Trial build of my new boat.

I’ve managed to make almost all the componenet parts for my second boat build, so today I laid the parts on the drive to see what it looked like. Obviously with no paint on the frame it didn’t look anything like finished but I was able at least to sit on board.

It feels surprisingly roomy, being 10 inches wider than its predecessor. The seat back will probably be placed more upright than I had it today. I’ve cut out 2 lee boards which will be placed just forwards of mid ships. These boards, protruding downwards, will act as a fulcrum for the hulls to turn around and prevent sideways movement, especially when under sail power.

The hulls are filled with insulating foam which I’ve painted with a waterproof coating as an extra assurance against water ingress. I’ll be able to pivot the rudder upwards to aid launching. The hulls split into 2 sections transversely to make the whole boat compact for transport and storage.

Only one of the arms to which paddles will attach was in place today. My concerns are that it may end up rather heavy. This is not a problem on the water but I have to get it half a mile to reach the canal first. Looking at the paddles which I’ve cut out, they seem quite small. This is another worry if they slip too much through the water rather than digging in to drive the boat forwards. Though 180 paddle stroke per minute at a cyclists cadence should help.

The remaining jobs before I can launch are painting, finishing the rudder control and final assembly. I hope to be finished and on the water for a first trial before I go away on a scooter trip in the second week of May.