New shop layout and increased efficiency!

This has been and exciting week in the boatshop. Projects for the boat show are coming along and to smooth things out we decided to re-arrange the shop to improve efficiency.

Anton came over Thursday afternoon and we went at it. If you recall the Arthur Murray dance lessons with the dotted lines on the floor - well it was a bit like that to get the big boat turned 90 degrees. It all worked out - just and things are already working better.

you can see forever now

in both directions!

all the saws are closer together now, we can get at the back wall and new uses are in discussion for the back wall. Once everyone settled, lots got done. Wayne was prepping the skiff for it's final coat of primer, George was working on the seats for the skiff, Ray was working on a detail of the TNT, MB was fitting a better trailer under the TNT and sanding out the Richardson for deck varnish

George and Anton on skiff parts

Wayne flats the skiff out

great shot by new volunteer - also George

Ray makes a good point...

Anthony cleans up new donation, an Elgin outboard

and on Sunday the first final coat of varnish went on the Richardson decks, if you know what I mean...

The Police showed up last Saturday...

Which was really great fun. They arranged for 7 young folks to come and sample the kinds of activities that go on in a boatshop. Our volunteers had set up a few stations typical of a Saturday in our place.

Most popular station was the model paddle carving on the new carving benches George whipped up last week. They really worked out well and got a real workout!

Bernie getting the girls started

Roni coaching carving

Brent helps with the fine points

 One of the boys really got good at sanding in prep for final varnish, carefully not destroying the decal - which is easy to do. Very good work done here.

really great job on cedar strip Richardson

Another project that got knocked off was fitting the keel to the skiff using the floor as the anvil for nailing. The trick is to rock the boat so the spot being nailed is supported.

First Anton filled and faired the bottom

Then the keel went on and got nailed

 On the bench Jim had some kids into outboard engine work resulting in two engines made ready for tank testing. Very satisfying when they start!

someone's having fun

and getting results.

Jim on the Gale final touches

Now into an Evinrude 7 1/2

Rory and Anthony assemble a 5 1/2 demonstrator

 As certain projects got to a stage, or if someone just wanted to try something else, they moved to another station to learn something new.

making small parts on the band saw

girls make mahogany plugs

using a drill press is a new skill.

So the volunteers had a wonderful day hosting this group of young people and we'd be happy to have them return another Saturday for more woodwork and engine challenges. We all thank you for joining us, we had a ball.

all smiles and accomplishment!

 Later this same week, two of the young ladies who started carving paddles back at the Life Matters event wanted to return and complete the paddles they started. George and Roni helped them do just that.

the girls did a great job of carving

the new benches were busy this week

fall cleanup, skiff cleanup and Johnson moments

there comes a time in the affairs of a tupperware boat...can't give it away but a really good little trailer tied up underneath it. So it's Sawzall Time and off to Humpty Dumpty - soon.

George and Anthony remove salvageable hardware for future use while Jim continues on his quest for knowledge and expertise with old Johnsons. This week he even brought his chum Feroz with him. Pretty cool really, Jim is learning and teaching.

This engine was seized below

problem solved and moving on

Our most reliable Johnson 18 needed new fuel lines which requires considerable disassembly to accomplish. Under Peter's coaching Rory does this all himself - first time effort - congratulations Rory!

persistence paid off here!

meanwhile Anton arrived and we had the skiff almost ready for stain on the inside - he wished to do a little filling and fairing so the paint job would look better later. This came from hard lessons learned on earlier boats! This is pre-Epifanes preparation

Bernie is so fast he's blurred

"just give me a few more minutes"

Rory gets a lesson in fairing out for a finish

 That's some of what happened in the shop this week. Also a some boats got into storage and winterized with a few more to go. What's almost more important is what's happening not in the shop.

Upcoming in January from 9th to 17th is the Toronto Boat Show (TIBS) and again we are favoured with a booth in the foyer of the Energy Centre right next to the ACBS booth. This year we will be adding some activities created for the Lives Matter event to engage young people visiting the boat show in some hands-on woodworking, outboard repair and similar skills.

Nov 4, this coming Wednesday is our first real AGM which will be held at the historic McGibbon Hotel at the old four corners of Georgetown. All volunteers and potential stakeholders are invited to attend. Time is 7pm but if you come earlier you can join some of us for something to eat and drink and become part of this growing conversation.

Oh and we would like to welcome Bernie Cobb to the board as treasurer (finally) and linear thinker. Also on the board are Roni Lester, Rajmund Maternowski, Wayne Koning and President & Founder Malcolm Black (meself).

RSVP to Malcolm or Roni

Life Matters, Mess About in Boats..

Last Friday we attended the first event sponsored by the Halton Regional Police entitled Life Matters. This is in response to a number of youth suicides in Halton over the past year or two. The intent of the event is to let kids know about organizations where they can get involved in an alternative activity. As a result of our long involvement with the Ministry of Justice, Kids & Classics was invited to create an active display of what might be expected if they wish to volunteer in the boatshop.

Scott does a trailer bearing

Anthony sorts engines to go

Bernie cuts out paddle blanks

 The team decided that only a demonstration of all major aspects of shop activity would convey all the possibilities available for alternative learning - which meant we had to create a lot of exercises for our outing to be useful. The volunteers created the following hands-on activity centres: woodworking tools making a miniature paddle, steam bending a loop of ash, repairing and starting an outboard motor and rigging a sailboat.

raceboats, canoes and rowboats

weather prevented rigging the Lightning

our 17' Shepherd got looks

steambox and George's canoe

 Drizzely weather prevented rigging the Lightning but everything else went off as planned.

planing a paddle to shape

George makes a magic gesture

Bernie and spokeshave

Bernie coaches shaving paddles

only one spokeshave - so many paddles

replacing a waterpump with Glen

 

 

Who'd ever thought that a spoke-shave would be a hit of the show! We only had one and it was in high demand once tested. Half a dozen young people signed up to visit the boatshop and continue their projects...a very successful outing for your team!

Roni organized this new outing and registered the new volunteers

 - congratulations!

One More Sail with Kids!

Following Boat 4 Folks we were able to have all the kids who were involved with the boatbuilding out on our Lightning "Bolt". For all it was a new experience and they all loved it. They didn't mind the other old boats we had along either!

The purpose of the sailing and other boating is to get the kids interested in coming back to the shop to learn more and experience new water sports.

Bolt ready to go

perfect

are we happy? YOU BET

future captain

she moves with ease and grace

Far out Man

Way Cool

our fleet at MSC

 OK so I may have mis-quoted our visitors but they had a blast as you can see!

A few days later some of us who have been involved with Bolt's restoration over the past 4 years had a final sail before out time was up at MSC. A very lovely outing.

George having an eye

the real sailors are in charge now - where the hell's the wind!