Sunday 31 January 2010: Saturday night I start lining the frames carefully into position, checking they are plumb and perpendicular to the keelson and then lashing them to the stringers. First the gunwales and keelson and then the chines. I work from the center frames out towards the stems. I am learning how to lash as I go here and some of them come out better than others. I may cut some of the sloppier lashings out and do them over as I get better. The material I am using for lashing is known as artificial sinew. It is a made from nylon fibers that have been waxed. It lays very flat and locks into itself when it is pulled tight. It is possible to make a very strong, flexible joint using this technique since there are no screws or pegs that could weaken the joint or form stress concentrators. The frame is starting to feel taut and alive as I work my way out though only about half the frames are lashed at this time.
Drove out to Freestate Lumber in Timonium Friday to look at ash and white oak for bending a masik and cockpit coaming. All the pieces they had were flat sawn with little, to no, vertical grain and didn't look suitable. I ripped a couple of 7 foot strips 3/8 inch thick from a red oak 2x4 I found at Home Despot. Bought a heat gun and gathered materials to make a bending jig for a masik. I'm not real convinced the red oak will be suitable for this but it is worth a shot. I need to make the jig anyway and I can try the red oak to see how it does while I continue the search for more suitable bending wood.
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