These pages are presented by messing-about.com as a resource for Stevensons Project's Weekender builders. Most of our content is intended to provide information not usually found in one place ... a guide to boat building wood and plywood, choosing tools, deciphering the plans, choosing the proper resin, and the truth about alternative sail materials. Our FAQ on Registering Your Home Built Boat provides information from readers about navigating the sometimes confusing bureaucracy to get a home built boat registered. Information is provided on several US states and provinces in Canada. Let us know if you can help contribute to this FAQ! Our informative article on Circular Saws provides guidance on selecting a circular saw, and why it is essential in building one of the Stevenson Project's pocket yachts. Tips on blade selection, size of saw to buy, expensive or inexpensive brands, etc. are given based on our readers experiences.
Weekender Links:
The Weekender is prized by amateur builders because it doesn't require too many "fussy" techniques. But since
the plans were published, it has become harder and harder to find straight grained lumber in lengths long enough
to make into the rub rails. So one of those "fussy" boat building techniques becomes necessary.
Scarfing the Rub Rails provides tips on making a tapered cut in both ends of rub rail
material to join them together with this classic boat building joint. Tips for cutting the tapered end on a
table saw, or by hand, are given.
Dust Collection is a hot topic in work shops across the country, and we provide some
tips from our readers on reducing the amount of dust in the air, and doing it economically. More to spend on boat
materials that way, you know?
We round out our Weekender Boatbuilding pages with a number of useful FAQs ... Weekender
Plans FAQ, for those difficult sections of the Weekender plans (like the famous "Station 13 Problem") ... a
FAQ on choosing the right Boatbuilding Wood ... and another on the choices in
Resins to use for optimum protection.
At nearly the end of the project, a decision on sails has to be made. Do you choose polytarp, tyvek, or some
other alternative material? Or do you go with a dacron sail kit from Sailrite? Or completed sails from a
loft or a sailmaker specializing in Weekender sails? Our article on Alternative Sails
can help!
Weekender Boatbuilding can be used in conjunction with the MSN
Weekender Boatbuilding site,
where members can post their pics (3mb limit). Due to the generosity of our members, we also have picture posting
in our Gallery section here on messing-about.com.
You are free to use either one, or both, for your small boat project.
