Stringers are the long strips that run from end to end of the boat. You can cut your stringers from most any wood. Keep in mind softwoods are easier to bend than hardwoods. I suggest using Western Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar, Cypress or redwood because of their light weight and rot resistance. I think these are the better choices for use in your boat.

I have used Southern yellow pine but it will rot if not taken care of and it is heavy. The point is you can use most any lumber for this but keep in mind it's weight and it's ability to bend and not break. Most importantly, how long it will last in wet conditions!

Rip your stringers to width using the method you're comfortable with. I prefer a table saw while some people use a circular saw with a ripping guide. All that matters is you cut a straight line. You will need 1-1/2” wide strips for the Gunwales and 1” wide for the chines, keel and deck beams.

All stringers are 5/8” thick. Most 1” thick lumber you buy is actually between 3/4” and 5/8” thick. If you end up with 3/4” thick lumber you have a couple of options. For the outside stringers (gunwale and chine) just use the thicker stock. The extra 1/8” will not hurt anything.

For the keel and the those stringers on the deck you will either have to plane the stringers to 5/8” thick or open the slots in the frames to 3/4”.

A wood rasp with fine teeth is a good tool for opening the slots. Don't use one with coarse teeth as it will damage the plywood edges. Longer rasps are easier to use than short ones! Be sure and add a handle over the sharp tang end though. If not you can end up with a puncture in your hand.

Once cut to size, I run my stringers through a shaper or router and round over the sharp edges. Your frames will have rounded corners where the stringer fit. If you can not round over the edges of the stringers then you will need to take a rasp and square up the corners in the frames. If you clamp the frame to a table or in a vice this goes very quickly.

You need to round over at the least the outside edge of the stringer where the skin wraps over. You can do this with some coarse sandpaper. A sharp block plane will make short work of this too. Another way might be to run the stringers through the saw and cut a small 45 degree angle on the edge and then sand with some coarse sandpaper to remove the sharp edge the saw blade leaves. There are lot of ways you can do this. Just remember it is important to at least round over that outside edge.

Share