Derek Posted May 11, 2003 Posted May 11, 2003 Just got home from the show. Lots of beautiful boats! Here's a few photos for Jake's bragging as his camera was 'misplaced'. The motley crew (from left): Joel, from Gig Harbor; Barry, from Sammamish; Jake, from Olympia; and Derek, from Olympia. It put quite a few to shame. Non-stop people crowding around and asking questions! Look what I found sitting on the cockpit bench! A quiet moment (few and far between). Great meeting up with some other builders! Joel and Barry. Faces to posts, names and boats. And a gorgeous day to boot! Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 11, 2003 Posted May 11, 2003 Yes....it was a beautiful day, sunshine, slight breeze, nice shirt sleeve weather. A festive fair atmosphere. Bagpipe band, clogging dance group. Good festival type food. Friendly people all over everywhere. Lots of beautifully maintained and restored wooden cruising boats and sailboats. Some small rowing skiffs and small sailing craft as well. Nice mix and a good event for the community. Olympia is a beautiful city at the Southern end of Puget Sound. Good cruising country. also a lot of freshwater lakes in the area so boaters have lots of options. About an hour south of Seattle and 2 1/2 hours (drive) south of the San Juan Islands. Congratulations to Capt. Jake! His entry "Fire Escape" received an award for something like: BEST FINISHED-MARITIME THEMED-LAWN FURNITURE He also had his very beautiful Sea Kayak on display. Both boats drew a lot of "ooooooo's and aaaahhhhhhh's" and very positive comments from the fair attendees. Lots of questions directed to him about both of them. Seriously, his Weekender, "Fire Escape", is one beautifully finished boat. His workmanship is magnificent. He establishes a new level for others to aspire to. His craftsmanship is well executed! His modifications, well thought out! And he has taken the best ideas from all the postings and incorporated them into his planning. He deserves all the plaudits he will receive. He also deserves to be justifiably proud of his efforts. This is a boat that deserves "Feature billing", if and when he ever gets it wet.... from the bottom up. :roll: Certainly a photo essay in this forum and for the Stevenson's Website would be in order on this fine boat. He and his bride are a wonderful couple, it was my pleasure to meet them along with Joel and his wife from Gig Harbor, and Derek and his wife from Olympia. Nice people all of them. These great little projects seem to attract that type of person. These people do credit to this forum and to the Stevenson's Project group. Everyone should have an opportunity to meet them in person, they are good people. :wink: Looking forward to sailing with all of them in the future. 8) Quote
tdrown Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 Wow, sounds like a fun time. I wish there was a boat show like that within 100 miles. I went to one outside Philidelphia the day before I started on the boat, it was all powerboats, bass boats, and party boats. I think there was one localy this weekend, but it was also probably all powerboats (there's no big lakes under an hour away, I don't know how we have a local marina?!). At least I got to see the water-skiing squirel. Congradulations on the award Capt. Jake! Quote
capt jake Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: Thanks for all of the kind words guys!! I also have to thank Barry for bringing some silverware along with him! I had a very good time. It was very nice to get the bunch of us together to meet and discuss different ideas and thoughts. I think Joel got infused with a need to start building again! Barry got his brain picked pretty good by all of us! I got some new ideas talking to him! Good thing the Weekender is a light boat! I had to pull it by had for two blocks to get out of there tonight (all of the vendors had access blocked). I got a lot of strange looks, but what the heck! And i only hit one light pole :oops: , good thing for those 'used to be shiny' rubrails! I need to go relax for a bit, talk to ya later! BTW, to those of you who had cameras there, my e-mail is jwentz1@comcast.net .Since my camera is AWAL! Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 "Barry got his brain picked pretty good by all of us! I got some new ideas talking to him! " Slim pickins, I assure you! :oops: I was wondering how you got out of there so quickly. Remember Capt. Jake....rub rails are sacrificial. :roll: Shame to beat them up before you get out of the parking lot though. Quote
capt jake Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 Barry, you sell yourself short for sure! I am inspired to look at that roller furling again! I wasn't about to wait around ther for all of the vendors to clear out! BTW, I also got an invite (a VERY emphatic invite) to the Portland boat show in August. I was caught a little off guard by that one, but he said that the Weekender would be the largest boat there and they have about 70 boats on display. How knows? Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 According to my brother, (lives in Lk. Oswego), that would be true and a huge draw with a lot of interest. He said that they have had good turnouts and it is a lot of small personal watercraft. Some kits, lot of them home builts from plans and some restored small boats. He also said that it would get lost in the larger (IN-The Water) show. So-you have to ask yourself....SELF? What do I have to gain from doing that? Weekend in the Rose City with your bride, dinner at one of the fine restaurants. Maybe a B&B. Or sleeping bags in the boat? :roll: Ego-gratification and maybe the Stevenson's will send you a video to show to promote their plans. Sounds good to me! 8) Quote
capt jake Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 My uncle just moved from Lake Oswego about 6 months ago! So are you saying it is a land based show, that was my impression? This guy gave me a handout with all of the information and even came back twice to encourage me to attend. I was thinking of an opportunity to get out of town and spend some time in downtown Portland; never done that. I guess I shouild check my work schedule first! :D Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 My goodness....besides Rose's Delicatesson and the Classical Chinese Gardens, (My absolutely favorite place in Portland). http://www.portlandchinesegarden.org/ There is the Portland Science Museum, the Zoo, the Rose Gardens, and enough to fill any time you may have available. Or a side trip to go see the "Spruce Goose". Geez! Maybe I should go into the travel business. Quote
