The Frank Edmund Design

The schooner Frank Edmund was designed by the late Captain William L. Davidson, USMC of Coronado, California. It was built and is owned by Leland and Cecily Parsons formerly of Poway, California.

Hull Construction

The shape of the hull is considered a "heavy displacement hull," not unlike the old fishing schooners of Gloucester. (A through section, port to starboard, would resemble a wine glass shape.) A heavy displacement hull has a full running keel running stem to stern with a barn door rudder.

The keel is laminated out of 16 layers of 1/4" ABX plywood. The hull is five laminated

layers of 1/4" ABX plywood. Each layer is cross laminated from the previous layer. The deadwood is made from 24 layers of 1/4" ABX plywood.

The transom is six layers of 1/4" ABX plywood. The deck beams are laminated white oak. The sheer clamp is three layers of 1" x 6" clear heart Douglas fir. This method of construction is called "a cold molded hull."

The glue for lamination is a two part urac glue with 3/4" ring shank bronze fasteners every three inches for clamping. All bulkheads are constructed on a thickened laminated area, much like a leaf spring, with 2" x 4" studs, 6" on center (OC) with 3 layers of 1/4" ABX plywood laminated on each side. These bulkheads are watertight bulkheads with collision doors.