This dory is a natural for the man who likes a bit of exercise and appreciates the simplicity and silence of a well-de­signed rowboat. A narrow bottom, tapered at both ends, enables her to slice through the water with a minimum of effort and flaring sides make her safe and dry in a chop.

Pod, with a beam of 52 inches, has an overall length of 15 feet, 5 inches and is 11 feet, 6 inches on the waterline. Three pieces of marine plywood make up the sides and bottom and no frames are required. This makes boatbuilding about as simple as it ever gets and the result is a light, clean hull with fewer places for rot to develop. How­ever, for those who feel better with con­ventional framing, optional frames are included in the drawings.

In building Pod, the first step is the con­struction of a building frame. Two saw-horses, about 5 feet long and 2 feet high, are set up 9 feet apart. Two 2x6's, 16 feet long, are set on edge spanning the horses. These strongbacks are made parallel and level with 36 inches between the inside faces. They are also notched to fit the saw-horses and spiked in place.

This beautiful 15-foot rowing dory slips through the water, lets  the  fish-hungry  angler  sneak   up  on  those   big  ones.

Add Mold Anchors

Next the mold anchors are added. First locate station "A" over one of the saw-horses and mark this and the other stations on the upper edges of the strongbacks. A length of 2x4, at right angles to the strong-backs, serves as a mold anchor at each sta­tion. Each mold anchor is placed on the amidships side of the station -with its edge coinciding with the station line. Spikes and diagonal braces hold them in place. Our draftsman, able fellow though he is, made a slight error in showing the location of these mold anchors. We, in turn, did not catch it until it was too late to change the drawing. However, the stations are located correctly and everything will be fine if you move the forward and aft mold anchors toward the bow and stern respectively so that their edges coincide with the station lines. This, of course, changes the location of each mold so that its amidships side also coincides with the station line.

The molds themselves can be made from any 1-inch lumber that is strong and true. Lay them out full size on paper, then transfer the lines to the wood and cut them out and assemble them. Each mold is fastened to its corresponding anchor with ¼-inch lag screws and the upper edge of the anchor determines the base line. Make sure each one is vertical and that its centerline coincides with the centerline of the complete building frame; then bevel the edges to take the planking.

Basic Points

Before going ahead with instructions for assembling the hull, let's get clear on some basic points: Each piece of wood going into the hull is to be treated with wood preservative before assembly; all screws are flathead brass wood screws driven in at right angles to the surface of the wood unless otherwise noted; the screws must also be countersunk 1/16inch unless the heads fall in plywood, in which case we reduce the depth to 1/23 inch.

We are now ready to prepare and at­tach the sides. Lay them out on the ¼-inch plywood sheet and cut them out with a sharp, fine-toothed saw to avoid splinter­ing the edges. Reference points are then marked on each side as indicated in the drawing. Then clamp the 'sides over the molds with the reference points at station "B."

Fastening the chines to the side planks involves considerable bending so they are soaked with water as they are pulled into place. Be sure to let each chine overhang the plywood enough to allow for a bevel. Then hold them in place with clamps until you drive in ⅞-inch, No. 7 screws spaced 6 inches apart.

The stemson must be beveled to a proper fit. Pull in the sides and mark this bevel, then cut it as required. Also trim the chines to butt flush against the stemson. When the stemson has been fitted, fasten it in place with marine glue and 1¼-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 1½inches apart, making sure it is in line with the centerline of the building frame.

Next make the transom. We built this up of pieces of oak which were doweled and glued, using a resorcin rain with catalyst.

Be sure to make allowances for -the bevels as noted in the drawing. When the piece is complete, hold it in place on the building frame, pull in the sides and mark the bevel. After cutting this bevel, the transom frame is fitted. This frame is beveled to match the transom and notched to receive the chines. It is then glued and screwed in place with 1½-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 3 inches apart and offset in two rows. When this is done, you can place the transom assembly on the building frame for a final fitting and secure it with marine glue and 1¼-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 1½ inches apart and offset in two rows.

Plane Execs

The next step is to plane the excess ma­terial off the chines, stemson and transom assembly. Take a straightedge, place a level on top and slide it along the chines at right angles to the centerline of the hull. By watching the points of contact, you will be able to locate the high spots and trim them off. Then take the plywood sheet from which the bottom will be cut and lay it on the chines. There should be good contact throughout.

With the sheet resting on the chines, trace the outline of the bottom on it; then cut it to shape. Spread marine glue on the chines, place the bottom in position and fasten it with 1¼-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 3 inches apart. Screws near the transom must be driven in at an angle to be buried in the chine. Then shave the edges of the bottom flush with the sides. At this point the keel can be fastened in place with 1-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 8 inches apart and offset in two rows. Drive the screws through the bottom into the keel.

Install Spreaders

Now cut two temporary spreaders and install them between the sides at the sheer. Locate one 6 inches forward of station "B" and the other 6 inches aft of station "C." The hull can then be removed from the molds.

