Arnie Eaton

Check out the Wooden Boat Store. They have some nice plans and have some kits available also.

Thanks Par! Looks like an easy jig to make and can be left in place without interferance to any bench work.

Thanks Charlie, I have 10-12 4X8 panels of ABX fir plywood in my shop. I would love to use them but making a 4 foot scarf seems to me a job that is beyond my skill level. I was able to do one yesterday on 1/2 inch ply that was 22" wide, came out OK, but used a jig and router. The reason for useing cheaper ply is the cost of marine ply. Guess I could jig up a fixture to do the same for the 1/4 ply I have. The plans for the dory call for 10 and 12 foot mag. ply. Big money!

Building a "Shellback Dingy" and need some 4 by 12 1/4" plywood. I perfer DF and I need just 2 sheets. I'm located in Western Montana and not much pickings in this part of the country. If anyone knows of a source who will ship please let me know. Thanks, Arnie P.S. Must be Ext type and AB would be great.

Hi Greg, A young man and his wife plus their young son from Laramie Wyo. brought "Windsong". The young man dreams of sailing around the world someday with a much larger ship. He needed to learn to sail so that's the reason for buying the Vac. Now that my shop has room I will finish a small kayak, the maybe a small 12' to 15' sailboat, like a "Sunray" or a catboat. Some type of small sailboat that I can put in and take out of the water by myself. Just getting to old for some things I would like to do. 76 yrs next month.

I just watched my Vac go down the road. Yes it is sold. Every one wish the new owner good luck and happy sailing. Arnie

For Sale! Unfinished Vacationer. Most of the woodwork is finished. All materials needed to finish goes with the hull. Includes sails, motor (74 lb minkoda,24 VDC, new), all hardware, mast is birdsmouth, blocks are SS, boom and bowsprit are solid DF, Jib is 100%, Main sail is loose footed, plus much more. Located in Western Montana. Call Arnie Eaton at 406 375 8290 or e-mail to aeeaton@cybernet1.com

Punky means it is soft. Soft means it is very likely to be rotten. Let dry, test, and replace if needed (most likely)

Sorry about the above post. I checked my logbook and it was 1957 that the above happened. Arnie

1975, that's the year I dropped over 2 thousand Army troops in practice jumps at Fort Campbell KY. I was pilot of a C123 and got over 8 hundred hours that year. The drops were OK, but the assault landings in rough fields was no picnic.

Thanks Guys; I think I will try to find some fine blades for one of my jigsaws (I have three). I can't find the right blade for my small cir. saw, all I have are not very fine and make a mess. So much for imports. Arnie

I have plans for a Birder kayak. I also have many types of cutting tools. What is the best tool for cutting thin (3,4 MM) plywood? I have tried some saw types but they seem to be rough cutters. A demel type of tool with a saw blade is very slow. Anyway, give me some hints as to the best way to do the cutting.

I have found the best way to mix epoxy is to use 1 to 1 ratio type. I get mine at Clark Craft. I use different size of paper cups (non wax type). If I need 6 oz, I use two 3 oz cups and just throw them away after use. (they burn well in the burn barrel) I found a large box of assorted paper cups at a garage sale a few years ago. Got enough to last many more years. You could use other ratios by using some sort of standard, but paper cups are cheap and available most anywhere.

I also had to log in. The first time in a long time.

As a retired Air Force Officer, I'm asking all of the members of this forum to say a little prayer for our men and women who serve our great country in the military. It is very hard for our troops to be away from their loved ones on any day, but extra hard on a day such as today. Let us now pray!

3 inch or 4 inch, 9 oz or 10 oz? I don't see where it makes much difference. Use whatever you can get the cheapest. Just my humble opinion as a long time small boat builder.

You know that door looks kinda small for a boat to get thru. I have a 12 foot opening from my shop to my 2 car garage and then to the outside. You might want to rethink that door unless any boat you should build be nothing more than a canoe or smaller.

I only get the 1:1 ratio type epoxy. Makes it much easier to mix. I just use paper cups in various sizes depending on the job. Just be sure that both are the same size. I have some putty type epoxy that mixes 1:2 by weight so a small electronic scale is a must.

What you need to do is run your hand over the surface while your hand or the rudder is very wet.

Thanks Charlie, got a note from Graham today. He said the Flyfisher is the same as the Moccasin only a bit longer.

Do any of you know if the B &B e-mail works. I have sent 3 messages in the last few days but no answers. Been trying to see what their "Flyfisher" boat looks like and have asked for a drawing or picture. Nothing.

Works great. I entered the words "birdsmouth" and got over a hundred hits. (well maybe not a hundred, but a lot)

Would you please post the brand of porch paint you used. I'm sure most of us would like to know.

I have a D4 dink that checked pretty badly. I used an epoxy paste and just troweled the paste into the checks without sanding. After the epoxy cured I spray painted after a light sanding. That was two years ago and today no checks or problems.

Way back when I was just a young tad, I sailed a gaff rigged henie lifeboat in Puget Sound quite offten. This was from a German Battleship from WW2 and had been rigged locally by a member of the boat club who sponsered the Sea Scouts. Any way back to the point of heal. We had tried to bury the gunnel many times without success, just couldn't seem to get up enought steam. Finnally the former owner took us out on a windy day and made that boat fly. He said that we were going at least 20 knots and he did bury the the side an swamped us. We were able to bail the boat out but were very wet when we got back to the dock. Leason learned was don't bury the gunnel if you don't have decks.