THE ARRAN BOATS BLOG

This is the first blue hulled boat I have built.
I will run a blog of its build.

This is the boat with the fendering riveted on awaiting fitting out.

The first job was to fit the transom plates, splash well drain, aux engine bracket, main boat bung and a boarding ladder.
I tend to work from the stern forward so the next job was a bilge pump.

Mark the hole on the inside and drill a pilot hole in the centre of the mark.Use this as a guide to then drill from the outside of the boat through the hull.Ensure the hole is centralised in the middle of the chine.

The hole for the bilge pump pipe is drilled into the centre of the floor section just in front of the rear step.
Cut the hole larger than the pipe to allow water to freely flow down it or it will clog easily with leaves.

The bilge pump requires a hole cutting for the skin fitting which is fitted on the starboard side just infant of the seat.You can see from the picture of the hole how thick the fibreglass is at this point.

The steering console is secured to the side of the boat using 6 rivets.I secure the console leg to the floor of the boat again using 4 rivets.At this point you are drilling into fibreglass that covers the centre bilge keel and not the actual floor of the boat.
I also drill a large hole through the console where it meets the gunnel for the steering cable to pass through.Edge trim around the console finishes it off and prevents fibreglass splinters in your legs.

I cut the windows using a router.The moulder has the identical template to cut the window hole out.

I stick the window blank onto the template using several strips of double sided sticky tape while leaving the plastic cover on the window.

Using a rebate cutter in the router I cut the window out 8mm smaller than the template.This allows for the window thickness of the window rubber I use.