Building a boat from plywood with your own hands. Homemade plywood boat - instructions for making it with video at home. Advantages of plywood sheets

Many didn’t even realize that you could sail in a homemade plywood boat. The article will present step-by-step description all processes for its manufacture, drawings and lists of everything needed from materials to tools are provided. The instructions also include illustrations of the work and a video of the construction being made by a craftsman.

Preparation of material and tools

  • Plywood;
  • Polyurethane glue;
  • Nails;
  • Latex based paint;
  • Silicone sealant;
  • Construction syringe (it will be needed to seal the seams of the structure);
  • Sandpaper;
  • Jigsaw;
  • Screwdriver;
  • Roulette;
  • Brush;
  • Clamp;
  • Drill;
  • Paracord (staples).

One of the sheets of purchased plywood needs to be divided into 3 parts for the bottom of the structure: 46x61 cm, 61x168 cm and 31x61 cm. The sides of the boat will consist of two pieces measuring 31 by 244 cm. To create supports, take 3 pieces with parameters 25x50x2400 mm. A cut measuring 25x76x2400 mm is required for the stern and bow of the boat. The hull of a homemade plywood boat for fishing is made from pieces with dimensions of 25x50x2400 mm.

Pay attention! Subsequently, the pieces will be connected to the body with paracord.

Creating a project with drawings

There are many designs for homemade plywood boats, ranging from a simple punt used for fishing to a complex tourist kayak. There are both prefabricated and folding structures. To begin with, let's look at the simplest drawing of the vessel, which is presented below.

If you are not satisfied with a homemade plywood boat according to the drawings that you found, then you can design your own version, but such an undertaking will require more accurate calculations regarding the load-carrying capacity of the structure. Otherwise, if the parameters are incorrect, you can make a huge souvenir that will not be able to keep you on the water.

So, by choosing or creating own project to build a plywood boat, we transfer our parameters onto paper, creating a design drawing. Using these paper templates, we draw the contours of the main elements of the boat on plywood sheets, which will serve as a guide for cutting out sheets and frames for sheathing.

Pay attention! In most cases, the size of the factory plywood does not allow cutting a solid element of the boat side. Therefore, it will be necessary to carry out the procedure of merging the sheets.

The joining of pieces begins by cutting off the ends of the sheet under acute angle. As a result, the hewn part should have a length equal to the thickness of the sheet, increased by 7-10 times. The connected parts with the ends cut off are perfectly shown in the diagram below.

Ideally beveled pieces must be coated with glue along the bevel and firmly clamped with clamps using the “mustache” method. While our pieces are being glued together, we can prepare the beams for the boat frame. It will be more convenient to work on a trestle specially created with your own hands from 5x5 cm beams.

You can also make a homemade folding boat from plywood, the drawing of which is presented below.

Assembling the hull of a simple boat

First of all, we will make the frames (although you can make them after assembling the plywood frame). Having drawn out and cut out the necessary beams, we fasten them using self-tapping screws and epoxy glue.

Frames

Pay attention! At the stage of cutting out the elements, deviations from the drawing parameters should not be more than 1 mm, otherwise the sides may not be sewn together.

The assembly of a homemade plywood boat is shown in detail in the video, which is added to the article.

First of all, we install a transom on our sawhorses, to which we attach the bottom and sides, moving them slightly towards the middle, connecting them at the bow with staples. If the thickness of the plywood sheet is small, the sheathing can be joined with suture material or an adhesive mixture. When assembling, carefully ensure that all elements match in size.

Gluing the frames and side is necessary to ensure greater thickness and, accordingly, increase the strength of the structure. Also, in order to increase the reliability of the connections, it is recommended to additionally fasten the transoms and frames with tinned or galvanized self-tapping screws 18 or 25 mm long and 3 mm in diameter. Self-tapping screws for the stern and sides are taken a little larger: 60 by 4-5 mm.

