UJ Construction Question | SouthernPaddler.com

UJ Construction Question

wilded

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2003
124
0
Round Rock, Texas
I am building a boat using the UJ stems and ribs. I want to use a chine instead of filets on the interior around the bottom. The ribs are only about 1 1/8 inch wide so if I cut out a notch for the chine I am afraid they will be too thin. Can I notch the chine board or should I approach this in a completely different way? Thanks, ET
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
i don't want to venture too far into Uncle John's turf, but i have been involved in a few inside chine pirogues.......

my advice is not to notch the chine - notches will be weak spots that are likely to break as you bend the chine. You can always make larger ribs to allow for the cut out. My question is -do you really need ribs if you're putting in an inside chine? dunno the other particulars of your build but here's a pirogue made with 1/4" plywood with inside chines and no ribs

IMG_0765.jpg


here's another

marshpirogue.jpg
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Seedtick.......

Far be it for me to ask this but ....... Here goes nothing. :roll:

The inside chines act as the ribs for enforcing the seam along the bottom and the seats would take there place for the support on the top along with the railing on both sides of the top. Like a thwart in a canoe does.

Chuck.
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
wiled

This not the answer to the question you asked, but an option to consider. Put the chines on the outside.

Eliminates the filet, lets you use the ribs you already have, and gives you the option of a wider bottom or a narrow beam. For me they are easier to fit than inside chines.
For the best answer do what seedtick recommends.

beekeeper
 

Oldironsides

Member
Nov 20, 2009
17
0
46
Daytona Bch Fl.
Seedtick
Would that same principal be good for the skiff to, just a chine log and no ribs? I want to incorporate a large rear deck and a large front deck roughly 3/4 the way up from the floor for poling and casting, and that would make things easier. One would assume that the chine log and the two decks would be equal to or the same as ribs. The floor would also have the support it needs by the runners on the bottom of the boat (3 runners). Ahh also I will be using the lattice on the inside and out for anchor tie off and whatever other handy crap I can affix to it.

Thanks Gents
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
The more you add to the inside of the boat whether it's another top rail, larger bresthook, decks, seat or dry box will add to the strength of the final product. What you add is your choice, what you NEED to add depends on the other materials of construction. We use marine plywood, which is stronger than the 1/8" door skins or thin luan that some have used. Not that there's anything wrong with the thinner panels, it's just that they need more support - ribs,fiberglass, etc.

Beekeeper has a good idea with the outside chines, they are easier to install. Here's a another skiff from about 5 or 6 years ago with outside chines and ribs (and a modified UJ slat seat). We kept the ribs because it would be used with an outboard.

IMG_0141-1.jpg
 

Oldironsides

Member
Nov 20, 2009
17
0
46
Daytona Bch Fl.
Seedtick, That skiff is very nice I love the upsweep of the bow. Did you accomplish that by just leaving a little more material on the side and raise the couple front ribs to match the height. That upsweep and a deck on the front is exactly what I would hope mine could look like. I like the look it adds, it just doesn't look like to pieces of would that were stuck toghether. Its a small but great attention to the small things which I am a big fan of
 

Oldironsides

Member
Nov 20, 2009
17
0
46
Daytona Bch Fl.
Kieth, The bottom I hope to get roughly 30"s out of it. It will help with stabillity and two people standing. I'm not real worried about paddlin efficiency as its not a all day trip boat. Its mostly going to be loaded in the truck pulled out poled close by then loaded again and so on and so on. I drive down a dike road from spot to spot. I will also be using old trailer rolers to assist in loading and unloading so as long as it not much over 100lbs I'm good. Dad always said if your gonna be dumb ya gotta be tough(strong). Oh the rollers are attached to a bracket that slides in the reese hitch and they pivot to allow for angle changes. Thank for the input.
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
look back to the photo of the sides on the post about skiff stability

cutting the sides out to look like a banana will give you that "hump"

the more you spread the top of the sides out, the more you tend to lose the hump

straight lines in a boat don't grab too much attention, it's the curves that catch the eye
 

gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
I built my UJ pirogue with ribs and interior chines.

Instead of notching the ribs, I laid in the chines in pieces, between the ribs.

This was a little tricky in two ways;

-Cutting the chine sections to length is a trial and error proposition, since they end up curved, and thus have to be a bit longer than the straight line distance that you measure from rib to rib. You can deal with that by being patient and trimming them a bit at a time. Also the end cuts are not 90 degrees, but you can figure that out with a bevel gauge and a Mark I eyeball.

-Clamping a short section of chine to the side board tends to straighten the side board, which isn't what you want. I solved that by clamping a long piece of wood to the outside of the hull to act as a stiffener that would maintain the proper curve.

A picture is worth a thousand words - let's see if I can remember how to post one....

DSCF1241.jpg


In this picture you can see the interior chines clamped in place, and a piece of wood clamped on the outside of the hull to maintain a fair curve. The piece of wood on the outside of the hull is continuous from stem to stem so as to provide the proper curve. The chines being glued in place on the interior are pieced, to fit between the ribs. What doesn't show very well is a series of #6 finishing nails that went through the outside piece, and the side board, and the chine so as to help hold alignment while the glue cured. I would get a section lined up, drill a hole, and slip the nail in.

*Note that the strip of wood on the outside of the hull does not become part of the boat. It is clamped in place to maintain a fair curve while the interior chines are being clamped and glued. Once the glue cured, the exterior piece came off.

Don't forget that the chines need to be beveled so that they will be at least close to flush with the bottom. The way the UJ is set up, if you rip them in advance, you won't have to do much planing or sanding. The angle from side board to bottom board is pretty constant from one end to the other.

Don't know if this was the smartest way to do it, but it worked.

GBinGA
 

woodchips

Well-Known Member
Mar 29, 2010
85
0
55
Montgomery, Alabama
If you realy want both inner chines and the ribs, and if you do by some chance notch the ribs and are concerned about strength you could always add a pair of gussets on each side of the frame to sure it all up. Then fill the open spot between the gussets, and on top of the frame with a small block of wood cut to fit. This would be the same thickness as the frame, and no taller than the gusset. It would be scribed out befor you glue the gussets on. And that will give you even more strength. But I would have to agree, don't notch the chine.