The seat risers are trimmed to fit flush against the stemson and transom frame. They are clamped in position and fastened with ⅞-inch, No. 7 screws spaced 6 inches apart and driven in from the outside through the planking. The top edges of the risers must be planed so that the seats lie flush on them.

After sanding and priming the hull, in­stall the two thwarts. Allow very light contact between the ends of the thwarts and the side planks and fasten them to seat risers with three 1½-inch, No. 8 screws in each end.  The  temporary  spreaders can now be removed.

The seat risers are notched to a depth of ⅜ inch to take the strongbacks which help support the seats. The strongbacks are cut to fit into the notches flush with the tops of the risers and also beveled so that they fit snug when tapped into place. No fasten­ings are used between the strongbacks and the risers but the seats are secured to the risers and strongbacks with 1-inch, No. 8 screws spaced 9 inches apart. It is best to paint the undersides of the seats before installation.

Rabbet Gunwales

The gunwales are rabbeted ¼xl inch to cover the edge of the plywood, then clamped in place on the side planks. Make sure the gunwale is at the right height to be faired into the transom, then drive in 2-inch, No. 10 screws horizontally through the gunwales into the transom. Screw the gunwales to the stemson temporarily so the clamps can be removed.

The ends of the inwales are cut to butt flush against the stemson. Clamp those ends into position, flush with the top of the gunwale and then work aft, clamping and screwing as you go. Use 1¼-inch, No. 8 screws ¾ inch below the upper edge of the inwale and spaced 6 inches apart.
The after end is cut and beveled to fit flush against the transom proper, the tran­som frame being trimmed to just below the inwale. Tap the gunwale along its full length with a mallet to make sure the. plywood is seated in the rabbet and then drive in 1¼-inch, No. 8 screws ½inch above the lower edge of the gunwale, spacing them 12 inches apart.

Trim Gunwales

Up at the stem, trim off the gunwales at the point where they converge naturally with a vertical cut at right angles to the hull centerline. Measure back along the centerline 6 inches and make a similar cut to a depth of about 1¾inches. In determin­ing the exact depth of cut, remember that the upper face of the breasthook will have to blend with both the inwale and gunwale and its lower face will have to blend with the gunwale. Next cut in from the apex of the stemson, parallel to the sheer and approximately 1¾ inches below it, over to the bottom of the vertical cut. Bevel the breasthook as required and screw it to the stemson with two 3-inch, No. 14 screws. Also drive two of the same screws through the gunwale and inwale into the breasthook. Next cut the forward edges of the side planks and keel flush with the leading edge of the stemson and then cut and bevel the cutwater and fasten it with 2-inch, No. 9 screws spaced 6 inches apart.

ARGE SCALE  BLUEPRINTS  will simplify construction.  Sand $2.00  to Fawcatt Plans Sarrica. Fawcatt  Building. Fawcatt Place. Greenwich, Conn. Specify Plan FB-362 Pod. The building frame. Longitudinals are notched to fit sawhorses. 2x4's support the mold. The   transom   of   boat   is   installed.   Marine   glue and   screws   through   the   side   planks   secure   it. The method used to clamp seal risers is shown here. Note the temporary spreaders at the sheer.

The transom block is fitted with the lower face flush with the lower edge of the inwale. Drive two 3-inch, No. 14 screws horizontally through the gunwale and in­wale and into the block and four of the same screws horizontally through the tran­som and into the block.

Finally, shave off all excess material so that the entire hull is trim and smooth. Putty over all screw heads, sand the hull down and paint it. Every surface should have three coats of marine paint, sanded lightly between coats.

MATERIALS NEEDED

QUANTITY        SIZE USE
EXTERIOR FIR PLYWOOD
1  piece            ¼"x4'xt6'          Side planks
1  piece            ⅜"x4'x12Bottom plank, stern seat
and   bow  teat.
CLEAR,  EDGE GRAIN FIR
2 pieces            1”x2”x12”'       Chines
2 piece*           1"x2"xl4'           Seat risen
2 pieces            1"x2"xl6'           Gunwale
2 pieces            1"x3"x16          Inwales
1   piece           1"x3"x12'         Keel
OAK OR FIR
1 piece 2¼"x3¼"x3'     Stemion
1 piece 1¼”x¼”x3’      Cutwater
1 piece 2"xlO"xl4"        Breasthook
1 piece 1"x8”x8'           Transom
1piece 1"x3"x5'            Transom frames
1 piece 1"x4"x3O"        Transom block
FASTENINGS
gross 1½",      No. 8              FH  brass wood screws
1 gross ⅞”,.       No. 7              FH brass wood screws
4 dozen            1",  No. 0         FH brass wood screws
dozen 1½”,     No. 8               FH brass wood screws
1½ dozen         3", No.  14       FH  brass wood screws
1  dozen           2". No. f           FH  brass wood screws

Starting   at   the  stem  and   working   aft.   the   m-wales are clamped and then screwed into place.  The Pod has beautiful line* and mores along with very   little   effort  on   the   part   of   the   oarsmen.

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