Tom's followup to the Weekend Skiff Class page.

As I trim out my boat I'll post pictures here.  It might give you some ideas to use in finishing up yours.  Feel free to contribute ideas and pictures of how you do your boat.

I want to put in a bulkhead to form a watertight compartment in the bow.  A safe place to put purse, wallet, keys, camera, etc...  It's something that even the motorboats need.

And, handles, fore and aft.  The motorboats need especially secure handles at the transom.  You might want to cut them into those knees at the gunwales.  You can always recruit bystanders to carry the boat but keep in mind that it's unskilled labor, and possibily not sober to boot; give them something solid to hold to.

I want a fancy deck.  We'll do something more modest on Mike's boat to show an alternative.

Dana ordered my plywood Mon. and it came in Wed.  I had been putting in a couple of hours a day over the weekend and got the larger bottom piece on and trimmed.  And, nail heads set and a first coat of filler on the holes.  As soon as the board came in I put it on.  Thurs. I trimmed and filled so the boat is caught up with the class.  I'm ready to turn it over and start finishing out the inside.

I'll hold off the thin coat till I get the inside done, there'll be more holes to patch then too.

    I want the boat a little lower when I turn it over.  I've felt like those boats were right in my face all week, I don't like to have to work with my elbows way up in the air. I made the cradle in the picture so the horns are snug to the sides at the widest point of the boat.  The other one is as wide as the bottom at the aft frame.  Those frames are the strongest points and it's good to choke up on them for support.
    Two people can carry the boat on the horse !  Screw on a longer piece at the top of the legs to form handles to the sides (be sure that they are narrower than any door they have to go through)  Slide the horse to the balance point of the boat.  Pick it up and carry it (being careful to have at least one hand on the boat to balance it)  When you get it in place have one person balance the boat while the other goes back for the other horse. You don't need two sets of horses that way.
    The set I made will put the gunwales at countertop height, 36 in.

    Mike tapered out the front of his skeg and rough sanded.

    I want to laminate a lead weight into my daggerboard so I made up a mold and tried to cast one, and tried, and tried.  At first it cooled too fast and was lumpy and runny. and I only had 6 lb. of lead.  The next try I preheated the mold and it warped. I think I need to shrink the mold but it's hard to tell.  I'm going to get a heavy steel plate to clamp it to and check again before I start messing with the shape of the mold.

A house wren has raised a family in my leadpot since I last used it.  They won't come back to an old nest but may come back to the empty pot.