Wet day's ahead

Some new stuff

2009-06-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

Trip to Blake island, I could of taken the kitchen sink with.

Next generation's ???

16' Baidarka.

Lovin this weather

2009-04-21T18:06:00.001-07:00

Enough said. Loving the double thanks Ian & Meaghan...

It works

2009-04-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

This was yesterday, we got out for a test run. We had a good time, not out too long.

Thanks Ian and Meaghan.

Semi happy camper???

These shots are from finish to start. It was fun putting her back together, Helaine and I should have a good summer paddling her around.

Ton's of room I mean ton's. Hope we don't take too much stuff.

I need more spots for boats???

WOW

2009-03-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

It has been awhile, so here a few pick's.

The latest boat I'm working on.

My camping trip last month, very nice time

Oh yeah and whats up with me, I have gotten so tired of my belly button so I had it removed.

LOL not really but the Dr. did take it away with this last surgery for 8 hernia's, hope this is the last for a while.

I will try posting more as I get better and do more stuff.

Our Coast

2008-10-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Helaine and I went out to the coast for a couple of days. We camped at Mora, then did a couple of day hikes for us.

Monday 29 of Sept was so frickin hot, the car said 89 degrees in the shade. Amazing for the end of Sept, a bit much for a couple of old farts trying to hike. We hiked to Hole in the wall, which is north from Rialto beach. It was flat but the tide was in, we had alot of log hoppin and scrambiling.

The sunset was awesome, 7:00 at night warm winds blowing off shore. I was fine till I saw a lone surfer enjoying evening glass off, then I wished I had my boat.

Tuesday, we hiked down to Third beach. To check out the surf and camping there, small beach at high tide, would be a nice overnight spot tho. The weather had changed, cold windy a nice change from the heat the day before.

The hike was kinda steep for us, not too bad. Helaine did awesome, we would of died if we had done it the day before.

Above is a camp spot on Third beach, not alot of room at high tide.

Destruction Island and some very nice surf, I'm guessing 8'+ nice peaks. Why don't we go there more???

Above were all Third beach. Below our hike to Hole in the wall.

Awesome evening, sunset and surf.

Pounding shore break both days. Timing would be critical to get in right side up...

Got it done

2008-09-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

Phil's boat ready for it's first big paddle.
We are going to Crescent tomorrow for a nice easy paddle on the Strait of Juan de fuca.
Building this boat was a good build. I think it turned out very well. Phil will have a good boat for awhile, hope he likes it???

Yes I have started the next two boats. One for the little girl next door, the other is a Biadarka for me. Pic's to follow.

2008-09-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Helaine and I went to Port Townsend for the wooden boat festival. Lots of nice boats, kinda the SOS though. It was a nice day out. Not anything too different. There was one kayak that Joe at Redfish had done for a client, no pic's. It was very different, lots of nice work from Joe.
Bob and Dave when we had hair.

New surf yak from CLC, could be fun.
Slap Happy.

Found Andy's boat hiding under the blackberries in the yard. So we sacrificed it to the Kayak gods, praying for good surf this winter.

I got out again this morning, short run out from Olalla. Went south this time, kept hearing a clicking sound. Thought it was waves on the beach, no waves though. So I sat and closed my eyes, listened it was not coming from the shore, it was fish feeding close by.
Got about a half mile out, figured I better rest, so I stuck out the paddle and floated with the back eddy. Checking out the fish and crabs. Very relaxing float.
For the trip back I went off shore caught the north flow, quick ride home.

We got out

2008-09-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well it took forever. Helaine and I finally got to our favorite place to paddle. Crescent beach/Salt creek. It started out foggy, so we napped in the truck. Got lunch as the sun came out to revile a beautiful afternoon for a short paddle and surf session.
Exactly one month after the plumber put me back together. Feeling ok, i get tired easy, no muscles in my core. I did get in a few rides, Helaine was having a blast getting her share of waves.

Capitan Morgan???

Pretty huh?

See that little spot of Phil's boat color? Neither do I. LOL

Why I paddle

2008-09-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Friends and fun. This was last night, their Tuesday night play time. I was going to get in a boat, for some reason I just sat on the beach watching. Which was great, I liked enjoying friends having fun.

