I was asked by Dr. Jim Sanders to give an account of what brought me to boat building. Up until the time I started writing this account I had paid very little attention to how these sorts of things occur. Even as I recollect the events that brought me here I can’t help but marvel at the way time and events flow. This look backward only makes me more certain that as great as the events in the past have been the events currently unfolding and ones to come will be even more spectacular. This look back has also provided me with a new perspective on events in my life. I would like to thank Jim for this opportunity.
At this point the exterior of the boat was mostly complete
but had no finish. There looks like there is a lot of brightwork that
needs varnish. The brightwork is really limited to the cap rail pieces,
trim pieces, wheel and hatch. The decks and coach roof all receive an
oil based rub. I have found that it should be applied warm and the formula
is—
½ quart linseed oil
½ quart turpentine
4 oz pine tar
4 oz japan dryer
I am not sure that the proportions are all that exact but they produce
a great look and the smell is incredible. The wood needs to be oiled several
times a year.
The hull received one layer of 6 oz cloth. There are strips of Kevlar
on the chines and keel. The hull was faired with a mixture of thickened
epoxy to fill the weave. I believe the thickner was micro balloons. The
bottom of the hull received 5 or 6 coats of epoxy mixed with copper dust.
My thinking was that copper is a main ingredient in anti fouling bottom
paint. This mixture spread like paint and produced a very hard finish.
It is yet to be seen if it has any anti fouling properties. The hull sides
received 4 or 5 coats of an interlux white primer. This primer was high
build and was sanded between coats. The final interlux was sprayed on
with a HVLP sprayer. The finish came out pretty good.
The next steps had to do with the interior. I decided on a bunk to port and a galley and head to starboard.
The fuse panel is to the left of the head and the batteries are in the peak. There is a 3 gallon water tank under the galley and the head has a plumbed in pump out.
The spars including the mast were all birdsmouth except the boom. The
thinking here was that the boom would work better if it were heavier.
This picture is of the bowsprit. I built these pieces in halves and then
glued then together. This was really unnecessary because the plugs could
be installed during building. Also the individual staves were coated with
epoxy on the inside, this was done for waterproofing. The birdsmouth formula
is standard so I won’t quote it here. The material for all of the
spars was Douglas fir.
There is a collar on the mast to keep the boom from riding up. I did not
build a mast tabernacle. I have a mast stub that goes through the deck.
There
is a steel tubethat matches a bushing inside the mast. I did this because
I did not like the look of a tabernacle.
The downside is that you must lift the mast and plug it into the stub.
The mast and stub at a 4 inch diameter and are quite heavy but I can raise
the mast by myself.
There is a topmast built with an anchor light. The topmast plugs into
the top of the mast. I did this because I like the look. 
Back Yard Yacht Builders
A non-commercial association of amateur boat-builder enthusiasts.
All our wooden boats are Stevenson designs.