Stem/Forefoot Structure and Replacement Plan

[bob mitchell]

       Underneath the most forward keel bolt coming up through the apron is the joint where the forefoot is joined with the deadwood. These two photos combined show the whole joint. The scarf going aft is 24" past the lead keel.

 

The joint is covered, or bridged for strength by 3/4 vertical plywood on each side that is the final extension of the vertical plywood that covers all of the 5 1/2" Douglas Fir deadwood. You can see the forward end of the plywood marked on one of the blueprints from Clyde. Also, you might notice the West Coast boats (in blueprint) with their almost 6 foot draft iron keel are a little different than the 5 foot lead keel East coast boats. A smooth transition width wise between the deadwood and the forefoot was achieved by tapering the last couple of feet of the deadwood down from 5 1/2" to 4", and "notching" (for lack of a better word) the forefoot as well. The vertical line to the right in the first photo is the forward margin of the 3/4" pl,ywood that spans the deadwood/forefoot joint and extends all the way to the aft end of the deadwood.

The next photo shows the first and second pieces that comprise the stem, their joint being hidden behind the doubled number 4 frame. The doubled number 4 frame also has a 3/4" plywood bulkhead bolted to its front face.  The piece labeled 4-5p is a "cheek", nailed between the frames in this area to increase the planking surface. On the forard side of frame 4 the cheek has been removed. The end view cross section behind the frame is floor 4, resting on the stem and  bolted through stem and forefoot. The plywood upper right is in great shape, and well fastened. All though hard to see in this photo, the rabbet is right below the lower cheek edge.

The next photo shows the joint between the upper and lower stem pieces, althoug the photo  may not accurately document the joint because the piece behind the bobstay staple appears to have been replaced. The next shot is just a general full length view of the stem/forefoot area for perspective.

The basic plan is once again to leave as much in place as I can for reference as I replace individual pieces sequentially. Most of the frames are in good shape except at the very bottom. All of the cheek blocks are rotten, so as a general approach I will cut the bottom of the frames off along a line parallel to the outside surface of the cheeks. The completion of that task will be the reinsertion of one long continuous "cheek" that the frames butt to and that is fastened to the stem pieces. I will put some new cheek blocking between frames as well, but on the outside of the new piece.

      Before I install the new long "cheek" piece I will drop the first stem piece down and out and replace it completely. The fit is easy because it is centered, and flush to the bottom of the floors, which don't come out. That process, of course, assumes that I have pulled the lower section of the forefoot, which involves sawsawing the three 1/2" bolts that came through from the apron, and pushing down and out the most forward keel bolt. For bracing I have supported the bowsprit, and have strapped the windless with an upward pull from the boom truck, and I can also add a post under the bobstay staple.

       After the first piece of stem and forefoot are back in and bolted to the new apron

I will then tackle the upper pieces of stem and forefoot. The upper piece of the stem is large, widening to 9 1/2" at the top. But only the 2" along it forward surface are bad, so I will cut that out and epoxy a brand new piece in. The upper forefoot will be replaced completely. In the above photo, right below the new apron towards the left of the photo, you can make out the rabbet where the planking intersects the keel. A couple of photos back, with the bobstay staple shown, you can also make out the rabbet in the new material. In general, if you want to look for the rabbet in the stem/forefoot area, it is right below the cheekblocks.