Meanwhile in the shop...

As a few of us are scrambling to get Despina ready for her outing, the rest of the team is making great headway on our two major winter projects of having Gas-Hopper ready to run for the ACBS Gravenhurst show and finally completing the Lightning so we can get some kids sailing this summer!

There was a blemish in the front deck of Gas-Hopper which on investigation - once the engine and fuel tank were out, was a failure of the 1945 plywood it was fashioned from - it had a huge knot in one layer. Anton cut out the failed area and created a patch to go in later. Meanwhile we used the hole to assist with cleaning out the hull.

Damage removed and ready for repair.

Trevor is looking farther ahead to completion...

The Lightning is looking closer and closer to completion as this winter the work on her has been quite continuous - She's getting wet this year for sure!

George reinstalls gudgeons...

chainplates are being sealed on final installation.

Looking fine!

Despina goes to Florida (again)

There is a bit of catching up going on here, yours truely having been away and all...
Hauling a 27' Shepherd to Florida is an automatic adventure and I may divide this story up into sections. Last fall the decision was made that some of us would be participating in the ACBS Sunnyland Chapter's St John River Cruise 2013 and boat show. As there had been some deterioration to the decks last year it was necessary to do some repairs before we left on March 11. Two weeks before leaving we hauled her out of storage at John's to get this done...

after removing two other boats....

Out she comes into the snow!

Part of foredeck & kingplank stripped

and rear deck mostly stripped and stained.

But this is not the only thing going on in the shop - work is proceeding on Gas-Hopper and the Lightning as well! Trailer bearings all checked out OK with a greasing - lights made good as well.

Trevor is under the deck scraping...

George is fitting the CB bolts and seat risers

Anton is the master of taping and caulking...

and Jim takes on the foredeck hatch.

After all this effort there is time for 5 coats of Epifanes Woodgloss Finish with 2 days to harden before reinstalling the hardware and loading seats, safety equipment and on Sunday March 10th, our luggage! into the boat. The truck (courtesy of Grant) has no cap so the luggage has to go in the boat as the forecast is damp.

Ron Patey is one of our supporting Gatsby members and he is going to share the driving with me - Gretchen has decided to join us and find out why we are all so keen to do this outing every year!

By late on March 10th, everything is ready for liftoff tomorrow morning....



 LOOK WHAT'S NEWS............................................

 NEXT BOAT BUILD EVENT SCHEDULED

The volunteer team is busily preparing for the upcoming Boats-4-Folks build event !!

Build Date:  Saturday May 4th & Sunday May 5th, 2013

Build Youth Team: local youth-at-risk, through local youth organizations...

Location:  Boatshop located at Beaumont Mills, Glen Williams

Follow the blog for more details ........
________________________________________________________________


SPRING IS HERE...THAT MEANS "YARD SALE" ANYONE?  One of our volunteers has asked for any interest in organizing a Boatshop yard sale to raise money for our Programs! 

If you are interested please contact Roni Lester @ 289-904-0420.


________________________________________________________________

TIME TO DO ANOTHER TICKET COUNT !!! - SKIFF DRAW

Volunteers please submit your stubs and cash so we can see how close we are to draw date.  Additional tickets can be picked up at the Boatshop through Malcolm Black. 

Volunteers needed 1-2 hours on a Saturday and/or Sunday (between 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.) in the Beaumont Mill, Kids & Classics booth to communicate our programs and promote the upcoming skiff draw.  Please contact Malcolm or Roni if you can help out.



 

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!

Fundraising is a vital part of keeping our programs going!  Get in on the draw for a skiff built by local youth and several other great prizes!

Only 240 tickets left !!

$10 donation = 1 ticket

$40 donation = 5 tickets

$75 donation - 10 tickets

When all 300 tickets are sold we will make the draw.

 1st Prize is a new 12' skiff with oars!

 2nd Prize is a 24" model ChrisCraft

3rd Prize is an antique boat ride

4th & 5th prizes, K&C logo'd Caps

 Thank you for your help!

