In part 4... We plumbed the molds, put the transom on the ladder frame, cut out the side panels via the template I made out of parchment paper, and put on the sides. (Scotch tape, CA and hot-melt glue are wonderful things.) That out of the way, it's time to put the bottom on, get the boat off the molds, put in some frames and stem, and start to wrap up this little adventure...
(A word about the stem... In real life, it is assembled along with the molds and transom to form the skeleton of the boat. For the model, I found it easier to simply mate the sides and then glue in the stem after the boat was off the molds.)
To make the correct bottom, I just repeated the "parchment paper trick" that was employed on the side for accurate results. In real life, plywood itself would be laid on the bottom and traced to fit.
I pulled (cut, slid, and bribed) the Gull off the molds only to find that it looked more like a dugout than a dory...
What on earth had I done so wrong?!? I was sure that the molds were the proper size and that they were placed properly... Why was the boat too skinny and too long... A few judicious measurements told the tale... When I took the craft off the jig, it returned to its more natural state - that of narrow and stretched. No problemo! I put in the appropriate frames, and everything jumped back into shape...
Alright, so you get the idea... A little bit of paint and I'm happy... Thoughts in the last installment.
Alan
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