Completely closed

Finally an update again, after two months without progress. Starboard is nearly closed: two more strips and then a good while of sanding.

From the point in the second photo I went back to using full-width planks. For the stern another stealer was needed, and as you can see one more is coming there. Width-wise, in the middle of the hull I come out at exactly the width of two planks.

And by the end of the afternoon she really is completely closed. Another fine milestone. The second planking began on 8 April with marking out the wale; I closed the port side on 8 September, and now, a good seven months after the first plank, the hull is complete. Along the way I learnt tapering, drop planks to the English system, stealers and filling small gaps with sanding dust and diluted PVA. Sanding of the sternpost has begun, and after that comes the rest of the hull.