Swell time was designed as a family runabout. With safety in mind, she was made 32 inches deep and 68 inches wide. The bottom is 60 inches wide to make her fast and capable of carrying a heavy load.

One of the features of this boat is tapered chines to make her highly maneuverable and safe in a high-speed turn. The bottom design makes her a smooth riding boat in rough water. All the frames are covered by the seats and back rests. The back seats lift up to provide storage space.

The boat is sturdily designed. With a 30 h.p. motor, she is a live bombshell; she planes easily with a small motor-.

The first step in building Swell Time, after selecting the materials, is to make full-size frame patterns. The frames are molded three inches thick, and are cut from one-inch stock. The bottoms of all frames are cut with a 15° bevel to lay at the same angle with the transom. All of the side frames are cut straight and are faired after the framing is assembled.

All frames are assembled with three 1½-inch No. 8 brass screws and glued with a good waterproof glue at each joint. No. 4 frame is cut for the seat riser but com­pletely assembled over the full-size pat­tern. Attach a brace across the top of this frame to hold it together. After the hull is completed, this brace can be removed.

Here's our cover boat. It's a speedy but safe 13-foot family runabout that both mom and the kids will love, and dad will want to build.

The keel, battens, chine and sheer are now in place. Before beginning the plywood planking, the whole rig must be faired very carefully. Designer-builder Futrell and son demonstrate the high degree of safe maneuverability you can expect from Swell Time as Bill puts the boat into a tight turn.

Care must be taken when assembling the transom, as the frame serves as part of the seat riser. The bottom frame on the tran­som is notched to accept the keel and bat­tens. Use 1¼ No. 8 screws to assemble the transom. The transom bar is installed with two-inch No. 10 screws. All parts are glued.

The stem is next in line. This is cut from two-inch stock and braced on each side with one-inch stock. Be careful to cut the notch for the keel square. The keel is attached to the stem with three two-inch No. 10 screws.

Now make the building form and start setting up the frames. The building form can be made from a straight 2x10 with trestle-type legs. Cut the notches for the frames at 15 and set the frames in place on the form. Legs can be clamped to the tran­som to hold it in position while the keel is being attached. Use batten compound between the keel and transom. Be sure the transom is level and square with the keel and tack a diagonal brace between transom and keel to hold it in line while the rest of the framing is in progress. Fasten with two l½-inch No. 10 screws at each frame.

After the keel is attached to the frames, secure the keel to the building form. Now attach all the battens in the same manner as the keel, making sure the frames remain square to the keel.

Next, install the main chines. These should be selected carefully and may re­quire some soaking. This can be done by wrapping the chines in cloths and pouring boiling water over them. I attached the chines to the stem with two lV4-inch No. 8 screws; then, put a rope around the chine and No. 3 frame. Take up slowly on the rope and repeat the soaking as necessary. When the chines are drawn in place, secure all frames and transom with one I½-inch No. 8 screw. Use batten compound at transom.

The secondary chines are next in order. Start with a piece of wood long enough to allow for trimming. Cut the angle to fit the main chine just ahead of frame No. 1. At­tach to the main chine with three screws in progressive sizes 1 inch, 11/4 inch, 1½inch No. 8. This chine will require some soaking. Pull down and attach to all frames and transom with one 11/2-inch No. 8 screw.

Install the sheer clamps at the stem. Then attach the deck frame. This frame serves as a spreader to give a nice rounded curve to the deck and side panels. All fastenings are 1¼-inch No. 8 screws.

Cut and install the breasthook; this is cut from 2-inch stock and beveled to fit snug against the sheer clamps and stem. Fasten to stem with one 2-inch No. 10 screw, to the clamps with four 1¼-inch No. 8 screws.

Cut and install the transom knees. These are cut from 1-inch stock and will extend from transom to No. 4 frame. Attach through the knee to the transom frame with six 2-inch No. 10 screws; to the frame No. 4 with one 2-inch No. 10. This knee is notched and the sheer clamp overlaps it 4 inches. Fasten here with one l¼-inch No. 8 screw.

