A Brief Guide.
I had been writing a manual on small boat building for about 6 years which is now finally ready and available to buy from this site. This brief guide gives the basics.
Stitch & Tape or Stitch & Glue isn't a new method of building small boats. It is ideal for the novice and a relatively quick and easy way to build a boat - not just small dinghies. There is a great many designs out there that use epoxy resin stitch & tape or stitch & glue. Cheaper polyester resins can also be used but they are not as strong as epoxy. There are also some variations to this method and it's adaptable to a wide variety of design types. For example; if you preferred a more traditional looking boat of simulated clinker ply, it is possible to vary the stitch and tape method to suit. More traditional builds and larger boats could incorporate a chine log that the planks are stitched to.
1. The first job would be to mark out then cut out the plywood panels or planks for the boat as per the dimensions given with your plans.
2. Now loosely stitch the panels together with wire. If the wire is to become part of the boat, use copper wire. If not then ordinary steel wire is adequate. Some builders use plastic cable ties but I have never tried it because they are not adjustable once tightened.
3. Tighten the wire stitches to pull the boat into shape and stiffen it up.
4. Set the boat up on a floor or across two saw horses or similar and brace into shape. Loosen the stitches to help if needed and re-tighten.
5. Check the boat is square and level and not twisted and adjust the braces if necessary.
6. Now add the tape to the inside between the stitches. Often, a fillet of epoxy thickened with an additive is put on the joint first and then the tape is applied over it. This is to take away any sharp angles because epoxy tape doesn't like sharp angles. It would produce a weak joint as the tape would not lay flat around the whole joint once cured.
7. When the inside is cured or hardened you can turn the boat upside-down and remove the wire stitches.
8. Make sure the boat is still in shape and prepare the outside joints to fair off any sharp angles and then tape them using one continuous length. Taping is applying resin to the joint a little wider than the area the tape will take up. Then lay the tape on the wet joint and “wet out” the tape. Basically, add more resin.
9. Finish the outside joints by sanding down the edges and applying more resin.
10. Turn the boat over and do the inside joints as in 6 above where the stitches were. Then apply a continuous tape length to the joint and when cured, finish the joint as above. You can completely hide evidence of the tape if done properly.
This has been a very basic description but it should give you a fair idea of what is meant by Stitch & Tape or Stitch & Glue.
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Copyright STANLEY SmallCraft 2009
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