The setting up of the STATION MOLDS,once the STRONGBACK has been levelled, takes two people and most of a day.

With all the molds now in place,it was time to begin fabricating parts.

Seen from the side, all the molds are visible as well as the transom backer which will hold theTRANSOM at an angle of 14 degees.

The STEM SET had been bent some time ago, so it was clamped in place and the KEELSON (an inner keel) was scarf jointed with the inner stem.

The white oak TRANSOM is a big section of wood and was made of three pieces joined together with wooden "biscuits" and polyurethane glue.

We use an accurate CNC cut transom template to give us the most accurate transom we can produce. The first step is to cut out the basic shape just 1/8" larger than the template.

Then, a trimming router bit with an upper bearing (which follows the template) is used to cut out the final shape.

Finally, a large diameter rabbeting bit is used to make a channel in the inner face. This rabbet is the place where the strips will be attached but hidden where they meet the transom.

The molds with the 3 foundation pieces is ready to receive the bead and cove strips after...

the BOW STEM is shaped (or 'faired' in boat talk). This process creates a flat landing place for the strips at the bow end.

The strips are 3/8" x 1 1/4" and can only be held in place with small drywall screws. To prevent the screws from drawing into the wood-making an ugly bruise- we tempoorarily employ these thin PVC plastic strips which protect the wood as the strips are laid in place and screwed to the station molds.

Now, in late March, the first 10 rows are now secured in place. With a curved inner shape to the transom area, these rows require a lot of "coaxing" to rotate in place.

The side view with the ten rows showing.

Now in early April,the stripping of the Zephyr continues with the colour pattern of the cedar being quite evident.

This area at the curve of the bilge is the most difficult part as there is a lot of twisting in each strip and the effort to get them in place is significant.

The real tough-to-bend strips are now in place as we approach the midline of the boat.

At the midline, the strips cannot get past one another as they could earlier. So, we have place a "stopper stick" along the midline and will plank up to that line until the one side is covered in with wood.

Today was a long session as we worked to close one side over and up to the midline.