In a Nutshell 2

Day 9 and the Nutshell is ready, primed and awaiting her owner. Funny how you get to bond with a boat. I found myself looking at it (her) from all angles and quite liking what I saw.

Inevitably I couldn't let it go without adding some capping to the transoms, to hide the end grain. There's something about plywood end grain that makes me cringe. Better to hide it, although I couldn't do the same with the lodging knees.

I did, however, add a touch of proper boat building by riveting them through, and it makes sense too. Those rivets will makes sure the shape stays in for as long as the boat lasts.

All in all then, I have to say that I am pleased with the result. Joel White designed a fine tender, and the plans (I have a few quibbles) were accurate.

Have I Arrived?

Can't say yet if it will make any difference to the level of enquiries received for wooden boats, but membership of the Wooden Boatbuilders Trade Association is at least recognition after 10 years that I am a boat builder.

I reckon to have the basics of a certain type of boat building, in my case plywood... NO! What am I saying? Traditional clinker is what I meant to say. Just that if you were to drop by my air-conditioned, purpose built workshop you would see a couple of plywood boats on the go. And the sooner they've gone the better,  as I have a 14ft clinker boat next up, thank goodness.

The Nutshell pram has been satisfying, and mercifully quick. If nothing else you can build a boat in no time with plywood. And yet, and yet...

But I have set my sights higher, and I do believe solid timber is higher, for which reason I am very proud to be a member now of the WBTA, whose membership includes some of my boat building heroes. So, thanks those who felt I had earned my stripes. Trouble is my mentor Tom Whitfield in Australia knows full well that I haven't even scratched the surface of knowledge, and time is running out.

In a Nutshell

I cannot deny it, but there are now two plywood boats on the go at Viking Boats International (Leckmelm) plc. The gun punt is resting, while I had less than 10 working days to put together this Nutshell dinghy by Joel White. I don't have to finish her, just prime and off she goes for final painting.

Nice little boat, but it's not my idea of boat building, and the dust... Despite trying to wear a mask as much as possible, it's just not possible all the time. The worst is cutting bits of Super Elite on the bandsaw. My snot at the end of the day looks like Plastic Wood (maybe try it one day).

The schedule was tight:. Day 1, make the moulds and set up the jig (which extended into day two). Day 2, make the bow knee and main frame, and cut out the bottom from 9mm ply. Cut out transoms from 18mm Super Elite. Day 3, set up bow and transom, main frame and bow knee. Day 4, set the bottom board onto the main frame, and transoms. Bevel edges for garboards. Day 5, cut out and fit garboards. Bevel garboards ready for next plank. Day 6, cut out and fit next plank, and bevel. Day 7, cut out and fit sheerstrake, wood seal transoms, frame and knee. Day 8, lift off jig, make thwarts, fit rubbing strips. General clean up. Plane to sheerline. Day 9 (half day), fit knees, clean up gunwale.

Which leaves a day and half in hand to prime the inside, rivet up the knees and generally tidy her up for delivery.

The glue I used was Robbins' replacement for Balcotan, called Collano. It is nothing like Balcotan, which can be chipped off, but sets hard like a one-part epoxy, and sticks like epoxy too. In fact in future, unless there's a good reason for mixing up mayonnaise, I will be using the new stuff as it's a joy to spread, quick and clean.

By the end of the month there'll be a Tammie Norie on the go, in solid timber, Scots pine in fact from the Queen's estate at Balmoral.

Loki at Large

Here, by popular demand, is a typical shot of Loki at the recent Coigach Regatta, lifted from Ulla's website (www.ullcoastrow.wordpress.com) showing the brave Royal Loch Broom Sailing Club stroking, if not to victory, then to third place lead by bow man Robert, No 3 Andy, No 2 Sandy and stroked by John, with Commodore Copestake in steerage.

The strength of the wind, and temperature can be judged by the fact that Loki's figurehead was protected throughout the day with a wooly hat (celebrating her Irish bow man's birth place). Cut down on windage too.

Photo copyright Chris Perkins

18.16 9,999

At 16 minutes past six the visitor tally stood at 9,999. As I type it has just passed the 10,000 mark. Whoever you are, welcome. Now get back to doing something useful...

10,000th

I can't offer a free case of baked beans, or even a bottle of champagne, but the 10,000th visitor to this site (how on earth do you know who you are?) who can prove that he or she was indeed the 10,000th will get... my sympathies. Don't waste any more time, that's my advice...

Shipwrights Ahoy?

I just had this email from a fellow in Forres (incidentally the name of my old prep school, where small boys were kept in line with a sharp tap on the back of the knees with a boxwood ruler  - "never did me any harm..." etc etc - but that's another story).

Maybe someone out there can help him, as for sure my shed is way too small to accommodate his boat. I can put you in touch.

Dear Mr Morgan

I follow your articles in Classic Boats [sic] with interest and note your plaintiff [sic] tone as regards obtaining sufficient paying jobs. I own a 1936 50sq.m. windfall yacht, Seawraith, previously Seegeist, purchased as a retirement project. 

However, in my "retirement" I am busier than ever (in gainful self-employment as a forester) and despairing of ever finding time to complete the boat. I am not interested in the complete replacement of every vestige of the original, intending to keep her very much intact, repairing rather than replacing. 

The meticulous rebuild of beautiful classics retaining the odd bit of original boat as a token appals me.
 
Seawraith is presently lying in Forres, Moray, under a light protective roof (which itself may require rebuilding if I don't get my finger out). If we did come to an arrangement I'd expect to deliver the boat to you but wonder if you have a big enough shed. She is 41ft long and about 13ft deep from the base of the keel but would need a wheeled cradle to draw into a shed. 

If you are interested perhaps you'd care to visit if you were this way and we can discuss possibilities. I am attaching a few photographs taken when the boat was lying in Canvey Island where I acquired her.

Yours sincerely, Richard Ogilvy