Current state of the deck structure as of June ’22. Full deck beams (beams which go port to starboard without breaks for openings) are put in first. No carlins or partial beams are in yet.
The deck arrangement will be as shown in Chapelle’s Lion drawing. Above is my construction plan for the deck beam and hatch locations. Deck beams have a 4 1/2″ crown at widest beam. (That is, looking from the front or back of the boat, they will be 4 1/2 inches higher in the middle.) They will be sided 3 1/4″ (fore’n’aft dimension) and molded 4″ (height). There are 29 deck beams (one at each frame). Most of the beams will be of white ash from trees that came down on my lot during Tropical Storm Irene (2011) and Hurricane Sandy (2012). About 10, including most of the “partner” beams, will be of white oak. Partner beams are those that adjoin the mast supports (mast partners) and also those fore and aft of a deck opening or hatch.
In January 2022, planking efforts were put on hold to begin fabrication of the deck structure. Through May 2022, the full deck beams in the central two-thirds of the boat have been installed, along with the main-mast partners. None of the hatch carlins or partial beams around the deck openings have been installed yet. The following video shows that five month effort.
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Deck beams are sided 3 1/4″, molded 4″. I was able to get a dozen from the white oak on hand (shown here.) The remaining 20 beams are made from white ash felled on my property by high winds.
Tropical Storm Irene brought this white ash down about 30 feet from my house in 2011.
Using the Alaskan Sawmill on the windfall
This is the pattern for the deck beam crown. The bend in the logs follows the deck crown pretty closely.
Between Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 – enough white ash for 20 deck beams
Current state of the deck structure as of June ’22. Full deck beams (beams which go port to starboard without breaks for openings) are put in first. No carlins or partial beams are in yet.
Where the main mast goes through the deck, a mast partner will be installed, The deck beams fore and aft of the mast have been doubled. The mast partner will be half-lapped into each beam. Here, the half-lap in the beam is started by drilling multiple holes which will then be chiseled and rabbet planed.
A look at the antiquated depth stop used for drilling out the half-laps. It’s a Stanley tool which was designed for use with a bit brace, and was a bit scary to use with the drill machine.
A close up of the ancient Stanley depth stop.
The half-laps in the two partner beams are complete (one has bedding compound; the other will also). Shown are the two custom made , galvanized bolts which will eventually tie the beams and the mast partner together.
With the mast partner set in the beam half-laps, the partner can now be marked for the half-laps to be cut in it.
Mast partner (upside down) shown with half-laps cut in it.
The mast partner in place, bolts installed.
Starting the half-lap in a deck beam for a carlin. No carlins have been installed yet, but the ones for the forward standing room were cut and fit, then disassembled to make room for installing the Great Beam.
Carlin half-lap completed in a deck beam.
Carlin being marked for the half-laps in each end.
Carlin temporarily in place. They will eventually be installed with three 1/4″ x 5″ lag screws in each end after the Great Beam has been installed.
The “Great Beam” is almost 8″ tall, and 3 3/4″ thick. It forms the start of the fore deck which is raised above the main deck over the forward cuddy cabin. It sits on top of a doubled main deck beam. The main deck will terminate at the Great Beam.
The Great Beam weighed in at 106 lbs.
Inscription carved on the forward side of the Great Beam and will be visible from inside the forward cuddy cabin.
Comments on either the website or the boat will be greatly appreciated. You can contact me (Mike Danesi) at mnldanesi@gmail.com.
