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Waiting to find the correct tool to sand the Protecteur hull, I decided to build the longboat. The plan being too simple, I had to find construction details in the book from Mondfeld : the Encyclopédie Navale des Modèles Réduits, a real mine of information. The building method consists of the use of a positive 'forming block' upon which the frames are laid, and then the planks are applied to the frames, just like on the real longboat. The block is made of plywood, then sanded while checking that its surface matches the plan. The frames are cut from a 1.5mm wild cherry plank; they are glued in little holes drilled very close to the edges of the block, but they are not glued upon it, so the hull can be removed from its mould, once the building is over. Then, the keel is put in position and glued to the frames, and the first planking (made of pear wood) is then glued on the frames, very close to the 'forming block' support, and is held in position by numerous pins. The other planks are then glued following the same method. The whole hull - still on its block - is sanded, then the frames are sawn slightly below the block support, and the hull is separated from the block. After cleaning the inside of the hull, all the internal equipments are put in place : deck, cabin, seats, mast stepping device, gunwale, rudder... The longboat measures a little bit more that 13cm.

The plan	Forming block	Forming block
Forming block	Forming block	Forming block
Forming block	Frames	Frames
Frames	Frames	Frames and keel
Frames and keel	First planking	First planking
First planking	Deck and cabin	Deck and cabin
Front	General view	Cabin
Seats general view	Stern view	Seats general view
Seats general view	Placing the inside ribband	Main mast clamping device
Seats strengthening pieces	Seats strengthening pieces	Rudder and bow sheave
Rudder and bow sheave	Rudder and bow sheave	The rudder in position
The finished longboat	The finished longboat	The finished longboat
The finished longboat	The finished longboat