Adviсe! If there is a gap when connecting the elements, it is necessary to disassemble everything and cut it to the right size frames. And for a homemade plywood boat for a motor, you need to remember to glue the transom with fiberglass, and also fasten wooden planks made from solid wood.

You can also cut special linings onto the transom to strengthen the structure as a whole. When all the elements are assembled and fit together, you can begin gluing the structure. To make the seams especially neat, you can use masking tape that is glued to both sides of each seam.

We apply sizing using a mixture of aerosil and epoxy resin(1:1), we work carefully with the fiberglass so that the result is no bubbles. The sizing seams must come out even, and it is also necessary that the wood structure is still visible through the layers of fiberglass.

Then we turn the almost finished boat upside down and remove the staples if they are fastening the elements, and also round the seam joints. Having obtained the desired streamlining, you can glue the seams on the outside.

In addition to gluing, the structure can be reinforced with 3 layers of glass tape or completely covered with fiberglass. You can also add benches to the design, for which we make planks, also cut out the stem and install a bow eye bolt. The outer stringers and keel will need high quality materials to avoid knots. The polished elements will strengthen the structure and also serve as protection for the skin during mooring.

Basics of making a folding structure

You can also make a homemade collapsible boat from plywood according to the above drawing. Such a boat will consist of several independent sections, which in turn represent a part of the structure, the length of which is equal to the distance between the frames that are located next to each other. In other words, the boat is “cut” into pieces.

The sections are assembled using bolts, and to ensure a tight fit of the parts to each other, a rubber seal is laid between the sections. Once assembled, all the rest are placed in the largest middle section with a matryoshka doll. And then all the elements can be packed in a fabric case and easily transported by car or other transport.

To make a collapsible structure you will need the following: materials:

  • Plywood: 2.5 sheets for sheathing - construction 4x1500x1500 mm, part of 1 sheet for the stem and frames - 10x900x1300;
  • Boards for removable seats.

It is necessary to purchase plywood of the 1st grade so that there are no knots, but there is a hitch! Boards 6 m long - take one from coniferous 2 cm thick, and the other from any wood 4 cm thick. We also need meter-long beech boards to finish the side of our boat.

First of all, we also create a design drawing, after which we make paper templates for the transom, frames and stem. In the frames cut with a hacksaw according to the templates, you need to drill the corresponding holes for the bolts, after which we connect the sheets. The frames need to be filed and glued on the outside rubber seal 1 mm thick.

You also need to make holes in the frames for rivets, which will be located in pairs every 1-5 cm, screwing in 1 cm from the edge. They can be built independently from wire with a diameter of 1.5 to 3 mm from aluminum wire. The sections are assembled using a conductor.

When all the elements are made and assembled, the entire structure must be impregnated with drying oil, even two layers are recommended. But always on top of dry plywood. When the drying oil dries out inner part you need to open it with varnish, and the outside with oil paint.

All photos from the article

A boat is an indispensable element of fishing or summer holiday on the river. Of course, a good boat, even if it is a small boat, is quite an expensive pleasure. However, you can make it yourself from plywood, and this task is not as difficult as many might think.

In this article we will look at how to build a plywood boat yourself, which can diversify your vacation.

General information

To build a plywood boat you only need a simple set of tools that everyone has home handyman, and also suitable material, patience and desire to get a quality result.

It should be noted that in addition to ease of manufacture, plywood floating craft has many other advantages, such as:

  • light weight, which is very important, because before launching the boat into the water, you have to walk some distance. In its lightweight version, this product weighs 10-15 kg, so it can be easily carried by two adults. True, if the boat is made according to frame technology, the weight increases, however, it is still not critical for transferring over short distances;
  • depending on the type of project, the capacity of the boat is up to 5 people, which is quite enough for a small family;
  • If the manufacturing technology is followed, the design is strong and durable;
  • manufacturing a watercraft does not require large financial expenditures, since the price of all materials is quite affordable.

Therefore, if you have free time and the desire to build a boat, there is no reason to abandon this idea.

Tools and materials

The main characteristics of the future boat, such as strength and durability, depend on the plywood from which it is made. Therefore, its choice must be approached very responsibly.

