Kingfisher Drift Boat Build - Cutting The Side Panels

Now that I've got my big panel glued together,3/8" x 4' x 18', it's time to cut the side panels. I've got a layout provided with the plans that I've purchased from Jason Cajune. It's got the exact cut-out dimensions.

First order of business is to sand down the joints in the sheet where they were scarfed together.I cleaned up the two scarf joints, by first removing the clear package tape that I placed along side the joints. This saves a bunch of sanding. (See the photo below). Once I removed the package tape, I sanded the joints with 100 grit sandpaper with my random orbital sander. Using the random orbital let's you sand it down carefully. The finish veneers on the Okoume plywood are pretty thin.

Once that's done. I'll lay out the two side panels next

Laying Out the Side Panels

I've laid out the full length axis of the top of the sides. These are long bias lines. You get two sides out of the 4' x 18' sheet. I've placed a saw kerf in the edge of the plywood on my mark and another on the far end. I'll stretch a string line the whole length. I'll mark my line to the string line and then draw the line with a pencil and a long straight edge. Once it's drawn I'll set my skill saw to a fuzz deeper than the 3/8" thick plywood and cut the full length of the 18' long sheet. This will be two long bias cuts, one for each side panel. At this point I'm just cutting the long bias lines and not the transom line or the stem (bow). They will be cut out once the side panels are glassed.

I'll will mark out the stem (bow) and the transom.  I'm probably going to use a rounded transom so I'll have to modify the design to accomplish that.

Here's my cut sheet with my string line set.

Here's a shot of the string line set the full length of the 18' sheet

I've cut the two side panels.

Once I got the panels cut it's time to flip them over and clean up the scarf joints on the other side. You can see the package tape and the epoxy that has set up on the bottom side.

Once you pull the tape off, a bunch of the epoxy comes with it. This eliminates a bunch of sanding. The photo below shows how much is left once you pull the package tape. There's a little blled under the tape but it's real thin and easy to sand. I'm going to let this harden a bit more and then sand it tomorrow. I'll sand both sides of the panels with 100 grit, then 120 grit and finally work down to 150 grit.

Next Up - Fiberglassing the Side Panels