SAIL OKLAHOMA 2014

After I published my last post, I received a message from Sean Mulligan. Sean bought my Paradox, SCOUT, and has been taking her on adventures and making memories. Sean was asked to make a presentation during the upcoming Sail Oklahoma. This is an annual boat festival hosted by Mike & Jackie Monies at their BOAT PALACE on Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma. This event is held each October, and attended primarily by boat builders, and has been described as a messabout on steroids.

The first event was held in 2010 and was a big success. It has grown every year, and about 100 boats are expected this year. Sean will be taking SCOUT.  As he said, he knows how to sail her, but doesn't know anything about the building of her, so he has asked if I would take part in this presentation. I have wanted to attend Sail Oklahoma, but never had the time or finances to do so… until this year. My flight has been booked, and all arrangements have been made. While thinking about my presentation, I realized I was fuzzy on details. I looked back at the past posts, but still needed more information in some areas. I contacted Sean and asked if I might have copies of the plans, this would help me. I sent the EVERYTHING to Sean when he purchased her. He offered to send me the whole notebook I had used during the build. I was touched. I received it today! 

When I pulled it out of the box, I was flooded with memories of the endless hours I spent in the garage making sawdust, spreading epoxy, planing, painting……. and it still has the faint odor of sawdust.  And yes, the envelope of receipts are still there. Will I pull them out and add them up? Probably not.

Sail Oklahoma is scheduled for October 9 - 13, 2014. I encourage you to come and join in the fun. There will be lectures, demonstrations, sailing and lots of sea stories told. I'm looking forward to seeing SCOUT, but I also want to see a Mayfly 14. That will be my next build… if I do build again.

Below is a schedule of events, please try and attend. I would love to meet you all, come by and introduce yourself.

For more information, contact Jackie:  m_monies@yahoo.com

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, October 9              

7-9 Continental Breakfast and Coffee

8-5 Private class/ John Welsford “Epoxy and Fiberglass”  Coffee breaks and lunch included $150

8-4 Private classes/ Richard Woods “By Appointment”  analysis and instruction  $50 per hour

8-5  Family Boat Building/ Dave Gentry “Building Kiddyak Skin on Frame  $350 kit/material

8-5  Registration  at Boat Palace  (No charge)  Includes classes above if space available

Sandwiches and snacks available  For Lunch

4-6 Richard Woods/  Multihull Program /  Video and Slides / Tent  Boat Palace / Free Class

8-5  Independent sailing or Group sails at Beach Launch Area

6-7:30  John Welsford/ “Care and Sharpening of Tools”  Boat Palace/ Free Class

7:30-10:00  Group Buffet at City Wok, Main Street, Eufaula  All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet-

                  General Discussion and  Visiting/  Meet and Greet

 Friday, October 10, 2014

7-9  Breakfast Continental and Hot Breakfast Choice/   Boat Palace

8 :00 a.m. Dave Gentry “Family Boatbuilding Skin on Frame Kidyak” Continues / Observation Free

8-10 Michael Storer/ “How To Increase Performance Without Sacrificing Economy / Free Class

10:30  Cruise Across Lake/ Five Mile Cross Lake Eufaula/ Belle Starr Park and Back

Lunch / Sack Picnic Lunch Available in Boat Palace

3-5  Doug Snider  “Heavy Weather Sailing”  Beach Launch Area/  Free Class

5:30 “Ask the Designers”  Panel Forum/ Welsford,  Michalak,  Storer, Gentry , Woods/  Boat Palace/ Free

7 :00  Dinner / Benefit for  VFW Auxiliary- Cooked and Served by Women’s Auxiliary / Boat Palace

8:00   Bob and Virgene Trygg  “Building Our 32 Foot Tahitian  Ketch and Sailing to Keys” / Boat Palace/  Free Class

9:30  Shawn Payment/ Michael Storer  “The Canoe Trip of Doom”  Building canoes and paddling Loire River, France / Boat Palace/  Free Program

Saturday, October 11

7-9  Breakfast/ Continental  or Hot Breakfast Choice/  Boat Palace

9-11   Jim Michalak / “Design Your Own Boat” / Boat Palace/  Free Program

11-12  Richard Woods/  Program  Beach Launch Area/  Free Class

12:00  Noon  Sack Picnic Lunch Sandwiches   Beach Launch Area

1-5  End Cancer Duck Races and Other Races /  Beach Launch Area / Free

6:00  Tom Pamperin  “Jagular”  Reading and Leads Panel on Writing For Publication with Other 

