Acorn To Arabellavideo
Acorn to Arabella - Journey of a Wooden Boat - Episode 109: Cedar Planks and Butt Blocks
1 May 2020 · 23 min · 144K views · Worcester, Massachusetts
What this video covers
Steve and Aaron install cedar hull planks on the wooden boat Arabella, focusing on the complex transition where the oak steeler meets the cedar planking.6:35 Because the frames are too narrow to support a butt joint, they install locust butt blocks to back the nibbed joints.6:57 To ensure precise alignment, they drill pilot holes from the inside of the hull before installing the blocks, then bed the surfaces with Dolphinite and secure them with bronze rivets.13:06 The crew chamfers the top edges of the butt blocks to prevent debris accumulation in the engine bay.8:17 After completing the initial spiled planks, they transition to narrower, straight-grained cedar planks, using a diminishing process to calculate plank widths at each station.15:33 They also perform knot repairs on the lower planks using graving pieces.17:27 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the crew cancels their annual May open house but secures a bulk supply of bronze fasteners, epoxy, and paint from Jamestown Distributors to continue construction through the summer.21:47
More from Acorn To Arabella
From Acorn To Arabella — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.



