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Here’s a new model project I’ve started while sequestered at home, and locked out of our commercial millwork shop, and the boat shop. I’m building the Chesapeake Sharpie-20’ Class, designed by H. I. Chapelle, and found in “Boatbuilding, pg. 291. This particular boat was designed as a pleasure boat, but modeled closely after the Hooper Island double ended crab skiffs. These boats were also used as gunning skiffs, and of course were raced with big summer rigs as well. I’ve long been interested in working smallcraft, power and sail, and have built quite a few full size boats for myself. The latest is a 23’ deadrise outboard power skiff. I also have built and sailed extensively, a 16’ crab skiff, though not a double ender like the model I’m presenting. I drew a sloop rig for Cricket, which is very similar to the Chapelle double ender, but in the end I used the cat rig. I’ve always loved the double ended Chesapeake sharpies, and chose this model from Chapelle’s “Boatbuilding”. I ordered the 3 sheet plan set from the Smithsonian a few years ago, and the drawings have been tucked away in a flat file until now. The lines and construction set are at a 1:12 scale, but I like bigger models, so I have re-lofted the lines at 1:8 which will give me a model nearly 40” long from bow sprit to rudder tip. I will spar the boat, for sure, but haven’t decided about making a set of sails yet. I’m fortunate to have bought a set of ships curves, splines, and lead ducks (as well as a planimeter) back in the pre-computer days. That stuff is gold these days. I use them all the time. Before the NYC lockdown, I ran out to the boat shop and milled up a boat’s worth of scale parts from oak, ash, pine, and WR cedar. I would use juniper if I had some, but I have a pile of the WR stuff, so I’ll plank with that. I also managed to scare up a small job site table saw, which I tuned up and have stashed under the back porch. I could use more tiny tools, but I do have some small Japanese back saws, detail chisels, and files. I lofted the lines on a sheet of white-painted masonite. I’ve drawn the body plan in Vector Works on the computer, because the sections are all straight lines. I made some very small corrections to the stations after laying down the longitudinals, and corrected the table of offsets. These are very minor tweaks for fairness. You’ll notice a little unfairness in the sheer on the body plan, but I know the half breadths are correct and fair, and I can adjust the heights of the sheer clamp on the set up. I approach models just like I do a full size boat, so I made a strong back with cross spalls to carry the molds or frames. The strong back is lofted right on the lines layout, as can be seen in my murky pictures. Normally, a cross planked boat is set up on molds, and the chines, sheer clamps, and keelson are sprung over the molds and temporarily fastened. After planking, the molds are released from underneath, and the boat is turned over then framed out. This presents a dilemma in a model with a full interior. It’s not easy to fasten the longitudinals without gluing. There is a lot of force from beveling and planking which can move the pieces around. But after some thought and help from John Earl, I went ahead with mold construction. I brought home a cheap little Delta benchtop table saw, cleaned it up, and put a fine toothed skilsaw blade on. I have to say it works great, and much better than expected. I also made a table for my upside down Bosch jig saw, used as a poor man’s scroll saw. It’s a little rough, but adequate for now. I’ve ordered some diamond files, machinist’s clamps, and spring tweezers. I’m just getting going on this, so I may be a little slow in posting. Forgive my wordiness. I love writing about this stuff!
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