Doing it old school

Seriously heinous, following the money, and some Maker Faire (and yes dear reader there is a trebuchet!!!) goodness...

Yesterday I was working on the deck when a boat motored up beside me and asked where we were... Which is not a question you get asked a lot these days in a world where GPS is commonplace.

So, I told him the name of the anchorage...

He then asked, "What island?"...

I told him St Croix...

"But where is Tortola?"

I pointed...

"How far is it?"...

"About 41 miles"...

"Thats a long way"...

"What course should I steer?"

"Six degrees should get you there"

"My compass doesnt work, can you point me in the right direction?"

So I pointed then went back to the job at hand and when I next looked up he was no longer in sight...

Listening to Love and the Zealous

So it goes...

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New kits Old kits More kits!

New and Updated Kits

Calendar Islands Yawl under construction
Updated Deer Isle Koster (KDI) kits being cut out West

The CIY hull#1 is being expertly built in Duluth and everything is looks really good. The boat has been set up and planking has started.

The building jig set up was all CNC cut and self-jigging. In a post on the Wooden Boat Forum about the CIY project, the builder says "I have the distinct sense of the boat building itself" as he assembled the building jig and is not planking within 10 days time working on the side.

Here is the boat so far, all photos courtesy of Jim Levang, builder and owner of hull #1.

The building jig set up. All parts are CNC cut.

The stem, bulkheads, centerboard trunk, and transom all set up. They were all CNC cut.

Bottom and garboards attached!

But thats not all! You can also get the updated KDI. This model is not my own design, but drawn originally by Bruce Elfstrom, friend, fellow designer, and small boat guru from Connecticut who plays with boats, particularly Scandinavian type boats on the side. I have done a lot of new design work with the help of three builders of hull #3, 4, and 5. Photos below courtesy of Frank Stauss in New Jersey. He looks to be doing a fabulous job. 

New Jersey KDI.

NJ KDI.

The Deblois Street Dory is getting a few tweaks to the building jig set up to facilitate building and then two kits will be cut. Finally, the last project will be to finish the Drake 19, a new model. A bit of a line up is forming there for this kit. Everything is on track to be done by the end of May. Then I am going rowing and sailing, dang it!

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Not the same old same catboat

You might find this thought provoking, excuse me while I throw up a bit, and just another bit of educational integrity going down the drain...

All too often we tend to stick "traditional" boat types in the must be kept traditional ghetto which kills any sort of further development or evolution in its tracks.

That said, every once in a while, an inquisitive brave soul will decide to take on the powers that be, break from the lockstep mentality, and liberate a traditional design from the ghetto to bring it into the present day... Makes me get all funky and do the happy dance.

Not your same old same quaint catboat.

 More information can be found here and here.

Listening to Third Eye Blind

So it goes...

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An Old Head on Young Shoulders

It is often said that words of wisdom come from the mouths of babes...

The other week one of my sons mentioned that he wanted to build one of my First Mate designs. I was full of enthusiasm and told him that Id build one too, and maybe I could arrange to have the parts for both boats cut by CNC.

He looked at me and said, "Marking and cutting is easy and fun - can you arrange to have the sanding and painting done by CNC instead?"

First Mate is a nice boat - you can see more designs on my website here.

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RE slots in laser cut frames and stringer from old forum notes 8 31 2010

Ray wrote: >
need to know what are the vertical > slot in frames 4,5,and 6 for also what size stringer goes into frames right > at the bottom where the bottom of hull meets the side of the boat also there > seems too be a slot for another brace on frames 4,5,and 6 directly under the > vertical slots.
Thanks Ray from Down Under

the vertical slots are for the radio tray if you use it. the extra vertical slots by the king plank are just extra strength for the keel area. Chines are 1/4" X 1/4" or 6.4mm sq.

John On 8/30/10,

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Knowing Old shoe sailboat plans

Running Shoes and Denim Old People Shoes Plywood Boat Building Div Div Class Div Div Class images taken from various sources for

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