Instead I got out this morning from our home launch, Olalla boat ramp. I was alone, it's been almost one month since surgery for the second time this year.

A beautiful sunny day, a bit of wind. Me in the loosest boat I own, she wanders some. I had ideas of booking along, my belly had other ideas. I kept stopping and resting a bit before starting again. I headed North around the corner, taking it slow. I made the marker at the first point decided to turn around.

I slipped into the back eddy along the shore. I was getting a good ride from the eddy and the wind. I could concentrate on how clear the water was, how quiet it was, and how lucky I am to be here to enjoy such a beautiful place we live in.

So my first paddle was a slow, peaceful, enjoyable 1/3 mile of the awesome place that is the sound, we are so lucky to live and love this sport. Thanks to all my friends for all your great thoughts that helped get me through this summer.

Phil's blue submarine!!!

Edging

2008-08-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

It Floats

2008-08-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well Phil took his boat out this afternoon. He looked
good, it seemed to roll well. It sat higher in the water than I thought it might.
I'm happy with how it came out, I think Phil will be too.
I'll try to load video tonight.

Wanting water

2008-08-28T15:47:00.001-07:00

Hey I fit...

Tomorrow we see if she floats, well above the water.

All coated

2008-08-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Got the deck done yesterday. I like it, hope Phil will.

Phil's boat

2008-08-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Well, she is one step closer to the water. Phil mixed up a lovely blue color, he also said I don't want a blue boat.

Helaine and I dyed the boat yesterday, I think it is a good looking color. Then i got the bottom gooped up. Then Phil came by to see his color. Damn sexy boat, it will look good underwater for Phil.

Where's the camping gear going to go???

Summer day

2008-08-25T17:21:00.001-07:00

Helaine and I went to Westport on Sunday.
It was a beautiful summer day, High 50's, 25+ knots of wind and driving rain. We had summer rain gear with us, I got soaked to the bone in 5 minutes.
Still it was a good day at beach, wishing i was able to hit the water

Next boat for Tailar, a little play boat.

Phil's color for his Fram 176

Damn sexy boat, it might even be above the water. Till Phil get's in it.

Happy camper?

2008-07-30T15:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Phil

Hey where's the rest of the boat?

Were close,
Got the final measurements for Phil, skin's on the way, not to self get a big shoe horn for Phil.
I has been trying, frustrating and a whole lot of fun building this boat. I think it will be a fun boat for Phil.

Rib's

2008-07-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

176 is turning into a nice lookin boat.

For some reason the rib's were being b this time, well not much room for them in the back.
Kinda got thru it, had to make up some replacement ones.This morning they bent like butter, need to put them in a tighter steam box.

Don't know why I can't find anything????????

Backwards Friday

2008-07-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Well it was almost a product, finished mocking up the stem and stern. Then checked the angles of the gunwales. I had to adjust the rear angle a lot so,

Tada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took the back end apart to adjust the deck beams to get the right angle on the gunwales.

It was quite a pain, it ended up much better.

All back together.

I keep saying it this boat is shallow, all gunwales.

Back at it

2008-07-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Next generation???

Fram 176 Getting closer

Deck beams in.

Mock up for the bow, can't belive how shallow this boat is.

Gettin there

2008-06-27T17:33:00.001-07:00

Got the father's day boat skinned. I would much rather use the primo cloth from Corey, as the original cloth will not take a good tug while sewing.

I also realized that having your steam box as small as possible and leave a little extra room. Really got the wood hot, very hot.

Today is the first time I have gooped a boat when it is hot. Boy was it alot runner than I have used before. I also did two boats at the same time ugggh. We dyed them the same color, I think they look good.

Not sure if we will get to paddle them for my birthday? Sunday.

Nice day

2008-06-25T20:52:00.001-07:00

Help me!!! Hi my name is Dave and i'm a kayak building addict.

Below is the front view of the Fram 176

This is the rear view
and a profile view. It needs a bit more sheer at the rear of the gunwales.
I also started to skin the frame in the top picture. Should be ready to dye the next day.

ouch!

