Navigator
by Robbie Powick

Part 1

Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

April 10

A short story on why I have chosen to begin this building project……

1. I have been a fisherman since before I can remember… and have always had access to boats to enjoy my sport, either on boats belonging to family or friends. I still, though, have always had the desire to own a boat of my own, be my own boss etc…. going where and when I wanted. I am a man who enjoys my own company and the freedom that goes along with that.

2. On more occasions than I care to think about, I have made the decision to buy my own boat and have put away funds for that purpose, only to, each time, find something come up that needed those funds for and they disappeared…… I really just about gave up on this wish ever being fulfilled.

(click images for larger views)

3. Thinking about my situation I felt that my life was being divided into sections: being…. work/wife/family without any section that I could say belonged to me… This project is filling two needs for me… a personal challenge and I will end up with a boat I can truly say is my own as I will have built it myself…. indeed the challenge is made even larger, because I have never built a thing in my life before… I didn’t even take woodwork at school…

4. I picked up a magazine that was lying open on a table at the local library one day and saw the words “Why buy a Boat when it is so easy to build”. This was an advert in a copy of the “Australian Amateur boatbuilder”. I sat down and after reading this I found myself surfing the NET where I came across Dave Perillo’s website (openboat.co.nz), and that led to John Welsford's site (jwboatdesigns.co.nz). That led to the jw builders’ site on yahoo/groups where I was able to get answers from several of the members which gave much encouragement to me. The rest they say is history… here I am enjoying myself thoroughly…. seeing progress almost daily (I can’t work on my Navigator everyday) and looking forward to each new bit of Nav taking shape.

I shall post more photos and information as I progress further…..

Regards
Robbie Powick

June 16

Hi,
Today I am in an especially good mood...today I picked up for the first time the Jigsaw and cut out the first of the bulkheads... #3..... I have been pleased with how the drawing of the plans onto the Ply has gone, but when I look at this first bulkhead successfully done, I for the first time am beginning to actually think that maybe I can do this......

Regards
Robbie Powick