Last night we put the bottom glass on the third boat, now christened by its to-be owners, "Glen Canyon," as that is where it will be used (the 15-mile stretch from Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry). We're getting a little smarter about pre-marking the placement of the glass and the shiny plastic top-sheet, so it is all coming together much quicker than earlier attempts. Today I'll peel the shiny plastic off, graphite the bottom, and give the light Meranti panel a coat of dark varnish in hopes of… Continue

Last night we figured out how to build up the chine glass in a precise fashion, while at the same time finding a use for those pesky empty wine bottles cluttering up the shop. Continue

This morning I managed to cut a chine log about a foot short, which pretty much shut down operations, as that was the key stick to move forward. So we were lucky enough to get most of the day off to catch up with our lives instead of the boat mania. The new scarf was cooked by this evening and I lurched onward.

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Euphrates flew up to the loft today, where she'll hang out for final fairing and painting. Downstairs the next boat took shape. I sure wish all the other parts of building a boat were as fun as the hour-and-a-half of pulling a hull together. What fun. Here's hull #3, as yet unnamed. It'll be an open Rogue of the same style as the first two, but with the traditional wood floor, inner chines, etc and no decking. Epoxy/glass exterior, oiled interior. An all new odd assortment of boatbangers… Continue

We rearranged the boats today. Love that ceiling winch! Getting ready to evict the first two boats as we get to the end of my part of those and get ready to build the next one. Continue

Things are churning along--we laid up the bottom of Lodore last night and dropped it on this morning. Even though it is a bad time to be a publisher, there are a lot of other things you can do with crates of books: Continue

The Euphrates is now ready for her deck glass, and Lodore almost ready for her bottom. Meanwhile, the unnamed open Rogue's Port Orford Cedar ribs are soaking up LTV (Linseed/Turpentine/Varnish) and wondering when the other boats will get out of the way so she can take shape too. I'm supposed to deliver her in a month!… Continue

Reconciling the plans for the boat with the actual shape of the early 1970s Briggs boat upstairs has been an adventure. We tweaked the lines severely for the Euphrates, then retweaked a little last night on the Lodore. Once we get the shape that looks right, I carefully redraw the plans. I think I'm finally where I want to be with the lines, so the third boat should be a breeze.… Continue

Here's a couple shots of the morning after. I was astonished to run a centerline on the new boat and find every rib to be dead center. Even a blind pig fins an acorn once in a while. Continue

Boat #2 got a start last night when about half the WRF first aid class came over with energy and sixpacks. Lodore is looking a lot less like a pile of sticks now. The temporary ribs are in place. Bottom goes on soon, then boat is stablized, flipped, temp ribs removed, inner chines glassed, the final Port Orford ribs installed. Of course the party inevitably ended badly. The WFR class may have some hangover issues today.… Continue

Dory # 1 is about done, ready to glass the decks, trim the gunwales, splash some paint on her and send her on her way. #2 is starting in the prep stages, scarfing and glassing sides. Rib production starts tomorrow.

Pictures:

#1--new boat "Lodore" side in foreground; Euphrates in background. Old river signage outside windows holding back the avalanches (Flagstaff…

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