Thread: Building a Wharram Hitia 14 in Bangkok, Thailand

In this video I am planing the corner of the ply hullsides in preparation of epoxying the fore and aft deck in place.

Originally Posted by OhOh

It's a journey that is exciting. The arrival will be at the launching.

I love to be on the water sailing. But at the moment I really enjoy being in my workshop, building the boat. I can also buy a sailboat and be on the water tomorrow. But I don't do that, because working on the boat, every day, gives me a lot of joy.

I think you can't really see it in my videos, but I feel very good working on my boat.

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

gives me a lot of joy.

Which we all enjoy watching your creation growing every day.

In this video I am using epoxy and nails to fix the fore and aft deck panels in place. While I am doing this my neighbours are happy it's Saturday evening and playing music and drinking beer.

these voids at the bow and stern - why did you not fill them with flotation foam ?

Originally Posted by baldrick

these voids at the bow and stern - why did you not fill them with flotation foam ?

Hello Baldrick, thank you for your suggestion. I am following the Wharram building plans and adding flotation foam was not described in the plan. Sounds to me like a very good idea. I posted your question in a Wharram group on Facebook to get more opinions on this. Thank you

Such an interesting thread mate and good input from fellow members.

This what these forums should be all about!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Such an interesting thread mate and good input from fellow members.

This what these forums should be all about!

Thank you. I am also very happy to get input from fellow members.

I am trying something new here in the description, adding the precise time in the video with a description of what I think I am doing there


0:05 marking the location of the stiffeners
0:20 cutting the stiffeners to the correct length with the jigsaw
0:25 drilling holes for copper wire that keep the stiffeners in place while the epoxy sets
0:35 applying unthickened epoxy on the stiffeners
0:40 applying thickened epoxy on the stiffeners
0:45 removing clamps that held the fore and aft deck panels in place while the epoxy hardened
0:50 removing nails that held the fore and aft deck panels in place while the epoxy hardened
1:00 removing the copper wire that held the stiffeners in place while the epoxy hardened
1:05 coat the inside of the deck panels with 2 layers of epoxy
1:21 i wish it wasn't so, but at some parts the sheer stringer did not adhere flat on the hull. I fill the gaps to the best of my ability with thickened epoxy
1:25 seeing how the deck panel will fit
1:30 using copper wire to stitch deck panel to bulkheads, later I decide to use clamps, because my copper wire is probably too thin and I feel it is not strong enough to keep the curved deck panel in place

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

Hello Baldrick, thank you for your suggestion. I am following the Wharram building plans and adding flotation foam was not described in the plan. Sounds to me like a very good idea. I posted your question in a Wharram group on Facebook to get more opinions on this. Thank you

Foam can be a bad idea because it can absorb moisture and cause rot. Coating the inside with sealer or resin might help and it might preven weight gain from moisture.

Great feeling getting a new sail isn’t it ?

The timed descriptions are a great idea.

You finished halfway through stitching the deck panel to bulkheads!

I await to see where/how the, 1/2 panel floating air, is fixed.

Originally Posted by docmartin

Great feeling getting a new sail isn’t it ?

It is very motivating to see the new sails.

0:01 dry fitting the curved deck panel
0:15 using the block plane to make a corner fit
0:26 using clamps to hold it all together
0:36 using a large heavy sheet of plywood as temporary table
0:41 sanding a smoother curve on the bulkheads
0:51 sanding all other contact surfaces before using epoxy
1:16 applying epoxy fillets on the inside faces of curved deck panel
1:51 my epoxy work station
2:15 cleaning up the epoxy work station

Maybe you know already, but the mast stay wires will stretch when that new sail powers up so you'll have to come back to the beach to tighten them after a while.

If you are fitting rudder blades that swing up and down they will have to be pulled right down and kept down - if not the rudders will feel very heavy and that might cause damage.

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

0:41 sanding a smoother curve on the bulkheads

Was the bulkhead curve, to accommodate the "curved deck panel" bend, not illustrated in the bulkhead cutting procedure?

Any steaming of the bend portion of the curved deck panel required or suggested?

Originally Posted by docmartin

Maybe you know already, but the mast stay wires will stretch when that new sail powers up so you'll have to come back to the beach to tighten them after a while.

If you are fitting rudder blades that swing up and down they will have to be pulled right down and kept down - if not the rudders will feel very heavy and that might cause damage.

I do not know much about all this, so I will definitely take your advice to check and tighten the wires after first sail.

Regarding the rudders do not swing up and down. The rudders are in a fixed position only moving from left to right. Very soon I am going to start on the rudders, so you will see it in the videos. . The rudders are lashed with ropes.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Was the bulkhead curve, to accommodate the "curved deck panel" bend, not illustrated in the bulkhead cutting procedure?

Any steaming of the bend portion of the curved deck panel required or suggested?

In the drawings the bulkheads are straight lines. There is nothing in the plans about steam the bend portion. I sanded just a little more curvature in the bulkhead so that the curved deck panel fitted better.

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

In the drawings the bulkheads are straight lines. There is nothing in the plans about steam the bend portion. I sanded just a little more curvature in the bulkhead so that the curved deck panel fitted better.

Actually I had another look at the plans and on some drawings the bulkheads are a smooth curve.

0:01 cleaning the shop before starting work
0:11 filling some gaps and ridges with thickened epoxy
0:36 sanding excess epoxy on bulkhead
0:41 removing excess epoxy with the chisel
0:46 using my block plane to remove a part of the curved deck panel and create a bevel
0:56 dry fitting the flat hatch deck panel
1:00 removing dust and wood chips
1:11 prime the surface with unthickened epoxy in preparation of making a fillet
1:16 making the fillet on a part of the curved deck panel where the flat hatch deck panel will be attached
2:00 cleaning up the workshop

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

. The rudders are lashed with ropes.

Do you mean that the rudders attach to the sterns by ropes ? Or ?

Originally Posted by docmartin

Do you mean that the rudders attach to the sterns by ropes ? Or ?

Hello docmartin,
Below is a link to a video where at 5:32 you can see how the rudders are lashed on Wharrams.

0:01 mixing epoxy
0:11 add one layer of epoxy to flat deck hatch panel, I do have rollers, but I wanted to apply the epoxy by brush to make me feel relaxed
0:20 cutting excess deck panel with the jig saw and block plane
1:01 sharpening the block plane blade
1:22 removing copper wire stitches
1:31 sanding contact surfaces before applying epoxy for flat deck hatch panel

Originally Posted by Building Wharrams

Hello docmartin,
Below is a link to a video where at 5:32 you can see how the rudders are lashed on Wharrams.

As I suspected.
Great idea in Polynesia where the only choice is fibres but stainless steel (and bronze) was invented a long time ago.
Maybe buy or make gudgeons and pintles.

Originally Posted by docmartin

As I suspected.
Great idea in Polynesia where the only choice is fibres but stainless steel (and bronze) was invented a long time ago.
Maybe buy or make gudgeons and pintles.

I am going to consider this, but I think I am going to follow the building plans.