It's amazing how much of a boat you can fit into a van!

It's even more amazing that I was encouraged to store the components that aren't needed straight away inside the house.

This time I've gone down the route of having the components cut using CNC. Saves me at least 2 or 3 weeks plotting and cutting all of the components, and the level of accuracy is excellent. Because of the nesting of the various pieces, I have used perhaps 3 or 4 fewer sheets of ply as well.

Most of the pieces were cut and separated, but some were left tabbed into larger pieces of plywood. For these I used either a Japanese saw or a small hacksaw blade to cut the tabs. The pieces that I will be working on over the next few days, mainly the components for the bulkheads, were left in the garage. The rest were sorted and moved into the house. Each piece has a unique plan number engraved on it, making it easy to identify. Lines are also engraved to show where other panels will meet a piece, and where reinforcing or supporting cleats will be glued onto the ply.

The rudder was profiled, but not completely cut out, in case it distorted when released from the sheet, so this has had a couple of coats of epoxy, and will be cut out later in the week.

I've started work on the centreboard, using recycled Tasmanian Oak. There is an 8KG lead tip to install on the centreboard, which should arrive in the next couple of weeks. I did think about routing out a cavity in the centrboard, and filling it with lead shot in epoxy, but because the lead wouldn't be at the very bottom, and because of the spaces between the shot, I would have had to use over 10KG to get even close to the tip that B&B Yacht Designs can supply.

The reinforcing cleat has been glued to the bulkhead that forms the aft end of the cabin. By the middle of the week I should have all of the bulkheads done, and be ready to glue the pieces of each chine together.