     Authors / Boat Palace /  Free Program

7:30  Dinner / Fried Chicken and Southern Eats /  Boat Palace

8:00  Boat Show Awards and Racing Awards

8:30  Captain Ledge Band Concert and  Kelly McGuire- Redfish Records

Sunday, October 12

7-9  Breakfast / Boat Palace Continental  or Hot  Breakfast Choice

9-11  Sean Mulligan / “Paradox by Matt Layden” and Sail Havasu Presentation/  Free Program

11:00  Pirate Poker and Naval Battle / Beach Front/  Boats 12 Feet and Under/  Free

Lunch  Sandwiches and Snacks Available at Beach

12:30-2:00  Recovery and Flotation Seminar / Richard Woods, Dave Gentry, Jim Michalak, John  Welsford,  Michael Storer/  Free Program

2 :00  Marshmallow Scooping and Bombardment/  Beach Front/  Boats 12 feet and Under/ Free

3:30  Free Sail Time or Improvise Programs

7  Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant /  Highway 9, I mile east of Boat Palace /  Sail or Motor/ 

     Drive  / Menu 

JEANNIE II

For over a year, I was able to push back those thoughts of losing s/v TARDIS, my baby. When I saw an email in my inbox from a Paradox or boat building forum, I usually just deleted, did not read. I was in denial, 'just don't think about it' was my attitude. One day the door to the room that held all those feelings of the two years I spent in the garage and driveway building my dream boat, flung wide open and I could not get it closed and locked again. I grieved. To replace TARDIS, I have adopted another boat... Chuck's boat; m/v Jeannie II.

Jeannie II is a 29' fishing boat, and she is Chuck's pride and joy. Chuck wanted a tower on her, but when she's parked on her trailer, she sits right under power lines. The solution; design a fold-down tower. So, he did.

When asked to describe Jeannie II, Chuck told me this:

She has a volvo penta D-6 350 diesel engine with a duroprop outdrive. The engine produces 350 hp and will top out in the 40 knot range, 50 if I am bleeding.

I am adding a foldable tower. The hull is a Mirage hull, manufactured in Gainesville, FL. She is a fish killing machine and has a very large bow flare. If you take a wave over this bow, you should not be out there.

I have added a 9,000 BTU AC unit which uses a 20,000 watt inverter with a battery bank rather than a generator so there are no carbon monoxide fumes to worry about.

Not being familiar with power boats, fishing, or water in the Keys, I asked the question, "What is the purpose of having a tower?" The answer, "You can see the fish better." My next question, "You mean, you can see the fish? Just how far down can you see in the water?" Chuck's reply, "About one hundred feet." I had no idea. I was used to the waters of Galveston Bay, where you might be able to see 12 inches.

View from starboard, the tower folded forward.

View from port side, with tower in place.

It sounds like a big tractor!

Jeannie II needed a few modifications and repairs before she hits the water again. She has a cabin that sleeps six, but was in need of a few changes for a comfortable weekend on the water. First, an A/C unit was installed. The small sink was removed, and the A/C unit installed in it's place. This will make those hot weekends very nice.

The cabin door did not have a good seal, therefore, it leaked. Chuck installed a new door with a window. This door is wider and can be locked.

She has two 150 gallon fresh water tanks. Plenty of water for a weekend, or a week even. The shower below was removed, but there is a hose on deck for a quick rinse.

Jeannie II now is adorned with 34 rod holders. I'm sure many of you just gasped and thought, "34"!!! Before I started fishing with Chuck, I would have done the same. But, you use different setups for different fish. I'm sure at times, they will all be filled. As Chuck tells people all the time, "I brought home the tackle shop one piece at a time." And I believe he did.

After a couple years of living on her trailer in the front yard, on July 24, 2014, Jeannie II felt the cool salt water against her hull once again as she slid free of her trailer. It was long over-due, and Chuck is a very happy man. There are still a few more things that need to be done: re-cover the chair cushions and make cushions for the berths down below. This is my job.



Tied to the dock in the canal, she eagerly awaited a long over-due romp out the channel and in the Atlantic. And she got that chance for Lobster Mini-Season, which was July 30-31. I took those days off from work, and we went hunting lobster.

Last Christmas, my brother gave me a GoPro and I made good use of it during our snorkeling & diving. Here is a video of one of the stops we made. I LOVE LIVING IN KEY WEST!!!!

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If the only short cut to your house, involves a boat… 

you're in Conch Country.

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SWORDFISH BILLS

Who wouldn't want a swordfish bill hanging on their wall! It would be a good conversation piece for your office.

One day, I was expressing an interest in making extra money. Living in Key West is not cheap. It was suggested that I paint on swordfish bills and sell them. I had never heard of doing such a thing, but when I found out what they sell for, I said, "I'm in!"

