Traditional Clinker Construction Episode 1: Lofting

This is the first episode in a series where the founder of the Sydney Wooden Boat School Ian Smith will show how traditional clinker construction works. Lofting is drawing the plans up full size.

[@porkchop955]

Best lofting explanation I've seen. You have a gift as an educator. Thanks for sharing.

[@alexbowie6316]

One of the best summary's I've seen explained and filmed, on this subject.

[@user-oj6jn5ii6e]

Just discovered Leo’s work on Tally Ho. I didn’t really understand what he was doing with his lofting, so this has been very helpful. Thanks.

[@romandybala]

Hi Ian, thanks for posting your wonderful videos. Interesting, you put a year on about when wooden small boat building slowed down . Here in Melbourne we formed a wooden boat assoc. in the mid 80s Its still running. A foundation memeber , Tom Whitfield , started a trend here in Melb of small clinker boat building. He has left a legacy, just like you. A record for the future. I am curretly repairng a boat that he built 40 years ago, with some original Kauri which came from the original piece that the keel was cut from. I am enjoying the work immensly. Your vids are so apt right now. I look forward to more of them. Cheers. Roman

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Thanks Roman, hopefully we will be able to travel to Melbourne sometime this year!

[@iowapanner2223]

In '79 I spent a few months in Maine building a wooden skiff. I wish I'd kept at it, but this just might get me moving for a retirement project! Really well presented, I'll be looking for your books, thanks.

[@Sciolist]

This channel should have more subscribers

[@thomasarussellsr]

Definitely!

[@CorrectAgain]

The play in the end of a tape measure is deliberate to allow for the tangs own thickness to be able to measure from both inside and outside of the tape. great video, great channel.

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Yes but I’ve never found one that is accurate to the millimetre in practice when drawing out a lofting grid.

[@marcocastellano2451]

Ian, thank you! You are a treasure. I will be buying your book for sure!

[@uzbekistan635]

Hey! I'm Ian too! And I'm trying to build a sailing dinghy so thanks for the advice!!

[@mikejustice1196]

Genius Best illustration ever on the net😊

[@dajoal2008]

Thank you Ian, excellent video. Looking forward to more.

[@jonerlandson1956]

Well I'm glad I stumbled onto this..

[@dave618034]

Excellent video Ian. Makes me wish I’d been a boat builder.

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

Definitely subscribed. I love this type of series. Part 2 coming up!

[@kennethjensen9235]

Exceptional! Thank you!

[@joerosburns5639]

If one picture is worth a thousand words one model is worth 10,000! I have viewed many videos and looked at many books explaining lofting. This is the first time I can tentatively say, 'I think I understand what he's saying.' Using the 3D model as you explain the 2D representation in the plan is brilliant!

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Thanks Joe, that’s the way I always did it with live classes.

[@SmithysBoatshed]

@Harry Bobb sorry, no. Completely retired.

[@TheWirksworthGunroom]

Excellent! Very clear methodology and instruction.

[@TheChunder3]

Loved it. Thanks for explaining so well.

[@JSomerled]

This brings me back to the time when I worked in automotive design,drawing manually on mylar with aluminum .. Today we use cad.. It’s good to see the practice hasn’t been lost .. It’s hard to imagine that boats,cars and aircraft where all once designed using this same method and very successfully too. I’d find it interesting to enter the dimensions in CAD and use an advanced surfacing software to find out if there was any differences that would matter..I’d believe it wouldn’t for a project like this.

[@whateman12408]

Excellent

[@danoyes1]

Great video, thanks! Liked and Subscribed. I'm just starting a build of a lapstrake sailing dory used for racing at Marblehead and Salem Massachusetts around 1890, hoping to make a series of videos to document the build and getting some great ideas from your videography.

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Let us know when you start, I’ll subscribe, should be more of it!

[@bogus_not_me]

Not just in the areas you mentioned - also common and built in the Pacific Northwest. In 1957, my father in law had one 16 foot... caught several salmon on that boat.