2008-06-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have been expensive. Cedar at Carls lumber in Port Hadock 583.00
Yesterday at Homey depot 200.00 More wood to make more boats priceless...

Next boat a replica Fram 176 from Harvey Goldens book. She's a skinny puppy.

Oh yea, 83.00 for white oak for bending rib's.
Helaine and I camped at Port townsend, paddled at Fort Wooden. Helaine actually had a good time for the first time in a while.

Little small

2008-06-18T20:53:00.001-07:00

Here's our grandson's boat. Good thing it will have training wheels, it has lots of rocker.
I'm going to have him help color it. So we will see if he and the boat match when we are done.

Helaine and I got together with friends and put in new camp site's for the WWTA at Kopachuck state park. It went quick. Hope we camp there soon.

Father's day

2008-06-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's day to all you Dad's.

I got some new tools, clothes and I made myself a new boat.
I started the frame on Tuesday by gluing up the gunwales.

Finished it up Sunday morning.

Happy Daddy.

Rib's

2008-06-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

I forgot to say I figured out the bending thing for today, might not work tomorrow. It seems that I was over cooking the ribs. Around 8 minute's or so for 1/4 x 3/4 red oak. Some of them bent so nicely, it was fun. Out of 24 ribs I only broke 3 not too bad.

This is our grandson's boat. The second on I've made him as he out grow's them as fast as I make them.

This is Raidan in her boat, with her brothers boat.

Oh man

2008-06-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm going for a boat that is more like my Sirocco. So I'm not going the traditional route, glue and screw's. After the biadarka hull I put way more effort into getting the hull right.

Had problems with the gunwales, fixed it. But created another one, see pic below.

The ribs are now offset, not sure how this will work out???
I put alot of rocker on this boat.

Next boat

2008-06-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well this is my next one, I'm trying a few new things.
Different way of putting in arched deck beams, hope they hold up.
Also going for a flatter sheer. Rounded hull, so we will see.

This is how far off I had to move the gunwales to get the center line to line up. Different flexing in the gunwales.

Trials

2008-06-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our first time out in our double.

I had a blast, broke it getting in the first time. Guess I'm gettin fatter, but no blow outs.

If you look close you can see the flex in the boat. Not the double for Helaine and I, but fun none the less. Can not wait for wind and waves. Who's next for a turn?

Yep I'll be making another one or three.

End O April

2008-04-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Helaine and I got out for a few hours today.
Olalla ramp, sunshine and some wind & waves. We traded boats for a while, Helaine looked good in my boat.I was afraid she would want to keep it???

We did a few downwind runs to get Helaine comfortable in the boats.
This is where we turned around, beautiful day to get out.
25 lbs boat LOVE it...

On the water

2008-04-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Yea!!!

Helaine and I got out today, first time in awhile.
We went down to the ramp at Olalla ramp, huh no water.

Off to Gig harbor, we could get to the water there. Bit windy for first time in both boats.
Helaine needs to paddle so much more, HELP.

Damn there is alot of body above this boat, it never felt uncomfortable or tippy.
I was good I did not try anything, wanted to.
I'm on my way, see ya soon.

Been a month

2008-04-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday Helaine and I went to Bremerton to see SSAK's off. Do I look like I want to go with?
Then there is Mark, one day after they found a dead body on a paddle the day before...

Over two weeks for me to skin my new boat, not bad because I'm recovering from surgery.
Today Helaine and I dyed the boat. It is my experiment boat, three different ways of sewing the seams, a bit frankenstien-ish. But it is to be my play / basher boat.

Helaine was worried about messing the dye job up, so I went to town with the second coat. We will see if it worked out OK?
I hope to get into a boat soon...

B-day present

2008-03-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here's Helaine with her birthday present. Hope she like's it.

Not much going on, back still hurts. Getting in some boat work. Heading out for some camping time, to the strait.

Clamps and carnage. The aftermath of two day's of cockpit rim making. Lot's of broken pieces, cussing and talking to myself.

Below our happy camper, coloring her boat. I think it turned out pretty good.

Hunny's b-day

2008-03-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Sweetie!!!

Love ya much.

