Thursday, 30 September 2010
Sad Skiff in the rain
Friday, 10 September 2010
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Pilot Gigs programme
The Sept/Oct issue of WoodenBoat Magasine has a great article on the Champlain Longboats program hosted and partnered by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. This is one hell of a success story! It has lessons for us and can call us into a new level of action here at Kids & Classics Boatshops. You can also visit the http://www.lcmm.org/ website and see video about the Pilot Gig program there as well.
The gigs they are building in their program are the same ones I had selected back in 1997 when creating my vision for Mahogany Harbour. It was my sense at the time that these gigs are far easier to build than the Atlantic Challenge Captain's Gigs and much more versatile - as these guys have shown to be true.
Who's up for making our own version of this happen here? Clearly the secret is the school system tie-in and partial funding from that source, this gets the kids in the boatshop every day.
I would suggest that step one is to take a copy of this article and our brochure to all the local schools and drum up some interest there. Your thoughts?
The gigs they are building in their program are the same ones I had selected back in 1997 when creating my vision for Mahogany Harbour. It was my sense at the time that these gigs are far easier to build than the Atlantic Challenge Captain's Gigs and much more versatile - as these guys have shown to be true.
Who's up for making our own version of this happen here? Clearly the secret is the school system tie-in and partial funding from that source, this gets the kids in the boatshop every day.
I would suggest that step one is to take a copy of this article and our brochure to all the local schools and drum up some interest there. Your thoughts?
Monday, 6 September 2010
Boatshop Newsletter Sept 5 - 11 2010
Hello crew!
We need some hardware this week to finish a few things.
Next weekend John and I and whoever else can help will move things around in the Quonset hut at the quarry so we can put the other 27' Shepherd inside and get the trailer extracted from under it. Lots of hands will help!! Probably Sunday - stay tuned.
Skiffs:
Both skiffs are nearly ready for varnish. The seats etc out of the last one need to be bleached then stained blonde before we can begin varnishing and before bleaching - SANDING FUN!!!
Several of you have expressed an interest in buying one of the skiffs in the past. The blue one is ready to go and it needs to be sold so we can replace our stock of oars and wood for the next build. Step right up and row, row, row your new boat!
MB
Hope everyone had a great Labour Day Weekend (because you weren't at the boatshop....well except for Allan, Roni & George of course).
The boating plan got washed or frozen out but stuff got done in the shop:
Lightning:
A few little spots to fill and fair on the Lightning but George got the filler blocks installed where the self bailers used to be. Tuesday evening they can be smoothed and faired if all still looks OK under the clamps. We need a 1/2" plug cutter to make plugs for where the frame ends are bolted through the keelson.
Can we prime by the end of the week???
Shepherd:
seat frames are in, except the captains station, hatches to the cuddy and front deck are installed, wiper bezels are installed, boarding ladders are done, not much left to do now (except wiring).We need some hardware this week to finish a few things.
Next weekend John and I and whoever else can help will move things around in the Quonset hut at the quarry so we can put the other 27' Shepherd inside and get the trailer extracted from under it. Lots of hands will help!! Probably Sunday - stay tuned.
Skiffs:
Both skiffs are nearly ready for varnish. The seats etc out of the last one need to be bleached then stained blonde before we can begin varnishing and before bleaching - SANDING FUN!!!
Several of you have expressed an interest in buying one of the skiffs in the past. The blue one is ready to go and it needs to be sold so we can replace our stock of oars and wood for the next build. Step right up and row, row, row your new boat!
MB
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