Minor Obstacle

Okay, so things are going pretty well - I'm ready to fit and install the chines. Unfortunately, the chines are not ready...

The plans spec the chines at 20mm x 70mm x 5,790mm (that's 3/4" x 2-3/4" x 19'). The chines fit flat on the outside of the hull bottom so they have to bend in that dimension. They also conform to the rocker in the bottom so they have to bend in that dimension...

I'm using Monterrey Pine and it is not going to bend in those two directions... not without some serious convincing. Steaming the wood seems the logical means of "serious convincing" but steaming wood is one of those black-box mysteries I've always considered to be beyond my skills. However, I am thinking about it...

Several questions come to mind:

1. What do I use to steam 19' long pieces of wood?
2. Can I fit the wood and then re-steam it once I'm happy with the fit? (I don't think I'll be able to remove them if I let them sit long enough to dry to shape.)
3. How do I glue steamed wood in place? Can I glue wet wood after re-steaming?

Okay, I can answer the first question. It is the other two that are troubling me.

Any suggestions?

Back at it... Again... Finally...

After more than one false start (following an annoyingly persistent cold) I am back to work on Gardens - along with several other works-in-progress:

Gardens:
Building the transom and prepping it for installation
Cutting notches in the frames to accept the chines
Milling chines down to 65mm to facilitate the needed bending/twisting

Karen Ann:
Clean-/refit prepping for the Small Craft Skills Academy next month
Lots to do!

Cycling:
Back to riding after too many weeks of not riding
Short 25-mile ride on May 19th
Training for 75-mile ride in August

Fiddly Fitting of a Finicky Frame

Fitting the seat fronts and Frame 6-A (aka Frame 7, depending on your plan-set) today was an exercise in fit-mark-cut-repeat (many times over). I did get parts fitted - including the bevel on 6-A to fit the bottom of the boat.

One can visualize the cockpit taking shape… One could actually see the cockpit taking shape had I remembered to use the camera this afternoon.

The transom is next...

A Side Trip and... Another Project?

Took a little side trip on Tuesday to visit the Heritage Coast Rowing and Sailing project in East Tawas, MI. The project is an evolution of the Scottish Coastal Rowing program designed as a community boat building and rowing activity. The Heritage 23 is based on the traditional Mackinaw boat - a design of historical significance in the Great Lakes region. The Heritage 23 is a beautiful boat:
It was a treat to meet the people involved in the project - too many to name individually - particularly Dave Wentworth (point man for the project) and Alec Jordan (the man behind the kits for the St. Ayles Skiff and the Heritage 23).

I have been enamored with the Scottish Coastal Rowing concept since first hearing about it three years ago. The idea of getting involved in a community boat building project has been rattling around my head for a year or so and the Heritage project is exciting as it is based on a meaningful local design. My visit with Dave, Alec and everyone else in East Tawas was informative and inspiring. As work continues with Gardens, I plan to explore local interest in building a Heritage 23 as a community project. It would be great to build a community boat here in Central Michigan and take it to the shores of Lake Huron for some good fun, camaraderie and competition with other Heritage 23s!

Back At It - Finally

Well, that 24-hour bug turned into more of a 240-hour nasty affliction that kept me from doing much of anything. But, I feel almost normal again so I am back, happily, in the shop working on Gardens of Fenwick.

Installed some doublers on the the spine between frames 1 and 3 went well. Milled more 20mm square stock didn't require a great deal of concentration or strenuous effort but was satisfying to do.

Time to admit it...

Well, I figured by now to be hanging planks and proceeding at a good pace toward preparing to turn the hull over...

Not to be. What began as a tickle in my throat has blossomed into a full-blown cold (hey, we're ignoring the possibility of it being the flu). This after a casual comment at supper a couple weeks ago, "Oh, I never get sick." Should have known...

So, I have done nothing on the boat since last weekend. But, this is spring and hope springs eternal... I'm feeling well enough to get out to the shop tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, I will actually make new progress.

At Last... Assembly Begins

At long last, assembly of Gardens' hull has begun.

The centerboard case was installed (glued and screwed) on Tuesday. Today, Frame #5 was installed at the aft end of the CB case.

The stem/spine and three more frames (##1, 2 and 3) were fitted to the bottom. A few adjustments were necessary - and I discovered another one of those little "better done before installed on the boat" steps (trimming the stem/spine to fit and milling 20mm x 20mm stock for reinforcements of the stem/spine once it is installed). I decided to let things sit overnight before gluing and screwing these four components. This is for my benefit - I want to make sure things are set up correctly and fresh eyes in the morning may see something I missed this afternoon.






The important thing, though, is assembly of Gardens' hull has begun!