Beam Locating Blocks

With the two hulls aligned and the beams resting in the correct positions on their locating blocks, our Tiki 30 project is now beginning to look like a catamaran. Getting precise hull alignment was quite a task, involving leveling each hull individually as well as making sure the stems and sterns of the two separate hulls were level with each other and in line fore and aft. Once this was done, the beams could then be fitted to the blocking on the decks.

The photo below shows forward beam with a clamped on lever weighted with a lead bag to hold the front edge down flat on the beam blocks. This lever is a bit hard to see with the background behind it, but was necessary to keep the beam flat.

The blocks on deck as well as the T-shaped blocks that fit on the bottoms of the beams to lock into these deck blocks are all made of teak, for durability. We are using the lashing method for the beams, Tiki 26 style, rather than the Tiki 30 webbing straps shown in the plans. We feel this lashing method is much stronger and more reliable, as well as simpler to build. Note also the sheer stringer doubler shown here under the stringer at the position of the beam blocks. These teak doublers provide a place to mount the square plywood lashing pads at each beam lashing location, and become the bearing surface the lashings contact when the turns are made under the plywood pads.