Thru out my back today, all I did was pick up a work light. This sucks boats that need skins, skins that need goop. Boats that need playing with.

Hope it gets better soon.

Too Long

2008-03-11T22:08:00.001-07:00

I was afraid this would happen, If I don't keep up on here I let it slip.
Not much been going on the last month or so.

Got a bunch of skins and goop from Corey at skinboat@mac.com he has updated his site, lots of cool stuff.
I have had some frames waiting to go. The blue on is my 3 year project. The white one is Helaine's boat. I started skinning her next boat tonight.

Weekend at home

2008-02-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Friday 2.8.08

I got out for a paddle out of Olalla. A good couple of hours strait, working on endurance.

Went out Sat as well, not so good a trip. Seemed like I was chumming the whole time, called it quits after an hour. I did get another paddle shaped out. It has a knot that I thought I might get around, but no luck. Will see how it holds up.

Sunday, Started by cleaning up the shop, look you can see the floor. This took most of the day.

After cleaning up, I started on fixing my second boat that I broke trying to roll the other day.

I removed the stem, made it two inches deeper. I also had to extend the chines to gain some volume in the bow.

The second picture, shows how many places broke the other day.

Tryout's

2008-02-06T20:43:00.001-08:00

Well, works been slow and I don't need to make more frames till I get some skin.

So i found some 3 mil plastic, hey wrap the boats and take them for a spin. So thats what I did today. I was not sure if I would learn anything from it, learned quite a bit.

Carrying 44 lbs of boats, still 25+ lbs less than my scirroco.

I need to change my boat some, add some volume to the front end. I did like the depth of the boat. The second picture is of me finishing off a roll where I rolled, broke, and sank the boat. Had a blast doing it.

Helaine's boat feels like it is going to be a good boat. Sit's a little lower in the water with me in it.

I did have to take out two ribs and fix them as they were sticking out. I also added two extra chines, right under the gunwales, they ended kinda funny so reworked them. I think it is a good looking boat.

This is me in Helaine's boat and after I tried to stand up...

Wind & Wave's

2008-02-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

2.5.08

I got out today, 20+ knots with some higher gusts, 2'+ wind wave's.
I had done some adjusting on the back beam and cockpit rim, to see if I can get a roll in this boat. Good thing I did because I did my first combat roll, all alone in conditions. This boat is great in a strait line but tough to turn especially in waves, it likes to park.
I did my usual head up first, fell back in. Next thought was bail out, told my self NO! Went to an extended paddle, slowed down and came up on the back deck like I knew what I was doing. So this really helped the confidence in the boat. The boat really loves to surf, I could cover 1/8+ the distance I was paddling up into the wind. On one wave, almost ready for some small ocean surf with it.

These are our next boats, 15' and 15'6" both are 22" wide much flatter bottoms with a bit of rocker. Not very deep mine is 5 1/4" Helaine's is 5 3/4" deep.

This is what happens if I take off too hard...

Crack

2008-02-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

Not much going on over the last two weeks.

I did get a spray skirt done for my boat, the other week. Took it out today, as it was Helaine's and mine's first paddle in a couple of weeks. A couple of hours out of Olalla boat ramp. I tried rolling the sof again, Oh so sad... I did get one off with an extended paddle with my Lendal.

As Helaine moved up on me I dug in a little deep/hard and snapped the very first greenland paddle I made myself. I now have the making's of a couple throwing sticks.

I did get out to Crescent a couple of weekends ago, nothing to write about. I was a nice day tho.
I'm going to try and do more paddling. I have finished Helaine's second boat's frame. Much lighter than the first ones. Very frustrating steaming oak...

Saturday

2008-01-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

Another day off, got the surf boat finished up.
10'2" 24 3/4" 22 pounds.

Below is strong woman Helaine, 20 lbs boat.

15'8" x 22" 10'2" x 24 3/4"

Quite the stack of boats going. Already started the next one.

Why don't I try to put through mortise's on the deck beams. Well it is not easy at all, especially when you break of the tennon, in the gunwale.

