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Building a Keelboat
Click on this link to read and view pictures about our 2007 trip: 2007 Ouachita River Trip.
There also will be a DVD within the nextmonth of the three video's shot of the trip and the still photos taken. The log of the 2007 will probably be also adjusted as more information and photos of the trip come in.
With the intention of replicating the Dunbar-Hunter
expedition, the Early Arkansaw Reenactors Association
constructed a keelboat typical of the boat used in
the expedition. EARA has completed two floats down the Ouachita River (i.e., 2004 and 2006).
Click on this link for the 2004 story 2004 Ouachita River Trip
and this link for the 2006 story 2006 Ouachita River Trip
A keelboat is one of several types of boats typically used for exploration and trade during the time of these expeditions. Click this link to find more information about the types of boats used on the inland western waters.
The design for EARA's 38-foot keelboat is by Phil Bolger, a renowned boat designer from Gloucester, Massachusetts. Andy Zawacki, wood conservationist at Historic Arkansas Museum, was the technical building expert. Throughout the construction process, we tested various construction approaches on a 12-to-1 scale model built by Tim Richardson.
The process began in January 2003 with several meetings at The Community Bakery, a local coffee shop and bakery in downtown Little Rock. The result of these meetings was the development of a core group of EARA experts, a timeline, and list of materials needed to construct the keelboat.
This is (by far) the largest undertaking EARA has ever attempted. It is also the best-documented project EARA has ever done. The following links provide details of the building process, in the order they were performed, including more than 80 photographs.
Click on any numbered link to jump to that process, or scroll down to read
the entire description. Click on the small bullets 
to see the pictures of the progress
and then use your browser's "back" button to return
to this page.
- Lofting
- Making and facing the ribs
- Building the stongback and laying the apron
- Planking the hull
- Building a trailer to haul the keelboat
- Turning the keelboat over
- Installing the deck and cabin
- Launching the keelboat
Steps 1 and 2 were completed at the Fellowship Hall, Grace Presbyterian Church, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Steps 3, 4, 6 and 7 were completed at the Plantation Agricultural Museum in Scott, Arkansas.
Step 5 was completed by students at Metropolitan Career Technical School in Little Rock.
For the final step, we launched the keelboat at Willow Beach Park on June 13th, 2004.
Lofting
Lofting is the process in which the plans (which are small and drawn to scale) are enlarged to full-size. This was accomplished in March 2003 and took 55 hours to complete.
Ed Williams and Larry Layne painting masonite boards for lofting.
A long shot of the full size of the boar, five sheets end-to-end
A full-scale two-dimensional drawing of the keelboat is done on the masonite
From the full-scale drawing the ribs are developed and traced onto mylar
This photo is taken from the blueprints and shows what is all drawn on the lofting boards. If you look close you will see a side and ½ of a top view of the keelboat. In the middle is a view of the ribs. The left side is from amidship to stern and the right side are the ribs amidship to bow.
Making and Facing the Ribs
This was accomplished April thru June, 2003, and took 158 hours to complete.
Larry Layne and Glenn Cook review plans using a contractor’s scaled ruler.
Tim Richardson, Harlan Brown, Robert Carroll, and Mark Thurman punch dots through the mylar to trace out the ribs.
Mark Thurman connects the dots.
This shows the three stations in fitting (station 1), cutting (station 2), and assembling (station 3) the dimensional lumber to the plywood templates
In station 1, the lumber is fitted to the plywood, per blueprint instructions.
WJ and James, with Mark’s back to the camera, fitting a rib.
We used station 2 as a platform for cutting the boards, using a “chop” or miter saw and for holding the plans.
Another picture of station 2.
The lumber is glued, using 3M 5200, and nailed with stainless steel ring shank nails, #10x1/1/2.
Building the Stongback and Laying the Apron
This occured at Scott, Arkansas.
A long view of the strongback with some cross ties in place. The cross ties indicate where the ribs will be placed, bow to stern.
A side view of the strongback, bow end. The fellow is Glenn Cook and to his left is the keelboat model sitting on a belt driven joining/plainer. To the left of this piece is a belt driven planer.
Ed and Chuck ripping some 2x4's to use for the clamps and carlins.
Ben Swadley and Mindy tending the other end of the board.
Mark thurman and Harlan Brown finishing up the strongback.
Tim tracing out the keel (no Tim in the picture as he is taking the picture).
Eric Layne, Jimmy Worden, & Michael Bethea attaching the ribs to the strongback. Does the strongback now begin to make sense or do we need a few more weeks?
