SHAPING THE BOAT
THE DIFFERENT ENGINE CAUSED A FEW
ripple effects in how I had to alter the Popu-
lar Mechanics design. Because I was extending
the length of the boat, it was important to keep
the curve of the deck consistent and seamless.
I wanted to accentuate the tumblehome—the
inward curve of the sides toward the aft—so my
son and I developed an equation to make sure
the geometries worked out.
You can’t just run a straight line from frame
to frame, because the side curves more toward
the back, and the deck narrows at an ever-
increasing rate the more aft you go. I added
another frame at the back to support the extra
length, so the boat ended up considerably stron-
ger than the original plans.
We used the outside dimensions Popu-
lar Mechanics had published, but where the
original plans called for 1.5-inch white pine
frames, I used 2.5-inch oak for additional strength.
Once the frames were together, I built the keel and epoxied
and bolted the seven main frames and the transom to the keel.
Then I ran the battens on the outside of the frames, as called for
in the 1935 plans. All the frames are white oak, and the exte-
rior is mahogany.
The toughest build area was the wood forming the bow. You
can bend a piece of wood no problem, but where you have a lot of
f lair (like with the curves on the bow of a boat) you have to roll
the plank in two different directions simultaneously. I threw a
few pieces of mahogany away, thanks to trial and error.
The proper way to shape the wood would have been to use a
steam room. But I ended up soaking the wood in my pond, and
made a jig where I could bend the wood little by little until I
achieved the shape I wanted. Then, I just let the planks dry in
the sun.
It took me four and a half years of evenings and weekends
to frame; build the keel; complete the hull; install the engine,
transmission, and driveline; apply a urethane clear coat;
upholster the interior; and install the stainless steel trim. I
eventually named it Flash, the same name given to the boat in
the old Popular Mechanics book. JIMEICHER;^ COLIN^MCSHERRY(PAPERCLIP)50 September/October 2020