lewisboats

Once I get the profile to what I want it is time to break out the grinder and the 60 grit flap wheels and do a bit of edge tapering and rounding. Final finishing will be with my RO sander and some smoooother grits ;D. I'm gonna bullnose the front edge, round the bottom and thin out the after edge down to about 1/2"-3/8" rounded over. Steve

I went out this morning and aquired new spar materials (mast, sprit, boom) for a used sail I aquired. I plan on using this rig on the ScoutCanu but I will have to redo the step and partner for the larger mast. I am using fir railing as the mast instead of spruce or pine closet rod which I had for the other crappy flat polytarp sail. If this is too flexible I'll do up something else until I get it right. PolySail has an interesting little snippet on a PLYWOOD mast that sounds intriguing. Storer also mentions a square thinwalled mast on one of his pages...sounds like something I might check in to. Steve

Thank you...tho I don't think I am original. Devlin talks about laminating his keels together and I took him literally. My biggest problem is that I should have done one at a time then let the epoxy cure. Even though I left enough room to remove the end screws for each layer...they have all stripped the holes and now won't come out. I shall have to dig each one out or else use a sawsall and cut through them. I don't know why this happened...I drove them home dry fitting each plank, then removed and glued then re-drove them. I guess the glue might be the culprit but I don't see how. They just sit and spin when I try to remove them. :'( Steve

I persist in slowly getting my Guppy together...tho I am considering knocking together a small sailing scow to use for the rest of the summer. Steve (Lewis)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_acetate http://www.answers.com/topic/polyvinyl-acetate-1?cat=technology and something to really fry your brain.... http://www.tt.luth.se/forskning/pdf/artLim.pdf Enjoy... Steve

Has anyone ever tried what they call "Pipe Dope" as a bedding compound? The stuff we use at work (a meat packing plant)...Rector Seal...seems to be able to withstand everything that Cleanup can throw at it (various acids, detergents, High pressure 140 degree water, even steam heated 190 degree water) each and every night. It stays flexible forever but doesn't rub or wash off. I've taken apart pipes that are 15 years old that still have the dope in the threads...and no rust on the protected threads. Steve

Lookin good...you gonna paint or varnish? I forgot what you told me. Steve

https://eservices.iowa.gov/iowaparks/index.php I have reserved # 6 at Marble beach, which is right on the lake with beach frontage. There are over a half dozen open spots on either side as of right now...basic tent sites. Cost is $11 per night. Full hookups are $16 per night. Pot luck on Saturday night...time is undecided as of yet. I am no sure which day the festival parade is or what time so we might eat early or after if it is saturday. Steve

Closed cell polyethylene foam Steve

Just got back from a couple of hours of sailing and the subject says it all! ;D ;D The rudder worked like it was purposly designed by someone who really knows what they are doing...wonder how I came up with it ??? I had bone in teeth, Ama flyin' in the air, surfin USA type motion today...my mast looked like it was made out of half cooked spagetti...awful bendy... but it didn't even creak let alone break. I think the wind might have stretched some shape into my current sail...it was even making a few degrees good to windward. As to the 85%...well 14% of the less than success was the sail...I had to paddle a few hundred yards against the wind where I didn't have enough room for the wide tacks...unexpected upper body workout :-[ And the other 1% was the rudder coming loose...the spacer/bushing is about 1/8" too tall, not letting the nylon locking nut fully engage the nylon and so backing off with all the pivoting back and forth. Otherwise the rudder/rig were ballanced just fine...a little weather helm to turn the nose gently into the wind when the tiller was let go. I had the bolt in the innermost hole...the steering was a bit quick...a total of about an inch of movement fore and aft to swing the nose thru 20 degrees or so. Next time I'll try it on the outermost hole and see what it feels like. No pictures...I lost one camera to the water that collects in the bottom...not again. Besides...I was too busy giggling like a little kid...I wouldn't have remembered to take any anyways. I can't wait to get a decent sail on this thing and see what I can do with it. Steve

