DAVE GRAY

A fellow boatbuilder and sailmaker, Dave Gray, lives in Florida. I have visited his website,PolySail International and read postings on several different yahoo forums, but never met the man. Last week, I found myself in Florida and met Dave, also known as PolySail Dave and his lovely wife, Dixie. Dave builds and sails small boats and builds sails from polytarp. He supplies low-cost, high performance polytarp sails and sailmaking kits to home boatbuilders, since 1996.

When I arrived, he was working on the rigging of his newest build, Wedgie. A very nice little boat, complete with a water gun that will shoot up to 50 feet. Built for kids, but adults can enjoy it too.

After visiting for a little while, Dave took me to Jensen Beach and showed me where he sails his small boats. Just down the road a piece is The Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House. While sitting at the bar and enjoying a drink and snacks, you have a beautiful view of the water. Very nice and relaxing place. And I did enjoy my margarita!

We had a nice visit. It is always fun to meet a fellow boatbuilder and swap stories. Dave plans to attend Sail Oklahoma! next month. It will be a wonderful gathering of many sailors and boatbuilders at Lake Eufaula. Everyone is invited to attend. The hosts, Mike & Jackie Monies are wonderful people and have worked really hard to ensure all attending will have a great time. So, take a few days off work and get to Oklahoma next month!

No Workout Today.

My dumbbells served another purpose.

The woven roving has been laid and the ground plate in place. I read how Glen Maxwell used a vacuum bag to accomplish this in the file section of the Paradox Yahoo Group. However, I didn't have the equipment to do it that way, so I used what I had... lots of weight.

First, I drilled holes around the perimeter of the copper flashing, then counter-sunk them. The epoxy oozed up through the holes and then acted as rivets to help hold the flashing in place. To hold the flashing flat while the epoxy cured, I placed a scrap of 5 mm plywood on top and then added lots of weight to hold it against the hull.

The bottom is almost ready for the paint. I'm thinking navy. That's next on my to-do list, buy the paint. I'm hoping she will be right-side up soon, and then never again up-side down.

MY TENT

MY NEIGHBORS LOVE ME!

I needed a shade, so I made one. And, I'm sure my neighbors didn't mind my sanding at 8:00 on a Sunday morning either. The bottom is faired. It started to get dark, so I only got one layer of 18 oz. woven roving on. I will be adding two more layers.

Paint, I need to start looking for paint. This week. Lots to do. But, for now, the sandman is calling my name, I must go...

ROLLOVER DAY #3

I KNOW I'M GOING TO GET A LETTER NOW!

The Homeowner's Association loves to send me letters. Whether it's about the trash can in front of the garage, the lawn needing to be edged or the window unit A/C. The boat in the driveway will surely ruffle their feathers.

Today was another rollover day. The bottom gets attention now. We couldn't figure out a good way to turn it upside down and then roll it back into the garage, so we left it in the driveway, covered it with polytarp and called it good.

It will be a few days before I can get back to work on it, because I started working on Monday. There is a custom boat canvas and upholstery shop in Kemah, Texas that needed someone, so I went to work. Only been there two day, and I'm having a blast! The resident dog, Marina, is a sweetheart. She is very well behaved and knows two tricks; sit pretty and play dead.

Not much to report today, been busy with other areas of my life. Lots going on... more about that later. Right now, I have to get off this computer and get to work. Those cushions are not going to make themselves!

PARADOX

"What made you want to build a boat?"

How many times have I heard that question! Well, I started sailing about three and a half years ago. The boat I learned to sail on was a 41' Irwin ketch. Nice! About two years ago, I stumbled across a sailboat called a Paradox. This 14' sailboat is what is called a coastal cruiser. Well built, lots of storage for it's size, and can sail in shallow waters. I thought to myself, I WANT ONE! But, I had never built a boat before. In order to learn some building skills, I built an 8' dingy called a PDRacer. During this build, I learned about glues, epoxy, fiberglass, rudders, leeboards and the appropriate uses of different tools. Sailing this little boat is a blast.

The building of my paradox, TARDIS, has been a challenge. When I started, I didn't know the level of difficulty, but was brave enough to try. The only way I have been able to accomplish what I've done so far, is with the moral support from Dale. He believed that I could do it, even when I had doubts.

My neighbors know me as the woman that spends most of her time in the garage. A few have stopped by to see what I'm building. The FedEx man has started stopping to see the progress, he seems to be just as excited about the build as I am. The guys at Dale's work are watching the progress via this blog. There are a lot of people from all over the world that check in to see how the build is going. This has been a big undertaking for me. A little more than I thought it would be. But, it has been good for me. This journey has built within me, confidence and pride.

Back in the early 90's, my biological father, Jim Prather, built a power boat, Princess Dana. I did not get to witness the build, but saw it after it's completion. At his funeral, this was the main topic of his accomplishments. He owned a sheet metal shop, so of course the boat was constructed of metal.

m/v Princess Dana

I like to build things, create useful things. My brother said I got the boat building gene from Jim Prather. I guess maybe I did. When TARDIS is completed, and I know her well, she and I will have many adventures. My first big adventure; the Bahamas. You will all be able to read about my trips. They will be posted here. But first... I have to finish her. So, I better get off this computer and get back to the garage and get to work! Until next time...

ROLLOVER DAY #2

Today was the day! We rolled TARDIS out into the driveway, slipped the frames on either end, strapped them together and rolled her off of her side and upright. Because I only made two corners rounded, the frames had to be taken off, turned around and put back on. Then we rolled her onto her other side. She is now laying on her starboard side so I can work on her port side.

There were many of our neighbors milling around, but none seem to sense the momentous occasion that was taking place. Rollover day is always exciting to me. It marks a milestone in the build. Tomorrow I will start the sanding and fairing of the port side and transom.

That's about all I have to report on this post. Hopefully, the next post will be more exciting and more pictures.

MY FRIEND GLADYS

Gladys and I met back in 1980. I started barber college and she came with my kit of tools. The first haircut I did was on Gladys. She was a good sport about it, and told me, "the only difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut, is about 3 weeks." We have been friends ever since.

In the early '90s, we got into the Halloween spirit. I wanted to make an old-time looking coffin and set it up making our house spooky. Gladys, been the good friend that she is, agreed to lay in the coffin, perfectly still so as to appear dead. The only problem she had, she couldn't keep her eyes closed. That was okay, nobody cared. She sported a red turtle neck sweater, black skirt and black shoes. She played her part well.

A few years later, I planned a road trip from Lubbock, Texas to Memphis, Tennessee. I planned to travel alone, but Gladys voiced her disapproval, and went with me. She rode shot-gun and borrowed one of my caps and a pair of sunglasses. It was summer, but she insisted on wearing long sleeves. It was a quiet trip, she doesn't talk much, but it was nice having someone to listen to my ramblings about nothing.

The last 10 years or so, Gladys has become somewhat of a recluse. Keeping to herself and being so quiet, we forgot that she was here. Yesterday, I was cleaning out my closet and found a tiara that had been packed away and forgotten about. I wore it the rest of the afternoon, just being silly. When Dale asked if I wanted to go dancing, I jumped at the chance to wear the tiara out... and I did. I know that every girl in the place was envious. I felt special! When we returned home, Gladys broke her silence of many years. She asked if she could wear the tiara for awhile. Happy that she had come out of her shell, I gladly fixed her hair and placed the tiara in it's proper place.

Gladys and I have gotten reacquainted and plan many more adventures together. She's my BFF!