But I think the main goals for this weekend will be assembling the ribs, for which I'll need some high-strength waterproof epoxy and some clamps.
I am determined to go V E R Y S L O W L Y on this project. I have a tendency to rush and get excited and do a sloppy job of things. I'm going to really move in slow motion so as to be as thoughtful as possible.
The reports I read about pirgoue building are very heavy on all glue-and-clamps and seem to disdain the use of screws or other fasteners. I thought at first that this might have something to do with water-tight-ed-ness, but if I'm glassing the entire exterior, does it matter that there are screws? I think not, and I think these are some sort of purists, who think that using fasteners is a sign of weakness.
For my part, I think nice a row of nice brass screws set at 8" intervals along the gunwales would have a striking appearance. Nautical, if you will. I don't think there are wood screws with rounded tops, but I will check.
I'm also considering making it sail-ready, although I don't plan to construct the sail rig in this initial build phase. But I am considering a half-deck in the front, with a mast step set in the floor. I was able to find this spectacular photograph of a sail canoe, which I intend to use as my model.
As you can see, it is rigged with a lateen sail, which maximizes the square footage and draw, while maintaining maneuverability. A main drawback I can foresee is that it seems designed to work on either the starboard or port tack (in the illustration above, the port only), but if you were to tack to starboard, the fore part of the sail would brail against the mast, restricting the draw. I suppose the way to get around this is to slue the entire boom around to put it on the opposite side of the mast. I think that could be very unstable, though, especially if there is any significant wind. Hm.
The other problem, of course, would be a flat-bottomed skiff would necessarily yaw to leeward without a keel and rudder to convert the force of the wind on the beam into forward momentum. Without a transom, a rudder is impractical, and a keel is likewise not in the plan. So this sail concept is not without obstacles.
I also don't know if a mast with a 3" step on the bottom deck of the boat and then about 3" of vertical bracing at the 10" deck level would be structurally sound. I might have to rig stays and perhaps shrouds, which could become cumbersome, and would prohibit the sluing of the boom as described above. Actually, looking again at the picture, I notice that boat has a forestay, which would prevent the rotating of the boom. Interesting.
Much later in the process, of course, one must consider final appearance (paint/stain) and, ultimately, a name for the vessel. My intention has been to have a natural wood finish, but Fred (somewhat facetiously) suggested the Nelson Chequer.
I could paint the gunwales black, and have black band at the bottom of the sides, and then the false gunports down the side. That could be greatly amusing to me.
As to the name . . . I think I have to know the boat first. Perhaps a name will just come to me, when I see her. Perhaps not. I have some ideas, but it's a bit premature.
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