The stem, keel, and stern post have been attached and the second, final layer of hull planking has been started.
The second planking is unlike the first in several ways. The thin mahogany veneer strips provided for the outer planking are very brittle and difficult to cut or sand without splintering, so shaping them is more challenging. However, they are much easier to glue. I can apply some wood glue, spread it with my finger until it is thin and tacky, and the planks can be laid down like tape. They are set in place in just a minute or two.
The outer planks cannot be laid flat except by strictly following the curves of the hull. This has required carefully making each plank appropriately wide or narrow, and I found that it has been easier to do this by breaking the planks into many shapes, rather than trying to lay a single long plank from bow to stern. It has been a slow process to test fit each piece, sand off a few molecules, test fit again, etc. until the piece is ready to glue.
