Finesse 24 ‘Cevenne’ (sail number 20) was built in 1974. These are some photographs of the original build, kindly provided by Maureen Chapple. Her husband, Mike Canty, died in July 2022 and Cevenne is now for sale (as of September 2022).
For images at an earlier stage (from a different Finesse 24), see this post.
Stern post and knee, with sail number and date carved into the stern knee. Not all craft had this engraving carried out.
Planking was built from the keel up, bent around station moulds, and copper rivetted
Keel timbers with centre plate slot. Note the rabbets onto which the centre plate box sides are seated. The aft post (‘headledge’) is in position.
Clamps lie inside the hull, ready for the next plank
Cutlass bearing housing on the stern post. Each plank was cut flush with the transom after installation. Note the ballast set into the keel structure.
The moulds were all numbered and the boat type named – F24 in this case
Moulds were numbered and had a ‘way round’ (numbering seen from the front of the hull).
Nearing completion of the planking- only the port sheer plank is missing. The Finesse was built the Viking way- frames were added after the hull was planking was complete.
Clamps holding the sheer strake prior to riveting. The planking was iroko by 1974, but the sheer strake here is clearly of mahogany.
Laminated stem, shaped to the required cutwater shape. The excess length is cut down later.
At this later stage of the build, the steam-bent frames have been rivetted in and the stringers and deck beams installed. Now the superstructure can be added.
Cabin top deck beams and bulkheads are all in place. The cabin sides have been bent from wide single planks.
Port side detail.
Starboard side. Number 20 was built with stub bilge keels. The standard build had these stubs and a centre plate. However, some craft had deep steel bilge plates to full draft, with a centre plate; others were offered without a centre plate.
