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Action Tiger builds sailboat. With epoxy!


Action Tiger

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Robert, I've been off the grid myself lately, getting back to Oz, getting stuff done and dealing with wife's health challenge. Been thinking of you and family and wondering how boat building is going with heat, fire and all.

When we went up to Yosemite the north road was closed due to the fires so we were a bit shocked to see how they spread after we came back, so we sent you a few fire fighters to help out.

Stay on top of the challenges and get that damn boat in the water man!

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Drew,

 

Things have been crazy. The fires are still wreaking havoc with the air, but only because of the Valley. It’s a big bowl where we live that everything blows/pours into.

What really slowed me this summer was the record setting number of days above 100f, which were accompanied by lows in the high 70s low to mid 80s. Not optimal epoxy weather in my, as you well know, oast of a garop. :) I’m not sure there is a slow enough hardener made to work in 90f heat while glassing or fairing.

 

Add some punt adventures, some skiffing, some general rock skipping and bird watching trips to the river, and a daughter becoming increasingly serious about softball, the summer blew by.

 

Of course, my summer started with a lifelong friend’s Memorial Day suicide, then a few days later we lost one of the kid’s lifelong friends to gun violence. I rounded out the summer by losing another long time friend. Yes. Gun....

 

Also, Oldest Son and I embarked on two boat building projects (a wee pram for him and some models. He’s very into olde tyme ships and etc.), The tree house grew, and I started completely over on the pedal car. Seriously. The frame is outside against the garop. I saved the spindles, wheels, and steering wheel blank. Same aesthetic, just a more efficient avenue.

New car will be unibody monocoque stitch and glue plywood with a sheathe of 4oz. :)

 

The Frolic? Well, the foils are really almost done. I think I added the last batch of fairing epoxy gloop to them the other day. I’ll sand in a few days and know for sure. I am cutting off the top of the mainmast and scarphing on a new one, as I decided to NOT use a sheave in a slot.

 

Oh, and sailmaker buddy has begun acquiring materials.

 

She is getting wet this year.

 

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you this summer. Would I could travel down there. One day, eh?

 

Peace,

Robert

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On 8/29/2018 at 9:34 PM, Action Tiger said:

...I’m not sure there is a slow enough hardener made to work in 90f heat while glassing or fairing.

 

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you this summer. Would I could travel down there. One day, eh?

 

90f glassing?  Welcome to North Carolina - Work fast and mix tiny batches. :)

If you're going as far as Canberra you might as well make a stop in Perth.  Canberra's beautiful but Perth has Quokkas (and salt water).  There's a bit of bluegrass happening here, too.

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2 minutes ago, Ken_Potts said:

 

90f glassing?  Welcome to North Carolina - Work fast and mix tiny batches. :)

If you're going as far as Canberra you might as well make a stop in Perth.  Canberra's beautiful but Perth has Quokkas (and salt water).  There's a bit of bluegrass happening here, too.

I ever get down there to Drop Bear Island, I’m going to need to go walkabout and lap the whole darned place.

 

I got friends in all three of the cities, see? :)

 

Honestly, the highest concentration of international internet friends I have is in Australia. It’s wild. And, not one of them lives in the same place. Hahaha.

 

Right now, we’re having optimal glassing weather. 90s (f) during the day, dropping to 60-70s (f) during the night. Right after dusk, when you can feel the temperature drop a bit, that it the perfect time to glass. Without a temperature controlled E.T. prison to glue up stuff in, anyway.

 

Peace,

Robert

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  • 4 weeks later...

Okay. Nothing real is really happening. Just endless fairing of foil surfaces. I wait until the gloop is cured well before sanding, anymore, so putting three coats of fair g gloop on and sanding it can take a month, easily.

 

Most of the boat is fairly smooth and, well, fair, but the foils are getting extra attention. Whether this becomes my favorite boat forever or just passes through, I want Her to sail as well as possible, and sails and foils are the two biggest factors.

