Building procedure notes Soling 1 Meter

 

Start your building with the keel:

 

1)      Tape both halves of the keel together making sure that you get the edges lined up as perfectly as possible all around the circumference of the keel.

 

2)      Using a long sanding block, sand the top edge of the keel to provide a straight, true line, both “fore and aft”, and perpendicular to the top to bottom axis as viewed from behind. (use the parting line of the two halves as a reference)

 

The idea here is to get the top surface that contacts the hull, true, flat, and straight in the front to back and sideways planes.   This will make the gap between hull and keel minimal.

 

3)      Remove tape and sand the mating surface edges with 200 wet or dry paper.  Use a whole piece of the sandpaper taped to a very flat surface and using a couple of pieces of tape as handles (fold the tape in a T shape and attach to the outside of the keel for a handle) you can work the keel halves back and forth on the paper to get a nice flat surface at the joint bond area of the keel.  The idea here is to get the two halves to mate smoothly without any gaps  and to have as wide a gluing surface as reasonable for the glue to work on.

 

4)      Set the keel halves aside for later marking and assembly.

 

Keel Spar assembly:

 

1)      Install the bolt in the keel spar.  This may take a bit of sanding on the slot to get the bolt to fit the slot.  Do a trial fit before you use any glue.

 

2)      When you are satisfied with the fit, make sure that the bolt is centered from side to side and parallel to the sides.  A good way to check this is to lay a straight edge on both sides of the spar and check to see that the bolt is equal distant, centered, and parallel to the straight edges.

 

3)      When happy, apply thick ca superglue to the bolt area followed with some kicker to make it set up quickly and repeat with more glue until the bolt slot is full of glue.  Do the same to the other side of the slot.  Try to keep from getting any glue on the threads that project above the keel spar.  Then sand the spar sides to get rid of any high spots.

 

 

Keel Trunk Assembly:

 

1)      Start with one of the trunk side pieces and using the thick ca, superglue the forward 5/16 inch square forward filler piece to the side as shown in the instructions. NOTE: The thing to be particularly careful with is to insure the 5/16ths square piece is perpendicular to the bottom edge of the side piece.  This sets up the whole alignment of the keel for the future.  Use a square to check this.

 

2)      Next fit check the shaped aft filler piece (back part center piece) by placing the keel spar (plywood plate that goes in the keel proper) on the side piece and aligning the top edge with the top edge of the side plate.  Then slide the aft filler piece up to the keel spar and see how it fits with the bottom edge of the side piece.  Usually there is a bit of misalignment of the aft filler piece, requiring removal of a tapered wedge of material from the leading edge of the aft filler piece to make a good fit.

 

3)      When happy with the fit, using thick ca, superglue the aft filler piece to the side piece making sure that the keel spar still fits properly to contact the aft filler and forward filler square pieces and lines up with the top surface of the side plate.  This should now complete the alignment of the keel spar to trunk.

 

4)      Now using thick ca, superglue the other side piece to the two filler pieces making sure that the bottom edges of the side pieces are exactly in line with each other.  When viewed from the front edge, you want the bottom edges perpendicular to the sides.  This will ensure that when you glue the trunk into the boat, it will line up properly.   Use a square to check this.

 

5)      When things are all dry, install the keel spar in the trunk and mark the top piece of the trunk where the bolt hole should go.  This piece is longer than necessary, so the hole should be easy to mark on the top piece.  Center the bolt hole side to side and approximate the fore and aft position by holding the top piece beside the bolt.  Drill the hole and superglue the top to the trunk assembly.  Be sure to get the keel spar out of the trunk before the glue can glue the spar into the trunk.

 

6)      Set aside to dry.  When dry, cut away the excess on the side and top pieces to fair them with the filler pieces, and top.

 

7)      Coat the interior of the trunk with thin ca and set aside to dry.

 

Spar to Keel assembly:

 

1)   Place the keel spar into the trunk and tighten the wingnut on the bolt.

 

2)      Place the trunk inside the hull in it’s approximate location and mark a line on both sides of the keel spar where it sticks through the hull on the outside.   This is a reference line for when you are gluing the keel half to the spar.

 

3)      Lightly mark the 1 ¾ inch line as shown in the keel assembly drawing page (3). This is a reference line for what comes next.

 

4)      Now with the trunk in place and the spar sticking down through the hull, fit one half of the keel so the line just drawn (1 ¾ inch line) is lined up as well as you can get it.  Draw a new line in this best fit location all around the spar on the inside of the keel half.  This is where you will glue the keel spar on the inside of one keel half.  (An extra set of hands helps here.)

 

5)      Remove the trunk from the hull and the spar from the trunk.