3 year's

2008-01-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

1.18.08

Three year's and a day.
My very first sof frame, I started it three year's ago. The picture below the frame has been in the same shape for at least 2 1/2 years. Today I got all fired up. First I cut new rib stock, put in 6 new ribs.

It did not take long to get going as I have had all the stringers ready to go. Try to get as flat a hull as I could.

Perhaps 5 hours today to get everything done except the deck stringers. Should be a fun boat in the surf. It is based on a recovery kayak from Morris's book. It could be a good pool boat, will see.

I'm going to have to get some skin soon as this is the second boat I have waiting. Starting on Helaine's new boat next.

Nice afternoon paddle

2008-01-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

1.15.08
Beautiful afternoon,
Helaine and I got out today for a quick trip at our local launch. I spent the morning shaping on my storm paddle. I thought it was close, it was like paddling with a long brick. I forgot to slide the paddle a couple of times, almost went over a couple of times. More shaving's in the future.

Above is the store at the boat ramp.

I am amazed at the people that go out of their way to stop and check out the boats when we launch here. Nice that people appreciate the effort.
When we got there the tide was going out pretty quick, so quick Helaine was in the boat and gone before I knew it. The sun was out, beautiful water, low tide. We paddled south towards Point Richmond, we went maybe two miles. Turned around and caught the ebb heading north very fast return.
Gotta get hunny in the boat more!!!

Oh yea, looks like drilling thru the boat makes them leak. Need to find a fix.

Another day off

2008-01-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

Helaine and I started the day chasing down latigo for the boats. After a few fabric / craft shops we got two bags of remnants, just long enough to try. A little lashing left to finish the frame.

front view
stern

Rocker compairison

Finished off the evening putting on deck lines. Very scary taking the drill to the boat, after the first one I got over it. Hope they don't leak too much.

On to the next frame, Helaine's next boat. Going to change quite a few thinks from the first boat I made her. The only thing's I know I'm going to change right now is the depth, lenght, perhaps the width. Not changing much. It will be much lighter.

About time

2008-01-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a long time since I got any work on the boat.
We baby sat our granddaughter Raidan and she got Helaine sick,
who turned around and gave it to me.

I did some work in the week, laminating the masik and cockpit rim's, screwed that up. I should not play while sick.

Saturday 1.12.08

Today I got the frame finished. Put on breast hooks, sanded the frame, put on the masik on finished the deck beams. I might put on a different cockpit rim, going for low rim for layback rolls.

20 lbs total for the frame, hope it holds up. I had a piece of cockpit rim snap with the sound of a gunshot when it snapped, I'll know when something breaks.
I'd say 6 more hours on the frame, 25 total so far.

2008-01-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

Sunday 1.6.08
Happy B-day Pop's

No boat work today or yesterday.
Saturday 1.5.08
Yesterday did two runs on the Elwah river outside of Port Angeles. First time in a W/W boat in three month's, had a blast. It is a short 2+ ish run. Boofed a big rock on the first run, went over got a good roll and popped up. Second run, I did not commit to boofing the same rock as the first time. Went over ass backwards, on my off side. Boy were my 4 attempts at rolling UGLY!!! I got up on # 4 just as Gabrielle got along side, to pull my lame ass up.
Might want to work on that.

Friday 1.4.08
Got the keelson and the chines lashed on. Put lots of rocker on this one.
Picture's are of mockup's for the Masik. 3 hour's lashing, up to 19 hour's total.

First paddle

2008-01-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today I finally got out in the boat, for the first time this year. Plate glass as I paddled out of the bay at Olalla boat ramp. Third time out in the sof, sixth or seventh time with a greenland paddle.
Headed south towards Point Richmond, nice easy paddle along the shoreline. The boat felt pretty good, after adjusting it. I noticed how you can feel the waves roll down the side of the boat/ your leg, not to mention the cold on your butt.
The forecast was for 25-30 knots late in the afternoon. On the water at 11:30, should be no problem? The wind was light but the gusts were becoming fairly frequent. A little farther, getting some miles in. I got to the Point at 12:10. In 10 minutes the wind and waves grew, making me fairly uncomfortable. I started the run for home, 3.5 miles.
Waves were directly behind to fully on the beam, 1-2' I know does not sound like much. Because I am not comfortable trying to roll this boat, I was staying close to shore, the windward shore. Being that close to shore I was getting a lot of waves over the bow / deck all the way to the cockpit.
I was sweating it all the way back, felt a little in over my head. As I got to the last bulkhead I was thinking I got it, the wave jumps up to 3'. I am looking down the face, I instinctively clench my cheeks, look to the left and it is breaking along the cement wall 3' away from me. Funny through all of this not once did I feel the need to latch onto the boat with my leg's. It was all hip swiveling and telling myself to relax.

