Bevin Skiff Building Manual
Bevin Skiff Building Manual
Bevin Skiff Building Manual
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Videos
Videos showing how to build a Bevins skiff and teach math are available at www.maritimetv.com.
Look for Building To Teach. Even if youre not teaching math, the videos take you through the
boat building process.
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Epoxy
Use in a warm place, 40 degrees F, or over
Measure your resin and hardener accurately. The ratio must be correct.
Stir the resin/ hardener mix well for at least a minute before you add wood flour filler. Mix
in the filler well for at least a minute.
Don't mix until you need it and only mix a little more than you think you'll need.
Read the manufacturer's instructions.
You can clean up wet epoxy from your hands and tools with ordinary household white
vinegar or "GOJO" hand cleaner.
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Polyurethane
Use in a warm place, 40 degrees F and over.
Make sure you remove the metal cap from the rear of the tube, if there is one, and cut the
nozzle and punch a hole in the nozzle seal with a 16d nail, or other long pointed object.
Release the pressure in the calking gun after each use. Otherwise more adhesive will end up
on the floor than in the boat.
Clamping Pad
Combination Square
Hand Saw
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Carpenters Square
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Carpenters Scribers
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Bucking Iron
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Tool Terms
Bevel Board
Bevel Gauge
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Glossary
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Boat Terms
Aft
Bow
Center Frame
Toe Nail
Saw Horse
Scribers
A marking gauge with two parallel fingers that can reach around a protruding
piece of wood (or other material.)
A movable support with a cross piece and legs.
A simple compass. Used for scribing marking a piece of wood to fit it
against another surface. Similar to a compass used for drafting and
mechanical drawing
To nail through the inside corner of one board in order to fasten it to another
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Finger/
Feeler Gauge
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Hand Plane
thinner and cut on the pull stroke. They cut faster, but can be bent easier
than a Western blade.
Youll be using either block planes, or bench planes. The major difference
that affects this project is that block planes are smaller. Which style you pick
depends mainly upon your builders. Small hands like small tools Make
sure the tools are sharp. Sharpening a plane is a great example of practical
geometry. The bevel and the back of the iron (blade) are planes that intersect
in a straight line, which is the cutting edge.
Chine
Deck Beam
Fair Line
Sheer
Skeg
Station
Stern
Stem
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Quarter Knee
Rabbet
Traditionally made out of veneers with no voids and waterproof glue. British
Standard (BS)1088 is the good stuff
Serves as a corner brace between the side and transom
A groove cut into a piece of wood into which another piece of wood fits. The
joint between the outside of the planking and the backbone of the boat stem,
keel, transom or sternpost
The top edge, or line, of the boat. The sweep of the upper edge of the
boats side.
The fin that protrudes from the keel at the aft end of the boat. Provides
directional stability
The location of a cross section in the boats drawing- also the location of a
building mold. Think of it as the location of a slice in a loaf of bread.
The back of the boat
The piece that forms the front of the boat
Seat
Marine Grade
Plywood
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Pilot Hole
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Foredeck
Gussets
Keel
Layout
Line
Lofting
Painter
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Faying Surface
Feather edge
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Flare
Stand Proud
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2. Optional but Recommended Tools if you are building from the ASF kit
Battery Powered Drill (to drive screws and drill holes)
Nail Set (to help remove bent nails)
Pliers (to help remove bent nails)
Router w/trim bit (to trim bottom panel)
Disk/orbital sander (to clean and prep outside of hull for painting)
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3. Additional Tools Needed if you are building from the plans and didnt buy the kit
Table Saw
Band Saw or Good Orbital Jig Saw (recommended but not absolutely necessary)
Hand Held Circular Saw
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4. Basic Supplies Needed if you are building from the ASF kit
4d finish nails
One straight 2x 4 x 8
Hand Cleaner
White Vinegar
Paint Thinner (for clean up of polyurethane adhesive)
4mil Plastic (for gluing)
1 5/8 Drywall Screws two dozen
Nitrile gloves
Paper Towels
Spreading Sticks, spatulas, or plastic Bondo Spreaders
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5. Additional Supplies Needed if you are building from the plans and didnt buy the kit
3 - 2x 4x 8 for making a work table with the saw horses
4x8 sheet of 1/4 plywood for work table top
10d common nails for work table assembly
6d Finish Nails for batten
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PART
Stem
Side Panels & Bottom, Foredeck, Gussets
Frames, Deckbeam
Transom
Chines
Quarter Knees
Rails
Seat Riser
Keel
Skeg
Seats
Seat Support
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Nails
200 1
100 1.5
30 2
MATERIAL
White Oak
Mahogany Marine Plywood
Spruce or Fir
Spruce or Fir
Spruce or Fir
Spruce or Fir
Spruce or Fir
Spruce or Fir
Spruce, Fir or Eastern White Pine
Spruce, Fir or Eastern White Pine
Spruce, Fir or Eastern White Pine
Spruce or Fir
Angle Plate Oarlock Sockets
Oarlocks
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DIMENSIONS
2x 3 x 18
3/8 x 4x 8
Linear Feet 3/4 x 1 1/2
1-1/2 x 5 1/2x 8
1-1/2 x 3/4 x 12
1-1/2 x 5 1/2x2
1-1/2 x 3/4 x 14
1-1/2 x 5/8 x 10
3/4 x 3-1/2x 12
3/4 x 3-1/2
3/4 x 9-1/4x 12
1-1/2 X 1-1/2x 1
1/2
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MATERIALS LIST
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Saw Horses
Tape Measure
Carpenters Square
Combination Square
Polyurethane Adhesive
Calking Gun
Hammer
Drill/ Driver
Clamps
Disposable Gloves
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
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Stack the sides exactly on top of one another and clamp them together.
