Several months ago 2 fellow Woody Boaters Bill Foley and John O’Brien planed to go to Maine from Washington State to take a course with Dean of Wood Pat Curtin and Instructor Kent Berry at the Old School Boat School. As the conversations went on about logistics it became clear that the best solution was for Pat to go on the road. Bill and John’s workshop was perfectly set up so what better way to learn some old tricks of the trade than with your tools on your own boats… Both pat and I though.. Jesus, this is a brilliant way to go. More of a mobile school. Thus “The Old Boats Home Project ” has been launched.. Assisted living for your old boat so to speak. Pat arrived in Olympia at the start of the week and has just sent us an update for all of us to join in… Here is the report…
The two boats at the school are a Chris Craft Rocket and a Gar Wood 16.
The Rocket being Turned Over
The shop… Ohhhhhh! Dang!
The Gar Wood with work started on the stem. The Gar Wood plan over the next 9 days is to true the hull, repair frames, reinstall the keel and chines, and start a new bottom. The Rocket will get some bottom and chine work and new decks.
The gar Wood utility is having a new bottom transome frame laminated of two plys of White Oak and one ply of Mahogany.
Frame being installed, The knee attached to the frames to bolt the chine to.. Now on to the Rocket…
The Poor previous chine repair has been removed and the holes plugged… below faired, and new screw holes filled with Dolphinite.
Here is a section of the Rockets keel where the rudder stuffing box is located had spliced with sheet rock screws and brad… The old keel was step scarfed and a new piece fitted..
That’s it for now. More to come… I am sure we will find more drywall screws and nails.. HA….. And other fun surprises.. I wish I was there.. this looks like a fun time. mmm I can smell the fumes already… dang!