Volunteers please submit contact sheets, cash, stubs to keep our "tickets left" current for eagerly awaiting draw date followers!

For more information contact Roni @ 289-924-0420

Decked out Lightning and gutted Hydro

Well we'll see how theory becomes reality on Tuesday evening when the paint on the deck of the Lightning is dry. We wanted a fairly flat finish to go with the canvas covering - don't think gloss would look right. We saw this done masterfully at the TIBS ACBS booth on a gorgeous International 14 restored at Woodwind Yachts. Ken Lavallette explained that he mixes 1/3 flattening agent into the top coat of paint to get the effect. Here we are getting ready...

taped, vaccumed and cleared

ready for deck Epifanes!

Meanwhile the Gas-Hopper crew has been digging further into the hull. We must be certain that she is seaworthy plus we wish to investigate some deck damage from below. The fuel tank is under the front deck and we need to clean that out and make sure it is sound as well. It's very tight quarters under there and it was fortunate that Chase, one of our youth volunteers showed up - he fits!

Last week the fuel tank was the obstacle
but it was just stuck - literally.

Once that was out Chase was able to clear
out all the old flotation foam and debris.

meanwhile Anton and George tackle the rear end
beginning with the aircraft seat.

To inspect the whole hull means removing the
lovely tail section aluminum bodywork - carefully!

All clear and in great condition - but dirty...

we could see a tank back there but couldn't tell
what it was for. Turned out to be an old aircraft
aluminum tank - all plugged - for flotation?



The crack in the front deck turned out to be under poor plywood
so we'll reinforce it from below and reglass the repair.


So stay tuned, if the Lightning deck is acceptable then from here on when parts go back on the boat they are on to stay (we hope). We need some funding to keep moving on Gas-Hopper, gasket set, shopped out cleaning, bearing shells if we can find them, crank polishing etc. Let us know if you would like to help - become a Gatsby member? Cough up $500 and go boating this summer?

two coats on the deck today - waiting to dry....

Hopper Racing Team gets at it!

The Toronto Chapter of the ACBS (Antique & Classic Boat Society) has dubbed this year Gravenhurst boat show "The Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History". Save the date, July 6 2013, and you will see not only the expected historic mahogany race boats by Greavette and Ditchburn, but you will see hydroplanes running! A crane will be on hand to launch and retrieve the hydros - this will be something new for the ACBS!

In keeping with the spirit of the festivities and to honour Kids & Classics Boatshops Museum's hero race driver, the late Dave Norton, we are resurecting his Hopper Racing Team beginning with his own first boat "Gas-Hopper". We intend to have her cleaned up, engine rebuilt and able to run in time for the show. Here's how we are doing so far...

engine out, stripped and ready
for degreasing.

Cam, pistons all look OK

     












This is a look at hotrodding in 1945 - engine is ballanced and blueprinted, every part stamped so it goes back in the same place, really nice work in here. We have been able to identify the engine from the part number stamped into the head gasket! Better still we have found a source for the gasket set.

Peter has been researching parts for the Ford 6 and Chase got into the hull clean-up in a serious way- the whole centre area is cleaned out now and next is the fuel tank removal. Stay tuned!

George gives jr volunteer Chase some pointers...

and Chase goes at it under the deck of Gas-Hopper!

Lightning ready for deck paint!

Well that may be a bit over the top - I doubt Gas-Hopper falls into the Thundering category with her 1941 Ford Ambulience, 6 cyl flathead engine, but - one never knows!

Today was very productive on both counts. George, Scott and Chris were at it on the Lightning and Peter and Chase were delving into Gas-Hoppers innards. See next post for Gas-Hopper news!

George dry fitting new blocks

Done! next step stain & varnish.

Ray fashions new coaming caps for rear
of cockpit.

Front coaming dry fitting and final centreboard
gear installed and functioning.

Chris roughing rear coaming cap

and engineering a perfect fit

Coamings, caps and jib sheet blocks all fitted!