The Maiden Voyage

Now before you start getting all crazy on me saying where are the life jackets for those people I will tell you that the lake we are in there is only 1 to 3 feet deep everywhere we went.

It Floats, No leaks

I happen to have the good fortune of having a pool in my yard so it was pretty simple to go set the canoe in the pool on Saturday to see if it floats.

And it does.

I still needed to put on the varnish but no harm in seeing it float before that is done.

I had no problem finding volunteers to get in the boat.  Some even bothered to put on pants first!

 

There were no leaks which was nice and in general it did what you expect a big bucket to do when you put it in water. Float.

I was quite surprised how much the front end lifted up when I sat in the back seat.  Not at all like a rental canoe.

When I moved to the other end and sat in the “Front” seat everything leveled out just fine. As I was told it would.

If I canoe with one of the boys I guess I will have to carry a lot of beer to get the boat to ride level. The sacrifices I make.

 

All that is left is to put on some varnish and to buy two more bolts for the seats and put a bottom on the “Cup” holder and I will be finished.

I would rate the boat about a 4 to a 6 on quality because the finish just looks awful. As you can see in the pictures it is very spotty which I was not worried about during construction since I had planned to paint the outside. That was until I found out how much paint cost.  But the big problem you can not see in the pictures. The finish is just not smooth. You want it to look like glass and mine just looks runny and rippled.  I don’t know what I did wrong but it just is not something I will brag about.  I suppose I could spend 6 months and about $400 dollars getting it perfect but I am so sick of boat making that this will do.

 

What happened to the progress

Ok here are my excuses

A week ago Friday I used the last of my epoxy and then we went out of town for the 3 day weekend.

When I got back I was just plain tired and did not want to work on the boat.

Wednesday I was out biking, no work

Thursday I was out running, no work

Friday I was just Out!

 

Saturday I volunteered at a track meet all day so no work

Sunday it was about 100 degrees all day and too hot for me to go out to the shed.

 

Now it is Monday. I bought another quart of epoxy and the kids are gone for the week.

I hope to finish the boat this week.

If all goes well I will get the breast hooks done tonight

Epoxy the rest of the bottom tomorrow.

Epoxy the breast hooks Thursday along with putting on some varnish

Maybe some more varnish on Friday.

Saturday I could be done.

 

New expenses have been

Webbing

Stainless steel bolts

More Epoxy.

 

Building a boat is not cheap