Action Tiger

I'll have to work fast. Mine is to have a coved sole, which will provide a rounded edge on whatever it runs over.

Make sure you lap and hone the blade first.

Chick, I have my wife handle the master list. She's very organized. Complimentary partners are what makes partnerships work, right? ADD? What's that? Hey, did you see my bike? Look, there's my dog. Squirrel! Oh, my saw needs sharp. Knife, too. Ooh, a raven. Piece of wood! Oh, there's the kayak. Pumpkins! Squirrel. Wait, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah, did you guys see my knife? Look at these pecans. Squirrel! Is that a gopher hole? Leeboard. Canoe rudder. What's for lunch? Squirrel! Heh heh. I'm off to work now. I should also add, for those what don't know, I've had a few emails from Graham. He is THE COOLEST. Period. SQUIRREL!

You guys gave me a great idea. I will go to seat tank stage, with screwed on tops, then set the boat on the seat tops on sawhorses while inverted. Boom. Now I've just got to convince myself to start heating and cast cutting this imwale out. Yes, I'm using a power tool. My buddy has one of those new oscillating tools, like a cast cutter, so I'm borrow it this weekend, as the masses call it. Yes, he probably has a router, too, but I won't borrow that. I'm dangerous enough to myself with hand tools. Oh, and the ripping and scarfing of the stringers has to happen, too. Funny thing about weekends, they don't mean as much if you don't have a jobby job. I pretty much abandoned a master checklist, and now just do one day by day. With two real boats now going, the list is so long I get depressed when I look at it.

Bob, I thought about that, too. I see your point, and raise you doing it! I already have some bulkhead pieces that were removed, so making new ones is piece of cake. I'll just get out four long sticks, instead of two. Thanks, Peace, Robert

Familiar with he concept of instant karma? Can you discern the little gape I finally got to stay closed there in my finger pad? Watch out for a highly loaded Phillips head screwdriver, too. Oh. Gathered the bits for the plane. Glued up a blank I can start working this evening. Hope to have it done... They really are easy. Peace, Robert

Oh, Chick, it looks great! I just want your little world to be PERFECT! Hope you get some water time soon, buddy. I'm going camping in the punt and pirogues as soon as I get glass on the first boat...

Yeah, I guess I was thinking too much. I'm still fairing other boat, too, in prep for glass, but I wanted to get this hull stabilized, too. I started digging for stock today. I'm going to get some nice inwales ripped, get them in, then get some tape on the outside. Well, after I fair THOSE seams, too. I'm just going to use one layer of 6oz on the very bottom panels, for when we grind up onto the sand beaches. They are all little jagged granite bits where we sail most. Daydreaming heavily...

Quit doing stuff and go sail your boat! Looks nice. You need some sort of trim or decoration around the logo to set if off. Maybe a broad oval of color surrounded by a small band? Brass trim ring? I don't know. It needs something to make the whole thing POP, as they say. Then again, it IS me giving the advice.

Now I really wish I was closer. I'd love to come over and paint while you told me stories for a few hours...

Y'all be careful using paint that nice. I'm just saying, it might ruin you...

"Hey, dummy, remember you already trimmed the cockpit fabric to fit a coaming by being sewn inside?" "Ummm, I do now..." So, regular old plywood kudzu coaming it is... Although, I could go all whole hog on finishing this one, and just stitch it in anyway... Anyway, I'm gluing up the "lip" layers now, so I'll have to decide one of these days...

Oh, I LIKE you. Cutting my fingers off... I laughed so hard it scared the dog. I did 20+ years with machines and feel lucky to have escaped. I use them as infrequently as possible, now. You could make yourself a little coving plane while you wait, round over the stringers old school style. Yes, I'm THAT guy.

Alright. Why wait? I've read through the plans. Nothing to it, just regular old boat building. Piece of cake, just a little time. My thoughts are I'm glassing another boat right next door, and this boat needs taped on the outside, so I may as well just have a big old goop party. But... I'm not starting from scratch, and I didn't fallow all the steps to get here, so I might think about soliciting advice before I continue. The boat is filleted and taped inside everywhere, and has a keel batten glued down and filleted in. The central bulkheads and some seat framing were installed at one point, then removed. Hey! Patterns... There are inwales laminated from ply, which I plan to remove and replace with wood, because that's me. Different ship, right? Plus, there is a fair amount of really nice fir, pine, and sequoia around here. Nice to me is 20+ rpi. My question is: Should I turn and glass the seams outside before I replace the inwales? I'm thinking I should, to make the hull as strong as possible, but I don't know. Also, if a body were apt to add a little sheathing to the bottom, say just up above the waterline, for when they hit chunks of rock and beach on granite sand beaches, a layer of 6oz should be just fine, eh? 4oz too light, you think? Again, just to help,with abrasion resistance a bit... I do, after all, know the idiot who will be driving this thing. I will start pumping out pics soon. The tentative plan is to take advantage of a projected weather window Saturday afternoon/evening for the glassing party. I will hold my breath. Peace, Robert, the Tiger suddenly in a room full of rocking chairs...