Thursday 1-4

Lots of work done on the next boat. Picked from last night by setting the stem and stern.
This went well, everything is going better as I have done it before.

Next is the rib's. I ripped plenty of material for them, I have not used this kind of wood before it is so light. I used the romex method for ribs, I like how this works out. Set up the steam box and got going. The wood steamed quite well, towards the ends the ribs compressed a little funny.

When you get all excited and start to lash the deck beams, remember to check where the mortises are, like I did here.

Got all the rib's done in a few hours. Check out the rocker I put into this boat, should be quite different than the first one.

Spent the most of the day working on the boat 6-7 hours, let's say 16 hours total as of now.

2008-01-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!

Trying a different way of putting stuff on here, pic's first then the words, other way really sucked. No paddle for the new year, but I did get in some work on the boat. Got in some of the deck beams, ran out of dowels.
So I broke out the wood I got for paddles. I ripped the 4x4, I'll get two nice paddles out of it. The first one I'm making is a storm paddle, I have not tried to make one yet.

Perhaps an hour /hour and a half to get this far. Spent the rest of the night and a lot of the next day with a bad headache. The Red Cedar really does a number on my head, if I was smart I would remember to wear my respirator, no chance of that.

Wednesday 2nd,
I got the dowels I needed and some more pine. Finished off the flat deck beams, lashed them in place. I weighted the gunnels and deck beams, as you see below it was 11 lbs.

I got the stem and stern set in the gunnel's. Then started to work on the depth of the boat, going much shallower than the first boat. So I can do a lay back roll. Looks like it will be around 5" deep at the back of the cockpit. Putting more rocker in this one as well, will see how it floats.

Over the last two day I have put 4-5 hours into the boat, 9 hour's total time so far.

No Paddle

2007-12-30T22:06:00.000-08:00

Well, there was no paddling for us today. My better half was napping as the launch time came and went for the SSAK trip near Shelton.

It was a chilly day, felt like a good day to work on a boat. We decided to try out the new Lowe's, nothing special just a brand new store. The parking lot was a solid sheet of ice. I did pick up a nice 4x4 green cedar post for a couple of paddles, I check the big box stores every now and then to see what's in the pile. Not bad two paddles for $21.00.

I was looking for wood for the gunnels of two new boats, so off to homey depot. I got 3 1x6x12' peices of pine, I am going for light weight boats this time. One hour to rip and glue up the gunnels for two boats.

Power planer does a nice job of cutting the scarf joints for the gunnels. Each step is 9" back, keep cutting till it is a long flat plane. Glue up with Gorilla glue.

Next came the marking out of the deck beams and the ribs. I'm going for a play/surf boat, gunnel's are 14' 7.5" 22" wide, I had to add a extended to the middle brace from the last boat.

One and a half hour's to mark out the deck beams and rib's. I'm putting a lot less deck beams and ribs, hope I'm not going too light

One more hour to route out the rib mortise's and shape the sheer. Around 4 hour's so far. Enough for the day.

Butchering

2007-12-29T19:40:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a few day's since I have done anything boat wise. Cold and snowy here. Yesterday I started on a stripper surf boat, not sure how far that will get.

Today I butchered a lot of heat seal able fabric trying to make spray skirt for my boat. With minimal success, I did manage a nice cockpit cover. After making the first one too small.

Then came the spray skirt. With having an ocean cockpit and the size of my belly there was not much room between the deck and the tunnel. With the heat seal able material it got close and hot, I put a hole in the deck. Generally messed it up. Will try it another way another day.

