Update

The other day, I just had to pull TARDIS out of the garage and step the mast. I couldn't wait until the deck was on. It was pretty cool to see.

My son, Shawn, helped me nail on the aft deck. The forward deck is cut out and ready to nail on. I will have to wait until I can get help with that.

My progress has seemed slow lately, but I felt the need to post something. So, here it is. Hopefully, the next post will have the deck completed.

A few days ago, a FedEx driver stopped in front of our driveway and turned off his engine. I thought maybe we were getting a package, so I walked toward the truck. He just sat there smiling, then asked how the boat build was coming along. He said that he can't wait to see it completed. It was kind of a strange feeling to know that someone has been watching, but a good feeling to see his excitement. I have had two women stop and tell me that they admired me and that I was an inspiration. You just never know who is watching you!

Paint & Plumbing

Finally, I get to paint. I hated covering up that natural wood, but I don't want the cabin to be dark, so I painted it off-white. The sole, vent trunk, seat and maybe a few other pieces around the ports will be left natural wood. I want cushions to cover the sole, but that will come later.

The interior is painted with Glidden Porch & Floor Polyurethane Oil Gloss. It has held up well on our PDRacers, so I thought it would be good for the interior of TARDIS. The exterior of the boat will be painted with a marine paint.

Plumbing, I hate plumbing. The pump has been installed and the plumbing done. To fill the water tanks, a hose will be screwed into the hull and dropped into the water. I needed a 3/4 inch 90 degree elbow with threads on both ends. Apparently, there is no such animal, so I made my own. This was done by cutting off the slip fitting side, and glueing a threaded fitting to it. A hole was then drilled through the hull and lots of epoxy used to hold it in place. Check that off my list!

We are getting closer and closer to putting the deck on. These are exciting times!

Almost Ready for the Deck

I've been doing all those things that will be easier to do before the deck is put on. I'm almost there. Today, I glued the carlins in place.

The wiring and plumbing is in place for the pump and light that will be in the area behind bulkhead #4.

Mother/Daughter Mini-Vacation

My daughter calls me and says she needs a mini-vacation. She made reservations at El Tropicano, we load up our stuff and head to San Antonio for a couple of days. We arrived at the hotel early Tuesday afternoon. After hauling our bags up to the room, we decided to go to The Market Square. Amy did a little shopping and then we ate at La Margarita, and yes, I did have a margarita. We were even serenaded while waiting for our food.

The hotel is right on the Riverwalk. Feeling stuffed after our meal, we thought we would go for a walk by the river. Our walk lasted about two hours. When we got back to the hotel, we thought a tall margarita on the patio overlooking the water was in order. Very refreshing!

Wednesday morning, we walked to the Alamo and toured the place. While we were walking through the courtyard, we noticed a cat strolling down the sidewalk. At the gift shop, we saw post cards and refrigerator magnets with the picture of the cat we just saw. Come to find out, this cat is a resident at the Alamo and known as C.C. the Alamo Cat. Her full name is Mistress Clara Carmack. Well, we had to go find her and take her picture if she is so famous.

From the Alamo, we made our way back to the Riverwalk and found a place to have a late breakfast. Back at the hotel, we saw a flyer for Wildlife Ranch. This is one of those places that you drive through and see the animals. That sounded like fun, so off we went.

Some of the animals were not shy about getting the treats we were given at the gate. If they were tall enough, they just stuck their head right in the window.

Thursday morning, on our way out of town, we stopped at Big Lou's Pizza. They are famous for their 42" pizza. We didn't feel quite that hungry. We ordered the 16" and Amy took home what was left, which was most of it.

It's always nice to get-away, but nice to get back home too.

Rudder & Rudder Stock

The rudder pivots on the rudder stock, giving you the ability to sail in shallow water and to beach her. Because of this, the rudder needs some extra weight to keep it from wanting to float. I poured lead into a notch cut in the back of the rudder, close to the bottom. Screws were screwed into the edge of the notch to hold the lead firmly in place. I forgot to take a picture before I poured the lead, so you will just have to believe me when I say they are in there. :-)

After the lead was poured and cooled, I had to file a few high places and fill a few low places. The rudder will be fiberglassed after it is faired.

The rudder stock, to the left, was constructed by gluing together two 3/4 inch plywood. A 5/8 inch bronze rod is epoxied into a hole drilled the length of the forward part of the stock. This is the pintle that will pivot in the gudgeon that I have not built yet. The upper pintle and gudgeon will be purchased from Duckworks.

My work has slowed to a crawl, as I have had many distractions. I hope to finish the plumbing soon, so I can glue the lids on the water tanks. So many things to do!

Stove: Part 2

This week I've been working on the single burner stove and the dividers behind bulkhead #4. The only dimensions I am sure of, are the ones for the stove. Without knowing what will be stored there, I am not sure how big the compartments should be. So, I just divided the remaining area in half.

The ability to easily change out the propane bottle was a must. I didn't want the need to fish for a screw driver in order to pull the burner. The holders pictured on the left, will be glued in the small compartment just behind the bulkhead. This design was the simplest I could come up with. The stove knobs will sit in the slot and the lid will slide over the bolts and be held in place with the wing nuts. These holders will be glued to the back of the bulkhead and the divider parallel to the bulkhead. I will post pictures when it is completely installed.

Today, I pulled out the rudder and rudder stock. They have been cut out, shaped and faired. The

rudder stock has a step mounted on the port side. This is a must. Without it, I would never be able to climb back aboard from the water. The lower pintle is a 5/8 inch rod running inside the length of the stock. This pintle will fit into a gudgeon that I will make.

The rudder is weighted, however, I haven't poured that yet. Maybe I can do that on Sunday.

My next post will have the stove completed and in place and the rudder filled with lead, so stay tuned.

Gimbaled Stove

Many distractions the last couple of weeks, but I think I'm making some progress on the build now. The cleat backing blocks at the bow and stern are in place, the two extra deck beams are glued in and the storage bin shelves are done on the starboard side and receiving paint now.

I'm making the gimbaled stove. I could not justify spending $165.00 for one, so I decided I would make one. Glen Maxwell made a stove for Zoe and posted pictures on the Paradox Yahoo group. It looks like a nice setup, so I am modeling mine after his with one change. I want mine to swivel in both directions.

I used 1 1/2" aluminum angle to make the frame that attaches to the burner. It is attached with rivets. A 1" aluminum strap was then bent for the outer frame. The two frames are connected with a bolt for the swivel. For the outer frame, I have door pulls that will slide into a block mounted on dividers behind bulkhead #4. I plan to work on that part this afternoon. I just couldn't wait to put the post up.

The cuts and bends are not perfect, but it is sturdy and I think it will work just fine. I'll post pics when I get it mounted in TARDIS.