Regular FK plywood, which is used for making furniture, is not suitable for these purposes. Therefore, it is best to use sheets of the following brands:

Brand Peculiarities
BS The veneer layers of this plywood are impregnated with bakelite glue. As a result, the material is resistant not only to water, but also to various aggressive environments, temperature changes, etc. negative impacts. The disadvantages include the high cost, and it is very difficult to find this brand on sale.
BC Bakelite varnish is used as an impregnation for veneer. Thanks to this, this material is also resistant to moisture and other negative influences, while its cost is slightly lower than the BK brand.
FSF It is made on the basis of phenol-formaldehyde resins. This brand is the cheapest and most accessible. Therefore, it is excellent for building a boat if it is not possible to purchase BS or BC sheets.

In addition to the type of plywood brand, when choosing, you should also pay attention to its quality:

  • there should be no gaps at the ends of the slabs;
  • There should be no knots or other defects on the surface.

Pay attention!
You should not use plywood that is too thick, as the sheets must be flexible.
That's why optimal thickness is 5–6 mm.

In addition to plywood, you will also need some other materials:

  • boards and bars - must be dry and of high quality;
  • fiberglass - it is more convenient to purchase in a roll and then cut into pieces of the required size;
  • yacht varnish or waterproof paint.

As for the tools, the set is quite simple:

  • jigsaw;
  • sander;
  • plane;
  • hammer;
  • clamps;
  • tape measure and pencil;
  • spatula.

Making a boat

Drawings

Before you start work, you need to prepare drawings on how to build a boat with your own hands from plywood. I must say that on the Internet there is large number all kinds of projects. Some of them are also available on our portal.

However, before choosing the optimal project, you should decide on the basic requirements for the watercraft, such as:

  • size and capacity of the boat;
  • appearance of the product;
  • the complexity of the design is selected depending on the level of your skill. If this is your first time doing this kind of work, it is better to take a simpler project.

Having decided on these requirements, you can consider existing boat designs for self-built from plywood, and choose the most suitable one. If necessary, they can be slightly adjusted according to individual wishes.

Sawing parts

So, we have sorted out the choice of project, now we are building a boat from plywood with our own hands. As an example, let's look at how the simplest punt is made from one.

You should begin work by marking and cutting out parts.

This process is carried out as follows:

  1. first of all, you need to mark the line of the bilge and transom (in diagram A, B, C);
  2. then a part of the sheet is cut along the marked line with a jigsaw;
  3. then the resulting blank should be applied to the opposite side and outlined with a pencil. Thus, it will serve as a template and ensure the symmetry of the boat. For convenience, the workpiece can be attached to the main sheet with clamps;
  4. then the second part of the sheet is cut along the intended line;

You can find anything you want in fishing and hunting stores, and boats are no exception.

But many people want to make a swimming device themselves, because it is interesting and inexpensive.

Do-it-yourself boats have a number of advantages over factory-made options:

  • Lightness of design. Such a plywood device will be much lighter than wooden or metal structures;
  • Stability on water. For such a boat, solid sheets of plywood are used, and its shape is ideal for launching;
  • Low cost. You will only need to spend money on pieces of plywood, glue, varnish and boards;

To ensure the safety of the structure, you should only use quality materials. The plywood must be solid and without damage. The price of the first varieties is slightly higher, but reliability is also important.

For people who are skilled in carpentry, the work will not be difficult. It will take a week and a half, if you make the boat in your free time, then a couple of full days.

But only a professional can do the design with his own hands, because you need to accurately calculate the load capacity, capacity, nose shape and other nuances.

Assembly of the structure

When you have the materials and drawings, you need to start working. The first step will be cutting out the parts from plywood. For this, it is best to use a jigsaw. It is important to cut exactly to size, otherwise the design will not fit together.

Then the frames are glued to the rear side; these parts will be very heavy. If the watercraft requires a motor, then the rear side is strengthened.

