SLOW GOING

Progress is slow. There is only about 1 1/2 hours of daylight after I get off work, and at least 15 minutes of that is getting my tools out of my vehicle and cleaning up after I’m done. It was suggested that a light could be rigged for me to work later. Everyone at the Sailing Club is very accommodating. It’s beginning to feel like home.

The bulkheads and sides are cut out. The framing lumber has been purchased and ready to rip.

These little clamps are nice for the price. I now have 20, and plus the few big ones I have, I think I'm fixed for clamps. You can never have too many.

MY LITTLE CORNER

Key West Community Sailing Center has been kind enough to let me build my boat at their place. I need a covered area to work in, the framework is already in place. I purchased two tarps and sewed them together to make it big enough to cover the whole frame.

I don't leave my tools there, I keep them in my vehicle. I needed a good way to carry them back and forth from the vehicle, so I bought a Stanley rolling box. It has worked out very well.

The leeboard, rudder & rudder stock have been cut out. They are ready to epoxy together. I am using West System for this build. Mainly because I get a discount at work, and that's what we carry.

The bulkheads will be started tomorrow. The build should pick up speed now that I have a covered area. I will push to get this done as quickly as possible. Stay tuned.

MAYFLY 16

I am making sawdust again! The ripping has begun.
Mast, boom, yard, rudder and leeboard will be constructed first. When the hull is complete, it will be ready to splash, and not waiting for the other essential parts.

I had to make a couple sawhorses, and made them the same height as the table saw. It worked out great.

When I was in Houston, I had a good collection of clamps. I have to improvise this time. The poor man's clamp. They work pretty well, and cheap!

4" PVC cut into 1" lengths, then split.

Key West Sailing Community

I was feeling like something was missing in my life. but I couldn't put my finger on it. I had a good job, a wonderful boyfriend, living in a beautiful place... and then I went to Sail OK. I realized I really missed the whole building and sailing small home built boats. That is the void that I need to fill.

The other day, I was filling in at the register at my work. Along comes Walter, a member of the Key West Community Sailing Club (KWCSC). He was buying a wheel barrow handle... just one. I made a comment about just buying one, and he said it was going to be a tiller. That opened up the conversation about building boats. I shared with him that I had built a boat, and wanted to build another. He said I should come and join them at the sailing club. I politely said I would, but was hesitant. Don't know why, but I was. A few days later, he came in again.  Walter said they needed a "boat builder" at the club, and that there was a 14' sharpie he had built, but it needs some work. I asked what it needed. He said it needed to be sailed.

I dropped by KWCSC to look around. Walter was there so we talked a while. He showed me the boat he built, then asked where I was going to build mine. He pointed to the corner of the property where there was a covered work bench. He said he would like to see me build it there, and he would bring it up at the next board meeting. A few days later, I received an email asking me to attend the board meeting. I did attend, and the proposal for my build, was passed.

I tend to be very organized, sometimes to a fault. Before I start my Mayfly 16 build, I made a copy of the plans, so I can cut it into sections and make notes on it. I don't want to mess up the original plans. I have put them all neatly into a notebook, along with an envelope that will hold all my receipts.

I will document this build as it progresses. It will go slow for a while, because there isn't much daylight after work. Most of the work will be done on the weekends.


I'm excited about this! There are a few changes that I will make, but only to the cockpit. I want it to be comfortable and every space used wisely. I will keep in mind the needs for a week-long adventure that I may happen to participate in... maybe in 2016 on the Texas coast.

Thanksgiving in New Jersey

This year, I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with Chuck and his family in New Jersey. This was my first time that far north, and my first time with his family. Yes, I was more nervous about this adventure than I was crossing the Gulf a couple years ago. However, this adventure was a lot more calm and relaxing.

New Jersey's climate was a bit colder than Key West, so I did buy a coat for the trip. I didn't see snow, but I did feel below freezing temperatures.  

We made a couple trips to Atlantic City. The weather was nasty, so I didn't get to enjoy the boardwalk. I've been to Las Vegas a couple times... if you've seen one casino, you've seen them all. Although, Bally's Wild West had some pretty amazing murals in one room.

Things I learned on this trip:

1.  It is illegal to have a radar detector in Virginia.

2.  If you carry a gun in New Jersey, you go to jail.

3.  You can play 2 1/2 times as long at a $10 Black Jack table, as you can at a $25 Black Jack table.

4.  New Jersey is famous for their diners.

5.  The Philly Cheese Steak really is better in Jersey.

6.  Buy the 5-hour energy drink before you get on the road, not every convenience store carries it.

7.  Just "breath" and it will be okay! 

SAIL OKLAHOMA 2014: part 2

photo by Sean Mulligan

It was cold and wet, but I had a BLAST!! I got to see friends I haven't seen since my Texas departure, and made many new friends. Mike and Jackie Monies did it again!

My flight out of Key West was not smooth, but I did make it, and Jackie was patiently waiting for me when I arrived in Tulsa. Jackie is a sweetheart.

