Only 9-1/2 feet long,this salty little pram

is small enough for a 10-year-old to handle easily,

and large enough for dad

to enjoy, too. A goodfirst-boat project

• TEACUP IS A DESIGN that gets right down tothe basics.

With almost 5 ft. of beam, it's a stable, sturdycraft that handles nicely, an ideal learner's boat.While not a hot boat, by any means, Teacup's

By M. M. MATTHEWS

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sailboats

Teacup—a sailboat

forbeginners

sailboats

FRAMES

2240

Teacup's saucer is a simple 2 x 4 cradle mounted on wagon wheels. Build it to providesupport for the hull at frame 3 and at the bow, padding where necessary with strips ofcarpeting. With this simple storage dolly, even young sailors can launch without trouble

performance has enough sparkle to make thisa fun day sailer for anyone.

Construction is a blend of economy and sim-plicity. To simplify the two most difficult partsof hull building, Teacup has a pram nose insteadof a curved bow and a dagger centerboard ratherthan the more complicated swing-up board. Eventhe sail plan is simple.

If you've never tried your hand at boat build-ing, Teacup is a perfect choice as a first project.Dimensions were planned to utilize 10-ft. sheetsof plywood, available on special order from yourlumber dealer. Naturally, 8-ft. sheets might alsobe used, but this will require butt joints in theplanking.

Frames and form. Begin frame constructionby laying out full-size patterns of the stem,frames, and transom on large sheets of heavywrapping paper. The stem and transom framesare backed with 3/8-in. exterior plywood. Gussetsfor the No. 2 and No. 3 frames are 1/4-in. ply-wood. Use waterproof glue and flathead No. 7 x1-in. screws to assemble the frame members.Temporary crosspieces should be clamped inplace until the frames have been checked on thebuilding form.

For the building form, you'll need two straight2 x 4s. The ends are cut to length and angled asshown on page 224'2. Make angled cuts accu-rately, because the stem and transom will be

The young sailor can become adept in sailboat handling in a short time in Teacup

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teacup—sailboat for beginners, continued

positioned directly on the cut surfaces. Assemblethe form with the 2 x 4 crosspieces cut perfectlysquare. This will help to hold the building formsquare. If necessary, add diagonal braces tosquare up the form.

Place the building form on a pair of leveledsawhorses. Center, level and fasten the transomframe to the transom end of the form with twoNo. 10 x 2-1/2-in. woodscrews. Clamp the No. 2and No. 3 frames in position but do not fastenyet. Use flexible 1-in. battens to help locate thestem frame on the building form. Once the stemis correctly positioned, screw-fasten it to thebuilding form with two No. 10 x 2-1/2-in. screws.

Now go back and align frames 2 and 3. Thechine line is most critical, and once it conformsto the bend of the batten, the keel line will fol-low naturally. Screw-fasten the temporary cross-pieces on the frames, then screw-fasten the cross-pieces to the building form. Use diagonal bracesfastened to No. 2 and No. 3 frames and thebuilding form, as shown above. Clamp the 10-ft.battens to the stem, frames and transom, and theframes are ready for notching.

Keel, chines and clamps. It won't hurt to leave

a few inches of extra material on each end of thekeel. These ends can be removed and the keelsanded flush with transom and stem when theframe is faired.

Clamp the 3/4 x 4-in. keel in place and markthe frames for notching. If the wood doesn'tbend easily, wrap it in a blanket and soak withboiling water, then leave it clamped in positionwhile the wood dries.

Cut notches and screw-fasten the keel in placewith No. 10 x 2-in. screws and glue. To avoidsplitting wood, always predrill holes before driv-ing screws. Dip the thread of the screw in glueand it will drive easier.

Notch the transom, frames and stem for thechines. You can save yourself some fairing timelater on if you prebevel chines with a benchsaw. To avoid twisting the frame, start at thetransom and work one frame at a time, fasteningboth chines. As you are fastening the chine toeach frame, keep the complete chine bent to itsfinal shape.

Again, the chines can be longer than necessaryand trimmed off later.

Clamps should be put in position and allowedto assume a natural bend. In this position, theyshould be approximately 11 to 12 in. from the

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chines. Adjust the clamps so that both sides ofthe boat will be equal, then mark and notch theframes. The clamps are assembled to each framelike the chines, working forward from the tran-som.

