16. Bottom Planking Pointers

A. Use plenty of 3M 5200 adhesive sealant where
the bottom lands against the sides. It’s
essential for strength as well as water-
tightness, since this skiff has no chine
logs.

C. Use three screws at each crossing if planks are wider than 4¹⁄ 2” Counterbore about ³⁄16”

deep for the bottom screws, and bung them.

G.

B. Drill carefully with the correct _{size taper drill ( 3⁄} ” _{diameter B. 32}
with ⁷⁄16” counterbore) for the
1 ³⁄ 4” No. 10 bronze screws that
attach the bottom to the sides,
and don’t strip the threads by
overtightening. Remember, these A.
threads run into pine sides, not an
^{oak chine. You can be less con-} cerned when you drill and screw the ^F.
bottom to the oak keel batten. For this
you’ll use shorter screws— 1 ¹⁄ 4” No. 10 is
about right—but help them along with a
C-clamp to assure wood-to-wood contact before
each plank is screwed to the keel batten. No adhesive is
needed at this crossing, except for builders planning to
add a centerboard trunk—an option that will be present-
ed later on the Getting Started web site. They must run a
generous bead of 3M 5200 around where the center-
board slot will someday be cut—that is, in the area
between the extremities of the two middle seat risers.
Visit www.GettingStartedinBoats.com for more on this..

D.

C.

D. No adhesive sealant or caulking is needed between the bottom planks themselves; just lay them edge-to-edge dry. They’ll swell if they’re cedar, and in the unlikely event of a leak, a little caulking cotton (or even cotton batting) pushed into the seam will take care of it.

E.

E. Leave the bottom planks a bit long, and after they’re all fastened,

plane them flush with the sides of the boat.

F. Clean off squeezed-out 5200 as you go and before it sets up.

G. Cedar porch decking can be used as bottom planking after being planed to ³⁄ 4” ( ⁵⁄ 4 is its usual thickness). Knots are perfectly acceptable as long as they’re solid. Loose knots have to be bored out and plugged. Clear red cedar, although expensive, can also be used.

17. Bottom Planking Detail

Flat landings (made with a few swipes with your block plane) will be needed aft where the sides curve— unless you have a slightly cupped board. After planking, the exterior bottom can be planed and/or sanded fair. I purposely left the bottom seams totally accessible in case they develop leaks and need caulking here and there. Sheathing strips of hardwood or fiberglass tape can be added for rough use.

18. Bottom Planking Alternative

Double-planking is an option for boats in drying environments. Stagger the seams as shown. Lots of 5200 is still needed for watertightness where the sides meet the bottom (i.e., under the ends of the first layer).

BUILDING THE LUMBERYARD SKIFF • 8