 

6)      Following the instructions, roughen the inside of both keel halves being careful not to goof up the interface edges.

 

7)      Using at least 30 minute epoxy, glue the spar to the marked up side of the keel.   You can jockey the spar around until it lines up perfectly with the marks you have made.  I use a ¼ inch piece of plywood on the outside plastic area to distribute the load evenly and clamp the works together using a C clamp or such.  Set this aside overnight to make sure the epoxy has gone completely off.

 

8)      Next day we epoxy the other side of the keel on.  This time smear  the epoxy on the spar and place the other side on top, align the edges of the keel halves as carefully as possible and tape to remove any sign of a crack at the mating surfaces of the keel halves.  Then using two pieces of ¼ inch ply as clamping blocks on the outside surfaces of the keel, clamp the spar tightly into the keel and let set overnight.  Sight down the front and back edges of the keel to make sure they are straight and don’t have a wow in them.

 

9)      You can combine this step with the previous step or wait for the next day. 

 

Make sure you have the edge of the keel taped securely all the way around the edges and that there are no cracks showing.  I use the blue 3 M masking tape for this purpose as it removes easier and can set longer without leaving residue.

 

Read through this next before doing it.  

 

Hold the keel on edge with the closed end at an angle and facing down.  Now inject a squirt of MEK inside the keel along the crack of the two halves.  Rotate the keel, keeping the crack perpendicular to the ground until the excess pours out the side opposite the one you started from.  What you are doing here is wicking MEK into the crack all around.  You want to be sure the excess is out of the keel as it will melt things if it pools up anywhere. 

 

10)  Set the keel aside to dry overnight.  This completes this part of the keel assembly and              we will use it next when we get to the trunk installation into the hull.  This is down the   road a piece so you can set the keel somewhere convenient to get it out of the way.  We do not put the lead into the keel until the rest of the boat and rigging is done.

 

Rudder assembly:

 

1)      Follow the instructions with the following suggestions.

 

2)   Be sure to sand the top edges of the rudder halves while taped together to ensure they are straight and looking from the rear that they are perpendicular to the fore and aft edges.  It is a lot easier to do this without the rudder shaft installed.

 

3)   After bending the rudder shaft, insert a piece of piano wire which will be a slip fit  inside the tube.  5 minute epoxy the piano wire into the tube to seal it at both ends.  This will keep water from rusting the wire inside the tube.  The wire only has to go from the top of the tube to the bend.

 

The idea here is to keep the rudder shaft from getting bent while in the boat.

 

4)      The critical thing on rudder assembly is to make the shaft perpendicular to the top edges of the rudder halves.  Use a square or triangle to check it out.

 

5)      I glue the shaft to one side before attaching the other side.

 

6)   After taping the two sides together, as we did with the keel, you wick in the MEK the same way, pouring out the excess as we did on the keel.

 

7)   I apply thick ca superglue to the second half of the rudder shaft  after the edges are glued.

 

8)   Set the rudder aside until you pour the keel and you can use the same epoxy mix to fill it.

 

      Next we do the bulkheads and transom installations.  Skip over the rudder block and mast step assembly

 

1)      Place the hull in the jig.  Using the ¼ inch spacer plate clamped to the forward bulkhead of the jig put the tip of the stem of the hull against the spacer.  All jigging is done with this point as a reference.

 

2)      Using the jig:

           

There are three inverted U shaped jig pieces which are used to get the shear lines of the hull lined up.  These are clamped in position, as they are placed, to level the gunnels.  These are labeled A, B, and C.

 

A is located at the forward jig bulkhead, B at the middle jig bulkhead and C is used to locate the boat’s forward bulkhead inside the hull.

 

3)      Install the forward A piece adjusting it’s top cross piece touching the top of the shears and equal distance from the top of the jig longerons.

 

4)      Install the aft B piece adjusting it’s top cross piece touching the shears and equal distance from the top of the jig longerons.  Now sight down the two A and B cross pieces from the rear of the jig and see that they are in line with each other.  If not adjust until they are.  This sets up the shears so they don’t put a twist in the hull as you install the bulkheads and transom.

 

5)      The transom is the first to go in the hull.  Clamp with clothes-pins at the top corners of the transom.  Use a small paint brush to apply a small amount of MEK to the interface of the transom flange and the hull, making sure to apply no MEK to the top 1 inch of the bulkhead.  Only use enough MEK to wick into the joint.  If you use too much it will puddle on the bottom of the hull and soften up the hull and cause it to deform.  (This 1 inch omission is done with all the bulkheads so that the hull sides will spring out to meet the deck flange when the deck is installed.)

