A new start in blogging world.
So, let’s began here..
About a week ago, I received an e-mail from an nice lady in Springfield, Missouri… She contacted me about a dinghy. After a few exchange in e-mail communications, shown her several design offers.
Asked if I could build a special boat for her that is not listed on my site. She sent me a breath-taking photo of Monet Garden Boat. After ooh’s -n- ahh’s of studying the picture. I replied back sure I can….
I drew up the plan on CAD program. Same basic design, color and all.. Based on shape and size she requested. Send a copy of study plan to her.
She approved it. I made a model of it, just to test my plan for the pattern. Mixing up a batch of green color is fun.. Can’t even get it close enough.
This boat is going to be built traditional way, from solid wood planks.. No plywoods, no engineered wood products, and no epoxy or fiberglass. Idea is to replicate the boat as closely as possible.
June 15, 2007
I started on MGB (short for Monet Garden Bateau).
I milled 40 running linear feet of Western Red Cedar planks today. After about an hour and half, feeding the planer.. I smelled like a pencil sharpener (don’t even ask).. Planed cedar planks from 7/8″ to 5/8″ thickness. Just Perfect!! Combination of light weight and flexibility. And a BIG pile of pencil shavings.
Tomorrow I will set up the forms, cut the side boards shape.
June 18, 2007
After rainshower we here today.. I manage to get some snapshots of my progress.
I just got carried away into construction.
There she is, sides are formed. Transom and bow in place.
Wood is slighty damp from the moisture in the air. Forms is handy helper in above photos. Kept it off the ground at a perfect working height. No bending over, or straining to reach across.
Using a “Spanish Windlass” to pull the bow ends together. The last thing I needed is the first thing in the morning is “coffee”. When I let go of wounded up rope and stick. Yup, that how it goes.. Whop whop whop whop, smack…
Later tonight, I will be making frames…..
June 20, 2007
Today I set frames out after a couple of days curing time.. Screwed, glued, and notched for keel.
Then got them in place permanently along with keel.. I used a selected spruce (with no knots) for keel. which it allow me to bend in place without breaking.
That’s one sweet looking transom (tombstone shaped), it’s my favorite.. Found on most of my dories… Tomorrow and the next few days, I will be putting in chine logs, and start planking the bottom……..
June 29, 2007
It been hectic for the last days. Few rainy days, she have been covered under tarp. Rain halt my progress. One of these days, I’m gonna have me a workshop.
I finally got a chance to sit down and add some update.
This project is going together fast, and fairly easy
Okay, I got the chine logs in and keel.. Remove the forms, begin to plank the bottom.
That is one stack of cedar planks ready to be placed on the bottom. It took 10 of 3/4″ X 5-1/2″ x 8 feet cedar planks, to do this bottom. I rabbeted edges for easier placement. Caulked the joint heavy to allow squeeze out. This is the only way to be sure a good seal and bonding.
After gluing with 3 cartridges of 3M 5200 caulking, and 1-1/2 pound of stainless steel screws later. I got the bottom all in.
Let her sit for a few days. To allow adhesive to cure throughly, and for all the wood to adjust to their new shape.
Trimmed the bottom edge flush. I sanded for few hours.
Mainly to get ’er fair……..
Got a better camera working. Nicer pictures.
Scorched marks seen on the keel is result cutting and grinding of screws, for it being a tad too long, about a eight of inch…. All was available at this time is 1-5/8″ long. I wanted 1-1/4″
At this stage she weighed about 75 pounds, maybe more. I couldn’t tell without a scale. All I know is that I can pick her up and carry her at ease.. Not bad for cedar planked boat. And she is stiff and sound.. Let see what she measured to.. A little over 10 feet long, 45″ beam at sheer, 16″ hull depth…. Awesome, just as I wanted to be…
Next step is gunnels, runners, fore and aft seats. Then paint her…….
Its need some kind of protection along the bottom edge as for cedar it is quite soft wood. I made outer chine strips and gunnels from hard pine.
Then flipped ‘er over.. Place runners on the bottom.
Sand and primed the entire bottom and sides
And first coat of this awesome green color
After paint, with seats and thwart installed.
Splash!
Took it out on the water to check for leaks.
