Building the Oneida's Transom Rail

Building the Oneida's Transom Rail

First thing to be done is to shape the top of the stern. The plans show the shape but the builder can give the top a little more or less shape according to his liking.

Once again the home made disk sander on the Dremel was used to shape the top of the stern.

When your satisfied with the top of the stern a tracing is made of the shape, then it is transferred to the edge of a piece of 1/4 inch thick sheet stock. The transom rail is made the same way the lower molding was made. The rail bends side to side as well as curves from front to back. Like the molding, it is quite impossible to bend a rail in two directions, so like the molding the rail is carved to shape. Starting with a piece of wood about 1/4 thick and 1/2 wide and longer than the stern, carve the arc of the rail. First carve the inside shape until it sits nice and flush on the stern. Then carve the upper side until the rail is 1/8 thick.

Trace the curve of the stern on to the rail piece.

Cut the rail about 3/8 wide.

Placing the rail on the stern there should be a small overlap and enough room on the inside to cover the inside stern planking.

Keep adjusting the top of the stern and the transom rail until the ends of the rail sit on top of the counter timbers. The rail will extend slightly beyond the counter timbers when cut off, also the cap rail will sit below the transom rail.