The next step will be to attach the transom to the sides and bottom. The sheathing parts must be secured with glue.

After assembling the structure, you need to prepare aerosil and epoxy resin. These substances are mixed 1 to 1. The resulting substance is used to seal seams. Also for this purpose, inside the boat, the seams are sealed with strips of fiberglass.

Important: when doing this work, very toxic substances, so you need to work outside, or in a ventilated area, and using special protective equipment.

When the glue dries, you need to install the frames. Then you need to install seats, luggage compartments and other elements. After the vessel has dried, you need to start final stage, this is sanding and sealing with fiberglass and epoxy grout.

This is followed by the process of painting the structure, this will help further protect the vessel from the influence of water and give it a good appearance.

Painting consists of:

  • Degreasing of all parts of the vessel;
  • Treatments wooden elements impregnation;
  • Surface putties. This will mask all defects;
  • Primers. To do this, you can use boiled drying oil;
  • Application paint and varnish materials. To do this, you can buy any paint, but special ones will help increase the service life of the boat. waterproof materials for plywood;

Prices

Building such a craft with your own hands is an interesting and creative activity for people who like to do things themselves. The main thing is to adhere to the dimensions indicated by the drawings.

It is possible that during this process there will be mistakes that need to be redone. But the result will be an excellent and inexpensive boat. It is best to store this product on dry land. This boat is perfect for use on calm lakes and rivers.

Going out to sea or rafting down mountain rivers is prohibited. You also need to carefully monitor the seams and the integrity of the structure; if there are problem areas, they need to be sealed.

If treated with care and properly stored, such a watercraft will last a long time and will help you have a great time fishing, or just while walking along a pond.

Any vessel, be it a flat boat, a speedboat or a yacht, gives some sense of freedom, which is now available to many. It would seem quite recently homemade boats plywood have only just reached their peak of popularity, but since then a lot of ways to make such structures and methods for processing plywood products have appeared.

Since the proposed design will be small, building a boat from plywood will not cause any difficulties. It is enough just to stock up on materials and tools, as well as make the appropriate calculations.

Description of necessary materials and tools

The advantages of a material such as plywood are not worth listing, since many have probably already encountered the advantages of plywood products.

Pay attention! Plywood boat designs are made from FSF brand material. The thickness of the sheets used varies between 0.5-1.5 cm, depending on the purpose of the structural part that will be made from them.

FSF brand plywood products are different high level resistance to moisture. However, during the process, your plywood cabin boat will be additionally processed, and more than once. Pay attention special attention quality of material when purchasing it. The surface of plywood sheets must be completely free of any defects, damage in the form of cracks and chips, as well as delamination and all kinds of knots that are often found on wood. This point is extremely important, since the final result of your work, as well as the reliability of the structure itself, depends on the quality level of the material.

Specialists who have already had to deal with such a task as making a boat from plywood will say that working with large sheet much more convenient and comfortable, and, therefore, faster. Therefore, give preference to large-format plywood products.

Supporting materials:

  1. Edged planed wood, which will be needed for arranging seats, internal struts and sides. To make a functional boat from plywood, give preference to light wood species.
  2. A plastic clamp or thin wire that will be used as a suture material to connect together various parts belonging to the boat's skin. You can use nylon fishing line, but in this case it must have a decent thickness.
  3. Adhesive composition for sealing seams formed at the joints of parts. It is best to use mixtures based on polymer resins.

Of course, people who know how to build a boat from plywood can add other materials to this list. But in this case, an example of the minimum set is given additional materials. Most often, all kinds of varnishing compounds are used as additions, as well as specialized impregnations that prevent rotting and swelling of the structure, which is in contact with water for a long time.

In addition, to cover the seams between parts, you may need a material such as fiberglass, which can be replaced with its analogue - fiberglass.

And of course, don’t forget about the external aesthetics of your product. Paint is also suitable for this, which will allow you to hide all the seams and achieve the desired color.