Dave Leffler and Glenn Cook scarf out the apron, an inter-keel so to speak, with Rita Layne saying, "Oh, you boys are noisy!" Glenn showing David how long something is!!
Eric and Larry Layne, Harlan Brown and Chuck Marting putting up a rib.
All the ribs are mounted onto the strongback. Very hot and humid day and we are all very happy at this point!
Tim and Harlan laying in place the bow portion of the apron.
Andrew English and Robert Carroll scarfing the carlins.
A bunch of keel lifters all in a row: Andrew English, Robert Carroll, Chuck Martin, Harlan Brown, Michael Bethea, Tim Richardson, and Glenn Cook.
Tim Richarson, Andrew English, and Harlan Brown fitting the keel to the first stern rib.
Dave Leffler putting the finishing touches on the ribs for placing the carlins.
Howard Bethea and Ragun Moody working on the other side of the keelboat.
Time Richardson off balance while placing the carlin on the bow post.
The keel (or apron) has been attached and the carlines are temporarily in place.
Planking the Hull
Plantation Agricultural Museum at Scott, Arkansas, September 2003 through January 2004. Including the time it took to turn the boat over, we expended 504 hours.
Eric Layne, Chuck Martin, and larry Layne laying paper over the side hull and cutting to fit.
Harlon Brown cutting the first side panel.
ragun Moody, Jimmy Staton, Harlon Brown, and Larry Layen attaching the first side panel. Chuck Martin is at the very end, behind Ragun.
Mark Thurman and Jimmy Staton fiberglass taping the scarf joints on the side panels.
Larry and Eric Layne and Michael Bethea found that ribs C on the stern and #2 on the bow needed to be planed more to allow for a better fit.
The first panel is temporarily mounted to allow for final fitting.
A meeting of the minds on how to make that bend at the bow and stern.
Tacking the hull peices for final fitting.
Need one last bottom hull piece.
The final bending of the bottom hull pieces needs some help to make the bend.
Not sure why they have the plank laid up, could be to help with the bend (left to right, Robert Carroll, Larry Layen, Howard Bethea (behind Larry), Eric Layne, Jimmy Staton, and on the ground Harlan Brown and Michael Bethea).
Tim Richardson and Larry Layne cutting a final fit.
A good view of the keelboat with the hull attached and men attaching the oak keel.
Eric Layne, Larry Layne, and Time Richardson bedding and attaching the oak keel.
This picture shows the first coat (primer coat) of paint. It was still wet when the photo was taken, so it is a little shiny. The color is red lead. Two more coats of paint were needed.
Building a Trailer to Haul the Keelboat
During the time EARA was building the strongback and planking the hull, the trailer was being built by two welding classes taught by Jerald “Red” White at Metropolitan Career Technical School, Little Rock School District. The c-channel and other iron stock was purchased from Hobart’s in North Little Rock and the axles, tires, fenders, brakes, and hitch were purchased from Southwest Trailer in Dallas, Texas. The trailer plans were purchsed from Glen-L. Below are photos and narration of the building process.
All the iron stock, axles, and bother basic trailer parts were delivered the week of September 22nd.
A pallet with the tires, fenders, springs. We brought the model to show the students what is going onto the trailer.
First step is to cut the cross pieces and tack into place.
Next the traieler is raised off the ground and the corss pieces permanetly welded.
Was able to catch the beginning of the welding process.
The middle of the welding process.
The back end of the trailer, showing the support rod.
The front end bent in and the hitch ready to weld on.
The finished 40-foot trailer ready to add the bunks and rollers.
Turning the Keelboat Over
The keelboat was turned over on Sunday, February 1, 2004. Tim Richardson did all of the planning and the project went off without a hitch.
This is the base photo. We used five chain hoists. Two were attached to the port side directly above the keelboat, one was attached to the starboard side directly above the keelboat, and two were attached at an obtuse angle to the starboard side of the keelboat.
In this photo the three hoists above the keelboat have lifted up the keelboat, the strongback has been disconnected and the two obtuse hoists are pulling the keelboats towards them.
As the two obtuse hoists are pulling, the other starboard hoist pulls up the keelboat.
The two port hoists begin lowering the keelboat and the two obtuse hoists continue to pull the keelboat towards them.
The keelboat flips over as the two port hoists lower the keelboat and the two obtuse hoists continue to pull. This also pulls the keelboat away from the strongback and onto the trailer.
The keelboat is placed onto the trailer.
A photo of all the folks that helped turn the keelboat.