Look how she floats! Just Right!
Weeeeee, this is fun…..
I rowed for thirty minutes, having a blast.
She is very sweet handling. I really like this boat. I am sure that my customer will love this boat.. I gotta build me one.
September 29, 2007.. Went to its new home…
She is quite short for 10 foot boat.
ReplyDeleteIf I build another one, I think 14 foot is about right size.
Looks like a fun project. and a handsome little boat. Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteGreat looking boat....
ReplyDeleteThe bow looks like it is running a little deeper with only one on board her. I think I would make it so the center seat could be moved to fix this or just build a 12 to 14 foot boat.
Yes, I noticed that to,, There's several ways to balance the her...
ReplyDelete1. move the center thwart aft about 6 - 9 inches
2. have an passenger sitting in stern thwart
3. or add about 50 pounds of ballast.
Yea, building one 12-14 feet may correct the problem, plus it'll look more exact like the original
Boyle,
ReplyDeleteI noticed the original pic has floorboards finished bright. Did you ever put those in or conserving weight?
Kruez
I didn't make any.. It wasn't needed via customer request, as you would say "to conserve weight"
ReplyDeleteIt would be troublesome removing floorboard(s) each time one's have to dry dock it..
Since it is quite smallish craft, a person just flip her over on the side and hose it out..
About year after I built MGB, I found several more photos of Monet's garden keeper boats.. They're about 14 feet long, with removable floorboards and thwarts. Quite rugged little workboats.. Basically, like a narrow Jonboat
If I did made some floorboards, it would made of 1/2" Western Red Cedar with Cetrol finish..
Hi Boyle Lovely boat, great project, thanks for posting the construction photo's ,a couple of questions, wheres the picture of the oars getting built,did you steam the rub strips [on the bottom]to get them to bend,is the rear thwart sealed [for buoyancy],and as the bottom is planked does that mean she will have to be kept in water to keep her sealed?
ReplyDeleteps why are boats always female [is it because we love them but do not relay understand them,
Bogsdolics.
Bogsdolics,
ReplyDeleteGood questions, glad to answer them
Oars. I didn't get take any construction pic's of it.. it went together so fast, by the time for camera is needed oars is already done..
Rub strips on the bottom (outer chine strips), No steam were used.. I bend them directly as I attach it to the chine with screws and sealant..
Both rear and bow thwarts are removable, storage compartments in bow and stern
Bottom is planked cross wise, with half-lapped fashion, lay out a bead of 3M-5200 on the lap then screw the plank in place.. It is slow process laying planks on the bottom, hasn't leaked..if it did, cedar will swell the leak shut..
Boats as female, that got me pondering for a moment.
Same for any inanimated object such as automobile, guitars, aircrafts..I don't have no idea why, I guess it an old habit people caught on..
I have seen many boats with feminine names.. There are some boats out there with man's name too..
I think the Feminine name was used to show the love that the owners had for their craft and the fact that you didn't bring women on a ship way back when. It just has stuck and we use it till this day, just like many other sayings or phrases that we use that the original meaning has been loss.
ReplyDeleteThe best one I can think of right now is when someone asks is it the "Real McCoy". Many would not even have the slightest idea where this phrase came from. Here in the US most would say that it is from the machine for lubricating engines by Elijah McCoy. Though there is an even older Real McCoy or McKay referring to the McKay (or Mackay) whisky, "A drappie o' the real McKay." Well enough of this since it really doesn't have a thing to do with the great looking boat that was built even if it isn't the Real McCoy :) . Sorry just couldn't refuse that one....
dracothered,
ReplyDeleteThanks, for feminine part... I believe there is many view on why its a she, or her...
That can go way back pass 100's years to where it originate from... Often heard from captain(s) of pirate/ or whaling vessels... Called their vessels by woman's name they loved and left behind ashore..
Myself, I would rather use native american names.. I think it more natural where I live.. Some use Greek/Roman names, like Neptune, Pegasus, Apollo, Ulysses, Aphrodite... just to name a few..
Some boats name means something or just plain outright vulgar...
The last skiff I built for a guy in Oklahoma, named his skiff SHIPHRAH pronounced "shep rah". It means "beauty".