This weekend, the Monies' backyard was filled with tents, campers, and excited boatbuilders. The rain changed the schedule at times, but gave everyone the opportunity to visit with others instead of isolated in their boat on the water. There was still sailing time, and the weather was good on Sunday.

photo by Scott Widmier

On Saturday, SCOUT was put in the water. Sean graciously offered me the opportunity to sail her. I had already sailed her a million miles in my mind, but had never had my hand on the tiller… today was the day. Sean and I climbed in, pushed off, and Sean took us out. After we were past the stumps… yes there were stumps above and just below the surface. This made me a little nervous, I didn't want to be the one to knock a hole in Sean's boat and sink her with all the spectators on the beach with cameras. Once we were out a ways, Sean and I switched places and I took the tiller. There were many people watching, a couple of boats came out to take pictures, I almost felt like the celebrities with the paparazzi following them. All eyes on us for a moment.

I do have to add, my original plan for splashing her would go like this: I would quietly take her to a nearby lake. Put her in the water, take her out, clumsily learn to sail her and then take her home. The next week, I announce her splashing and invite friends. I don't do well with everyone watching. This weekend, there were many eyes on us.

Two sets of those eyes were The Laydens. Yes, Matt and Karen Layden. For those of you that don't know who this couple is, Matt designed the Paradox. I was nervous, and excited for Matt to see my build. I am a novice boat builder, and Matt is the MASTER! When Sean and I reached the shore, Sean went to Matt and asked if he wanted to take SCOUT out for a sail. Matt commented that nobody had ever offered that before. He took a quick look at the way SCOUT was rigged, turned her around, gave her a push and jumped in. WOW!. How many get to watch Matt Layden sail a boat they built!. I stood at the water's edge shivering, waiting for Matt and SCOUT'S return. I was not leaving. I suppose he enjoyed the sail, because he was out for a while. It didn't matter how long he was out, I wasn't leaving. When he returned, I got to watch years of experience sailing a Paradox in action. His comment to me was that she sailed like she was suppose to. You don't know how good that made me feel. My head did swell a little, and I was so proud of what I had built. Matt Layden had put the stamp of approval on my work.

I tried to insert a video of Matt sailing SCOUT, and I just couldn't get it done. SO, here is a link to that video:

http://youtu.be/WlLZY0vVhUI

The next morning, Sunday morning, Sean and I were suppose to give a presentation on the building and sailing of the Paradox. I was nervous about standing in front of these builders with many years of experience, professional designers, the designer of the Paradox… and my brother that had ridden his motorcycle 10 hours just to see me give this presentation. No, there was NO PRESSURE AT ALL. I fumbled through it, mostly showing pictures but it was received well. Sean's part was great, he is used to speaking in public and played awesome video and pictures of SCOUT. Matt even commented that he would like to have one of the photographs of SCOUT under sail. Again….WOW!.

All the lights work on CHEVY DUCK.

photo by Kelly Attebury

That afternoon, my brother, Kelly, and I went to the beach where all the action was. There was a Puddle Duck race, which is always fun to watch. Next, there was a Marshmallow Scoop race. Marshmallows (actually they were peeps) are flung out into the water and the small vessels maneuver around and scoop up these marshmallows with a net provided them. Whoever gets the most marshmallows, wins. I was standing on the beach with Kelly, when I hear my name called out. I turn and my friend,John Goodman, the proud owner of CHEVY DUCK, asks if I would be his scooper. YES, I join him and take the net. I have to tell you that this was a blast. John is very skilled with CHEVY DUCK, and was able to put me in perfect position to scoop those peeps. Not long after we got started, the handle broke off and I lost my net. We skillfully recover it, but when Chuck Pierce lost his net due to the handle breaking…John and I went into pirate mode and snatched Chuck's full net from the water. But, we politely returned the net… empty. When the count was done, the winner of the Marshmallow Scoop race was team "Lezlie and John Goodman in CHEVY DUCK" with 224 peeps!

It was an awesome weekend. I finally met Jackie Monies and Sean Mulligan, attend a Sail Oklahoma, met many wonderful people, and I got to spend time with my brother. I was able to see the boat that I spent so much time with, and sail her. There are so many memories, good and bad, attached to that boat named SCOUT. She knows many secrets told her during troubling times in my life. She was my BFF. There are blood, sweat and tears, literally, soaked deep into her wood. When I saw her for the first time since I left Texas, my heart jumped and tears came to my eyes. I was glad I was alone with her, we had our moment. Do I regret selling her? In a way I do, but I have started a new life, and I don't want to drag the bad memories attached to her, into this new life. She is where she is suppose to be, and if I want to sail her, Sean has extended the offer to visit any time.

I was asked if I was going to build another boat. Probably, I want to, and have two in mind. A place to build and then store, is the only problem I have. But, this weekend has awakened the building bug and you will have to stay tuned to see which one I build. But first, I will help my boyfriend finish building his bait boat. What is a bait boat, you ask? Check back next week and find out.

STONE CRAB SEASON

Yes, it's that time again. Stone crab season begins October 15th, and you can lay your traps on the 5th and pull them on the 15th. Guess who has five traps with her name on them this year? Give up? ME!

If you have a fishing license, you can have up to five traps. They come five to a box, and you put them together.

After the sides and lid are assembled, concrete is poured
to make the bottom. It needs this weight to keep it on the
 bottom, otherwise, it would float away.

Here they are with the concrete set up,

Next, the line and buoy is added.

The "R" stands for RECREATIONAL. We are not commercial. 

They were baited with pig feet, loaded on the boat and we took off to set them.

In just 10 days we will have a feast on stone crab claws! I can't wait.