Spawn of Frankenscot: Skinned!

Around here, boat-building has taken center stage, with early-morning runs to Fiberglass Coating, a LOT of sawdust and elbow-grease, and the odd day-trip to Lauderdale to pick up a carbon-fiber mast.

When Mr. Linton repurposed an old Flying Scot into Frankenscot two years ago, it was about 2 parts deconstruction for every bit of construction. With this one –– name to come* –– the boat is getting built from scratch. A stack of wood and a few jugs of resin are assembling into something that we hope will float.

*Note to self: Maybe we need a naming contest. With prizes? Hmmm. Consult the peanut gallery. 

So, with the frame built and the stringers lain, the boat's skin –– two skinny layers of okume plywood –– has been bent into place, glued, and puttied.

Following the application of a coat of fiberglass and epoxy resin, the boat now will go through a series of filling and sanding steps known as "fairing."

This labor-intensive process is a bit like sensei Mr. Miyagi's famous training method.

To fair the boat, Mr. Linton will be dragging putty over the hull, letting it cure, and then sanding most of the putty off again. It's sweaty work, especially in the midday heat, and the boat looks nearly the same at the end of the day as it did at the start of the day. 

Still, not only is this excellent practice before the big match, it means that dents get filled and humps get smoothed down. 

Done a couple of times, it should result in a more "fair" and smooth hull. Which should translate into a faster boat. Which is the point, after all.