More sanding of the hull and hollowing out of the inside. Plan to cover entire hull below the waterline with copper tape. (The Beagle had copper plates to protect her from the wood boring worms of the Pacific.) Will be interesting to see how the copper changes color over time. Plan to plank the hull above the waterline with basswood strips, so no blemishes will show.

Drew deck plan and cut out the upper deck support from 1/2 inch oak plywood with jigsaw. This will raise deck level to the right height and allow for easier waterproofing on the inside top of the hull. Left two large openings on either side of main mast to access future servos and electronics.

(My dog Boomer meets the Beagle for the first time.)

She's almost looking like... a ship!

Plan to water test in bathtub with the model protected with a plastic garbage bag (since I haven't waterproofed the wood yet) to check how much ballast I may need to add to the keel. My wife Theresa had the better idea to use a clear plastic bag.

Week 5