Month: March 2020

Just to expand on the mention of cheap or free subscriptions in the last post:

Small Boats Monthly:  follow them on Facebook or Instagram, and look in their recent posts – you’ll find their One Month Free offer for their online magazine.  You get access to their archives as well.

Off Center Harbor:  sign up for an 8 week membership for only $5 (US), and get full access to their extensive and captivating video library.  That’ll keep you busy for quite a while!

Small Craft Advisor:  sign up for a free one-year subscription to the digital version of their magazine.  You can download pdfs to keep, if desired

As for Oarlock and Sail Wooden Boat Club, we’ve had a few new members join recently – unfortunately, because of the current situation, getting together to do an orientation and training in the boats is unrealistic, so, until we can gather safely and freely again, there will be no more orientations. We trust you will understand, and we will welcome you after this is over.

In light of our reduced activities, we are extending everyone’s membership by two months.

For existing members of OSBUG (Oarlock & Sail Boat User Group), please be mindful of other people on the dock, and keep the required 2m separation. This of course precludes going for a sail or row with people outside of your own isolation group. On your own though, or within your group, it’s a great way to isolate!

If you do use the boats, please use the sanitizer and wipes provided in the shed to wipe down the oars, tiller, spars, locks, door handle and any other surfaces that you touch. One of our members has a pair of gloves dedicated to going sailing, and washes them and hangs them to dry in the sun – this sort of thing could help in preventing the spread.

Unless we are required to stay at home altogether, the boat shed and boats are available for members’ use and enjoyment.  There are parking passes available in our boat shed – please write the date on it in marker and display in your windshield.

Last week we decided to discontinue our Saturday workshops for a while, until the pandemic has been brought under control.

Before that happened though, we got the stem glued to the inner keel, and have a good start on the shaping.  The joint between the two has been faired, and the bevel for the planking started.

The inner keel has been (temporarily) fastened to the transom – when we do the final fastening, we’ll countersink the screws.

Duane is continuing to record video of our work – here’s some of the glueup of the stem and keel.

It’s always interesting to see the less-common tools that people have – Brent brought this sweet little round-over plane – it makes quick work of softening an edge, and does so quietly, without dust!

Our boats are going out regularly – last weekend before ‘social distancing’ came into effect, Dale and I enjoyed a peaceful sail in Button Swan – even with a light wind, she moves along steadily.  We split an apple with Dale’s souvenir of his participation in the first leg of the 2017 Race To Alaska.  That day’s conditions were not nearly as peaceful!

Over on Anja, Arnt is doing beautiful work on the cabin top!  After cutting off the coaming, he cut out the hole in the deck to make way.

The following Saturday, he enlisted a bunch of club members’ help to bring the cabin top down from his truck to the dock, and then onto the boat.  Duane was there to record much of it!

It’s fascinating to see it coming together so beautifully!

Although we’re not working in the shed, the dock is still open if you want to come down on your own to use the boats (if you’re an OSBUG member) or to just enjoy a bit of an escape.  There’s a gentleman who has been enjoying some sketching.

And, with all the changes in our lives, some companies are providing cheap or free entertainment.   If you follow Small Boats Magazine (an online magazine) on Instagram or Facebook, they are offering one month free, which includes access to their archives!  Off Center Harbor (an extensive video resource) is offering an 8 week membership for only $5, an amazing deal!

Until things improve, stay well, stay safe.

We’re still refining the stem, inner keel, and transom.  The stem is looking so great, with the laminated sapele!

The bevel edge on the transom is as close as we want to get at this point – when we start planking, we’ll do the final shaping.  Speaking of planking, the yellow cedar boards are now in the shed, under the strongback.

We’ve glued up the inner keel, in which we had cut a stopped rip cut in the rear half, to make the fairly tight bend to the transom.

Out on the dock, Ern is getting a new cabin-top, and Tom was working on removing the old.  Anja’s mast got lowered, in preparation for her new cabin and mast.  It went perfectly smoothly, as Arnt used a temporary A-frame to create the proper leverage.  Thanks to Duane for putting together this video:

It was a satisfying and enjoyable day at the boat shed!