Match the pieces with the drawing, making sure you know which end is the bow and which is
the transom, or stern. (NOTE: On the plans, the bottom panel and side panel have their ends
reversed. The bow of the bottom panel is next to the stern of the side panel.)
Label the transom (stern), bow, top (sheer) and bottom of each panel.
Measure back 75" from the bow along the lower edge.
Make a mark on the edge of both pieces. Use either a carpenters or combination square.
Use a carpenters square and draw a line perpendicular (90 degrees) to the bottom on both
sides of both pieces. Use the square so that the short leg (tongue) is facing the bow.
Carry the lines around all sides and mark an "X" on the aft side of this line- on all four panel
sides.
Mark the frame thickness on the "X" side of all the lines. You can do this by tracing the
outline of a frame, or by measuring.
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BUCKING IRON
(HOLD TIGHT AGAINST
WOOD)
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Apply adhesive onto the side of the center frame, or onto the inside of the side panel aft of
the frame line. (where you put your "X")
Take the frame and hold it or clamp it to the side so that the bottom of the frame lines up
with the inside corner of the side panel. An easy way to make sure the pieces line up
correctly is to lay a straight edge along the edge of the frame.
Drill four 3/32" pilot holes through the panel and into the frame. Use the frame line on the
outside of the panel as your guide. Make sure your pilot holes land in the middle of the
frame- 3/8" away from the frame line you drew in Step 1.2
Nail it with 1-1/2" nails. Make sure you use your bucking iron.
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Note: The boat will be upside down. This drawing is right side up. Study the drawing.
2.1 B) Next, measure the angle between the edge of the panel and the face of the stem.
Mark it on the side of the chine with the base of its angle starting at the end of the previous
angle.
2.1 C) Cut the compound angle.
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2.1 D) Butt the chine against the stem and bend the chine into the boat. Check the fit against the
stem.
When the forward half of the chine is tight to the side and in the mid frame notch, make
a mark on the chine at the center frame and an opposite mark on the side panel.
Firmly and carefully remove the chine from the boat. The chine is still too long.
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You will need a combination square, 1" Ring nails, polyurethane adhesive, a hammer, a
bucking iron and gloves.
Using the combination square as a marking gauge, draw a line 1" down from the bottom edge
of the panel on the outside face of the panel. This is your nailing line.
Draw another line 1-1/2" down from the bottom edge of the panel on the inside face of the
panel. Apply polyurethane adhesive in this area. Put plenty on. An alternative method is to
apply the polyurethane to the chine.
Take the aft (transom) end of the chine and run it down toward the floor, or ground, and back
toward the transom. This will allow you room to fit the front half.
Put a short stick between the chine and the side panel near the transom. (an offcut of the chine
works well.) This minimizes the spread of adhesive until the chine is in its final position.
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2.4) Planing the Chines and Transom Flat to Accept the Bottom
You're going to need a straight edge at least 4 long (the seat riser works fine for this) and a
sharp plane.
Plane the chines and transom flat so the bottom will bear fully on them.
Using the straightedge, going across the boat, ensure that both chines are flat from the bow to
the stern and make sure the bottom will lie flat on the transom.
When planing the transom work in from the ends. If you run all the way across, you'll split
out the plywood on the far side.
Trim the end of the stem, if necessary. If you have to plane the bottom of the stem, chamfer
its forward and aft edges a little bit. That way you won't splinter out either face.
Remember, you want as much surface area (faying surface) between the bottom and the edge
of the chine. The better the fit, the fewer the leaks.
Checking to make sure the bottom will lie flat on the chines and transom.
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2.5 A) Make sure the bottom fits tightly on the chines, stem, center frame and transom.
When the bottom fits tight, take it off and apply adhesive to chines (including the edge of the
side panel), stem, transom and center frame.
Put the bottom back on, align it with the back edge of the transom, allowing an even overlap
on each side.
Then, nail the bottom into the chines at both ends of the center frame.
