ZZZip Kit lands in my shop

[Roberta]

You could use the lamination to repair the break. Maybe use a ratchet strap and lots of clamps to pull in the assembly to get it fair and/or over build and fair it into symmetry. It's wood and numerous ways to repair it. Be prepared for it possibly breaking again. Watch the grain.

Roberta

[Hercdrvr]

Bummer your sheer snapped, it’s part of the construction. I’d probably use some mahogany and do a scarf / butt block combination joint on the flat span between frame #1 and #2. Easy fix.
The chine hook on this kit is impressive, lots of material provided.
Matt B

[Roberta]

Matt's idea is good if you can cut the shear loose, patch up the break, and remount the piece placing the break in a flat section in the aft.

Good call, Matt.

I really like the chine hook, too. Much like the harpin used for the Torpedo shear.

Roberta

[hoodman]

That happened to me too! If the grain isn't perfect in that area you can get a break. You can look back through my thread to see how I fixed it, but it was similar to what Matt and Roberta said.

[vupilot]

White oak is a good material as well and usually available locally in many regions if you want to make a new one and cant find african mahogany or other material. Its a little unusual to get a break in a laminated sheer or chine, usually it happens when trying to make them from one thick piece. It would probably help to only clamp it in about halfway then let sit overnight and clamp a little more, slowly acclimating the material to the new shape then follow up with epoxy/screws.

[Sam's ZIP]

I apppreciate the suggestions, looks like we are all pretty much singing from the same sheet. First thing I'm going to look at is flipping that sheer around (not glued yet, just screwed to the frames) to put the break in the aft half of the boat. The angle cuts on the ends will be wrong but I can work around that. It will be much easier to repair the break near the rear of the hull. I'll try to use the outer lamination as a splint to put the broken bones back together.

Thank you!

About that chine brace---yes, that is an impressive collection of pieces. However, if building another one of these kits, and for consideration of future ZZZip Kit builders, I would consider modifying the assemble sequence. I glued the chine brace, stem, breasthook and forward frame together before adding the additional frames, keel and chine logs. I failed to get the alignment of the chine brace exactly right because I had never seen this before and was having trouble visualizing how all this fits together. This made it impossible to get the chine logs to insert perfectly into the faired edges of the brace. I can definitely fair what I have but I could have saved some work (see below).

What I would do next time.....leave the chine brace assembly unglued from the stem and forward frame until after the chine logs have been attached to the brace. This will allow perfect alignment. Then the stem and brace/logs can be buttered and slid into place against the forward frame. Having the chine logs flopping around would be kinda awkward but nothing a boat builder couldn't handle.

I'll remember that for the next ZIP!

[Roberta]

Future Zip kit builders will appreciate your candid remarks about the positioning of the chine hook and leaving it positionable for better alignment.

Roberta

[hoodman]

Shoot, it you haven't glued it yet that is a way easier fix.

[Sam's ZIP]

Just to close the loop, I used the same technique that no doubt many builders have employed to save a broken sheer. Fortunately I hadn't yet glued the sheer to the frames so I was able to back out the screws and flip it around so the break would be located aft of frame two where there is much less stress on the sheer. I think it would have been very difficult to repair it in the original location and maintain a fair curve that matched the other side.

The reversed sheer was reattached to the frames with screws and T-88 and the broken area was buttered with T-88 and clamped overnight.

The next day the outer sheer lamination was dry-fitted and the repair turned out very nicely. Overall, a good outcome to a brief interruption in the build process.

[Roberta]

Well done.

Roberta

[Bill Edmundson]

Never happened!

Bill

[hoodman]

Another miracle recovery.

[Hercdrvr]

Design improvement, I like it better that way .
Matt B

[Sam's ZIP]

I still find it amazing that I have a wood boat ready to plank after only two weeks into the project. After generating large piles of shavings the chines and keel are ready to accept the bottom ply. I spent considerable time aligning the structure because my biggest concern was the precut ply wouldn't fit my framing. That could be a mess.

But the port sheet fits perfectly with no trimming---amazing how a CAD program can calculate the exact size needed to plank a complex shape. All the edges lined up when the ply was aligned on the Sharpie line down the center of the keel. Since this sheet fits I assume (hope?) the others will as well since we apparently have a straight boat. Also, the flame joinery fits precisely and makes a strong joint between the two halves of the port bottom. Just apply glue to the flames and tap into place with a mallet. I used an acid brush to apple T-88 to the flames.

I drilled holes in the ply then drove index pins into the keel so the sheet can be precisely relocated when ready to glue.

Think I'll put some wet towels on the bow section of the ply so it will take a set prior to gluing.

[Sam's ZIP]

The beautiful lines of the ZIP are becoming more evident with the attachment of the bottom planking. The fit of the precut ply worked out nicely but my efforts failed to yield perfect results. This would have been easier with another pair of hands because wrangling a nearly 16' sheet of ply solo and getting it wrapped around the stem while T-88 is curing is a handful. But some finishing will produce results that I will be happy with. I'm going to draft some help with the side planking.