Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Zen of Boat Repair

This is the bow section waiting for new wood.

This has been a great week. All week I stayed at home working on new illustrations, and making good progress on the boat . We still haven't got hauled, as the rail that we are waiting for has a wheel that needs to be replaced. This has really has worked in our favor, because in addition to having a huge whole in the side of the boat, we are behind schedule on our hull paint job, which we hope to have done before our haulout. I've learned a lesson here, make plans in pencil, because things change.

So, we're doing the best we can in keeping our progress moving along on Lucy Maru. I'm working on fairing and sanding the hull, getting it ready for paint. Its a very tedious process, of layering the filling compound, sanding, feeling for dips, and filling and sanding some more. When I really get into it, its quite pleasurable and meditative work. I have now done almost 2/3 of one side of the boat. By the time I'm done, I will have touched every inch of the hull.

I can see in hind sight, how we deceived ourselves into thinking that Lucy Maru won't interfere with our work on Me Voy. We should have known better, and I know we both did, but the force pushing us aboard this Chris Craft was irresistable. I don't know what the outcome of this will be, but it feels like there's a current that is carrying us along to some unknown destination and all we need to do is not get in our own the way.



6 comments:

judith said...

That is going to be such a gratifying feeling when it's all done to say "I've touched every inch of this boat." It'll be like giving birth. I was about to say not as messy, but then again....

Travis and Maggie said...

Jomamma, you're one funny lady! BTW you inspired me when you said you were going to come and help, so I put out a C-list ad for anyone that wants to work on a wooden boat. Travis kinda freaked out about this, so I pulled the ad, but not before I got a reply. Long story short, Wayne may be helping us out. Not sure yet, first I have to convince T that is ok to have a stranger touching Lucy M.

judith said...

Oh my, let's hope you get someone who really wants to learn how to make repairs to a boat and not someone who is just looking for any old job.

Travis and Maggie said...

Well it wasn't listed as a job, as we are too broke to actually pay anyone for things we can do (except maybe in beer or something) Anyway he showed up, and one of the first things he asked was "are you gonna fiberglass that?" which for a wooden boat owner is the equivalent of fingernails on a chalk board. Then he told us about a marina that can do our haulout and turns out, in marina circles its known as the "wooden boat graveyard", more fingernail scratching sounds here. So looks like Wayne won't work out, what do I expect for free, right?

judith said...

It's just as well, you wouldn't want him 'touching' the vessel. My Mom used to say 'If you want something done right....' I know you know the rest of this saying.

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