[@noturfather1106]

There will be one in oregon again if i can figure it out

[@MrLikeke]

The fair eye supersedes any drawn line.

[@pointerg6181]

Hello Ian. Just a quick question if you have time. I am confused about the DWL and LWL. Are these just two different names for the same water line where the boat will float? And by the way, thanks for the great video!

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Yes, the DWL and LWL are different names for the same line.

[@Koorstag]

I am planning on building a small sailboat with my son, and the clinker looks like an solid achievable boat. Where would I go to get the plans for one?

[@SmithysBoatshed]

Have a look at www.sydneywoodenboatschool.com.au, or Google Iain Oughtred plans, or Paul Gartside plans.

[@Farmer2492]

Hi great video, I just have a question i have brought myself a putt putt boat it has a timber top someone had fiber glassed over it so i have now taken all the fiberglass off , it now has bare ply i was told on a boat forum to rip the ply off and get rid of it but i would really like to keep the ply on there can i stain over it and what would you recommend i put on top of that someone said epoxy resin or would marine varnish work any help Appreciated.

[@SmithysBoatshed]

If you are intending to clear finish the plywood it will need to be in as-new condition, which sounds unlikely. If that is the case, any good marine varnish will do. If it is not near perfect, you will be better to fill any unevenness with epoxy filler and paint it, or better still re-glass it with plain weave glass and epoxy resin. Varnish over degraded plywood looks awful.

[@Farmer2492]

@@SmithysBoatshed Thank you someone also said just put on Fiberglass resin then paint over it would that work

[@SmithysBoatshed]

@@Farmer2492 Only if you use epoxy resin, not polyester. At least two coats of epoxy, scour with water and a kitchen scourer and then wipe dry after every coat to remove amine blush. Leave for at least a few days before light sanding and apply paint.

[@Farmer2492]

@@SmithysBoatshed Thank you very much

[@georjeerabaye8701]

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[@davidprocter3578]

Ian clinker construction predates the vikings, whilst I am unable to provide you with a definitive start era or place. I can tell you that three Roman barges were lifted from a lake in Italy and placed in a museum , all three were of clinker construction and in good condition , unfortunately for marine history a retreating cretin during the second world war decided it was his duty to burn these artifacts, quite what difference this made to the outcome of the war is rather unclear. However the Romans were well known for adapting / absorbing good ideas from any culture they came into contact with, and it may well be that the origin of clinker construction lies in the Baltic or northern Europe it must be remembered that the Saxons were raiding the English coast line prior to the withdrawal of the Roman legions in clinker long ships. The famous long ship burial at Sutton Ho was of clinker construction, all of which predates the Viking era if not the population and preViking culture.I have heard various dates postulated as to the start of clinker construction in the Baltic region but have yet to see hard evidence. I think we could reasonably speculate clinker construction first occurred post neolithic and pre the Roman invasion of the British Isles. As always One needs to be open minded it is always possible this type of construction predates the advent of metals and may not have started in Europe at all, consider how many skilled recruits Alexandra the great brought back with him from his Asian Sojourn.

[@blueocean2510]

The Phoenicians used mortice & tenon joints, 2 of their ships from 7 century B.C.. Spain's National Museum for Maritime Archeology. In Ireland, the Drontheim were built, derived from Norwegian vessels. They were used on North West coast.

[@davidprocter3578]

@@blueocean2510 Blue Bronze age boats found intact enough to provide evidence rather suggests most ships were of a type of Carvel planked construction often sewn or pegged and sewn. I draw on the Dover boat and the funeral boat from the great pyramid. amongst others. The spread in these two resting places infers great trading distances or a wide spread use of this technique.I am not aware of the Minoan boat building techniques but rather assume as the largest early maritime culture the peg and stitch construction method was probably used by them maybe even developed by them. Unfortunately non of this really brings us any closer to the origins of clinker construction or indeed it's time or place of birth.

[@hannahalexander7005]

the end of the tape measure moves to give the 16th of the inch for the width of the saw blade it is needed