Keel progress - two pics

[Rich VanValkenburg]

Sonja has a belly full of new floors that finally fit properly, as opposed to the old ones that never did fit. Pulled the last keelbolt that's coming out so I can replace my poor sternpost while I'm at it. It wasn't rotten, but checked too badly to offer any real support, and I made a mess of the rabbet when I last replaced it 22 years ago. The boat had a built-in turn to starboard, and suffered in speed. So out it comes this weekend. The new horn is almost ready, but I'll glue that scarf when the sternpost is ready.

Floors
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid25/pecdff5dc5f9bb2df4b99846b84c7ec19/fd8cb408.jpg

Sternpost mess
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid25/p55942cc1c3836199cbf043961db9966b/fd8cb402.jpg

Sorry for the size of the pics, I usually try to get them down below 75k. And I'll get a better pic of the floors. I was too tired to go up the ladder again tonight.

Rich

[ 07-10-2002, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Rich VanValkenburg ]

[nedL]

Beautifull looking work Rich. It looks like you are building a piece of furnature or some sort of wooden sculpture, not just the bilge of 'some old wooden boat' LOL. :D - Keep up the good work, I always enjoy your updates!

[Noah]

You are doing a great job! She will be perfect when you are done.

NOah

[Rich VanValkenburg]

Whoa there. I'm not looking for perfection, just a damn dry bilge and pieces that don't move around on their own. I CPES'd and epoxied the floors and left 'em bright just so I could see down there easier and try to keep them from splitting.

If it looks like I'm trying to build a piece of furniture, that's not the case. I go slow because I have to, and because I screwed things up bad in the past by hurrying up a repair. I don't know that I have the stamina or the years to do it again. ;)

Rich

[Tom Dugan]

Whoa there. I'm not looking for perfection, just a damn dry bilge and pieces that don't move around on their own. Some folks would define that as perfection :D

Your effort, care, and quality workmanship really show. I am very impressed. I may get tempted to buy a beat up old boat and have you fix it! ;)

-T

[Adam C]

Rich,

Your work is truly beautiful.

I'm curious....what was her bilge condition before this? Was she steadily leaking or was it a pumpout once a week?

I ask because I think I need some floor work of my own right around the mast step.

Adam

[Ed Harrow]

Geeze, do you work for a living... No house to maintain... No old cars that you're pushing along... No kids... No dog... Maybe you know what you are doing, there's a thought.

Unbelievable... When you coming out?

[Rich VanValkenburg]

Adam, in the beginning , when I bought her in '76, most of the frames from the rudder forward to the mast step were broken and/or rotten. Parts of those came out and were replaced/sistered. The keelson was rotted off at the aft end, and the original sternpost was dust and bones. It was a steady leak, but I was younger and immortal back then. smile.gif

Ed, hahaha! House, wife, three teenaged kids, a 12 year old van and an 8 year old 4x4, a dog that kills squirrels, too much grass to cut, though it's dead this year, and now a blip on the ticker radar. :D Only way to do it is to make a list and check stuff off as I go. It helps to turn that big list into a bunch of smaller lists. I'll be out there. Patience. You want me to bring tools, right? :D

Rich

[brian.cunningham]

I need to take lessons for you two!