A Happy Accident

Mike & chuck,

Found this one by accident whilst looking for something else:

www.boat-building.org/learn-skills/

Seems well organized and covers the waterfront with lot more detail than I have found on other small boat 'how to" web sites.  Thought it might make a good addition for either the Duckworks magzine or the main web site. Hope its useful. 

Keep up the good work and best regards
Ole Helgerson

Good Stuff

The Cuben Fiber Folding Kayak is ingenious! A real advancement in materials use. Small boat technology is moving ahead, while mankind is preparing to exterminate itself.

Jim

Toothaches

Toothaches, have no place on a boat. They, among other ailments, will keep the sailor on the dock. At sea, or just afloat on the bay, they will keep one's mind ashore.
They are no fun, the bane of human kind, we're all in this together. Can you imagine a full on toothache, coupled with mal de mar?
Other ailments abound as well for the mariner. Just being cold and wet continually, days on end. How long before that's considered fun? Splinters, cuts, toes stubbed against what ever they hit, all afflictions to be sure of the land lubber as well, difference being out there is a ship to sail, port to make, little ones aboard counting on the sailor in charge. No time to tend that gash, there's a reef or two or three needs put in the mainsail, there's also reefs of a different sort downwind, waiting with jagged teeth, gaping jaws.
Wrap a rag around the cut hand or finger, ignore that bleeding toe. Precious cargo's aboard. Be it only yourself. No time to sit this one out.
And then there's the galley cook, who deserves more appreciation than is normally given, what with boiling pots and hot grease, death seems to await the lowly cook. If the stove top doesn't get him, the crew's liable to revolt over a poor meal. On the other hand a good galley cook will always find billet. Word gets out, or maybe not: 'You don't want him, can't cook for beans', keeping the best for themselves.
The early boys were made of stuff we can only imagine. Setting reefs, climbing tall masts, rain, cold, sleet, and gales. A hardy bunch to be sure.
How'd they deal with toothaches?

Michael Beebe

Hui Wharram

Ahoy sailors!

It's March, the spring equinox has come and gone, it's time to finalize your plans to attend the 2016 HuiWharram sail-in located in North Shore Park, 13001 N. Cleveland Ave, North Ft. Myers Florida - May 22-24. Please like and share our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/HuiWharram-Polynesian-Catamarans-Friends-1726281164318680/

There you will find links, resources and information you will need to register. This event is free, but we request that you register (please) so that we can be as prepared as possible. 

We are excited to meet you and share the beautiful Ft. Myers venue this year.

Fair winds and smooth sailing.

Thom

Donors wanted

OK I want one - I am willing to give you ALL rides when, as donors, you visit us up at our lakehouse near Bethel Woods Art Ctr (site of the '69 Woodstock concert) in beautiful Sullivan County NY, where I will personally come get you, prepare your private room, drive you across our lake, to dinner & drinks at the Irish Pub on our lake and - all on me. All I need... Is a little help. - Tom

A Note from that other online boat magazine

It’s spring where I live, and the days are growing longer, the weather warmer, and the breezes milder. If you’re eager to get out and feel the breeze blowing over your bow and go boating on your favorite lake or exploring your secret cove, you can get a taste of what’s to come by checking out the free sample issue of Small Boats Monthly. Just click on the link below. We cover everything from designs, gear, adventure, to reader-built boats, and more.

Get a head start on your spring boating season. Click here for your FREE sample issue!

Christopher Cunningham

Editor

Crow Update

CROW is proving to be a fun project and progress is easily made! Here is an updated video of the cross frames being built and a dry fit of the structure. I'm very excited about this design but unfortunately it needs to be set aside for the next while as my shop will be occupied by "real" work! I'll get back to it as soon as I'm able and itt is nice is all the frames "flat stack" out of the way in the shop so they will be in good shape as the build continues! Best/Roy Schreyer

Project Update

Got a little bit of work done today on the new boat.  I've been at this project over a year already - that's not good!

The design is Tammie Norrie, by Iain Oughtred.  It's similar in size and style to Wee Lass, but will be a little prettier.  The plans come with full size templates for the molds, stem and transom, but they're printed on paper, which has a bad reputation for being less than accurate.  So I decided it was time to learn a new skill, and set up a (very rudimentary) lofting table, and lofted the patterns full size using the table of offsets provided on the plans.  The lofting was then traced onto sheets of mylar, which was used to make the parts.  The ship modelers should recognize the photo of the molds set up; construction is very similar to plank-on-bulkhead construction, except that the molds are temporary - the planking will not be glued to them.  Today the backbone (stem, keelson, and transom) were glued together, and I started lining off the planks.  The lines look good as far as my eye can tell, and all of the battens lay directly on the molds, with no humps or hollows. That tells me that my lofting is good. 

Next step is to use the lining battens to cut the bevels in the stem and transom, then cut the rolling bevel on the keelson.  Looks like it will be a while before I'm ready to starting hanging planks. 

Al

Snow

Easter morning in Almostcanada…

Dan Rogers

Getting Better?

Winter here is not bad, not bad at all. Some water's are frozen, an ice boat is about all one can use. Dol-drums, if that's how it's spelled. Windless, is the place they're at. Winter might as well be windless when it's howling 35 plus with a wind chill that'll put you somewhere south of zero. Dol-drums, sail less days. Winter.
I used to live up at 5500 feet. My sailing days were limited to when I could get to the coast. The off shore islands were indeed nice, the expense getting there was rather costly. The expense getting here, coastal Texas, was cheap by comparison. Sell the house, not a problem, except that it was a new build and only 80% done. Noticed one day my Linda was downsizing, I was as well. Sat down and had a talk. Sell as is, take the hit, took all of five minutes.
Came here with a Trailer Sailor 16 and an out board hanging on the stern. I didn't feel all that confident in my sailing prowess and determined to get better. Set that OB in the closet and never looked backed. Now I'm looking back thinking where'd that 65'steel barge come from I just lost some paint on. That concrete bulkhead, worse yet, that rip rap broken concrete I put another boat up against, after supposedly getting to be a better sailor.
The wooden docks and piles are somewhat softer, unless the spot we hit has some ole rusty iron on it, or creosote to mark the sails. Better? O well, I guess it's just a state of mind.
Here in the State of Texas, I can sail all winter. Bang into all the steel, wood, and concrete I can find. Getting better? I'd like to think so, depends who you ask.

Michael J Beebe