Now the framing is completed and must be faired very carefully. Grind all the nicks out of your plane, get a good flexible straightedge and go to work. This part of the job means a great deal in the final ap­pearance of your boat and how watertight she will be. It is easier to countersink screwheads than to resharpen the plane.

The side panels are to be cut from 1/4i-inch marine plywood sheets 14 feet long. This length is slightly higher but makes a much nicer appearing job. To get all the covering two sheets of plywood, one side panel must be cut from each sheet. Patterns can easily be made from wrapping paper. Before installing, bevel the bottom side so the chines and side will butt together flush. Attach with batten compound on transom, chines, stem and outer keel. Use ⅞-inch No. 8 screws, three inches on center.

The bottoms are put on next. Use the remaining straight edge against the outer keel. Cut to size, being sure to save the narrow strip to use on the chines. The bot­tom butts flush against the sides from the secondary chines forward. Do this fitting before using the batten compound. It can be held in place with C clamps on the chine and keel. Plane it carefully and pull in place with Vs-inch No. 8 screws, two inches on center as you work forward. After the fitting is done, remove the clamp but not the screws in the bow. Apply batten com­pound on all parts and attach with a dozen ⅞-inch No. 8 locating screws. Now attach all the way around" with ⅞-inch No. 8 screws, three inches on center and six inches on center on all battens.

BILL OF MATERIALS MAHOGANY                                  FASTENINGS Transom: 2 pieces  I  in. x  12 in. x 5 ft.            10 gross ⅞in. No. 8 flathead brass screws Transom frame: I piece I in. x 4 in. x 14 ft.              4 gross 1¼ in. No. 8 flathead brass screws No. 2, 3, 4 side frames:   I  piece  I  in. x 4 in. x  10 ft.     1gross 1½ in. No. 8 flathead  brass screws No.  I bottom frame: 2 pieces  I  in. x 4 in. x 2 ft.            1 gross ¼ in- No' 4 flathead brass screws No. 2 bottom frame:  I  piece I   in. ,   12 in. x 5 ft.           4 dozen 1 in. No 8 flathead brass screws No. 3 bottom frame: I piece I   in. x 8 in. x 5 ft.                4 dozen 2 in. No.  10 flathead  brass screws No. 4 bottom frame: 2 pieces  I  in. x 8 in. x 2 ft.            PAINT  PRODUCTS Keel:  t  piece  I  in. x 4 in. x 13 ft.      1 pt. Casco-Fin glue Stem:  I  piece 2 in. x 8 in. x 3 ft. 1 lb. Wildwood glue Battens: 8 pieces I in. x 1¼in. x 12 ft.               1 lb. wood dough Chines: 4 pieces I in. x 1½in. x 14 ft.               I qt. batten compound Coaming clamps: 4 pieces ¾ in. x I in. x 14 ft.                4 qts. marine sealer Outer keel: I piece I in. x 2 in. x 13 ft.               2 qts. hull enamel Spray rails: 2 pieces I in. x 2 in. x 4 ft.              2 qts.  bottom enamel Deck frame: I piece I in. x 4 in. x 5½ ft.             4 qts.' Spar varnish Deck frame: t  piece I in. x 4 in. x 3 ft.              PLYWOOD Deck beam: I piece I in. x 2 in. x 4 ft.                             2 sheets 1/4 in. x 4 ft. I 14 ft. fir (marine grade) Transom knees: 2 pieces I in. x 12 in. x 2½, ft.              1 sheet 1/4 in., 4 ft- , 8 ft. fir (marine grade) Seat framing:  I in. x 2 in. x 44 LF       I sheet 3/8 in. 4 ft. x 8 in. fir (marine grade) Backrest framing: 2 pieces I in. x 4 in. x 12 ft.                I sheet 1/4 in. x 4 ft. x 8 in. mahogany (marine grade)

Hunt up the two narrow strips of ply­woods that were left over; they are your chines. They should be about an inch too wide. Tack them in place, overlapping the sides and bottom, and use a sharp pencil to mark. Saw to size, leaving just enough to fit by planing. Set in batten compound and fasten with ⅞-inch No. 8 screws, three inches apart.

