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This boat makes me feel like a boat perv. I just keep staring at her sexy lines instead of engaging in an intellectually stimulating conversation. I find myself putting my hands, uninvited, on her voluptuous curves.

One of the more remarkable things about building Bernie was that we used up my entire old stash of long, wide northern white cedar left over from building Edith in 2011. We got all six strakes out without scarfing, with margins of about 1/16" on a few. But the magic continues. My last two shorter pieces were perfect (barely) for the seat rails.

Using the proper tool: Janek's hands are far steadier than mine for painting pinstripes--and far more artistic.

I am trying out a sample of a new nonskid product on the floor--SoftSand--it is made from pulverized rubber. It feels really cool. Since I plan to stand and scull a fair amount in this wee tippy boat, I think a solid footing is well advised.

That seat rail sure looks wacky as it plunges into the stern.

After consulting with my East Coast mentors on how to treat the stemhead, we came up with this.

I have a set of sweet Port Orford cedar oars set up for the Edith, and I discovered that if I place the oarlocks outboard of the gunwales, they should work perfectly. I may have to cast some sexy bronze oarlock pads next time we fire the foundry.

Meanwhile Columbine Falls continues her recovery.

Dory archaeology: In the center is our new Meranti patch. It scarfs outward two inches on all sides toward the outer face of the boat. Surrounding the new patch on its left side is an older Douglas fir patch. And above that you can see the edges of an even earlier patch. This is where the Columbine Falls finds itself attracted to rocks. Its her karma corner.

 

But so what? Go ahead and try to make an aluminum dory that has suffered repeatedly look like this again. Seriously.

Meanwhile Bernie sits here waiting for me to get my act together and go boating.

Oh, right. Boating. Is that why we build these things?