fiberglassing the Hull [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: This video shows the fiberglassing of the hull of the microBootlegger. I'm applying one layer of 4 ounce E-glass with a coat of epoxy resin. After the...

Strip Planking 14: Sanding the Hull [video]

Nick Schade writes: If you are careful gluing up your strips, the sanding can go quite quickly. My process here was: Scrape the Glue Rough Sand with 60 grit using...

Strip Planking 14: Sanding the Hull [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: If you are careful gluing up your strips, the sanding can go quite quickly. My process here was: Scrape the Glue Rough Sand with 60 grit using...

Strip Planking 13: Closing the Bottom [video]

Nick Schade writes: The last strip to close the bottom always takes time. The narrow remaining gap must be matched quite precisely for a tight fit. Part of the difficulty...

Strip Planking 13: Closing the Bottom [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: The last strip to close the bottom always takes time. The narrow remaining gap must be matched quite precisely for a tight fit. Part of the difficulty...

Strip Planking 12: Repairing a Damaged Strip [v...

Nick Schade writes: With book matched strips you can not throw out a damaged strip because doing so would disrupt the pattern of the grain. Instead you will need to...

Strip Planking 12: Repairing a Damaged Strip [v...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: With book matched strips you can not throw out a damaged strip because doing so would disrupt the pattern of the grain. Instead you will need to...

Strip Planking 11: Fixing a Popped Seam [video]

Nick Schade writes: It will happen that as you are building a strip-planked boat, one of your seams will pop open. If you are using staples, you may be able...

Strip Planking 11: Fixing a Popped Seam [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: It will happen that as you are building a strip-planked boat, one of your seams will pop open. If you are using staples, you may be able...

Strip Planking 10: Stripping The Bottom Part 2 ...

Strip Planking 10: Stripping The Bottom Part 2 [video] Nick Schade writes: In part one of stripping the bottom I did not need to worry about the length of the...

Strip Planking 10: Stripping The Bottom Part 2 ...

Strip Planking

Strip Planking 10: Stripping The Bottom Part 2 [video] Nick Schade writes: In part one of stripping the bottom I did not need to worry about the length of the...

Strip Planking 09: Trimming the Keel Line [video]

Nick Schade writes: In the previous step I stripped up one side, letting the ends of the strips overhang the center or keel line. In this video I am trimming...

Strip Planking 09: Trimming the Keel Line [video]

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: In the previous step I stripped up one side, letting the ends of the strips overhang the center or keel line. In this video I am trimming...

Strip Planking 08: Stripping The Bottom Part 1 ...

Nick Schade writes: In this video I am stripping up the bottom. I am doing a "straight" stripping pattern where I strip up one side completely without stripping the other...

Strip Planking 08: Stripping The Bottom Part 1 ...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: In this video I am stripping up the bottom. I am doing a "straight" stripping pattern where I strip up one side completely without stripping the other...

Strip Planking 07: Stripping a Wooden Kayak [vi...

Nick Schade writes: In this video I am continuing with the stripping on the side of the kayak. Because of the fairly plumb bow and stern of the microBootlegger design,...

Strip Planking 07: Stripping a Wooden Kayak [vi...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: In this video I am continuing with the stripping on the side of the kayak. Because of the fairly plumb bow and stern of the microBootlegger design,...

Strip Planking 06: Installing the First Strips ...

Nick Schade writes: The first strip on the boat is the most critical because it defines the flow of all the rest of the strips. If the first strip is...

Strip Planking 06: Installing the First Strips ...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: The first strip on the boat is the most critical because it defines the flow of all the rest of the strips. If the first strip is...

Strip Planking 05: Setting Up Forms for Strip-B...

Nick Schade writes: Here I show using an aluminum strongback and spacers to quickly and accurately set up forms. This same technique would work with a plywood box beam. The...

Strip Planking 05: Setting Up Forms for Strip-B...

Strip Planking

Nick Schade writes: Here I show using an aluminum strongback and spacers to quickly and accurately set up forms. This same technique would work with a plywood box beam. The...

Boatbuilding Tips

Newsletter