A Better Week...

Thanks to some advice from another Pathfinder builder, I got my head wrapped around the issue of the seat/deck supports. Making progress there.

Looked at some trailers - none of which was ideal: some might have worked (with some modifications and/or repairs), some wouldn't work at all for Gardens and some weren't worth the time to look at. I did realize that I don't much care if the lights/wiring on a trailer are working - I plan to make a removable light bar.

I'm easing back into bicycling. I rode three days this week - nothing epic - and it felt good to be riding again (despite the road rash resulting from a near-perfect low-speed two point [shin and shoulder] landing).

Saturday, we spent a very relaxing - and yet invigorating - afternoon sailing on Lake Michigan with friends on their Express 35. It was good to sail again!

I'm feeling inspired and motivated… so Gardens will see more progress this week!

The Week That Wasn't

I'm glad last week is over. Even with the encouraging words early in the week...

Monday: Overwelmed by the the tasks before me. Oh sure, the big pieces are done but the detail and prep work needed to assemble those big pieces got to me. For instance, I am grappling with the seat and platform deck supports along the hull. I just don't "see" how these pieces fit the boat. I've got an idea to check out tomorrow…

Tuesday: Decided to install only a single reef line for now - and put it on the wrong side of the boom. I'll go ahead and install the hardware for the second reef line, just for convenience, even though I thought I'd save a bit of time only installing one reef line. I was wrong.

Wednesday: Having to deal with the Michigan Secretary of State's office regarding a non-boat related item. I experienced a fit of low confidence (hey, I used to be a lawyer so confidence should not be an issue) and I just could't do what I needed to do. I got a pep talk from a lawyer friend…

Thursday: Cloudy, gloomy, pouring rain did nothing for my mood.

Friday: Dealt with the Michigan Secretary of State's office and accomplished what needed to be done. Too hot and humid for me to actually accomplish anything…

Saturday: Up early; bikes on the back of the bike; headed out for a ride… A mile and a half out, I had a flat tire. Tools with me were the wrong ones. Walked the bike back to the car. Waited for Jan to finish her ride and went home. Way to hot and humid for me to work on the boat - or anything else.

Today: Normal Sunday - easy morning, Sunday brunch, a nap and watching the sunset (on the next to the longest day of the year). But… nothing done on Gardens.

I've got ideas re the seat/decking supports, outfitting the boom (and yard), and moving forward. Anxious to getting back to work on the boat!

Spars

Most of the spars are (nearly) done. I haven't built the mizzen mast, the boom needs hardware, the mast needs hardware and the yard needs a bit of paint and a bit of hardware.

I am (mostly) happy with the spars as they are:

• The mast weighs 26 pounds (11.8kg), has eight coats of varnish and will look good from ten feet away.
• The boom weighs nine pounds (4kg) and is very stiff.
• The yard weighs six pounds (2,7kg), has a slight bow to it and a few white flecks where I sanded too far into the F/G sleeve (hence the "mostly happy" reference above) but should work well. I have not checked it for stiffness.
• The boomkin has been done for a long time and is waiting for me to finish the boat and go sailing. Same for the mizzen boom.

Now it is time for some decisions:

• Hounds with single block, fairlead (no block) or padeye with block on the mast for the halyard?
• Dixon Kemp style halyard arrangement or parrel beads at the yard?
• Padeye, rope loop (soft shackle), or single block on the yard for the halyard attachment?
• Straight (5:1) downhaul or the GIS bleater/vang arrangement?
• Parrel beads or OZ style line/loop attachment for the boom?

Some of these choices are mutually exclusive and there is nothing magical about any of them.

Getting There

While I was rough fitting the starboard foredeck panel this morning, Gardens reached a milestone (of sorts): All seat panels, platform deck panels and deck panels are cut and fitted. In other words, the boat kit is complete. All that's left is "just" some assembly required… Can't be long now, right?

Like a Puzzle

Trim installed.

Fitting foredeck:

Decking will be cut close to size, finish cut with router and flush trim bit and then removed to allow installation to the rub-rails. If the decks are installed ahead of the rub-rails, there is precious little foreword of BH-2 to clamp the rub-rails to. My BIL got it right when he said building a boat is like assembling a puzzle - and the sequence is as important as the pieces.

Installing Trim

Finished painting the sheer planks last weekend, pulled the blue tape yesterday, re-taped this morning and set up the jig-sticks to install the trim along the bottom edge of the sheer planks.

Applied neat epoxy to the trim pieces and the bare bottom of the sheer planks, slathered thickened epoxy to the trim pieces and, with Jan and Andy assisting, clamped the trim to the planks. After some fiddling with the clamps we were done.

I followed the epoxy & clamp process with counter-sunk screws. And, there will be a bit of fine-tuning the fit right at the stem when the trim pieces between the rub-rails and today's trim pieces are installed.