PDRacer Build Part 1 - Rudder and Centreboard

It seems that this will be a rather unique build in that we're starting with the final stages rather than the boat. Therefore our plan is to make the rudders, centreboards, rudder casings, masts, boom and yard, and sails. I'd love to go into the reasons for approaching the build like this, but I think my wife wouldn't appreciate that. I suppose the most logical thing to say, is that it will be easier to store and move these smaller items while we look for a new apartment.

Now to the build...

The first parts Peter and I are building are the rudders and centreboards for our PDRacers. We are using straight, knot free pine strips (20x30mm) for the core sections. We have added thin strips of mahogany on the rudders for some nice contrast. The top section of the rudder is exposed while sailing so this added feature will hopefully stand out. I used one mahogany section in the middle of my centreboard more to distinguish it from Peter's one than to maintain this design. We have used a strip of oak along the front of the rudders and centreboards to protect them against hitting rocks or other debris in the water. Hopefully this hard wood will be sufficient to take the bumps.

So far we have basically glued our strips together. We use normal waterproof PVC glue for this because the epoxy and fibreglass which is used after shaping is sufficient to maintain the PVC bonding (we hope). After arranging the pine, mahogany and oak strips, we check the end grain to ensure the different grain directions will complement each other (rather than all facing the same way and creating twist). Then it is just a matter of spreading a sufficient amount of PVC glue on the strips and tightening everything in our collection of pipe clamps. Sometime I will have to sing the praises of the pipe clamp - I am really surprised it is not a more commonly available and used tool in Europe.

The glue supposedly sets in 7 minutes, however we leave the rudders and centreboards clamped for a day. The next step requires the use of a jointer and thicknesser. Hopefully we will be able to use a friend's, but I suspect we might have lost that opportunity. The required thickness of the boards is 22mm. At the moment the mahogany strips are about 25mm and the pine is 30mm. I have no desire to learn how to use a plane over 30x30x1000mm boards, well not just at the moment.


Speaking of planing, I have been having some interesting email discussions with a mate who has become a bit fanatical about Stanley planes. In particular he likes the Stanley Bedrock planes. Now I would usually be happy to encourage anyone to buy a tool which would help you enjoy woodworking. However, it seems that Stanley stopped manufacturing these particular planes in the early 1930s. It seems these planes are regularly available on ebay, however usually for a few hundred dollars.

Now if you are a serious hobbyist, then I can understand you might like to buy and tune a nice plane. I was asking on the Australian Woodworking forums about these planes and it seems that, along with the other Stanley planes in this period, they are actually the best old planes to get. I can't say I would be particularly interested in paying hundreds to get such a plane, however it is interesting to learn a little bit more about them. Obviously, most professionals would buy the new planes from Lee Valley or Lie-Nielsen. However, many of them also recognise the quality of these older Stanleys. It seems they were the Lee Valley and Lie-Nielsen of the 1890s to 1950s. So tuning them up and even swapping in a more modern blade is a very justifiable option (and I am lead to believe the older ones were also of good quality). So if you have an old plane lying around the garage, have a look at Hans Brunner's Stanley By Numbers or Patrick Leach's (somewhat obscurely named) Blood and Gore. Both these sites will help you identify and date your Stanley plane.

In the meantime, we'll be looking to find solutions to shape our centreboards and rudders.