Hi Mick, Coogy!
The remodeling is coming along fine. We live in a bungalow so I'm working toward that fusion of old arts and crafts with new stainless steel look. It will be fabulous. Corian counters, glass tile backsplash, undermount sinks, shaker cabinets, and big wooden table like a farmhouse should have.
My father and son added 20 feet onto the back of the house, giving 10 ft to the kitchen & my bedroom and 10 feet for a porch & laundry room. It was bloody hard (as Mick would say). Hubby and I helped quite a bit but truth be told the old man and the boy bore the main brunt of the work. I do have piccies of me shoveling wet concrete, laying cinderblock and nailing up cement board siding. I don't know if you'd recognize me for being covered in grime. I'll load them to a website and post a link when I'm through. Same for the boat build. Walter takes pix of all these processes. The documentarian photographer.
We did it all ourselves, from the pouring of the concrete footers to the roof tiles. One day I thought my father was going to get us killed. Him and me hoisting two 30 ft 8 x 8 posts. Either he was trying to kill us or he had more faith in me than I had in myself. Those suckers are not light.
My husband is looking at me with those lowered brows every time I mention the boat project. But he'll be keen on it when I'm not cracking my whip for all the other work I've got lined up for him. Dry wall is no fun. But he finished that today. Boat building will be very fun. He admits but he's worried I won't give him any rest after the kitchen is done. He DID buy a new jigsaw and said, This will be better for the pirogue than that old piece of $h!+.
I've got a buddy in wholesale lumber who I spoke with tonight. He says he can get me the marine plywood I need at a fraction of the cost. WooHoo!
He also says he's got a Stauter-built skiff he'll give me if I promise to refurb her right.
http://www.stauterboats.com/boats.htm
I may take him up on it. But then I'd need a trailer.
Even so, I've got this pirogue already figured out in my head. And once I get something in there, well, there's nothing to it but to do it.
I've even got the notion of taking that graphite you guys paint on the bottom and making a stencil that will twirl it up on the bow like a tribal tattoo. And I like the broad dowels sliced up for the gunwales spacer. And I like the water proof deck compartment. And that Uncle John seat for darn sure.
No one ever answered by question about spud poles and holes. Beneficial or not?
I've got to say, y'all have got me a bit scared of this stitch and glue technique. I'm not sure I believe in wood afixed without screws. Or nails. Or at least staples.
But, boys, you got some pretty boats on this here forum. Coogs, yours is looking mighty fine. I want to know where you get copper so cheap you can stitch a pirogue up with it! I hope you recycle it into a rain chain or maybe put some bling on your gunwales or something!
Clare
