Chick Ludwig

Sure is nice to have a game warden to tell us we have a boat! I hope ya paid him well for his services. But, I agree, she IS a boat! Looks beautiful!

And ya still have all your fingers?!

I'm afraid ya got THAT right! but, dang it if a bunch of "life" stuff hasn't gotten in the way. Got the seams taped and came to a screeching halt!

Wommasehn, Just mess around with them. We hope to get several other folks to build them so we can "cruise" together. If you look on YouTube, you'll see a lot about them. We use regular electric trolling motors that we modify with remote steering and peed controls.

I've also used that galvanizing spray with good success.

I'm now building electric mini-boat #2. It is the same hull as mini #1, but with some interior and decking changes. I'm also getting accurate measurements to make drawings so you can build your own. So here is Mini-boat #2 - post #1 These views show how the hull panels are stitched together and epoxy fillets applied between the wires. You could use electrical cable ties, but I prefer bailing wire because I can pull the panels tighter together.

I just climb up on my desk and lie on my side to look at those sideways pictures.

Yes, I'll miss him. I met you and him after I moved to the mountains, and Graham told me about y'all living near by. I didn't spend a lot of time with him, but when I visited you guys, I always enjoyed his stories and the knowledge he had.

Details? Hopefully back to dinner out and Saturday bar-b-q?

Just finished our new electric mini-boat. The plan is to build another so Debbie and I will each have one. Then try to promote them in our area and get a little messabout group going. Finally got the new mini in the water. All went well. Even the pup enjoyed the ride. Now I can start mini #2 and get the final plans drawn up. They'll be available to you guys soon. 100_0607.MOV

Old codger is glad he's a stink-potter and not a baggy-wrinkler. He has none of those problems. Always calm and collected---and no heeling or knockdowns.

Event by Don Silsbe and Southern Appalachian Messabout in Boats Fall Creek Landing, Lake Keeowee, SC We are planning a messabout on Lake Keeowee in South Carolina, near Greenville. The event will be on Saturday, May 14th. We will launch at the Fall Creek boat ramp. Note that there are two ramps. We’ll be using the one off of Fall Creek Church Road (the southernmost one). Some of us will anchor off the beach (south of the parking lot), and sleep over on Friday and/or Saturday nights. All of you are invited. The main event is Saturday, but some will stay Friday night through Sunday. Power, sail, paddle---all are invited.

When is the messabout this year?

AWWW, Graham---it's Ok with Old Codger and me. HE never gets knocked down 'cause he's a stinkpot. On my sail boats, I'm kinda cowardly and don't sail when it's windy/stormy enough for a knockdown. But if I did, keeping stuff from falling out would be a good idea!

I was gonna make some wise-cracking comment on the name this post, but I think I'd just get in trouble...

I just make my berth hatches to "drop in"---no hinges.

Interesting solution to a sticky problem.

"the art of a craftsman is being able to disguise or work around your screw-ups." I remember Graham telling me this YEARS ago as I was building the first Princess 20 Sharpie. Valuable advice. Now I've become a master---'cause I screw up frequently! Things like---"I cut it off three times, and it's STILL too short!"

Joe Anderson LONGITUDINAL CG, VERTICAL CB

Graham suggests using old fire hose from your fire department.

A few years ago I was building fiberglass boats called the "Coastal Skiff". Kinda like the Carolina Skiff. Manufacturers are required by the USCG to have a sample of each model to be tested. i had used foam blocks all across under the floor. I figured that more flotation would be better. When tested, the flotation down the center tended to make the boat want to roll over in some conditions. The answer was to remove the foam in the center.

I would make a gas tank cover hatch. Often the tank is foamed in place. Read up on that if you are considering foaming it in. There are some dangers in it.

I cut foam blocks to loosely fit between the stringers for flotation. That allows the water to flow past the foam. Only use them outboard and along with flotation higher up to stay within the USCG "upright and level" guidelines.

It has been deleted.

I used to use a Merc Thruster electric on a Skipper 20. It had enough power unless it was too windy or rough. I mainly had it to get in and out of where the boat was in a slip down a long narrow channel.