Preparing the bills for painting... well, I'll just say it's a stinky job and a long process. Chuck and I are both painting, and we have had positive feedback with our finished product. The hard part, is coming up with a design that prospective customers would fall in love with and be compelled to buy. My question to all of you guys; if you were vacationing in Key West, what would catch your eye? Would you want something that reminds you of your time in Key West? And what would that be: coconut, palm trees, fish, beach, boats, sunset on the water...tell me.

The surface to paint on a bill, is limited in size. Most are only 3 inches wide and they average 36 inches in length. I also want to try and make swords from bills. I've seen pictures of this done, and I think it is really cool. My only obstacle is the grip. I would prefer to buy a grip, but am having difficulty finding such a thing. I may have to build one from wood. It can be done, but I would like to have it made from metal. If anyone has any ideas, I am open to suggestions.

Years ago, I played around with oils, but never acrylics. Acrylics are a better medium for the bills, so I am learning the ways of the acrylic paints. They do not blend like oils, and I get frustrated because it doesn't come out like the picture I have in my head. Maybe it's my talent lacking, not the fault of the paint... nah, it's the paint.

Click on the image to enlarge the picture.

TX 200: DAY 2

Lot less "exciting" than day 1 , but no less the learning experieince. I should have filmed going aground but was too busy dealing with it. I'm sure it would have been comical......at least now! LOL Then, though,.... I was watching the duckers disappear ahead of me and I needed to follow them to find the impromptu destination that was setup for that day after we reached camp 2. They had agreed to sail to Padre Islnad Yacht Club for the night...a distance of around 10 miles....and nighttime was coming fast. To say I was in scramble mode when they said.. "uh Scout....you aren't gonna make it through here (as I slid hard aground) ...You'r gonna have to turn around...find a channel around the other side of this island that'll get you to the ICW" would be an understatement. In reality...it was no big deal. I mean what's the worse case? Maybe I end up camping solo that night..I wasnt gonna die or anything.... well....at least not as long as a stingray ..or gater....or bullshark didnt eat me while I was slogging the boat back upwind to find sailable water. HAHAHA The audio is very weak on this video...sorry.... if you use earbuds and crank it up it's audible... but barely. Operator error on my part. Had the waterproof back on the camera housing and it really muffles everything.

Sean Mulligan & Scout

 

TX 200 : DAY ONE

Sean put this video together of his first day during the 2014 Texas 200. I wanted to share it with you, thought you might enjoy it.

SCOUT in the TEXAS 200

200 miles in fives days. The Texas 200  2014 is in the books. There was lots of wind, very little wind, broken masts, broken rudders, capsizing, towing, and a lot of sea stories told. If I looked on Facebook once, I logged in a million times, keeping up with Scout and the Ducks. Sean and Scout had an amazing trip, and Sean came away with some wild sea stories, and a new appreciation for home built boats and the sailors that sail them.

Here are a few of the pictures from Sean and some of the other guys.

photo by Charlie Jones

photo by Charlie Jones

photo by Sean Mulligan

photographer unknown

photo by Paul Moffitt

 Photo by Capt. Votaw

Scout looks like Momma Duck leading the way for the Ducklings.

Texas 200 2014

No, I won't be there, but TARDIS... I mean SCOUT will be. Sean Mulligan, SCOUT's owner, is taking her back to her homeland. It was my dream for TARDIS to make the trip up the Texas coast, because I know she can make it easily with her shallow draft. I will not be at the helm, but I am confident that she will carry Sean safely for those 200 miles, and they will make fond memories together. Sean was kind enough to offer me the tiller for a couple days, if I would make the trip this year. But, I just can't get away from work that long.  Maybe someday my ship will come in and I will have the opportunity to run and play as much as I would like. Okay, y'all can quit laughing now... it's a nice dream though, right?

 
There is something special about this year's cruise. LIVESTRONG. Chuck Pierce decided to honor cancer survivors, and those that have lost the battle, with their name on his boat.

For a donation, a name would be placed on his 8' Duck sailboat that will sail this year. Word spread, others wanted to join. Many will be sailing this 200 mile journey in a Duck, at last count there were 13 Ducks in the flock. This is awesome. Sean is not sailing a Duck, but is participating in the fund raising... SCOUT is an honorary Duck.

"Every single name on every boat that has them will serve not only as a way to honor cancer survivors and victims, but as a way that they can be with us on the trip, if not physically, then in our thoughts."

To read more about their trip, go to Sean's blog: fullnby.com
Sean has SPOT if anyone wants to keep up with them. I know I will.