The tool set is standard in almost every case:

  • electric or manual jigsaw;
  • set of canvases various sizes supplied with the jigsaw;
  • a saw designed for working with wood;
  • grinding machine;
  • pliers;
  • brushes for various purposes: for applying varnish, painting, applying impregnations;
  • hammer;
  • chisel.

As for the dimensions that a plywood boat can have, design drawings can be very diverse, so it is unlikely that anything specific can be recommended.

However, you can use standard sizes:

  • total length of the structure – 3.5 m;
  • boat width – 1.35 m;
  • side height – 0.5 m.

Having selected a suitable design drawing, it is necessary to transfer all the parts to plywood, after which the sheet is cut according to these markings. To perform this task, you need an electric jigsaw, since other tools can damage the material, and the cut line will be uneven and chipped.

Since in our case we are making a boat, its transom should definitely be covered with an additional layer of fiberglass and, if possible, its structure should be strengthened. For this you can use boards made of wood hard rocks. In addition, self-tapping screws will help you strengthen the fastenings.

Pay attention! If you have not yet fully figured out how to make a boat from plywood, follow the advice of professionals: the design and calculation stage of the load capacity is very important, because if you make a mistake with the basic parameters of the vessel, the result of your work can hardly be called functional.

Regarding practical recommendations, then before assembly all structural elements should be finalized using a plane. It would be preferable to use a power tool. After this, you need to make the corresponding holes, which will be used later when you sew the boat hull together.

To make it easier to install the transom, you can use special trestles, which are easy to build yourself. After which the bottom is fixed, then the side parts of the boat.

Pay attention! These details necessarily come down to the bow. Don't forget to check the location and symmetry.

Sheathing parts and the sheathing material itself can be secured with two in various ways. In the first case, it can be suture material; in the second case, a special adhesive composition can be used. During this process, you will have to manually align the edges of the plywood, achieving a certain angle.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the compliance of sizes, otherwise you may end up with a large gap between the parts, to eliminate which you will have to not only cut the frames, but also disassemble the entire structure.

Frames are rib-like parts that provide the required level of rigidity for the frame of your boat. These parts are cut out of plywood sheets 6 mm thick and installed in increments of 0.8 m. In the end, you should end up with 4 pieces.

The importance of such a detail as the fender, located along the side line, cannot be underestimated. It can have external or internal placement. If you have stocked up on clamps, then these devices can provide you with invaluable assistance and greatly simplify your work. If you do not have a sufficient number of clamps, it is advisable to use them to fix at least the control points while pressing the fender beam. It would not be amiss to use binders that can be placed between the clamps.

After completing the above work, you can begin installing the frame. If you are not afraid to take risks and have fragments of leftover plywood at your disposal, this part can not be made whole. The main thing is not to forget to form a hole in the middle of the frame.

If you cover this area with a deck, you can end up with a small enclosed area that can be used as storage. You can also use leftover plywood to make a deck.

If you want to learn in more detail how a plywood boat is made, the video review below will help you understand all the intricacies of this process.

Carrying out interior and adhesive work

To carry out adhesive work, you will need to prepare a mixture consisting of epoxy resin and aerosil, mixed in equal proportions. The corner areas of the bottom, transom and sides should be strengthened with wooden fillets or corners.

Gluing of fiberglass tapes is carried out on the areas of internal seams, using a previously prepared mixture. They are also used when fixing frames.

At the end of the gluing work, the bottom flooring, seats, oarlocks and other parts that may be included in your vessel design are installed.

After which the structure is left to dry, and then all external work is carried out on cleaning and covering the seams with fiberglass.

To perform quality painting you should:

  • perform the surface degreasing procedure;
  • coat the material with a special composition;
  • apply putty to eliminate all errors, if any;
  • apply a layer of primer.

The coloring composition can be absolutely anything, but it is preferable to use a pigment dye designed for working with wood. Using brushes instead of a spray gun will improve the painting result.

