Setting up the first half of the main hull is one of those memorable stages where scale, geometry, and workshop reality all come together. It marks the true start of shaping the boat.
Setup First Main Hull Half
This is one of those memorable stages. Not only because this is where the real boatbuilding — the fun part — truly begins, but also because it confirms something that had been lingering in the back of my mind for a long time: the main hull actually fits in my small workshop.
It is a very tight fit, but at the same time a relief. I started with the starboard half of the main hull, simply because its geometry works slightly better within the available space of the workshop.
Seeing the full-size form frames and the emerging hull shape inside the confined space is both reassuring and slightly unsettling. There is little margin for error, but once the setup is complete and everything aligns as intended, the confidence grows that this approach is workable.
This chapter documents the setup of the first main hull half: from cutting and positioning the form frames, through foam planking of the hull and deck areas, to preparing the structure for the subsequent laminating stages.
This photo gallery (55 images) documents the complete setup of the first main hull half: cutting and aligning the form frames, dealing with the tight workshop space, foam planking of hull and deck, and preparing the structure for laminating.
