Roof beams

With the bulkheads now all in and plumb (I won), it's time for the main deck beams to go in. 

So I clamped on some temporary gunwales to make sure the four wobbly rib sets that have no bulkheads are in a fair curve with the rest of the boat. Amazingly, this worked. She's got some sweet curves, the Rojo does.

Now that all the rib sets are frozen in place with either a bulkhead or a cross beam, the boat's shape is fully  defined. These beams are made from some wonderful Port Orford Cedar that I got from Allen WIlson up in Gold Beach when I went up there to get the Betty Boop. It was part of the deal--I get the rotten boat and rusty trailer for $200, but I have to buy the $500 worth of clear Port Orford lumber that goes with it. Twist my arm.

Before I finish putting the decks in, it's a nice, easy time to paint and stain the hatch interiors. Tequila Beach rules.

Notice how weird the deck edge cleats look along the top of this picture. Bizarre. They are actually in exactly the proper places, but it looks like they were hurled at random. That wobbly line represents three deck planes intersection a curving hull.

And for the night she will fly, so the floor paint can get warm and dry. Turns out in a wood-heated shop in the winter, floor paint never really gets that warm on its own accord when the boat is sitting down on the floor. I have learned this. Several times now.