Not sure how real people do it

So I get up at 7:30 ready to jam on Betty Boop. But a few things have to happen first. At 6 p.m. I finally get to the shop. Life is a very time consuming thing.

Regardless, I started the decking. I got the front three pieces cut and ready to install once they get their coats of toxic sealers. In the first shot you may notice where we accidentally started painting the front footwell with hatch interior paint. Oops. Here I am marking the second side of the front hatch decking.

Which leaves a piece like this. Does anybody need one of these?

Figuring out how to do these three pieces has been roaming through my mind at odd hours for a week or two. The subconscious is an amazing thing. Once I started in on this tonight, it was almost as if I had a plan or knew what I was doing.

My friend Bruce said he thought this sort of crowned decking was called a "turtle deck." Anyone else ever heard that? I like it, so am calling it that regardless.

The Betty Boop had her gunwales covered, so I am replicating that. I think it may be annoying when you want to side-tie the boat, or tie it on your trailer, so I am burying some mahogany plugs between the gunwales at the front and rear of the cockpit. These each have a pre-dilled 7/8-inch hole which I will continue up through the gunwale cap so the boat can actually be tied up. Or down. Okay, it's not "authentic" but hey, it's my boat at the moment and I want it to be usable and well taken care of. Sorry.

And so forth. With the hardest three deck boards I am optimistic about the remaining nine tomorrow. Down to the shop early again. Hah!