Building the 18′ Noank Sloop

This is a two-week course.

Walt and Matt will continue the build of this iconic working sloop. The 18’ Noank Sloop building class is in year 2 of a 5-year session.

Year one of the Noank Sloop building class was an outstanding effort of team work, which resulted in the completed hull shell of the 18’sloop. At present, the inverted hull is strip planked to the sheer and is fastened to the inner stem, the transom and keel. The molds are still in place.

Year two of the class will be less hull production oriented and more focused on building assemblies. The hull skin needs final fairing and sealing. The outside stem and keel need to be patterned, cut out and fastened. Upon completing this, the great day will come during week one, when this new boat will be turned over and blocked upright. Much critical sighting of the boat’s hull shape will take place!

The crew will be split up according to interests. The following tasks will be tackled:

• 1 x 1” white oak frames will be steam bent and bronze screwed into the hull.
• Floor timbers of hard wood will be patterned, fitted, and fastened to the frames and keel.
• The forward and aft plywood bulkheads will be patterned, made, and installed.
• The centerboard trunk assembly, complete with bed logs will be constructed and fastened to the keel.
• Deck beams for the forward and after decks will be laminated to the proper camber. Side deck knees will be made.
• The rudder assembly; bronze post and Iroko blade will be shaped and pinned together. Some light machine work will be done on the rudder shaft.
• The centerboard will be built with its poured lead ballast.
• If time permits the plywood decks will be installed.

Come join us for a busy two weeks of traditional boat building! Some epoxy glue laminating and the thoughtful use of plywood to save weight, labor, and provide strength will be done. However, most of the boat building skills practiced in this class would be as seen in a Noank Yankee boat shop around 1900. The learning of the construction of the needed assemblies for this sloop and the steam bent framing adventure can be easily transferred to any home project of similar size.

This class is being offered to experienced students who have taken the WoodenBoat School’s Fundamentals of boat building or have previously built a boat.