Marine Carpentry Course

Lesson 1 • Workshop Safety and Tool Maintenance

Establishes safe practices for marine shop environments, including dust, solvent, and confined-space hazards. Proper tool care ensures accuracy and longevity.

Lesson 2 • Vessel Anatomy for Carpenters

Introduces hull, deck, and interior structural terminology used in marine carpentry. Provides the vocabulary needed for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Marine-Grade Lumber and Sheet Goods

Examines species selection, grading standards, and moisture content requirements for marine use. Builds the material literacy required for structural and finish work.

Lesson 4 • The Marine Environment and Wood

Covers how saltwater, humidity, and UV exposure degrade wood and fasteners. Connects environmental awareness to material selection throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Saws, Chisels, and Planes

Covers sharpening, setup, and correct use of hand saws, chisels, and bench planes for marine joinery. Sharp, well-tuned tools produce tight-fitting joints.

Lesson 2 • Marking and Scribing Tools

Introduces marking gauges, mortise gauges, and scribers for precise layout lines. Consistent marking prevents cumulative error in complex assemblies.

Lesson 3 • Measurement and Layout on Curved Surfaces

Teaches transferring measurements across compound curves common on hulls and decks. Accurate layout is the prerequisite for all fitting and joinery tasks.

Lesson 1 • Portable Circular Saw and Jigsaw

Addresses guide systems, blade selection, and cutting techniques for work performed aboard vessels. Portable tools must compensate for unstable working platforms.

Lesson 2 • Drills, Drivers, and Boring Tools

Covers countersinking, counterboring, and plug-cutting for traditional marine fastening. Proper boring prevents wood splitting and ensures watertight fastener installation.

Lesson 3 • Sanders and Finishing Machines

Explains random-orbit, belt, and detail sanders for preparing surfaces before coating. Consistent scratch patterns are essential for adhesion of marine finishes.

Lesson 4 • Router and Laminate Trimmer Use

Teaches bit selection, depth setting, and climb-cut awareness for routing profiles and dadoes. Routers are critical for cabinetry and trim work aboard vessels.

Lesson 1 • Butt Joints, Rabbets, and Dadoes

Introduces the simplest marine joints and their reinforcement with fasteners and epoxy. These joints appear in bulkheads, shelving, and cabinetry throughout a vessel.

Lesson 2 • Epoxy Joinery and Encapsulation

Covers epoxy mixing ratios, pot life management, and full encapsulation of structural members. Epoxy joinery is the standard for high-stress and below-waterline applications.

Lesson 3 • Splined, Biscuit, and Dowel Joints

Teaches alignment-aid joints used in panel glue-ups and face-frame assembly. These methods speed production while maintaining alignment under marine conditions.

Lesson 4 • Mortise and Tenon Joinery

Covers layout, cutting, and fitting of mortise-and-tenon joints for frames and furniture. This joint provides superior resistance to racking forces on a moving vessel.

Lesson 1 • Traditional Plank-on-Frame Techniques

Covers spiling, beveling, and fastening strakes to frames in traditional construction. Understanding plank geometry is essential for repair and restoration work.

Lesson 2 • Hull Planking Repairs

Covers sistering frames, scarfing planks, and replacing damaged sections in existing hulls. Repair work demands accurate diagnosis before any material is removed.

Lesson 3 • Teak and Synthetic Decking Systems

Teaches laying, caulking, and fastening teak deck planks and synthetic alternatives. Deck integrity directly affects vessel safety and water intrusion prevention.

Lesson 4 • Deck Hardware Backing and Sealing

Addresses proper backing plate sizing, bedding, and fastening for cleats, winches, and hatches. Improperly bedded hardware is a leading cause of deck delamination.

Lesson 1 • Designing for a Moving Vessel

Covers ergonomic and structural considerations unique to marine interiors, including fiddles and sea rails. Design decisions made here govern all subsequent construction steps.

Lesson 2 • Galley and Head Joinery

Addresses waterproof construction methods for wet areas including sinks, stove surrounds, and head compartments. Moisture management is critical in these high-exposure zones.

Lesson 3 • Berths, Settees, and Sole Boards

Covers framing, padding supports, and hatch construction for sleeping and seating areas. These structures must be strong enough to serve as handholds in rough conditions.

Lesson 4 • Face Frames, Doors, and Drawers

Addresses building and fitting face frames, louvered doors, and dovetailed drawers for marine cabinetry. Proper fitting accounts for wood movement in humid conditions.

Lesson 1 • Companionway and Hatch Construction

Covers building watertight companionway slides, drop boards, and deck hatches. These openings are primary water-intrusion points requiring precise fitting and sealing.

Lesson 2 • Caprails and Rubrails

Addresses fitting, scarfing, and fastening caprails and rubrails along hull-to-deck joints. These members protect the hull and provide a finished appearance at the sheer.

Lesson 3 • Exterior Trim Repair and Replacement

Teaches assessing, removing, and replacing deteriorated exterior trim without damaging adjacent surfaces. Systematic removal prevents collateral damage to hull and deck.

Lesson 4 • Solid and Hollow Spar Construction

Teaches routing the hollow core, gluing staves, and tapering solid and hollow wooden spars. Spar geometry directly affects rig performance and structural integrity.

Lesson 1 • Oil and Penetrating Finishes

Addresses teak oil, tung oil, and penetrating epoxy systems for exterior and interior wood. These finishes are easy to maintain but require frequent reapplication.

Lesson 2 • Painted Finishes on Wood

Covers primer selection, fairing, and topcoat application for painted interior and exterior surfaces. Paint hides imperfections only when the substrate is properly prepared.

Lesson 3 • Surface Preparation for Coatings

Covers sanding sequences, cleaning, and priming bare wood before applying any topcoat. Proper preparation accounts for the majority of finish durability.

Lesson 4 • Varnish Application Techniques

Teaches brush selection, thinning, and multi-coat varnish application for bright-work. High-gloss varnish is the benchmark finish for quality marine woodwork.