Cockpit Recess

Builder's Forum
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We're getting near the end of stripping our Great Auk Double and have started on the cockpit recess.  I started at the fore end of the cutout (from plan) without a problem. I decided to work from both the aft and fore ends, and am having trouble figuring out how to get strips to fit in the aft end. The fore end has a steep angle and a peak, so a trianngle piece of strip made a great first piece, and the rest are fitting nicely. The aft end as a very shallow curve, and too much of an angle from the center line to be able to fit the first strip across more than a couple of strips, which makes it about 3/16 deep - barely covering the cove, the next few won't be much better. (I had two partial strips in and pulled them out as they weren't tight and it wasn't working). I'm thinking about sanding a peak at the aft edge so I can get a bigger starter strip as on the fore edge, but am hoping the combined wisdom on the forum can help here.

 

 

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Hi Terry,

i think you are doing fine.  this is just one of the more complex elements and will take some carving and patience to get it right.  but i would not change the geometry.

as long as your cockpit cutout is symetrical, the back of the cockpit is simply a very shallow angle compared to the front...so the first couple pieces are going to involve a lot of shaping to get it right compared to what you experienced in the front.  for me, like you, i ended up tossing a couple pieces before i was satisfied.  i did not try to 'match' the strips of the recesss to their adjacent hull strips..

i have posted a construction picture from my night-heron project to show you that you are fine.

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 anyway....after some work, that became this....so i am speaking from experience.

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   Thanks - that helps. Hopefully when I get through with all these little "learning opportunities" I'll have a boat that looks close to as beautiful as yours.