The hull frame is now ready to be trimmedand faired. The keel, chines and frames arebeveled so that they will make flat contact withplywood planking. Since there are no compoundcurves, fairing can be easily checked by runninga straight piece of wood along the chine and thekeel, as well as along the chine and clamp.

If you're good at handling a belt sander, itwill do a fast job of fairing for you. A slip can bedisastrous, however, so don't choose this job tolearn how to use the tool. A sharp jack planeand a wood rasp are slower, but much safer.

Bilge battens should now be set in place. Bat-tens are placed approximately 9 in. from thekeel at the transom and led forward so that theywill end midway between the keel and chines atthe stem.

Cut limber holes (small triangular notches)in No. 2 and No. 3 frames, so that water can runto the low part of the bilge, where it can be moreeasily bailed or pumped.

Now is a good time to set the transom andstem knees, while the frame is open and easilyaccessible. Cut a cardboard pattern and use thisto cut knees from 2-in. fir lumber. Use a planeor belt sander to get an exact fit, and fastenknees in place with glue and screws.

Center the 1-3/4-in. lower keel on the main keel,and glue and screw-fasten in place, being carefulnot to locate screws in the area where, later,you'll cut out the 17-1/2-in.-long slot for the dag-gerboard.

Planking. A half bottom, side, half foredeckand a side deck can be cut from each 4 x 10-ft.sheet of 1/4-in. plywood. Clamp a plywood sheetto one side of the frame bottom and mark thebottom outline on the underside. Then removethe sheet and cut the half bottom slightly over-size; reclamp the side pattern adjacent to sideand mark side pattern adjacent to the curve ofthe bottom shape. Cut the side slightly oversizeand lay scraps away to be used later for decking.

Now reclamp the side planking in place andmark it accurately, allowing just enough extramaterial for fairing. Also, mark the outlines ofthe chine, clamp and frame on the underside.

Remove the plywood, cut it to shape and drillsmall lead holes at intersections of the frameswith chines and clamps. These holes will providea guide for driving planking screws. Coat the

outside surfaces of the frame and the outlinedareas of the plywood with glue. Place the plank-ing in position and screw-fasten it. Countersinkthe screws slightly so that surfacing compoundcan be used to hide screwheads. Clean off excessglue with a damp cloth.

When the glue has set, plane the plywoodedge flush with the chine and attach the bottomplanking, using the same procedure as you didwith the sides. Be careful to stagger screws nearthe daggerboard slot so that they won't interferewith holes that will later be drilled for bedlogbolts. (This can be done by marking bolt posi-tions on the lower keel prior to planking.) Trimoff the edge of the plywood bottom so that it'sflush with the side planking along the chine, andcover the joint with a 1/4-in. x 1-in. rub rail toprotect the plywood edge.

Carlins, beams and battens. Remove all screwsholding the boat to the building form and lift theboat off. Turn the hull over and block it so thatthe hull is supported under frames 2 and 3.

Cut the seat support beam from 1 x 2 stockand position it on the after side of frame 3, justabove the plywood gussets. Glue and screw it inplace. The temporary crosspieces can now beremoved from frames 2 and 3.

Cut the deck beam to length from 1 x 8 lum-ber and clamp it in position on the forward sideof frame 2. Mark the shape of the deck beam,from full width of beam at center down to clamptop on each side. Also mark extensions of frame2 for sawing off. Remove the deck beam andposition the carlins, using frame 2 and transomtop to locate them. Glue and screw-fasten thecarlins, using spacer blocks to keep them spacedequally from the clamp strip. Now saw off frame3 extensions flush with the carlin and clamp.

Shape the deck beam, position it on frame 2and secure it with glue and screws. Cut side-decksupports from 3/4-in. scrap and fit under thespacer block. These supports will add stiffness tothe planking and help the side decks supportyour weight if you have to hike out in heavywinds.

Notch the deck beam and stem frame for the1 x 4 center deck batten. Glue and screw an 18-in. strip of 2 x 2 under the center deck battenbelow the mast step position. Then, run the 1 x 2braces from this step support down to the stemknee and fasten in place. Also, fit the small kneeunder the center batten at the stem.

