The inspiration to build a boat out of wood has come from spending so much time at Lindsay’s family Cottage on the Trent Severn Waterway. I am always awe struck when I come across a classic looking boat. I love the way the urethane wood glistens in the sunlight. I love the curves of a wood boat and the look of the shining stainless-steel hardware against the background of a Mahogany coloured deck. My dream boat is a 25 ft. Chris Craft Barrel Back, much like the one in the photo. I want to build one myself; but it turns out I do not really have any idea how to build one.
A very close family member of mine always reminds me that I can only achieve in proportion to what I attempt. Some people set goals of learning how to bake muffins, or finish a book they started, and feel dissatisfied when they finish because their goals were mediocre. I am going to achieve my dream of building a boat because I am setting the bar high.
I am going to learn the concepts of building a boat before I tackle a 25 ft. boat. To do this, I have settled on building a “small” boat. The design is the “Squirt” from the Glen L Marine Company. The Squirt is a 10ft runabout with room for two. It is made on a Douglas fir frame with marine ply forming the hull and sides. The top decking will be two-toned Mahogany strip planking. The boat can support up to a 25HP short-shaft motor (no jokes…. please), but is designed for about 10HP. I will be making some small modifications, mostly just extending the boat by 1 ft. to add a little more leg room for the passengers.
I estimate that this project will take about 300 hours. I know that I am super busy, but I am going to make it a priority. I would like to have the boat complete by the end of Summer 2012.
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