16ft Catboat

16ft Catboat, based on the traditional working boats of the N.E. coast of the United States, comprising beamy, shallow-draft centre-board sailing boats with a single gaff sail set well forward in the bow.

Construction commenced:    October 2013

Construction completed:    July 2015

Designer :     Selway Fisher Design (www.selway-fisher.com)

  • Length 16ft (4.87m)
  • Beam 7ft (2.13m)

Strip-plank construction, sheathed with glass cloth and epoxy.

Photo Diary – Construction process

Laminated frames (iroko)

Cutting out moulds (18mm MDF)

Edge glueing oak planks for the transom

Glueing laminated frames to the transom

Frames, moulds, transom and inner stem set up on the strong back

Fixing first plank of laminated hog

Frames,inner stem and hog bevelled, and three planks fitted

Planking screwed to frames(permanent) and moulds (temporary)

Temporary screws and penny washers secure plank to moulds

Clamping arrangement

Longitudinal frames fitted in way of outboard well

Driving stainless steel screws into transom edge

Temporary clamping blocks

Hull planking complete

Hull planking complete

GE DIGITAL CAMERA

Hull after sheathing with epoxy and biaxial glass cloth (320g). Note surface layer of blue Pleel-Ply

Boat lift - July 2014

Half finished boat being turned and repositioned for construction to continue on the inside of the hull

Turn over - July 2014

Turn over – July 2014

Lift onto trailer - July 2014

Lift onto trailer – July 2014

boat in shed on trailer july 2014

Boat in shed on trailer – July 2014

October 2014 - Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

October 2014 – Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2014 - Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

October 2014 – Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2014 - Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

October 2014 – Breasthook/mast thwart, deck beams, king plank, mast step and some floor beams fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 2014 - Compartment with guide tube for mast

Nov 2014 – Compartment with
guide tube for mast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 2014 - Bow compartment filled with foam buoyancy

Nov 2014 – Bow compartment filled with foam buoyancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 2014 - Breasthook, bulkhead, deck beams and king plank completed

Nov 2014 – Breasthook, bulkhead, deck beams and king plank completed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 2014 - Bulkheads fitted

Dec 2014 – Bulkheads fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 2014 - Centreplate ready to be lowered into place

Dec 2014 – Centreplate ready to be lowered into place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 2014 - Centre plate installed, floors, sole beams and locker/seat fronts fitted

Dec 2014 – Centre plate
installed, floors, sole beams and locker/seat fronts fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 2014 - Aft deck beams, bulkheads and outboard well fitted

Dec 2014 – Aft deck beams, bulkheads and outboard well fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Seats and centre plate capping complete

April 2015 – Seats and centre plate capping complete

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Arrangement for outboard well

April 2015 – Arrangement for outboard well

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Glueing in first layer of 3mm plywood core for coaming

April 2015 – Glueing in first layer of 3mm plywood core for coaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Glueing second layer 3mm plywood core to coaming

April 2015 – Glueing second layer 3mm plywood core to coaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Coaming and decks fitted 3mm oak veneer complete on inside

April 2015 – Coaming and decks fitted 3mm oak veneer complete on inside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2015 - Fitting oak capping to coaming

April 2015 – Fitting oak capping to coaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2015 - Steaming rub rail

May 2015 – Steaming rub rail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2015 - Rubrail fitted

May 2015 – Rubrail fitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2015 - Painting hull

May 2015 – Painting hull

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2015 - Mast collar

May 2015 – Mast collar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2015 - Fitting floorboards and fore locker complete - note removable panel

May 2015 – Fitting floorboards and fore locker complete – note removable panel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2015 - Interior completed

June 2015 – Interior completed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2015 - Mast collar showing halyard blocks

June 2015 – Mast collar showing halyard blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2015 - The beauty of the hull

June 2015 – The beauty of the hull

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2015 - Varnishing spars

June 2015 – Varnishing spars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2015 - Sailing

July 2015 – Sailing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2015 - Sailing

July 2015 – Sailing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2015 - Sailing

July 2015 – Sailing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in Plymouth Sound - Summer 2015

Sailing in Plymouth Sound – Summer 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing Plymouth Sound - Summer 2015

Sailing in Plymouth Sound – Summer 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in Plymouth Sound - Summer 2015

Sailing in Plymouth Sound – Summer 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in Plymouth Sound - Summer 2015

Sailing in Plymouth Sound – Summer 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in Plymouth Sound - Summer 2015

Sailing in Plymouth Sound – Summer 2015