Just back from a commercial Grand Canyon trip in my old Briggs boat. It still knows the way through. Continue

Well it took a month's time from deciding on St Patty's day to build it to launching it on April 17th, but The Hanna Platte floats, can carry 600 pounds worth of fisherman, dogs, beer and gear. She drafts about 8 inches in the water and cuts through the river much better than my raft. Plus she must weigh around 200 pounds, I'd guess and is pretty easy to load on my raft trailer. I decided to mount a cooler as my rowing seat as I saw posted here to utilize room in this small boat. you can…

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So following the great hull-forming (or what I call the 3M 5200 Massacre), I'm killing some time waiting for things to cure before installing the chine logs. On a bright note, I finally understand the reason for my calling as an environmental engineer - (apparently or undoubtedly) it is Karmic in nature. A balancing act - all to make up for my terrible, terrible indescretions with the 5200 and all the associated solvents. Holy mineral spirits, my garage is a veritable superfund site. God…

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Frustrated with trying to find a drift boat in the North East. I have been looking at kits on and off for a couple of years. I have the tools and think I have the ability. So here goes. I just ordered my Kingfisher 16 from www.montanaboatbuilders. Continue

We did a test launch of Glen Canyon yesterday afternoon. Wow. It's really fast. It's got all the power of a Briggs Grand Canyon boat with the 10' oars, and all the lightness and quickness of a McKenzie. Spins like a top.Too bad I have to say goodbye to it today!… Continue

So I awoke Saturday morning, bleary-eyed from a long nite in the boat building garage. Still not sure...only knew that more boat parts must be built. More boat parts...So in the beautiful PA spring morning, I started out cutting some more parts: rails, logs, battens, floor boards, whatever -

Next thing I know, its 8 pm my head is spinning and there's something that vaguely resembles a boat in my garage. Yes, gavin; I…

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This past Wednesday or so, it seemed like I was going to put off forming the hull for a little. I decided to cut out the sides and glue one of them to the stem - just to be prepared...

Then I started to read the day's chattter on WBP and saw Brad Dimock's last post or two; talk about getting bit by the bug...Well, just to be even more prepared, I better do the other…

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A couple people have asked what the gunwale and bowpost fasters are. They are called sex nuts and are a thing Andy Hutchinson showed me. They are also called grommet nuts, but that's not as fun to say. They inset into a 3/8" hole in the gunwale or stem, then you shoot though with a 1/4" machine screw (oval head if you can find them) with a finish washer. Once all is tight, zap the extra threads off and hit it with a fine grinder. Continue

Just stuck on the vinyl name, which diminishes 5/8" in height from bow to stern in proportion to the thinning sidewall and stripe heights. Something about those finishing touches just makes all the drudgery worthwhile. Maybe it's like the pain of childbirth fading when the child smiles at you. Ready to start another! Continue

Work continues on the DE w/ transom.. I was hoping to form the hull maybe this weekend, but it doesn't look like I will quite be ready. May have to put it off for a few as next weekend is PA opening day for trout which means backpacking, camping, and flyfishing in some remote spot where the rabble won't be able to find us.

In the mean time, I am doing just about my favoite thing in the world: listening to the Phillies on my old AM tube radio while block planing the massive…

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The contractions are starting to come pretty regularly. I think I just need to keep breathing deeply and PUUSSSHHHH!… Continue

You should make it. Great folks, great location. If you need a ride, or a wood boat to row on Greg's AM float, let me know. I live 3 miles below the site, and plan on floating down Friday nigh for the BBQ. I have a second beauty you could use Saturday if you want. If you are here Friday, you can ride with us, and row part way.

Is it bad luck if it's just a green stripe and not the whole hull?…

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What... you mean the tools depicted in "drift boats and river dories" are just an artists conception ?!?

Alright (har har), just kidding my other dill is a Bosch - When digging around for my block planes I came across the old egg beater and couldn't resist (nearly burst a blood vessle faking the look of exertion)... I'm slow enough as it is, I couldn't imagine the time (and strength) it…

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Got the Glen Canyon bottom done, rolled her over, bolted in the seat rails, and got the first pair of gunwales on. Boat gets delivered a week from tomorrow, so I guess I'd better get back down there and get after it.… Continue

To kill some time while waiting for the wood, I decided to cut some test frames out of some ratty old pine I had laying around the shop. I seem to have the methodology down based on what I have going in the shop and what I'm best working with:

1. I'm ripping both side frame pieces out of one board using a Bosch jigsaw (and straight edge) and a really fine blade to do the mitered cut.

2. table saw for the straight cuts of the side frames and the bottom mitred rip of the bottom…

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