First the exam, then the lesson

 

The CNC cut kit has puzzle joints to scarf together side planks and hull bottom panel, plus some other critical bits.  My experience with scarfing ply on other boat, using 5:1 scarf joints, has not been fantastic- always a bit dubious and bumpy. 

The SCAMP manual says, in large font: " Don't try to test fit the puzzle joints". In other words, you only get one shot at this. First the exam, then the lesson.

I set up to join the side planks, six joints. Lots of plastic. Lots of anxious sanding and fussing. It actually went pretty well, tho I needed a mallet to tap down a few of the fingers. And my batch of epoxy went off before I finished, I was taking so long. 

Next day I could sand back and bingo I have the side planks done. The best scarf joints I have ever done and I don't have to worry whether I have aligned the ends right. I like this cnc caper.

Encouraged, I did the bottom sheet yesterday. 

Meanwhile rain was forecast so I put together the base legs for the jig, so I could get the mdf pieces up off the ground.

The manual suggests building the centreboard first so you can tailor the centreboard case to fit. So, the centreboard epic continues. I laminated one out of various hardwoods, which I happened to have around. Not surprisingly it is extremely hard to work. Routing out a cavity for the lead was a workout. I got a roll lead sheet from Bunnings, poured epoxy round it, and I have been topping the gap up with left over epoxy as I go. 

I am not super confident this will work but I can always make one out of ply if it doesn't.

I can see some serious sanding I my future.