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AppShip2 Photo Gallery

Page history last edited by Alex Finnegan 9 years, 3 months ago

AppShip1 Photo Gallery AppShip3 Photo Gallery AppShip4 Photo Gallery 5-Byker Boat Gallery 6 Joan Dixon Gallery 7-Bede's Boat Gallery

These are some photographs from AppShip2 , which took place within Blyth Community High School (http://www.theblythschool.co.uk) in 2009.

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We recognised during AppShip1 that some participants were at a disadvantage interpreting plans due to their Dyslexia . Armed with the knowledge that many of the greatest boat builders, wheelwrights and coopers through history would have been illiterate we devised an introduction to AppShip2 which allowed us to throw away our plans and tape measures!

Participants were given wooden battens (actually slats from a broken wooden venitian blind) and we all measured out our thumb segments onto the rulers. Each ruler was now segmented into equal measures relating to the thumb size of each individual. On sheets of paper we used our rulers to draw out a grid and within the grid we drew out the profile of a Northumbrian coble (a traditional fishing boat from North East England). Northumbrian Cobles were traditionally built by eye, not from plans.

From all the drawings we selected Ryan's coble as being the closest to the photos of real cobles. We then made a giant ruler using Ryan's foot as the unit of measurement. The small Coble profile was drawn out on the larger scale (fortunately "Ryan's foot" was the perfect scale to create a 15ft sailing coble). Using "tick-sticks" we transfered measurements onto the timber to avoid writing numbers. It is worth noting that (unless you buy from Europe) tape measures have both inches and mm which can be confusing to some participants.

A larger grid was drawn and the stem / bow section is drawn full size with a bendy spline batten.

We decide where the scarph joint is drawn in and we study the traditional coble form a reprint of the "English Coble" available from the Coble and Keelboat Society (Alex Finnegan is the Chair of the Coble and Keelboat Society) please see http://candks.pbworks.com

Laminating the stem which is part of the back bone assembly where planks join together at the bow (front)

AppShip1 was a "double-ender" (pointy at both ends) but AppShip2 has a transom (flat stern at the back).

The daggerboard box is assembled with the inside of the box given a coat of epoxy for protection. Note the block of wood between the jaws of the black clamp (on the left), this allows the batten to be clamped without squeezing the gap too much.

The finished Stem can be seen in position sticking up on the right of this picture.

The daggerboard box is also fitted, this is the slot where the "keel" can be lowered beneath the boat to prevent the wind blowing us sideways.

AppShip2 Family evening, cutting the sheer stroke, which is the name for the top plank on a Northumbrian Coble

AppShip2 Family evening, fitting the Sheer Stroke with the inner gunnel already fitted

The top plank (or sheer stroke) fitted with the outer gunnel (rubbing strip) glued in place.

There is a hole in the boat! This is OK as the top of the daggerboard slot is above the waterline -like a little narrow pond in the middle of the boat.

The daggerboard is pushed through this slot, it is like a wing that glides through the water and stops the boats from being blown sideways.

If the wind wants to blow the boat sideways, and the daggerboard wants to stop the boat going sideways what happens to all that force?

If you squeeze an orange pip between your finger and thumb it will shoot out.

Yachts can move forward without an engine because their keels prevent them from sliding sideways.

All planks fitted and the outer gunnel glued in place, a coat of primer helps to define the shape.

We drew out the new stem, lofted it up full size, made a jig for gluing, laminated the strips into the stem, lifted the lines with tin tacks to trim the final shape, glued the stem into the boat, fitted the planks and a coat of paint. Finally the stem is trimmed to length.

The British hardwood Ash was chosen for the details like the bench seating, gunnels and stem facing piece.

First coats of gloss, through a democratic vote the class decided to paint AppShip2 bright orange.

The darker blue lines are masking tape that has yet to be pulled off, the Ash has had a coat of varnish too.

We always build large buoyant air tanks into our sailing boats.

This is for safety, if a capsize does happen the boat should still float.

Cobles are a beach boat - so we carried "Marvin" down for a photo

The finished boat!

Sandwiches and pop always taste better after a morning out sailing. What a brilliant achievement to have built and sailed your own boat. Well done everyone on the second ApprenticeShip Project. - Alex 2009

Making an oar

Measure and cut your timber, the appropriate saw will have at least three teeth for the same thinkness of material. This means that thinner materials need to be cut with saws with smaller teeth.

Safety first!

The hand that is holding the saw rarely gets cut, find a safe place for your other hand!

Planning the cut, stay to the outside of the line in the waste wood, practice your cutting before you start. If the saw can cut wood it can easily cut a finger off, never push directly into the blade. Firm footing and a strong posture allow us to push the wood through the saw but with enough stability so that when something unexpected happens we dont push our hand into the blade or fall into the machine.