Now fair the entire top of the boat, from stemto stern. Use a straight piece of wood to checkthe accuracy of your fairing between the clamp

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SPARS, DAGGERBOARD AND RUDDER

teacup—sailboat for beginners, continued

and deck batten, and between the clamp andcarlin. Notch the deck beam and stem frame toaccept 1 x 2 side deck battens, and glue andscrew-fasten these battens in place.

Daggerboard case. The daggerboard slot is 1/2in. wide by 17-1/2in. long. Lay the slot out withpencil, centered on the keel 16 in. forward offrame 3. Use a 1/2-in. drill to make starter holesat each end of the slot, keeping the holes insidethe overall slot dimensions. Then saw out theslot, using a small keyhole saw for starting andsquaring the ends of the slot with a wood rasp.

Make the daggerboard case bedlogs fromclear fir lumber, 1-5/8 in. thick. Note that the endsare slightly angled. Clamp the log together inright and left-hand position and shape the bot-toms of both bedlogs simultaneously to fit thekeel. Then unclamp the logs and, keeping trackof right and left log, cut a 3/8 x 1-in. rabbet alongthe top inside surface to accept the 3/8-in. sidepanels.

Drill bolt holes near the outside edge so thatbolt heads will clear the lower keel when thecase is installed. Since these holes should bedrilled to countersink washers and nuts, first drilla small pilot hole, then drill the countersink hole

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teacup—sailboat for beginners, continued

for the washer and nut deep enough so that thenut will fit securely on the bolt. Complete thehole with a 1/4-in. drill.

Cut the side panels from 3/8-in. plywood andfasten them in the rabbets cut in the bedlogs withscrews and glue, carefully avoiding the bolt holesin the log. Glue and screw-fasten the end poststo one case side, and give inside surfaces of thecase two or three coats of spar varnish, avoidingsurfaces yet to be glued. When the varnish hasdried, glue and screw-fasten the case together,keeping the bottom surfaces of the bedlogs level.

Carefully cut away approximately 1-1/2in. fromeach end post so that the posts will fit snugly intothe daggerboard slot. Fit the cap supports be-tween the seat beam and deck beam (but don'tfasten them in position) and mark the top ofthe daggerboard case, which should be sawed offflush with the top of these cap supports.

With the daggerboard case still in position,mark the location of the bolt holes on the keel bytapping on a 1/4-in. rod placed in the bedlog holes.Then remove the centerboard case and drillsmall pilot holes, carefully centered on the bolt-hole marks.

With these holes as your guides, use the under-side of the planking for seating the bolt heads;then complete the holes with 1/4-in. drill.

Saw off the top of the centerboard case asmarked. Give all contacting surfaces, holes andbolt heads a coating of waterproof glue, thenplace the centerboard case in position, drive thebolts in from underside and tighten up evenly allaround. Clean off excess glue with a damp cloth.

Deck and cockpit. Now the cap supports canbe glued and screw-fastened in place on eachside of the centerboard case. Use small blocks ofwood of the same thickness as the case to spacethe supports at the seat beam and deck beam.

Cut the seat, notching the after edge of theends to fit inside frame 3. Make seat knees fromscraps of 3/8-in. plywood and fasten to the framesides. Cut the daggerboard case cap to lengthso that it makes a snug fit between the deckbeam and seat.

Locate and cut a 1/2-in. x 15-1/2in. slot abovethe opening in the daggerboard case. (If youwould like to be able to remove the seat and cap,fasten both in place with No. 8 x 2-in. flatheadwood screws set in finishing washers.)

Center the 3/4-in. x 1-3/4in. foredeck trim overthe center deck batten, and glue and clamp it.This piece should extend forward of the stem

and aft of the deck beam. Cut a small piece of3/4" x 1-3/4". material to fit between the cap andcenter deck trim. The extended deck trim is cutoff flush with this inside trim. Attach the 3/4 x1-3/4" stem trim so that it fits under the top decktrim and down over the lower keel. Then cut thetop deck trim to match.

From 1/4-in. plywood left over from the bot-tom and sides, cut two foredeck halves and twopieces of side decking. Glue and screw-fastenthese in place. Trim all around, and install halfround molding all around the deck and inside thecockpit. (Molding can be made by ripping a 1-1/4in. dowel in half.) Glue and screw-fasten this inplace, and the hull is then ready for applicationof the finish.