2.5 B) Using the finger gauge, space the nails every 4 inches and locate them at the middle of the
chine. You're going to need to pay attention because the flare on the boat changes and the
finger gauge is made for the average angle. The pattern for a finger gauge is on the plans.
You can make it out of any scrap plywood or stiff cardboard.
Clean adhesive off the finger gauge as it builds up.
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Plan builders need to measure and cut the deck beam. The easiest way to "pick up"
the compound bevels is to use a hot melt glue gun and glue together a pattern out of
paint stir sticks (or the like.) This will give you the length of the piece and the angle
of the boat's flare. You can then use your bevel gauge to pick up the fore and aft
angle. We usually cut this compound angle with a hand saw- just like the chines.
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Start nailing at the center frame and work your way towards the ends. Use the
bucking iron to support the side panel from the outside.
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Take the keel and lay it on the boat. Line it up with your marks. The keel should
overhang 1/4" at the transom.
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Trace the outside edges of the keel and the slot for the skeg (Fig23) on the bottom of
the boat.
Remove the keel.
Within the outline of the keel, from the stem to the start of the skeg slot, mark and
drill pilot holes through the bottom about 4" apart in a zig zag pattern.
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From outside the boat, set two 1-1/2" nails through the keel into the center frame and
one 1-1/2" nail through the keel into the stem.
At this point, you need to nail from the inside of the boat, through the bottom panel and into
the keel. You can use several different techniques to accomplish this task.
One is to set the boat, right side up on a hard floor- with a drop cloth between the boat and
the floor. In this way the floor serves as a bucking iron for all except the aftermost nails.
A second technique is to put the boat on its side; have two people hold the boat in position
and then have one person nail from the inside, while another person holds the bucking iron
on the outside.
The third way is to keep the boat upside down and send somebody underneath (with hearing
protection) to nail. Another person stays outside to use the bucking iron.
All these techniques work, although the second technique is usually fastest. Select the
technique that fits your situation.
Regardless of which technique you chose, make sure the skeg is aligned
perpendicular to the bottom and pushed forward in its slot in the keel.
From inside the boat, nail through the bottom panel into the skeg. Put three 1-1/2"
nails into the back (large end) of the skeg and two 1" nails through the bottom panel
into the front (skinny) end of the skeg.
Start at the transom (inside the boat) and nail through the bottom panel into the keel
with 1" nails using the pilot holes you drilled earlier.
Use a saw to trim the keel flush at the stem and in line with the transom. Or, you can
do all your trimming at the end.
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4.7)
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4.8)
Sanding
Some people go crazy sanding and finishing boats. We don't. They're boats- not
pianos. If you use the boat, you're going to scratch it up. Paint to protect the boat. You
still need to be neat and clean but you don't have to go wild. It's very easy to spend as
much time painting a boat as building it. Be careful!
4.9)
Paint
We don't supply paint with our kits. We recommend oil based enamels for the finish
coat. You can thin that enamel to make a primer. We recommend epoxy coating the
exposed end grain of the plywood bottom. (Straight Epoxy- no filler) You can also
epoxy coat the outside of the hull.
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Hand Plane
Jointer
Batten- x x 14
Bar Clamps
Tape Measure
Drill/ Driver
Pilot/ countersink Bit
Chalk Line
4 Straightedge
Framing Square
Hammer
Table Saw
Push stick
Feather board
Bevel Gauge
Protractor
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Lay the 3" face of the stem on the table. Reset saw depth and fence to make cuts #5
and #6.
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Using a table saw rip out enough stock for your chines, rails, frames and seat risers.
See the material list at the end of these instructions. All but the frames need to be
straight grained stock. It all can be gotten out of "2 by" lumber. Either you need to
pick over the local lumber yards supply of framing lumber or spend the money and
buy "C and Better" grade lumber. If your going to pick, think about buying 2x12s and
ripping the clear straight wood off the edges for rails etc and using the middle,
knottier sections, for your transom.
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Mix epoxy, and thicken with wood flour, to a heavy molasses consistency.
Spread glue on both sides of the joint.
Put the mate into place.
Nail it with two 4d finish nails- so it won't wiggle.
Put a piece of plastic over the glued area.
Stack the second rail right on top and repeat the steps. Then clamp the joints together
( c- clamp, bar clamp, etc). Make sure you have squeeze-out.
Clamp and glue the chines the same way on the other edge of the 2x4.
Clamp and glue your seat risers and keel the same way as the chines.
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Take the bottom and two sides of the frame. Run the frame sides past the bottom,
apply adhesive and nail the gusset on with 1" nails.
Use the gusset to give you the correct frame angle or better yet, use the center frame
pattern you just made.
Make sure you cut 3/4" by 1-1/2" notches on the bottom corners to accept the chine
log.
Nail, or screw, a spreader at the top of the frame to hold the top dimension
Don't glue the spreader to the frame; you will remove it later. And make sure there is
enough room for the sides to fit below the spreader.
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