The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

172 First Production Steps
After checking the station line dimensions, use your
straightedge and draw in all the station lines in ink. Be
sure to check the station line that you drew in with the
square using light pencil, as the square might be slightly
inaccurate. Using the felt tip pen to make a fat, easy-tosee
line, label the tops and bottoms of the station lines
with the station number. It is good to keep this labeling
below the baseline and above where the lines of the
boat will intersect the station lines.
To make it easier to lay out the rest of the grid, nail
a l" � 2" block about 6" long (19mm � 38mm �
150mm) at each station line. Position the blocks on the
lofting floor so that they are below and just touching
the baseline and are approximately centered on each
station line. Don’t nail the blocks down too firmly;
several may have to be temporarily removed when you
fair your battens. You will now be able to use
measuring sticks that will follow the station lines and
firmly butt against the blocks, saving you from having
to crawl down to the end of the station line each time
to make sure that the measuring stick is exactly on the
baseline.
Waterlines: <strong>The</strong> next job is to lay out all of the waterlines
in the profile view. <strong>The</strong>se will run parallel to the
baseline, and the distance between them will have been
specified by the designer. In order to save time and
eliminate potential errors, we use a measuring stick to
mark the locations of the waterlines, rather than relying
on a steel measuring tape at each station. Marking a
measurement of, for example, waterline 2 at 3'-43 ⁄16"
once on a measuring stick is much less trouble than
having to look this measurement up on the plans and
lay it out each time with a steel tape. <strong>The</strong> measuring
stick is nothing more than a stick that has the locations
of all the waterlines from the baseline up. Lay the steel
tape along the measuring stick and accurately mark and
label the heights of all the waterlines above the baseline.
<strong>The</strong>n lay the stick along the station line and butt it
against the block nailed to the baseline. Make a light
pencil mark on the station line at the location of each
waterline. Repeat this procedure at every station line.
<strong>The</strong>n, using the straightedge, connect all the parallel
dots and draw in all the waterlines using ink. You can
use the same ink color that you are using for the
baseline and the station lines. Label each waterline on
the ends.
Buttock lines: <strong>The</strong> next job is to lay out the buttocks.
In drawing the buttocks, you will be using the baseline
as a centerline and drawing the buttocks as straight
lines as they are represented in the half breadth view.
Make a measuring stick for locating the buttocks,
following the same procedure that you used to lay
down the waterlines. Use a different ink color in order
to distinguish the buttocks from the waterlines. Label
each buttock. If a buttock and waterline coincide, label
the lines as both.
<strong>The</strong> body plan: <strong>The</strong> last job in completing the grid
is to lay out the grid for the body plan. As mentioned
before, some loftsmen use a separate portable board on
which to draw the body plan, but we draw the body
plan right on the lofting floor, using a station line near
the center of the boat as the centerline of the body plan.
<strong>The</strong> following directions are for drawing the body plan
on the lofting floor.
Determine which station line you are using for the
centerline of the body plan. On one side of the centerline,
you will be laying out the body plan from the stern
to the widest part of the boat, and, on the other side,
from the bow to the widest point. <strong>The</strong> waterlines you
have already drawn will be passing through the body
plan at their proper places and will need no further
work. However, you will have to draw in the buttock
lines. Because the body plan represents a view from the
ends of the boat, the buttocks will be vertical lines
parallel to the centerline and at the same distance out
from the centerplane as they have been drawn in the
half breadth plan. Take the buttock measuring stick you
have already made and place it at right angles to the
centerline of the body plan. <strong>The</strong> upper and lower
waterlines are convenient places to position it for
marking. Draw in the buttocks on both sides of the
centerline and parallel to it. Ink in the buttocks using
the same ink color that you used for the buttocks in the
half breadth plan.
<strong>The</strong> next job is to lay out the diagonals in the body
plan. If the boat has diagonals, these lines will be represented
in the lines drawings of the body plan as straight
lines extending out from the centerline at various
angles. <strong>The</strong> designer feels these angles will be advantageous
in fairing the shape of the hull. A study of the
body plan usually shows the diagonals starting at the