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[Billyruffian]

I am about to start my first scratch build and so far this forum has been a fantastic help.

I am building it using the "shadow frame" method of building - again I have received much help and advice.

My last question before  I start cutting wood regards the keel.  The boat is some 35" long and I am thinking of using 9mm marine ply.  The problem I have is that I only have this in 2 foot lengths so will joining the keel still be strong enough or is there a better way of laying up the keel?

Thanks as usual for your expert guidance.

[malcolmfrary]

A plain butt join will not be much help, but adding some ply to increase the thickness across the join (say, about an inch overlap) will do the job.  A bit like using a fishplate to join rail ends on the railway, only with wood and glue.   Real woodworkers will explain this properly.

[Shipmate60]

Billyruffian,
Just an observation but on this size of tug wont 9mm be a bit wide for the skeg around the sterngear?

Bob

[Billyruffian]

Thanks Shipmate but I was thinking of building the skeg as a separate unit and fixing to the hull - or is this not the best way to go?

[DickyD]

Skeg and keel are normally one piece, usually slightly smaller size than the prop shaft 

[Shipmate60]

As above for strength.
You could laminate the keel, say 3 pieces of 3mm, but the 2 outside ones cut so as to not include the skeg.

Bob

[Billyruffian]

Thanks Bob and DickyD.

I'll have to rethink it or better yet buy a hull from mobile marine - save all the messing about I think.

[Stavros]

Scale hobbies and kingston mouldings do TID hull


Stavros