I did manage to get 4 float bags started. I need the plastic tubing and valves, sure is a lot of empty space in our boats. Hopefully we will take them out tomorrow for a paddle

Christmas day

2007-12-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Nothing to do with the sof boat, but my favorite kayaking by far, Surfing.

I was up early 3:00 am, not because I was excited over Christmas. Some night's I am up early. Left the house for the beach at 6:00. I live near Seattle, so in the winter we head for the Strait of Juan de fuca. As our coast is no place to be most of the winter.
It is a two hour drive to Crescent beach just outside of Port Angeles. I had to pull over after I crossed the Hood canal bridge, could not keep my eye's open. I slept for a half hour at a rest stop/pit stop on the turn off to Port Townsend. Woke up ready to go.
Got to the beach at 9:00. It looked very small and inconsistant, not inviting at all. If I were not waiting for friends I would of drove back home. I'm here and I might as well go out.
I took the fin's off of my Megatron, Mega kayak. I have only had them off one other time. I paddled out into the 2'+ surf, they were perfect little left's. They ran into the creek mouth, as close to a point break as we get there. I had the most fun today on those little waves. With no fin's I sideslipped, spinned, surfed backwards. Fun,Fun,Fun.
The East wind really knocked the swell down, by high tide the waves were down to under 1' every 15 minutes or so. End of the day. The drive home was like driving from fall into winter, by the time I was home it was snowing steady with big flake's. Another great Christmas day surfing.

Out again

2007-12-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

Took the boat out again today. Have to remember what I built it for, exercise and getting miles under my belt.

Put a pad down for a seat, much warmer on the bottom. Then tried a 1 1/2" pad to get closer to a lay back. Oh so tippy, perhaps some day I'll feel comfortable to raise the seat. The boat track's very well, no weather cocking in the 5-ish knots that were on the water today.

Launched at Olalla ramp again, paddled south towards Gig Harbor. Beautifull Winter afternoon, birds were out as was the sunshine. Nice one hour paddle. 4 miles so far.

Merry Christmas all, off to the beach surfing tomorrow.

2007-12-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

2007-12-24T18:01:00.000-08:00

This is my first sof 18'8"x 21" It's too deep for rolling.
This is my wife's boat. It is also way too deep, but she like's it. 17'8"x 23 1/4"

First adjustments

2007-12-23T22:36:00.000-08:00

After our first time out my boat needed some adjustments, as it was so tight I could not twist in the seat at all. My legs were jammed in so tight as to make them numb after a minute or so.
Here I was taking a saw to my boat after it being in the water for less than a hour. First I removed the bottom part of the rib that was under my feet, this improved my size 12's placement in the boat. I also shaved a crescent shape in the back brace, to aide in getting in and out of the boat as well giving my legs some more room to move in the boat.
Adjustments made, time to take her back out. Helaine and I head back to Olalla ramp. We paddled towards the head of the bay, much improvement on the fit of my boat, not easier to get in or out of but much more comfortable on my legs.
The wind had picked up, outside the bay there were 1' waves. In my Sirocco I would not even thought about the wind and waves. Paddling into the waves the bow of the sof was diving into the bigger waves. At 21" wide the sof was challanging to turn in the wind and waves. Once turned down wind it took off surfing quite easily, although I was not very far from the calm waters of the bay. I did a couple of laps then we called it a day.

First trip

2007-12-23T22:10:00.001-08:00

Helaine and I took our first trip in our new sof boats.
Helaine liked her's right away, I built it to be stable, straight running and to be lighter than our plastic kayaks.
My boat on the other hand was such a change from the only kayak I have ever had. I built it too tight as I had no room to move my lower half.
We paddled Olalla lagoon, a small bay on the east side of Kitsap peninsula. The ramp is 5 minutes from our house. It was a short shake down paddle, perhaps a half mile. We went out into Clovos passage, between Vashon Island and Kitsap peninsula. Much cleaner water than the bay, as the rain washes all kinds of stuff out.
I tried a roll, man was it ugly and unsucessfull. Luckly Helaine was close by as I was wedged in the boat, unable to get anywhere near the back deck. She came in and performed a hand of god to right me. We headed in so I could adjust alittle.