Fitting the deckgear

While I wait for the Sail and rigging to me made the deckgear, rudder fittings, etc are all fitted.

Turned over

The inside looks good so I don't think I will bother with a third coat, I'll keep the paint for the inevitable scratches. Just some varnishing to complete before fitting the final bits.

Keel band

A strip of brass has been added to give some protection to the bottom

Hull Painting

3 coats of undercoat, a light rub and two coats of Toplac and the hull's looking good. Just varnishing of the wood bits to finish.

Internal painting

The inside has been given two coats of International undercoat, a light rub down and one top coat of International Toplac. While it looks white in the pic below it is actually Ivory. The finish is good but a further coat or two will be added once this hardens a little more. This pic shows the Pup's first time out of the garage, done so that I can install the mast ensuring that it fits and the mast step is in the correct position, fortunately it is!

Filling and faring

With the hull upside down again the central rubbing-strake has been added. Some filling and faring has also been necessary where the glass tape was used on the hull chines. A final sand and coat of epoxy is applied before painting.

Internal epoxy sealing

The inside of the pup has been given the first of two coats of epoxy to seal the whole structure before painting.

Filleting and faring

A small amount of filling and faring is necessary where the side-tanks meet the stern-tank and the centre seat.

All the corners (and joints) are being filleted with thickened epoxy for both strength and aesthetics.

Centreboard case and seat fitted

Centre seat and centreboard case are epoxied in place, as are the tops of the two side buoyancy tanks. The clamp in the pic is holding the a strengthening piece added for the rigging chain-plates.

Centreboard case

The central seat has been attached to the centreboard case and it has all been trimmed ready to fit. Next step is to cut a slot in the hull to allow the centreboard to exit the bottom of the boat.

Seat and centreboard case

The seat will become the top of the centreboard case, both have been laminated from left-over ply. The inner faces of the centreboard case have been given a coat of epoxy and glass to aid strength and resistance to abrasion.

Centreboard top

Using a router a slot has been cut in some Iroko to make up the top of the Centreboard. The top has been fitted using epoxy thickened with Collidal Silica to give a very strong bond.

Epoxy and glass coating the rudder and centreboard

The centreboard and rudder blade have been epoxy and glass coated to protect the cedar from water ingress. Here one side has been done, the glass will be trimmed back before tackling the second side. The glass cloth should increase the stiffness of the centreboard and help with the inevitable knocks in use.

Cedar-strip centreboard and rudder blade

An attractive centreboard and rudder blade have been made from strips of cedar that I have laminated into a board then cut to make the two underwater foils. These need some further sanding before a coat of glass cloth and epoxy is applied to add strength and protection. A final coat of varnish will be required for UV protection. Both the foils have been oversized after comments from another Pup builder who suggested the standard size is a little small leading to excess leeway.

Mast step

I have used a scrap piece of Iroko for the mast step and using a router cut the shape below to take the mast foot. There is also a hole to allow any traped water to drain.

Transom teak veneer and stb gunwale

Teak veneer has been added to the transom (to match the bow), transom and outboard pad then sealed with a coat of epoxy.

Starboard side inner and outer gunwale shaped and glued in place with epoxy.

Port Gunwale and Stern Tank

The top of the stern seat/tank has been fitted, as has the teak pad to allow the use of an outboard engine.

The outer gunwale has been fitted to the port side (using every clamp I can find!)

Outboard pad and stern seat progress

So that an outboard engine can be used a teak pad had been added along with the outer gunwale.
The stern seat has been "painted" with epoxy to ensure that the ply is protected from any water that gets in.

The final supports for the starboard seat/tank are fitted, it's now ready to be epoxy coated as per the stern seat above.

Bow buoyancy tank/seat finished!

The side seat face panels have been fitted in place with a thickened epoxy fillet along the bottom, the top has a strengthening strip to provide additional stiffness at this joint and give the seat top something to attach to. The bow seat-top has also been fitted, it should now be water/air tight (apart from the drain hole).

Side bench panels cut out

The four ply panels that make up the side benches have been cut out and shaped. Below the side bench fronts are loosely held in position.

Teak Veneer

Teak veneer has been stuck to the bow and then given a coat of epoxy to seal. Looks great.
Stern seat has been trimed to fit, suport for the seat has been fixed.

Bow buoyancy tank and seat

Supports for the top of the front seat have been fitted, a hole has also been made for the drain/breather plug.

Here the top mast support is fitted to the underside of the front seat top. I have extended the ply used for the mast support so that it will prevent the seat from flexing when stood on.

Starting to fit internal structure

Internal chine seams are filleted with thickened Epoxy and covered in glass tape.


A plywood pad is fitted to bow for the painter fixing eye.


Front face of stern seat/buoyancy tank is trimmed and fitted in place. Blobs of epoxy hold it in place before filleting.

Additional Ply fitted where the drain hole/bung will be fitted. Shown here on the forward bulkhead.

Epoxy Sheathing

Hull joins are strengthened with 75mm glass tape, the whole outer surface has two protective coats of epoxy.

I have a mast!

I have been donated a mast, boom and sail and it's the perfect size. The sail is very old cotton and the rigging is rusty but otherwise perfect.

Hull panel's fitted

Bottom, side and chine panel fitted, joins are filled with thickened epoxy. Pins used where necessary to hold it all together while the epoxy cures.