Captain Vrungel believed that whatever you name the ship, it will sail. We will not argue with the old, proven sea wolf, but we will still put forward our opinion - the more carefully and carefully you prepare the drawings of a plywood boat with your own hands, so it will serve you for many years and in any weather. It is the drawings of the vessel that will determine all your future decisions.

They are the ones who will introduce you to this world of shipbuilding, where Anglo-Dutch terminology rules. And understanding the terminology of boat design elements, and therefore successfully reading the proposed drawing, is fundamentally important.


According to the old axiom, start from the stove

Drawings of a homemade plywood boat must include strict instructions on how to attach all elements - this is a key issue for the entire design

Indeed, the terminology, if you throw yourself into such a bottomless area as building a boat, has a huge and crucial. We bring to your attention its fundamentals regarding the design of boats, which appear everywhere in the drawings.

Terminology

Therefore, understand these terms very carefully; they literally permeate any worthwhile drawing of a boat made of any material.

In the side view we note the following structural elements boats, and it is impossible to say which of them is most important and which is less important, all elements are required to be used:

  • A – frame. You can choose the option of an ordinary punt, without frames, but when it comes to such an aspiration thrown on the Internet as “do-it-yourself plywood boat drawings”, the reliability and strength of the structure comes to the fore, which means frames are required;
  • Spacing is the distance between two frames. The most important characteristic of the design of any boat;
  • B - sternpost;
  • C - stem;
  • D – beam
  • E – keelson. A very desirable design element, which, however, is often discarded for boats;
  • F – fender. You cannot do without this element if you are going to add a superstructure to the boat. For open models the fender is not used.
  • I – breshtuk. We strongly advise you not to neglect this element; the strength of the entire structure greatly depends on it.
  • J – book. The bracket is also extremely important in ensuring the strength of the boat.
  • K – stringer. It is also an indispensable element if you approach construction with the utmost care.

The top view introduces a few more important terms:

  • A – beam;
  • B – half beam. Goes into a full beam if you do not build a superstructure on the boat;
  • C – karengs;
  • D – midsection.

The view from the forecastle introduces terms that will be fundamentally important at a more advanced stage of construction, when it becomes necessary to strengthen the boat’s hull and install a sail and keel, also improving sailing performance:

  • A – tongue and groove belts;
  • B – keel. By ensuring the keel weight is 50 percent of the weight of the entire boat, you significantly increase its stability. After all, you never know how the rolling will affect you or future passengers, and a solid supply of sucking sweets and even ginger can do little to prolong the pleasure of being on the water, except to quickly get to the shore;
  • C – steps. Mandatory if you are putting up a mast;
  • D – tongue and groove;
  • E – partners. This is the name of the hole in the superstructure for the passage of the mast. Of course, if you don’t have an add-on, then you can forget about partners for now;
  • F – velhout. A very important sheet pile belt at the level of the waterline, water;
  • H – shearstrek. The topmost tongue and groove belt.
  • G – water level;
  • I – waterweiss. This element is already an element of the add-in.

Plywood

The most common material for making boats today is, of course, carbon fiber. But this material is the domain of industry. When it comes to independent creativity, such “folk” material as plywood comes to the fore..

Plywood or in other words, wood-laminated board - building material, created by gluing specially produced veneer. Usually the number of veneer layers is odd and, in any case, more than 3. To increase the strength of plywood, each subsequent layer of veneer with its wood fibers is perpendicular to the fibers of the previous layer. Frames are the basis of any floating craft. Drawings of plywood boats that claim to be something more than the title of punt must have a separate option - the location of the frames

Characteristics of plywood

When choosing plywood for boat construction, it is very important to choose the right type.

Based on the arrangement of wood fibers on the outer layers, plywood is distinguished:

  • Longitudinal, when the fibers are directed along the long side, and,
  • Transverse - along the short one.

To build a boat, it is better to choose a longitudinal one.
Of course, such an isometric drawing is also possible, but this is the simplest option for the “free plywood boat drawings” section - there are no frames, and the work is in many ways similar to assembly children's construction set, except that the details are tens of times larger

By purpose, plywood is divided into:

  • construction,
  • industrial,
  • packaging,
  • furniture, and
  • structural – this is exactly what we choose for our purposes.

