The Need To Produce!

Hello all, yesterday was a great day. My brother Tristan got his first wooden boat on the trailer and out of the shop. See: http://longpointskiff.blogspot.com for the construction of his Tom Hill designed Long Point Skiff.

On my side of the things, I'm sad. The fact that as usual I got myself so stoaked for building my first wooden boat, all be it a little smaller than Tristan's first venture. I'm pretty bummed out at the lack of forward momentum. I'm very hopeful that this winter will prove much more productive. Anyway, check out Tristan's progress at his blog.

Thanks All

Payson's Pirogue

Checking out some photos on www.woodenboat.com I found another picture of Payson's Pirogue, it's the same boat that my brother took a picture of but at a different angle, so it gives you a different feel for the boat. This version of the Pirogue doesn't have any outer gunwales, I'm not sure whether of not they're supposed to be there or not, I think I'll put some on, it looks better.


As anyone who has followed probably knows, I had been fairly set on naming my 6-hour canoe, The Whimbrel. I thought it sounded elegant, but the more I say it and hear it, it seems old-fashioned and well kind stuffy. At the same time I have no real connection to the name and since this project, when I finally get around to it! is such a personal project, I think it would be better to name it for something that reflects myself. Therefore, I am officially scrapping the name. At this time I don't know what the name will be, but I'm sure it will come to me down the line during the building process.

Sorry for the confusion, but as many of you know I can be quite indecisive... And besides, I'm the only one with a vote!

A Quick Rendering

Here's a little look at what I'd like the final look of UNTITLED to look like, it's a little rough and there are a few small pieces missing such as the interior gunwales which I couldn't really draw in without the plans handy, and as I drew this on my lunch break, I didn't have the book.

I put short "AirBoxes" probably to be filled up with styrofoam of something buoyant(spell?). A deep red or maybe a seafoam green like my favorite boat from the Skaneateles Boat Show (see older poasts), most likely a little richer than this looks with a cream(ish) interior and natural Gunwales/accents. The side view isn't really true to what it would look like from the side but it gives you enough of an idea I guess. Anyway, the fact that I can't do any work right now is causing a bit of cabin fever and anxiousness. Therefore I did all I can; A little drawing.

Dilemas & Revalations

So, as you may remember from the post below, my boat project has halted due to lack of expendable funds. Now that I have way way too much time on my hands I found myself thinking and reading about other small crafts that would fit my needs the way the 6-hour canoe would.

In my reading of "Instant Boatbuilding" by Dynamite Payson (which is a collection of the late Phil Bolger's plywood boat designs) lies Payson's Pirogue, a stitch and glue 13' open kayak. After reading about the boat, and it's instructions about three times, I picked up my 6-Hour Canoe book and started making a list of pros and cons for each craft. Given my size and my intentions for the craft I'd made a desicion that Payson's Pirogue is a better fit for my needs and ambitions. The constructions is relativly simple (as is the 6-Hour Canoe) with a few more challenging aspects to its construction, including a full sheathing of fiberglass on the outside of the hull, and the stitch & glue process as well as far less detailed instructions leaving more for me to suss out on my own.

The two black and white pictures are from the "Instant Boatbuilding" Book of the Pirogue and the fiberglass step. The color picture is of a finished Pirgoue at the Wooden Boat Show in Mystic, CT courtesy of my brother Tristan. I have no idea who the fat guy in the background is....although he doesn't seem to pleased with Tris.

Anyway, enough about that grumpy bastard. The Pirogue project is penciled in to start this winter, it should be a good project to fill the dreary winter months for a Spring time launch. I will continue to write (poorly) about the Pirogue process and plans. All in all maybe having no money is a blessing in the end...

p.s.
In addition to this small craft being better suited and all that jazz I wrote above there is another reason for wanting to build this model rather than my previous plan. Phil Bolger took his own life recently due his slip into dementia and his desire to end his life before having it be ruined, and as I searched for people like me who have the drive to build a small craft, and more specifically the passion to build Payson's Pirogue I was stunned to find nothing. I could find no pictures or accounts of someone building the boat. So, I will thoroughly document and share the process of building Payson's Pirogue: A Phil Bolger Design.

Updates

Hello all,

I wanted to take some time to give everyone an update as to where I am with the boat. Production has been slowed and pushed back a bit due to lack of funds. I was hoping to have the canoe built before the end of this summer but as the weeks have been flying by it seems less and less likely. I'm going to be seeking some part time employment to help build some savings for UNTITLED. Rest assured the project is alive and well, just on hold. I'm hopeful that I can save up enough for the project come fall and it should be a fun project to work on during the dull fall & winter.

Thanks for following my blog entries and they will continue despite the slow progress.