 

6)      The aft bulkhead is installed next. Position it against the upper cross-member of the B jig piece and then apply a small amount of MEK to the interface of the bulkhead flange and the hull.  Again use only enough MEK to wick into the joint and omit MEK on the top inch of the flange on each side.

 

 Caution:  When you line up the bulkheads and before you glue
 them  in, make sure the top corners of the bulkheads are equal
 distant from  the top of the shear lines where they are located.
Makes the deck go on  straight this way.

1)  Level the sheer lines using the inverted U sections at A and
B and with the bow right up against the forward bulkhead of the
jig and lined up with the centerline mark.

2)  Install the transom first using a small artists paint brush
and MEK.  Don't let it puddle.  Do not apply any adhesive for the first 1
inch below the shear lines.  Clothespins in the corners help
here.  Let dry.

3)  Install the aft bulkhead Using MEK and butt it up against
the top of the inverted U of the B jig piece.  Again no adhesive
above the 1 inch line.
Make sure the bulkhead is facing in the right direction and that
 it is plumb top to bottom.  (Flange faces forward.)

4)  Let dry.
 
5)  Loosen the inverted U fixtures and slip the keel through the
bottom of the hull and into the trunk.  You can used the wing nut
 to hold them in this position.

6)  The forward top end of the keel goes into the aft notch of
 the station 16 jig bulkhead.
 
7)  The aft side of the keel goes into the forward notch of the
sliding plate at the middle of the jig (up and down middle) and
 also the notch in the lower sliding fixture.
 
8)  Now using the inverted U fixtures level the shear lines with
  A and B.
 
9)  Mark off the 18 1/16th inch diagonal marks (from the center
  of the bow) on the top of the hull at the shear line on each
side.

10)  Position the inverted U section that goes in this location
 and put the aft edge of the U right on the marks.  This should be
 the forward top position of the forward hull bulkhead.  (Flange faces
aft.)
 
11)  Shuffle the trunk back and forth until it is flush with the
 aft side of the forward bulkhead and the bulkhead is against the
 U section at the top.
 Be sure to cut that little notch in the bottom of the bulkhead
 so the trunk fits inside the notch.
 
12)  When everything looks like it is fitting well, ( be sure to
  check the hull to keel fit under the boat and that all the jig
 notches are locked in) then spot tack the trunk onto the bottom inside
 of the hull and also to the aft face of the forward bulkhead using thick CA glue and
 also MEK the flange of the bulkhead where it meets the hull. Do not allow
 the MEK to puddle and leave that top 1 inch clear as before.
 
13)  Before you take anything out of the jig and while this part
  is drying, use the piano wire for locating the rudder shaft block.
 
14)  Install the tube in the block after it is shaped to the
  hull, leaving about 1/16th inch excess below the block.  This
 excess fits in through the hull at the rudder hole.  Use thin CA to lock the
tube into the rudder block.
 
15)  Using epoxy on the bottom of the rudder block, (don't get
 it inside the tube) slide the rudder block down the piano wire
and insert the tube in the hole in the hull.  Slide the piano wire down to the
 centerline of the jig as marked and align the shaft so that it is
 perpendicular to the bottom of the hull.  This aligns the top of the rudder when it is
 installed.
 Let the epoxy set up.  Use slower set epoxy (1/2 hour stuff) for
 this point.
 Be sure you don't epoxy the piano wire into the tube.
 
16)  For all practical purposes when this is dry, you no longer
need the jig.  You can remove the inverted U's and the keel from
 the boat.
 
Everything should be lined up properly.

When the keel has been removed, apply a liberal coat of thick
  CA all around the trunk and where it contacts the forward
bulkhead.
 
Remember to install the braces for the  rudder block and keel
  trunk, also any reinforcing you may want on the bottom of the
deck at this point.
 It is also wise to install a support for the plastic plate that
  goes on top of the forward bulkhead for the mast step.  Put in a
 piece on the aft side of the bulkhead from the top of the trunk to the
plastic and from the bottom of the hull on the forward side to the plastic.
 This will keep the mast support area from oil canning.
 
17)  Now install all the radio gear and such before you install
 the deck.
  This is a good time to check out your servo arms and such.
 \
18)  When you get to the deck installation, push the deck as far
  aft on the hull as you can.  The forward point of the hull should
 be about 1/4 inch aft of the forward point of the deck if you have
it on correct.

 Tape the deck to hold it in this position and MEK the deck on.
  Use the small brush here and go lightly on the MEK.
 
 
Hope this helps with the jig information.  I have not double
  checked this but this is how I remember the procedure.  Do a dry
 run on everything before you glue anything.