Another Week Gone By...?

I swear I do not know where the time goes!

The four bulkheads are framed. Most of the bevels have been cut but there are two waiting for me.

The transom has been cut to shape and one side coated with epoxy. I will do the second side tomorrow. The transom does present a bit of a dilemma. The two sides of the plywood react differently to epoxy: one side finishes with a rich dark color while the other side is more of a golden honey. Since I want the interior to have the darker finish I plan to paint the exterior side of the transom when I paint the rest of the hull. This should show off the rudder box which will be the dark bright finish.

The rudder box and tiller are being assembled this weekend. Of course I jumped ahead of the instructions but the step I skipped can be completed at a later point.

My plan to take the completed hull to Timothy Lake may not come to fruition. I am considering how I can purchase the materials needed and find the space required to do the assembly. I need four sheets of plywood, several more WRC planks, and epoxy with hardener - and that does not address paint or materials for oars. I will see how August shapes up. I may pick up the plywood and take it up to Ed's to use his garage floor to layout the hull panels. I may be able to get a lot closer to finished than I am right now, but whether it will be ready to take to Oregon in September is doubtful.

Oars are another piece of equipment I assumed I would purchase. A few months ago I would have very strongly argued that making oars is beyond my ability. That was then, this is now. Having read several items - articles on-line, articles in books, and on-line threads/posts - I am convinced I can make my own set of oars!

Yesterday I found a possible work site and if I were ready to assemble the hull right now I would have jumped on the opportunity. A small industrial area in North Highlands has space available a 12' x 20' space (with an 8'x 12' office 'nook') rents month to month for $245 a month; a 10' x 40' space is available for $195 a month - but it only has walk-through doors so the configuration probably would not work for getting a boat out of the space. I found this place on Craigslist and copied the contact information for future reference.

The lower level of Katherine's place might work, too.

Another possibility might be Susan's garage when she goes to Hawaii in late August.

And yet another possibility is my own place! It may be possible to use the living room diagonal for the needed space. This would be a very last resort but potentially workable.

I may be able to begin cutting the scarf joints for the inwales this week. I can glue up two of the three pieces needed to make the proper length for the inwales, but will have to wait to see where the hull will be built. If I need to transport the inwales, 12' lengths are much more manageable than 18' ones.