The Sink or Float Test…results are in!

It was about time we finally see whether this thing could actually float.  The boat had yet to touch water, and it made sense that we find out if this vessel could handle the Potomac before I spent my precious time tinkering with aesthetics this week.

Loading her up for the ride

I realize that the photo above is a clear demonstration of my recklessness (though I prefer maverick-ness), but we needed to transport the boat and being the inpatient human being that I am, I didn't want to delay.  Katy and I loaded her up and crept along Route 29 to Georgetown.  We made it there in one piece without a single car beeping at us or a cop car pulling us over.  

I was getting nervous about how this would turn out.  To see our pride and joy sink to the bottom of the river would have been devestating, not to mention embarassing.  Before we sat on trial, we detoured to Jetties to meet Meggie for lunch.  This really calmed me down.  Meggie always knows what to do in these situations.  The solution to any uncomfortable feeling (jitters, restlessness, hangover, you name it) is usually lunch at Jetties.

My go-to sandwich at Jetties--the Sconset

After I finished my Sconset sandwich, my pulse was back to its normal resting heart rate and it was time to get brave and complete the float or sink test.  We drove down to Jack’s Boat House (post about Jack’s to come), chatted with the crew (who became our audience…stating they were so happy to be a part of this moment), grabbed some paddles in lieu of oars, and as my heart began racing again and pounding louder than the truck horns honking on the Key Bridge, we placed our boat in the water.

…I won’t tell you how it went, but I’ll let you see below…

Katy in front of the Key Bridge with the Kennedy Center, Washington Monument, and of course the infamous Watergate Hotel in the background

 

Me celebrating with a Corona



Great day :)



FYI - I’m holding off on posting more photos until after the Boat Revealing Party this Saturday.  Email/message me if you are interested in joining and I will send you details.

Step #15 — Runners and Rubrails (Part 2)

It was a perfect evening for my friends Meggie and Timmy to visit.  Timmy was back in the old neighborhood visiting for a few days.  He had a brief break in between his semester at law school and his summer job (http://timparrish.blogspot.com/).  And Meggie had a lot to tell me regarding Lady Gaga's new album.  So while I was hosting them, I did what any good friend would do, I used them.  But really, I couldn't imagine doing this step by myself.  I desperately needed their help.

I previously stained the rails to match the runners and seats.  The rubrails, or gunner molding, reinforces the gunwale (top edge of the side of the boat).  I had two long rubrails for the length of the boat, and holding them in place by myself would have been a disaster. 

The Crew

Before I mixed the epoxy glue, I handed these blonde babes some latex gloves.  My mom has a major crush on Timmy, so she gloved up as well.  After I epoxied the rubrails, I had them hold the rails in place while I clamped the rails on.  The glue was oozing, so I'm glad I dressed them in the appropriate gear. 

I kept the clamps on overnight, and the rub rails looked great when I checked on them in the morning.

Step #15 – Runners and Rubrails (Part 1)

You'll have to forgive my short post.  I'm in a two-day conference where laptops are prohibited! It's  21st Century cruelty if you ask me.  I'm writing this before I go into the lion's den...

Holding the runners before I glued them to the boat (...and realizing my hands look funny)

Despite the rain, I’ve managed to get a few more things done under tarps.  I cut three runners out of clear lumber for the bottom of the boat.  I stained them mahogany red and then epoxied them down.  I had to apply pressure to keep the runners from sticking up as the glue dried.  For this, I used only the finest equipment (see photo below). 



I spy a box of wrenches, a magnolia tree, a pogo stick, and beer



 

Curse the Weather!

Last week’s rain set us week behind schedule.  The plan was to get her in the water before the weekend, but we haven’t gotten to work on her since she’s currently outside and every single day has delighted us with a downpour.

I'm determined to get her done this week so we can show her off this Memorial Day weekend.  I just checked the weather forecast



I really shouldn't complain



Step #14— Paint Job

This might be my most colorful blog post to date.  I busted out the paint cans and took a couple photos for you to see.

Before I painted, I covered every inch of the boat with epoxy and let it cure.  When I got back to the boat a few days later, I painted the inner sideboards with a paint brush.

I stained the seats so I could perserve a little bit of the wood grain.

I flipped the boat upside down on the saw horses and used a paint roller to color the outside.

Being the non-patient person that I am, I decided to go ahead and paint the bottom of the inside while the boat was still upside down.  Not trying to downplay Michaelangelo, but it wasn't that hard.

I took this picture while the boat was upside down

I'm going to paint another coat.  Other than that, I'm going to add some rubrails and runners and she'll be ready to launch!

The Surprise

After Katy finished her run the other day, she told me she saw something along the Baltimore Inner Harbor that she wanted to show me.  Not knowing what it was, I thought of every possible charm Charm City could possibly offer—A warehouse?  A fish market?  Feral kittens?  No clue.

As we made our way around a bend in the harbor, Katy pointed out Thames Street and her friend Emily's house.  But that wasn't the surprise.  Then, she said, "And there's a boat someone's building."

Right before my eyes was the frame of a wooden boat.  There was no sign or any indication of who or what company was building it.  It was beautiful and BIG.  Whoever you are, thank you for the inspiration...thank you for sharing the dream.  And of course, thank you Katy :)

The boat's frame

I got closer.  From inside the boat looking at the bow.

From inside the boat looking at the transom

The bow

Katy checking the boat out





Step #13 – (Fiber)glass Bottom Boat

Until now, I had only fiberglassed the seats and the seams on the inside of our boat.  Now that the nails and screws were no longer in the plywood, I could fiberglass the outside (very crucial). 

I laid the cloth across the bottom of the boat and I traced what needed to be cut a few inches from the bottom with a combination square.  That way, I could have a sheet that fit just right and with some overhang.   I also cut strips of the cloth which I epoxied along the outer seams before fiberglassing the entire bottom.

Marking where I needed to cut the cloth.  This photo eerily looks like a coffin or ghost ship.

Gluing the seams

After I glued the edges, I laid our perfect-fit cloth along the bottom and painted the epoxy on from one end to the other.  I used a squeegee to remove any air bubbles under the cloth.  It worked really well and smoothed out the bottom.

Our fiberglass bottom boat