The building of a Fenwick Williams catboat: The Big Flip - January '10

After a few weeks off for winter break, the boatshop is humming once again. Unfortunately the once plentiful red cedar planking stock has run out, so there are still a few more planks to hang. But with more red cedar on the way, there's plenty of other work to be done.

In the picture you can see the sheer clamp almost fully installed. The sheer clamp is a structural piece of the boat that will strengthen the hull and help to define the shape of the hull at the sheer. On the catboat the sheer clamp is yellow cedar, an excellent choice because of it's clear, even grain. The sheer clamp helps define the shape of the hull, so while you want a strong wood, you also want a wood that will bend easily and evenly to create a nice fair sheer.

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