capt jake Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 Geez! Maybe I should go into the travel business As long as there are no more late winter photos from Hawaii! Is the Portland show a land based show? There is a lot I have always wanted to see in Portland. Funny, living here over 20 years and never going down there to do that?? Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 My understanding is that the Portland show is dry land. I don't know where it is located. But I can ask my brother next time I talk to him. Hummmm, late winter Hawaii photos: Just our favorite swimming hole! 8) [attachment over 4 years old deleted by admin] Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 "Is the Portland show a land based show?" Are you really afraid of the water, Capt.Jake? Quote
Joel Posted May 12, 2003 Posted May 12, 2003 Well Jake, I have to tell you, seeing your beautiful boat was an inspiration! I can Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 13, 2003 Posted May 13, 2003 Yes Joel, I had a wonderful time, it was certainly great to meet you and your wonderful bride. Wish we had more time to get better acquainted. But that will come. It would be nice if we all lived in a little closer proximity to one another along with some of the other South Sound builders out there. It would make it much easier to host "Boat Sheds" and BBQ weekends to help each other with major efforts in the building process. But then I would expect that it will be a lot more fun to be able to get together on the water occasionally. Lots of great destinations for close to shore sailing around this part of the country. And there are certainly enough of the Stevenson boats in the Great Northwest. Who knows, you have to start somewhere. Never enough time at an event like this. Get back to making shavings and sawdust. Quote
Johannah Posted May 14, 2003 Posted May 14, 2003 We have been busy with some difficult family stuff so I am behind on the news. It is such a pleasure to read this report from the boat show to hear that Jake's art was appreciated and you all had truly civilized time. Much vicarious enjoyment over on this side of the continent. Way to go Capt. Typist!! !! Why did it never occur to me that Barry is really tall? Quote
Steve Tarry Posted May 15, 2003 Posted May 15, 2003 Sorry I missed the show in Olympia; had I known such a sharp Weekender was so close, I'd have ignored my poor sick wife and gone anyway. I had the pleasure of exchanging e-mail with Barry a few weeks back and largely because of his encouragement, I have just ordered my plans. Here's hoping that "Svenska Flicka" turns out as nice as what the rest of the Puget Sound crew has done. "Svenska Flicka" translates as "Swedish Girl" and is named for the aforementioned wife, Inga. I plan on carving a gorgeous blonde lady as a figurehead and having it match Inga's profile, as much as my minimal artistic skills allow. It sounds like most of the folks who were at the Oly show are still in the building stage. Does anyone have actual Puget Sound sailing experience in a Weekender to know if the boat has the mass needed to manage the chop and currents that show up here? I had a Santana 21 some years ago and it did just fine, but it was a much heavier thing. I also had a little twelve-footer that couldn't come about in high winds because it was too light to fight the waves. ...just curious. Best wishes to all, Steve Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 15, 2003 Posted May 15, 2003 Johannah, Probably because I'm so modest and unassuming! :oops: I only come across as tall in the company of persons shorter than I am. :wink: Actually I think Joel was the shortest of the four of us. But that never occured to me. My youngest son is 6'3". Now you know why we wanted a little more boom clearance and cabin roof clearance. :roll: Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 15, 2003 Posted May 15, 2003 Hi Steve, Happy to have you join in with the rest of us. Glad I could help by giving you some information that helped you with your decision. Would have been nice to meet you in Olympia. There are quite a few Weekenders in the Northwest. Several in Canadian waters. There are a couple in the Gig Harbor and North Sound areas that sail in the salt regularly. The biggest challenge as you are already aware will be the flood and ebb currents between some of the islands and thru the passages. They can be a challange for boats a lot larger than these. I have sailed quite a bit in the Sound but primarily in larger boats as well. From the experience I had in Hawaii, strong currents, eddies and heavy seas (2-4 ft) and some gusty winds I would have to say that the ability of the Weekender to handle chop and mixed wave action is great. I was never uncomfortable in any of it. It is a very nimble and able hull design. I wouldn't try sailing cross Sound in strong winds or try to navigate some of the strong currents in max flood or ebb. But other than that, I don't see why you wouldn't have a good boat for most areas. Your figurehead will likely bring much interest, primarily because a lot of us have been trying to figure how we would do that. My feeling is don't hold up on getting the boat finished before you do that. Get it in the water. You will probably want heavier wood to carve it from, (or cast if from pig iron, [Opps, meant bronze] :roll: ), to help hold the bow down. Quote
Steve Tarry Posted May 15, 2003 Posted May 15, 2003 Hmmmm, and I was thinking that lighter wood -- like cedar -- would be easier to carve. I saw a nice eagle head carved by a builder in Texas on the Weekender picture pages. It looked good from every angle, but I suspect a human face will look much better in profile than from head-on. The more obvious question is why am I worried about carving a figurehead on a boat that isn't even started. Mercy! Talk about doing things backward... Steve Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted May 15, 2003 Posted May 15, 2003 Ahh! But it is the vision of what we want it to be that makes it all worthwhile! If you don't have a mental picture of what you are striving for, then you will probably accept what ever you get. :cry: Johannah now has that beautiful Weekender with the Eagle figurehead. Yes...Cedar is a nice material for carving, especially where you are going to have exposure to moisture. And what could be more in character with the Pacific Northwest than Cedar? A profile is OK, but a figure head for a boat should really be 3 dimensional. :wink: Especially when you have such a great clipper bow to work with. Quote
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