Just watch your fingers...

Something else. If you're doing two tone, you might could go yellow deck and "clear" bottom. That might look pretty neat. And yes, always use gloss on these. You can always dull it down with a rub, if that's what you'd like.

Well, the coaming is almost done. Really. I'm about to sew this boat up. Meanwhile, work continues on the paddle. This is my interpretation of a paddle style I've seen from the area these boats originated. I saw a bent one, had a bent stick, and so went for it. I was a late adopter of bent paddles in my canoe, and I kick myself. Maybe this swept/bent paddle will be my new thing. This is also a directional paddle, with one power face, and as a result can have a differently shaped loom. The loom is sort of traingular in profile, with the base in the palm, and the apex in the fingers. The blades are about 4" wide and 36" long, and th loom is 24" long and 1 1/4" wide by 1 1/2" deep, or tall. The blades need to be thinned, yet, after I remark them, and the ridges down the backs of the blades need to be trimmed and rounded. This is fun carving. The pics are the blade/loom interface, top view of loom ridge, and edge view of blade tip, showing eventual rough thickness of blade (that little pencil line).

Glad you know I'm funnin. Your shop is amazing. I once worked in a production shop with all the stuff, even a gantry crane. We had wood floors, though. And, tons of clamps. Now, I work like a caveman. I do got about a hundred clamps, though! Peace, Robert

It IS very pretty.

Just curious. I was thinking either way, they will sort of resemble a beam running down the center line. I know from experience butt blocks can look odd, but these will look right and proper. Very tidy work, too. She's going to be sweet. Glad I'm not the only dreamer...

Curious. Are you going to highlight the butt blocks or disguise them? It might make a nice faux king plank effect the way you laid them out if they were slightly different color. Either way, you are getting close! Are you the type I am, Pete, to dally while you work and daydream to the future day you look up at those roof panels while you're reading a good book in a little shower anchored in some cove somewhere? Gosh, that is going to be a charming little retreat.

I don't know man... I got three boats a building in the shop now, too, and I spent all day yesterday cleaning... I guess now I gotta get some more clamps. It is seriously wonderful to see somebody making something, I hope you can make a living, too, pard. I had to start calling my stuff art to get enough margin to live. If you call these boats "art" you can charge whatever you want. Call them kinetic sculpture. I will continue to follow and enjoy.

Chick, I have no financial interest at all, but I might recommend one of Kudzu's kayaks as a build. Pretty cheap, and super simple. And, I promise they are fun. When's the last time you tied together a boat, then literally sewed it up? The only boats I got until my teens were ugly aluminum skiffs and John boats. Or those ridiculous "bass" boats. The only way to win life is to enjoy it. It is a zero sum game in that everyone dies. If you miss out on your opportunity to live, I feel you may have to answer in the afterlife. Don't just bury the loot, Chick, invest it! I know, I know, but I bent the analogy to my own purpose. I meant no disrespect. Oh, and the Bible has a story what indicates God is partial to people what build boats and are ridiculed for it by their neighbors. Between that and fishing, I should be good, eh? Of course, that assumes you live by the golden rule, which is the only direction humans really need to make the world a better place. I aspire everyday to be the change I want to see. Peace, Robert, the suddenly very busy guy...

Shhh. There IS a chance. Still, I'd rather bet safe. The real bad news. I can't get another bus... Oh, and I certainly plan to two pack paint this sucker. I got over my bright work phase building canoes, so my boat will be plain, to be sure, but I will not skimp. Thanks for,the recommendation. I intend to give this boat the quality it deserves How did I Forrest Gump my way here?

See. You ARE awesome! The freedom to mess up on scrap frees you. Have a great time. The fun part is later, when you tell people you make scarfs. They will wonder if you mean scarves. My grandma was so disappointed when I told her I would make scarfs with her one year for Christmas. I showed up with sticks and planes. I think that's the closest she ever came to really punching me in the mouth... Have fun!