There is some pretty hard twisting on the bottom panels. That may be part of the issue if you wood is not behaving.

Were you able to use the QA drawings?

10mm (3/8") overlap: I'm assuming you saying the mid panels a 10mm longer then the bottom panels? If so, 10mm is actually not too much trouble to fix. I'd proceed with stitching the top panels and see where everything lays out. Then you can trim/sand as needed.

Hi guys,

Thanks for he responses, and the tips.

After sleeping on it, I have come to the conclusion that the stuff up is indeed mine.

I was working in very poor light yesterday and will tig up extra lights in the shed this morning.

Chuck, We call em cyclones down here, and it looks like there is one forming in the Coral Sea just of our coast now. Will probably spend the best part of the day battening down.

Matt, I did use the QA checks and it all worked out fine. The ends are fine for length. The overlap is about 3 feet from each end where the middle panel overlaps the bottom panel by about 10mm (3/8") I will shoot some levels and check everything and then trim off where I need to.

It is all good fun and this is ony a practice boat anyway.

Thanks again for the tips guys.

Hi guys,
Change of plan. Couldn't get the panels to line up properly so dismantled every thing and checked. My centre temporary frame was wrong and I broke one of the side panels getting it apart.

Blan B, I have made a strong back and will build the thing upside down the way I think boats should be built. This way I can centre every thing and it will be held rigidly in place till the outside is complete. Will email Matt a couple of pics.

Mick,

If you're going to build on a strong back, use the files I just e-mailed to you to ensure you have a level working plane.

Hi Matt,

Thanks mate, got em.

Hi Guys, Got the bottom and the mid panels on today. Will email Mat a couple of pics. It seems to be coming together pretty well now.

That cheap blonde ply I got seems pretty good stuff. I've done a heap of cutting now and so far, haven't found any voids at all..

Got all the hull panels on today and have started with the wood flour and epoxy. Things seem to be going pretty well so far.

All tacked up now. still seems to be going well.

What a beautiful thing to watch: a stack of oddly shaped slats, becoming a boat.

Hey Jack,
Thanks man. I am real happy with the way she is going at the moment.

Got the oustide just about done and hopefully will be able to turn her over tomorrow. Like Chuck, I took two inches off the freeboard for reduced windage and will only be using her in slow moving skinny water.

My cheap blonde ply has turned out really well with no voids and pretty consistent bends and curves. I have emailed Matt a couple more piccies and he might post em here for me if I'm real good.

I am thinking about naming her Montagnard after some people I used to work with. Quiet and sneaky but allways there and totally reliable.