Page 6 of 15
Step-by-step assembly
1)
Wash the boat inside and out with mildly soapy water to remove any dust left from the
manufacturing process. It is recommended that you use rubber gloves to avoid getting
splinters into your hands.
After washing, start sanding the exterior. You want to make the hull as smooth as
possible for optimum performance and appearance. It is best to use a mildly soapy water
and a variety of grits of sandpaper (starting with about 220 grit). Some modelers prefer
to finish the boat to the primed stage prior to beginning internal construction, others wait
until all assembly is complete. The choice is yours, but it is really, really important that
you do at least some of the finishing now!
On ABS and fiberglass hulls, there are occasionally small voids or dimples. These can be
removed by sanding, using Squadron Putty (from the plastic section of the hobby shop)
or auto body filler (from the auto store) to fill the holes. Another method which is
sometimes used on the glass hulls is to mix epoxy with micro balloons, using this as a
filler.
Also, it is recommended that the join edges be sanded back to a smooth contour between
deck and hull, removing the excess flange from the deck portion. A smooth edge will not
only look better, but it will improve performance especially in windy conditions.
After you are done filling and sanding, you are ready to begin assembly.
2)
Draw a centerline lengthwise down the tunnel of the boat.
a) Make a mark 3 3/4” from the inside of the right sponson tunnel at the transom.
b) Make another mark near the front of the center section, also 3 3/4” from the right
sponson.
c) Connect the two marks, to define the centerline of the hull.
This is not necessarily the
exact centerline, but it will be referred to as such.
3)
Make cross- marks on the centerline at the following distances from the transom: 2½”,
5½”, 10”, 13¾”. The 5½” point is very close to or on the back edge of the engine well.
See drawing on next page.