My version of the every popular D4 Dingy. Modifications: 

Floatation chambers in sides, 6 inches wider, longitudinal thwart, pivoting ruder and leeboards. 

Lessons learned.1) Use minimal fillet putty to stick hull together, between the wires, then pull the wires and make nice smooth fillets.  
2) Apply glass tape immediately after putting in fillet, this will allow a minimum of sanding.  
3) Lead in the leeboard and rudder make a boat heavy…  
4) One layer of 4inch glass tape will hold up just fine. Make sure to have this tape in high stress areas, for instance where the transom and the sides meet, and the trolling motor bounces going down the road.   
5) A 68 sq ft gaff rig on a 8 foot dingy will make it move, and also make it almost uncontrollable in any kind of wind.  
6) Do not take an 8ft dingy and two people out sailing when the wind is blowing at 23 mph…  
7) Do not allow knots in the mast. Mast will break there.  
8) Floatation foam will keep the boat from sinking, but will also add weight.

 

Putting Styrofoam in the bottom of the floatation chambers to plug small gaps prior to putting in expanding foam.

 

Pulling wires after putting fillet between them and letting it dry. This holds the hull together while you pull the wires out of the way to make nice, small, clean fillets.

Sanding and stuffing Styrofoam.

After putting in expanding foam.

 

Using a router to cut out the tops for the flotation chambers.

 

Hull mostly done.

Squeegee crew glassing the hull.  At this point, I was glad to have so many kids!

 

More polytarp. Sure is nice to have an 18 dollar sail.

 

Cloth was only 50 inches wide, to we only mostly got the bottom.

Interior/exterior carpet tape for sail. Didn't sew the sail, so I may have to spend $18 next and an hour next year making another one...

 

D4 is launched!

 

 

 

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