Install the outer stem with 1¼-inch No.8screws and you have the hull completed, ready for sanding and painting.

Turn the hull over and set it on formed trestles to start the inside and deck work. Remove the building jig.

The ¼-inch plywood seat riser is meas­ured and cut to fit and to extend under the second seat. Attach to the inside of the third batten from the keel with 1-inch No. 8 screws.   Also attach to the transom knee.

Install a 1x2-inch horizontal brace across No. 2 and No. 3 frames 9¾ inches above the keel. These braces are flush with the side frame and are attached with one 1¼-inch No. 8 screw at each end.

Measure the backs for the two front seats and cut from ¼-inch plywood. These are cut with a 12-ft. radius on the top edge and installed to the back of the frames and to the seat frame.

Now cut eight 1x2xl3-inch seat frames. The outside frames are installed first with 1-inch No. 8 screws through the hull into the frame. The back edge is level with the back seat frames, the front edge is ll½ inches above the keel. Install a 1x2-inch frame across the front of the seat framing; attach the other four 13-inch pieces over the third batten so a ¼-inch plywood brace can be installed between this batten and the seat frame. To do this, clamp a straightedge across the plywood backs and attach the uprights with 1¼-inch No. 8 screws. The brace from this frame to boat side is now cut and installed.

Before installing the side panels, bevel the bot­tom to make the chines and side butt flash to­gether.   Attach   panels   with   batten   compound. The keel, battens and chine fit through the tran­som frame, not through the transom. Care during construction    will   result   in    a   watertight   hull.

If you plan to mount the wheel where I did, cut this dash panel about 6 inches wide and secure with three l1/2-inch No. 8 screws. Install a spacer at the side of the boat with which to attach the outer edge. This spacer is cut for both the dashboard and the inside coaming clamp. Now install the coaming clamps. These are ¾xl inch and attached in two sections from the front deck to the first backrest. Notch the second backrest and install the final piece from the front backrest to the transom knee. These are secured with 1¼-inch No. 8 screws.

 Now install the framing for the back seats. Fit in a lxl¼-inch frame along the top of the plywood riser, flush with the transom bar. There is a brace required across the fourth frame to the seat riser. This is a lxl¼-inch piece and installed with two l¼-inch No. 8 screws. The seats are cut from ⅜-inch exterior plywood and fastened with 1-inch No. 8 screws 6 inches apart.

Notch the two deck frames and install the deck beam. The covering is  ¼-inch mahogany marine plywood. You can get all of the deck from one 4x8-foot sheet. Allow a small overhang for trimming and fasten with waterproof glue and ¾-inch No. 4 screws on center.

The outside coaming is fastened with l¼-inch No. 8 screws starting at the bow and 6 inches on center. This may require soaking. Fill all the screw holes, sand com­pletely and make ready for painting.

The mahogany parts to be varnished should be stained first and the entire boat given a coat of clear marine sealer. All painted parts should have three coats of paint, sanded lightly between coats.

Now, install your hardware and you are ready for a Swell Time.

LARGE   SCALE   BLUEPRINTS   will   simplify construction.  Send  $5.00  to  Fawcett  Plans Service.  Fawcett  Building.  Fawcett  Place, Greenwich, Conn. Specify Plan FB-362 Swell Time. The completed—but unpainted—hull is righted. Next construction jobs are deck framing and the installation  of  supports  for  the  front-seat  backs.  The keel view reveals the structural framing of the transom. Remember that both the ribs and the   transom  are  installed  at  a   14-degree  angle.

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