That shoal keel/CB in the pictures is the same as what is on it. It sure looks deeper but it is only 12" from the center of the Vee to the edge of the keel. I am still debating adding the foil, and if I do it will probably be bolted to one side or another rather than going down through the keel itself...much less of a hole thru the wood to worry about. I don't even know if I could cut down thru the keel accurately enough to make a slot for the blade. Steve

Well, this is an old Geezer of a thread but I finally got going on Guppy again. I went with Select pine for the keel and I am going to glass it and shoe it with something hard. I laminated it from 16 1x2s for a total of 12" deep. Here are some pics of it going together and the total raw keel. Steve

Sorry...I don't think it will fit, although if it did it would be much more stable. I take it you ment Helm rather than heim...gotta get it into the water before I know if it works properly...hopefully monday at a local mud hole. Steve

better a floor grate thingy to keep me up out of the water in the first place...it will still allow me to paddle and shift positions easily fore and aft ( a big +).

I actually bought one but it is iffy with my weight...the back rest whimpers and complains (semi-collapes and distorts). Besides...I would be sitting too high and get BOOMED with the new rig...let alone the old one. Steve

Well, for the folks who don't lurk on Woodenboat forums here are a few pics of the boat sailing... the trip went well, the boat actually sailed but there were issues... the rudder didn't come completely out of the water and would steer the boat when paddling. The sail was about 1/2 the needed size and my butt got too wet. So...first issue is the rudder. I built another one, this time out of stainless steel (scrap from work). Here are the results: Second...The Sail: I ordered a Polytarp kit from PolySail for that, I need to make new mast, sprit and I am adding a sprit boom too. Third...some kind of lattice flooring to keep my buttocks and other essentials (I damaged my camera, had to get another) out of the bilge water. Forth...combings on the decks to help keep water out of the bilge in the first place...and sponges to soak up any water that does get there. Steve

Looking forward to seeing you...I made a new rudder for it last night at work, .100 stainless with stainless cheeks and a .25 tiller section. I am going to set it up as a dual purpose push/pull and rope tiller arrangement. I am planning on making a decent sail for it too...about 45-60 sq ft with a longer mast and sprit. I will replace the smaller Noodles with 4" diameter ones also. I will be arriving early afternoon Friday, planning on seeing the wooden boat parade on Okoboji Saturday either before or after the pot luck supper ...depending on what time it is at. Sunday will be a lazy day before noon then heading home. (More info...thanks Frank) Steve

Yes it is...I hope to see some folks there....BOB!...but if no one shows I'll still try to have another next year. Steve

Well here are the results so far...still need to attach a few things and get it loaded onto the trailer. Steve

Ohhh...I was cutting a wire tie that was stubborn then gave suddenly and the knife had too much oomph behind it. I cut a pencil eraser sized piece off of the tip of my ring finger...bled like heck tho...must have nicked a capillary. I had to change bandages 3 times as they became soaked. Well, every other time I have worked on boats I have blessed them in blood...no different this time. Steve

Well, after about 20 hrs of shopping and work I have a mast, sail, rudder and steering mechanism, Leeboard and hull bracing for it. I still need to make Step and Partner and the amas (or akas...which ever the pontoons are) for stability. That's tomorrow and hopefully a test sail thursday but I don't know. This is all going in or on the ScoutCanu I brought to Pepin and am trying to get ready for Rend Lake this weekend. Steve

I see you made it back in one piece...and hopefully dry. I kept an eye on you as I grabbed a burger and later driving down the hwy. See you in July hopefully. Steve

I will be hosting the 2nd Iowa Messabout July 27-29 at the Gull Point campground at Spirit Lake, Iowa. This Messabout also cooincides with the Wooden boat festival at Okoboji that same weekend More info on the campground is here: http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_p...t/emerson.html I will be arriving Friday afternoon sometime and leaving Sunday afternoon/evening. I hope to see some of you folks there. Steve Lewis

oops...sorry I missed it...Thanks.

excuse me...what is TSSB please? Steve Lewis