Cutting daggerboard slot in hull

April 25, 2011
We flipped the dory over, and I read over the directions to cut the slot in the bottom of the hull for the daggerboard.  Since I could see the screws that were holding the daggerboard trunk in place, I use a 5/8" drill bit and drilled a hole in the middle between two screws.  When I looked at the hole from underneath, I was relieved to see that although I was much closer to the side of the trunk than I thought I would be, I had done no damage. Then using a router with a trim bit, I cut out the slot.  The wheel on the bit could just follow the sides of the trunk.  I was a little concerned about the ends because the trunk is slanted and there was nothing for the wheel to press against. However, it seems like it came out OK. I switched bits and rounded off the edges of the slot. Again, the little wheel on the rounding bit could just follow the sides of the trunk.  In a very short time, this little nerve racking step was done.

To finish it up, I mixed epoxy to paint the exposed edges of the plywood and then used thickened epoxy to fill in the countersunk screws.

Cutting the slot with a trim bit on the router.

The little wheel on the router could follow the sides of the trunk, and it was all over very quickly.

Using a rounding bit, I went over the slot again to finish the job.

I added fillets to the inside of the forward support for the sliding seat.

Since I was mixing epoxy anyway, I put another coat on the flotation blocks.  With thickened epoxy it put fillets in the small piece that will support one end of the sliding seat.  I had previously put fillets in the plywood piece that will support the other end of the seat.