Sheer line on mold stations

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bogweasel
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 2:12 pm

Sheer line on mold stations

Post by bogweasel »

Hi, I am building a Ranger 15 and I am about to start planking. I am not 100% sure where the first strip should go relative to the station molds. Should it be flush with the bottom of the mold or is the sheer line somewhere above this? I can't see a sheer line marked on the plans and, when I look at the pictures in Canoecraft there seems to be a gap between the sheer plank and the bottom of the molds. However, when I watch the video, Nick Offerman puts the first strip flush with the bottom of the molds. So, I guess my question is, where is the sheer line on the station molds? Thanks, Pete.
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Cruiser
Posts: 867
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:21 am
Location: Bowmanville, Ontario

Re: Sheer line on mold stations

Post by Cruiser »

The sheer is usually the bottom of each station mold. If you site down the bottoms of your assembled molds, you should be able to see that the line formed between them will rise from the middle to the bow and stern.

Your goal isn't necessarily to follow the sheer line along the entire length, you start at the sheer in the middle and try and keep the line horizontal, so that the strips follow the waterline. If you follow the sheer on a boat like the prospector, you will have a banana shape to your strips ... there aren't "rules" and you can strip anyway you please, but general consensus. is that orienting the strips with the waterline looks best.

I suspect you may get a few answers as to how to achieve this, but I just fasten at the middle and then every other mold for 2 stations (i.e 4,6,8,10,12 on a 16 foot boat) ... move out to the ends, site down the partly attached strip and attach the strip to the end ... do the same for the other end, for the other side, I use a level to make sure the sides are at the right height ... but align the ends with the first strip. Sight down the attached strips and make sure they look fair.

You go back at the end of stripping and fill in the extra shorter strips required to fill in the bow and stern sections.

You can see the additional strips on this build, It is a Kipawa, so there isn't much rise at the bow and stern ... yours will have a lot more.

Image

Hope the link works.

Brian
bogweasel
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 2:12 pm

Re: Sheer line on mold stations

Post by bogweasel »

Hi Brian, thanks a lot for your reply. That’s pretty much what I thought but it’s great to get another view. Pete.
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Patricks Dad
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Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: Sheer line on mold stations

Post by Patricks Dad »

I'm not a fan of following the sheerline of the forms with the first strip.
I'm also not a fan of laying the first strip parallel with the water line.

I prefer (and I think this may be the guidance provided in Canoecraft) to attached the first strip at the sheerline of the middle 3 or 4 forms and then let the strip droop naturally creating a fair curve and attach the strip where it falls. No real science. No leveling to worry about. Depending on the hull design, it will leave some stripping to do between that first strip and the sheerline at the stems. Some designs (e.g., Redbird) will require quite a bit. That stripping can be done anytime after the first few strips are on the hull or as your last step in stripping.

The net result is a very pleasing arrangement where the "banana boat" look is avoided. It also avoids strictly parallel stripping. In my view, this approach gives a more interesting look on the water.

But as Brian notes, you can strip it any way you want. Do what you think looks best to you. It's your craft!
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
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