I'll list some of the sites you should look at to see what's coming up and what some guys are doing. A word to you old folks, when you see words in blue click on them and the site will open up like magic, your computer knows how to do it for you all by itself.
This is the announcement for the Crystal River Boat Bash happening the end of April, it's the weekend before the big Cedar Key event so if you have the time you can hang out and see them both. You really need to take a look at the giant Civil War scow they just finished along with a little tug boat to push it along.
This is the link for the Wilmington Boat show, I think that's in South Carolina and not Delaware. Probably near Charleston so you can get a twofer on this one. Go see Judy Blue Eyes if you're in Charleston and have her show you how she made a silk purse out of a sow's ear. aka 18 foot Finwick Williams Catboat.
Wilmington Boat Show
And since you're in Charleston anyway make sure you get a harbor tour with Capt Dave. Dave's a long time Boatnut and an all round nice guy (can you say that about any of us boat bums) and since his tour boat is a converted life boat you should be safe.
Capt Dave's Charleston Tour
Roger Allen sent this video of a CS 17 getting "popped" together at the Buffalo Marine Center. This would be a great place to visit in the summer, all two months of it. This video shows how a flat boat hull pops into the shape of a big boat. If you've never seen this done you may have to watch if a couple of times. We did it here once and couldn't believe it actually happened.
CS 17 at the Buffalo Marine
I'm going to call this one "you're not going to believe what one guy can do". Our friend John is building a large trawler type boat all out of aluminum by himself, ok Dawn is there to pull him out when things fall on him. Obviously John is a master welder and metal worker and knows just what he wants. Check out the dates of the blog entries, he's been at this less than a year.
John's Alum Boat
Here's another Jon's video; this Jon is the North American dealer for this brand of "long tail" motors. He's another Boatnut who's been here and he even goes to Thailand in the summer to race these things across mud flats and rice paddies.
Jon's Longtail
We also have events at our own Florida Maritime Museum. Lots of local people go to these, they're fun.
I'm including this shot again so you'll know why we call him Crazy Steve. This is him out in the middle of the St Lawrence river in a Wee Lassie that he converted from a 10 pound eleven foot long canoe into a 20 pound eleven foot long schooner. He probably calls for the right away on these other boats.
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And to be fair, this is me doing something that no one in their right mind would do, go out in a boat looking behind you. Who the hell thought that's a good idea, what if sea monster in in front ready to eat you up. I built five of these 14 foot John Gardner Whitehalls because they are fun to build and watch take on this beautiful glow when the epoxy and varnish pops, but I sure wouldn't own one. Just imagine what happens when it's time to redo all that wood. If you're me you just paint it with house paint but I suppose that would defeat the purpose of having a show boat. I sold the boats but not these oars, they were as hard to make as the boat. Roger Allen made me sew the leathers on with the official herringbone stitch. The oars reside here with Chelsea now. I just read an article in Messing About by Richard Honan about building floor boards in round bottom boats. Made me clinch up with a flash back about these boats floorboards. They have to be perfect or else they wiggle and rattle and they have to be able to come out. Who ever thought of making these things anyway?
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Howard and I met Wally at a place called Zolfo Springs over in the middle of Florida for a huge gathering of these old, old engines. They were everywhere and came in all sizes from ones you could hold in your hand to these giants; most of them were running. They just chug along real slow and turn the big flywheels.
You name it and they were doing it, I had no idea that these ancient engines were so plentiful, or maybe this is all there are.
I assume that can buy um and Howard and I tried to find a reason to justify getting one. This tractor and trailer just about did it; imagine making one of these and chugging along somewhere with me in the back with a cooler and beer holders. Oh gosh, it's sounding real good again.
That's it, more next time about the Mega yacht we're building.
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