There is a classification of plywood in relation to the effects of moisture, which is fundamentally important for a boat:

  • FBA is like this, but you shouldn’t choose it, it doesn’t meet the strict requirements for moisture resistance;
  • FC – this is the designation for plywood that is sufficiently resistant to moisture;
  • FSF - and so, with increased moisture resistance;
  • FB – impregnated with bakelite varnish, such plywood is considered the most resistant and can be used even in aggressive environments, which is important in our case, and under water;
  • BS - this one is simply impregnated with bakelite glue. Consider that if you have such plywood at your disposal, then the success of the whole business is 50% guaranteed. This type of plywood has been specifically used in aircraft and shipbuilding for quite a long time. It happily combines all the qualities necessary for a boat craftsman - excellent flexibility, highest strength, complete waterproofness, and also resistance to rotting and deterioration;
  • BV - but don’t be fooled by this one, it is in many ways similar to BS, but does not have moisture resistance.

Useful advice!
When choosing plywood for boat construction, we recommend paying attention to laminated plywood.
At the very least, it will be just great if you use one as tongue and groove belts or on the outside of the case if it is single-layer.
This will greatly improve the driving performance of your creation, because water is a medium in which frictional force plays a significant role.
On the other hand, you should not use laminated plywood inside the boat.
Its slippery surface itself, and even wetted with water, can cause a lot of trouble.

Principal characteristics

When it comes to using plywood to build a boat, it is important to choose plywood based on its quality, determined by the number of knots per square meter of the outer layer.

There are 5 quality levels here:

  • E – so-called elite quality, when there are no knots at all. It is probably unnecessary to say that it is always necessary to strive to choose just such plywood;
  • Well, then, a simple classification of quality - I, II, III and IV. In the latter case, the number of knots is not controlled.
  • I – maximum length knots and warping does not exceed 20 mm;
  • II - cracks no more than 200 mm, wood inserts are permissible, and glue leakage is permissible only on an area of ​​2% of total area leaf;
  • III – no more than 10 pieces of knots with a diameter of no more than 6 mm. There is even a restriction on total quantity shortcomings – no more than 9;
  • IV – this is the worst quality with even fallen knots and edge defects of up to 5 mm.

Operating conditions requirements

Most likely, for building a boat you will choose as the most common one. Birch plywood also exists, but its use is too limited at a high price.

Another thing is very important here - the quality of processing of the outer surface of the plywood sheet.

Based on this indicator, plywood is distinguished:

  • NS – unpolished;
  • Ш1 – polished on one side;
  • Ш2 - polished on both sides.

Here it is fundamental and mandatory to use the sanded side of the plywood on the outside of the body. It is advisable, for safety reasons, not to use the polished side on the inside.

Dimensions

A natural characteristic of any sheet of plywood is its size.

The industry, according to standards, produces sheets of the following four sizes:

  • 1525 x 1525 mm;
  • 1220 x 2440 mm;
  • 1500 x 3000 mm;
  • 1525 x 3050 mm.

Your choice will largely depend on the size of the boat.

Useful advice!
All the given characteristics of plywood must be indicated in the specification of the boat drawings.
Under no circumstances agree to purchase the proposed boat drawings if they are not accompanied by a detailed explanatory note describing all the nuances of manufacturing, and most importantly, the choice of type of plywood.
The drawings must indicate the degree of processing external parties housings.
In this regard grinding machine will be one of the most in demand in your work.

Conclusions

Building a boat is a fascinating creative process for people who still like to live, who are not afraid to experiment and have a design streak. (see also) But, on the other hand, you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, be sure to get acquainted with all the photo materials, study the terminology and various constructive solutions.

Prepare yourself for possible reworking of unsuccessful decisions. Know how to “talk to yourself” and communicate with experienced masters. Only in this case is the success of the entire enterprise called “building a plywood boat with your own hands” possible.

In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.