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You can assemble the remainder of the sailingequipment while you are waiting for the paint todry on the hull. The rudder is made by gluingtwo pieces of 3/8-in. plywood back to back.Chamfer the edges and then apply several coatsof spar varnish.

Do not drill a hole for the bolt that fastens therudder to the tiller until you are ready to assem-ble the rudder on the transom. This hole is thenlocated so that the tiller stop will positively pre-vent the tiller from rubbing against the top of thetransom.

Cut the daggerboard from %-in. plywood andplace it in position in its slot to mark the topedge. Trim the top of the daggerboard with3/4-in. x 1-1/2in. strips, and drill a 1-in. hole for afinger grip. Smooth the edges and apply severalcoats of spar varnish.

Floorboards should be made so that they canbe readily removed from the boat. The floorassembly shown on page 2240 consists of three1 x 4s fastened together with crosspieces. Thefloorboards can rest on strips fastened to frames2 and 3. Small holding strips fastened to theframes above the floorboards with bolts andwingnuts will keep the floorboards in place.

Sail plan. The sailplan chosen for Teacupkeeps costs to a minimum. A sail that fastens tothe mast in a luff rope slot eliminates the expenseof sail track; a loosefooted sail simplifies boomconstruction.

Since there are many small dinghy-class sail-boats with sails of about 50 sq. ft., there seemedto be no point in designing an original sail if anexisting design could be used. Furthermore, thereare often good used sails available that can servevery satisfactorily on a training boat. A goodused Dyer Dhow sail was found to satisfy theauthor's requirements completely, and the Tea-cup's sail plan was established. The only altera-tion required on the used sail was the removalof two grommets along the lower edge of theluff. The holes were patched with sail tape. Thus,for about $30, the Teacup had a top qualitydacron sail with many years of sailing life left.

If you decide to go the used-sail route, contactused-sail suppliers before you build the mast andboom so that you can alter the spars if you can'tobtain a sail to these exact dimensions.

If you decide to buy a new sail, have a sail-maker make the sail to the Dyer Dhow specifica-tions, but without luff grommets. (The author'ssail was originally made by the firm of Ratsey &Lapthorn, Inc., City Island, N.Y.)

Mast material. Search through your lumber

dealer's stock of 4-in. straight-grained fir floor-ing for two extra-straight pieces. After trimmingaway the tongue and groove, you'll have about3 in. left. Cut 1/2-in. half-round grooves in eachpiece by running the board through the saw at anangle to the saw blade. Remove about 1/16-in. ofmaterial from the groove to the edge to providethe 1/8-in. slot for the sail when the pieces areassembled. Cut a small gluestop groove in eachpiece. Then sand and varnish the groove andslot, and glue the mast pieces together, beingcareful to keep the grooves aligned.

The mast can be rough-shaped on a benchsaw and finished with a plane or belt sander.When you attain smoothness, give it several coatsof spar varnish, then attach fittings as shown.

The boom is made from a 1-5/8in. dowel.Shape one end to fit the gooseneck; attach aneyestrap and drill a hole for fastening the sailclew at the other end. The boom is then readyfor varnishing.

The mast step is cut from a small piece ofhardwood. The hole in the mast step should belarger than the oak dowel set in the base of themast so that the mast can move freely. A largebrass washer between mast base and step willreduce wear on wood surfaces. For a sail ofapproximate dimensions shown, the mast-stephole should be positioned about 25 in. backfrom the stem. Cut spray rails so that they ex-tend out and aft from the after end of the maststep. The angles shown are approximate; you'llhave to cut and try to get an exact fit.

Fittings. You can obtain hardware from amarine supply house, most of which providecatalogs for a small fee. The author selectedmostly Wilcox-Crittenden brass and bronze fit-tings, primarily for their salty look. Stainlesssteel fittings can be used if you prefer, but theboat will show off to best advantage if you re-main consistent—choose all steel or all brassfittings.

Finishing. Many excellent marine paints andvarnishes are available today. Check your localmarine supply stores or paint suppliers to findout what seems to hold up best in your area.

The author selected a two-part epoxy paintfor the hull. The wood should be primed with atleast two coats of epoxy undercoat; apply epoxyfinishing coats with a spray gun for best results.The decks, spars and other varnished surfaceswere finished with several coats of a good marinevarnish, carefully sanded between coats.

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