The Whimbrel Has A Home

Friday afternoon I was lucky enough to meet with a local Shipwright in his shop, amazingly he was the only person who replied to my criagslist post inquiring about any available space to work in. Out of the 29,000+ people who reside in this town, it's truly amazing that he saw my post. Anyway, upon his return from an Atlantic sailing trip on his 30' Wooden Cutter "Penny Rover"(Designed & Built By Him) I will have a small space to call my own for the duration of the build. The stems are coming along nicely and if we get any good weather this week I will post finished pictures of them. I hope to get everything together, so that when I get into the shop it will be like a kit that I can put together. It's all comming together!

Day Two

Ok, so my mantra didn't work quite so well, I started work as soon as I got home, but I was interrupted by the task of roasting a "Dr. Pepper" Chicken that was amazing, I dare anyone to turn that chicken down. Delicious!

Anyway, after cooking and eating I didn't have that much time left but I have a really good feeling as far as where I'm headed. After fiddling with the blade height and angle for a bit I really hit my stride. The angle I'm planing is straight and right on and now that I'm having an easier go of it I can already see it taking shape and I'm glad I'm doing it by hand. I'm feeling really good about it. Lucky for me, right after work I get great light on the back porch so I snapped a few pictures to show that I am making some progress.

Here's the Bow Stem fitted with the new clamps

Planing the Bow Stem, Self Timer....Oh yea

Nice Line, Lots of Shavings Too

I know this isn't the productivity that I'd hoped for but I'm not worried, with a pretty light three day weekend I'm looking forward to getting a lot done. A finished Bow Stem and possibly a completed Stern stem as well? I don't know my other 2"x4" split (shitty), I don't think Home Depot will take it back, whatever, only $1.77

To Be Continued.....................................................

Day One

I started! All be it not that much got done as the light was fading and I had to spend most of my time farting around cause I had forgotten to get some strapping to make a little jig on my railing. Instead I had to search for a few bits of scrap just so I could get started (I'll have a new "fancier" and much more effective jig by Wednesday which will be the next time I can plane). I cut the "clear" lengths of fir for the Bow and Stern Stems and marked them carefully.

With the Bow Stem marked I began to plane, quickly noticing that the direction of the 2"x4" was going to make it difficult but with the limited range of my clamps there was noting I could do about it, I'm going to get a couple large "quick clamps" today with my gift card (Thanks Penny & Chuck) so that I might hold the timber in a fashion that will make planning the correct angle a little easier. "It's a learning process for me." But the most important thing is that I know what I need to do now!

The Whimbrel's First Pieces of Timber. Beer pairs perfectly with boat building!

That's gonna be pretty! It already looks like a boat! Maybe not.

So I started planing the bow stem but in reality I didn't get enough planing done to warrant a picture, you'll see it when it's finished on Wednesday. IT WILL BE FINISHED! That is my mantra for Wednesday.

On a Side note I may have found a place to construct The Whimbrel in doors! I local shipwright saw my Craigslist Post and may have space for me to work in, which would mean it could be done even sooner then I anticipated. WHOOOO!

Thanks for reading, next post should be Thursday. IT WILL BE FINISHED!

Inspiration

As some of you may know, it was my 24th birthday yesterday and I'm happy to report a new wealth of inspiration and reading materials. "Instant Boat-Building" by Dynamite Payson, "Fifty Wooden Boats" by The Editors of Wooden Boat Magazine, and "Wood, Water & Light" which is a beautiful photography book that tells the stories of some of the more beautiful wooden boats I've ever laid eyes on.

These wonderful gifts have me chomping at the bit, so... I bought two pieces of Fir 2"x4"x8' to begin the process of beveling the bow and stern "stems" where the side panels will meet in perfect alignment to give The Whimbrel her shape. I will not be shaping them on a band saw or using any other electric tool for this job, I'll be using a block plane to carefully shape the stems, Pure old fashioned wood-working. I'll be posting some images as soon as I get started!

Get Ready. This is the start of something GREAT!