 

Which reminds me. I cut this snazzy slot in the masthead to take a sheave, somthe halyard for the lug would run just so. It was rather a slick setup, I must admit. Until I dropped the mast out of the rack it’s stored on, and broke the tip. Well, it’s just cracked on one side of the slot, but...

 

So, I glued up a 3’ long piece of pine to replace the tip, and I keep trying to muster the courage to cut off the old piece. Hehe.

 

Yes, Virginia, pine. This pine has “Bible leaf” grain, and it’s dry, dry, dry, so it’ll flex enough, but it’s plenty stiff, and very light.

 

Anyhow.

 

Peace,

Robert

 

P.S. I included a shot of a sprit end, just so youse know I do actually do stuff, sometimes.

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It's just not "fair" that ya gotta spend so much time "fairing". And the hot weathwr can "foil" our work on the "foils". How 'bout a picture of your masthead? Didn't ya know your not suppose to break stuff? Cute little model boat, too. Who's gonna sail it? Just right for Stewart Little.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

It’s a combination. 

 

Fall sucked the life out of me. I had other projects, too much work, and WAY too much softball this fall.

 

I’m down to fussing over and fitting the foils to the boat. Getting the pivot bolts through and dealies hung and all.

I just received some bits and some gloop and cloth, so the last few jobs I need to check off can be.

 

Then I need to rig her. Which, ain’t all that much, but it’s a lot of fussing and sorting stuff.

 

Meh. These are the times when you learn if you like this, or not. When the first burn of passion fades, and the grinding reality of this ridiculous project looms before you.

Me? I love it. Tons of work to do means I have a purpose, yet. :)

 

Apologies for not having more going on, and for not having reached out, either. Just fumbling in circles, as usual.

 

Peace,

Robert

 

 

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Chick,

 

I think you know some of the traumatic experience we had this summer. I’ve Selena a goodly bit of time with the kids.

 

I’ve neglected a lot, this summer, including new friends. From far away lands. Ahem. Which, I intend to rectify as my head space improves.

 

 

For those what don’t know, ah. I lost a lifelong friend to suicide. He also happened to be the husband of my wife’s best friend, and the kid’s godfather. Oof.

 

Days later, our oldest two kid’s friend was murdered in a botched robbery. Someone wanted his phone, and shot him when he ran.

 

This all happened just around when I wrecked my back. Again. I spent more than a week flat. Missed my one chance to boat for days at a time.

 

But, I’ve been plugging away at stuff as much as I can. My winter project this year was hammocks and stoves. I sponsor “urban campers” as much as possible, as I wast one for some time. 

This year the care package is a hammock with bug net and rain fly (these things pitch anywhere, and can double as a bivy style tent) an alcohol stove (that will burn as low as 80 prooof), a mess kit, toiletries, a some food.

 

And, I’ve been making gifting day gifts.

 

And designing a proa for Youngest Son, who wants a “back and forth boat”.

 

Peace,

Robert

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Wand box...

 

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Can stove...

 

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Hammock...

 

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Fire!

 

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Asymmetrical double ender!

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Thanks for the update. miss Debbie and I have had our share of heartaches, too. Such is life. But like you, we keep on-keepin' on. I am proud of you helping others with "urban campers". Seems that there are always folks worse off than us that need our help. You are blessed to have family that enjoys your talents and hobbies.

 

Prayers and love go out to you and yours this Christmas.

I thought you might enjoy this little story.

 

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  • 7 months later...

All manner of things, including a new device and a forgotten password. For a number of reasons, the “large” boat in my world languished for a bit, but I am more able and have time now again to chip away at her, so she remains as ever 99% done, and half way finished.

 

I did start drawing “realism” again, though. There is that.

Well. “Drawing”. These are “colored pencil” usIng a stylus on a pad of glass. It’s wild, but I’m kind of liking it.

In spite of myself. ;)

 

Peace,

Robert

 

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