Gaetz Goes
4 hours ago
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Nicks and Dings
One good thing about building your own boat is that you know how to repair it when the time comes. My little Ooze Goose project boat got a little touch up after a hard winter's use.
There was the spot on the cabin where we broadsided a bridge near John Pennecamp State Park in Florida. Tidal currents can be tricky. The little boat picked a fair share of scuffs when the boat and trailer disconnected from the van on the highway. We had a harsh landing on a rocky lee shore on Table Rock Lake in Missouri. Just loading and unloading the boat all those times did a bit of wear and tear -to say nothing of thousands of miles bouncing along on the trailer. I should be grateful it's in as good a condition as it is.
I mixed up a batch of thickened epoxy and touched up all the rough spots. I replaced my broken belt sander so it shouldn't be too hard to smooth everything out. A bit of paint and it'll be better than new.
While I was at it I replaced the cabin hatch with one of my own design. It should do a more effective job of keeping water out of the cabin.
Weather permitting, it should back in the lake in a couple days. At the same time I'm working to get my Oday 19 ready. Progress is being made on the conversion to electric auxiliary power.
Once both boats are back in the water I'm going to finally finish up the Ooze Goose sailing rig. While I was gone for the winter a local Maker's Space has set up in town. They have some heavy duty sewing machines that should work just fine for making sails. I've got a barter deal going with them so it won't cost any money.
Building our own boat is kinda like painting a painting. When do you know it's done? At least paintings aren't normally exposed to a lot of wear and tear. Good thing I enjoy tinkering with boats.
-Sixbears
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I've heard it said that the repairs add weight over time, but I doubt if it's enough to notice.
ReplyDeleteIt really matters in something like a canoe.
ReplyDeleteI was always told that a boat is a hole in the water that you through money into.
ReplyDeleteB. O. A. T Bring Out Another Thousand.
Delete. . . as in dollars. A thousand dollars is known as "one boat buck."
Not my boats, however.
Many years ago, we lived on Emerald Isle in the outer banks. There was a town called Beufort nearby. It had lots of docks for small sailboats. My wife and I would go down there and eat at a restaurant on the docks. Once we met a New Zealand couple who had built their own sailboat and sailed all the way to our east coast in it. It was not large, barely big enough to accommodate the two of them. I admired their courage and thought they were insane at the same time. The ocean is a big place for such a little boat.
ReplyDeleteBeufort is on my list of places I want to sail to. Supposed to be very boat friendly.
DeleteIt's actually easier to build a seaworthy small boat than to build a strong big boat. That's not to say it was a smooth ride. Usually the boat handle more tossing around than the crew can. New Zealand is a long way.