The "BLACK FLY" Dinghy 2: Centerboard slot and case.

The centerboard slot is cut into the keel.

Because of my concern that the slot may weaken the keel's strength, I extended the designed side supports on either side for 4", to help spread the load.

The "BLACK FLY" Dinghy 1: from Plans to Framing

Left: a "Black Fly" built by Maury Madden

The Black Fly is a Platt Monfort-designed Geodesic AiroLITE skin-on-frame dinghy that is 8' long and only weighs about 28 pounds.

My present dinghy, an Eastport Pram, weighs about 75 pounds, so this new one should be a lot easier to lift on deck. The Eastport Pram costs about 1/2 knot in boat speed when towing, so maybe the new 'Fly will tow more easily!

There is also a Yahoo Group for Geodesic AiroLITE Boats.

The build:
Before I started to build, I read over the plans and instructions carefully. The plans included full-size layout  half-templates for the building frame stations. The plans were tacked over a 1/8" piece of plwood, and very small holes drilled at each point along each building frame station (and the transoms), then the 'dots' joined, showing the frame outlines.

The frames were sketched in on the back of the plywood also. This gave me a 'left' and 'right' template for each frame, ensuring symetry was kept.