Another road trip

All the years that I spent working in Washington DC, You would think that I saw all the museums in the place.  Not so!  I happened to be down there today near Union Station and right next store is the US Postal Museum.  Very nice place to visit. Like all the other Smithsonian museums this one is first rate.  

Deadman

I got three housekeeping chores done today.  First I made the deadman.  That is a chunk of wood that sits on the mast step and extends to the mast partner.  It's purpose is to allow a deck stepped mast to fit onto a keel stepped mast boat.  The old boats had a 17 1/2 foot mast that extended through the boat and stepped on the keel.  Most modern boats have the mast stepped on the deck.  A deck stepped mast is easier and cheaper to build...  Moth boat guys are all about cheap!  George A graciously offered to lend me a deck stepped mast.  The other two items are the tiller and the hiking stick.  All the above items were made from a slab of oak.  I cut 4 3/16 inch strips for the hiking stick and 8 1/8 inch strips for the tiller.  I cut a wedge to hold them apart at the fork that holds the rudder.

 I'll cut that flush with the trim ring when that gets installed.  I'll also put a 3/8 inch SS bolt down the middle and cut the head off to make it a pin.  That red stuff you see is blood.  My finger slipped on the table sander...

The pattern that I used is the Cates tiller in the background.

Mast partner

I fought with the splash boards all morning.  At first I thought I would make new ones but when they herd that they started to fit a lot better.   I shaved the lip down to deck level where you sit.  originally there was about a 1/2 inch lip that just wanted to bite the back of you leg.  I think I pulled it off tastefully without destroying the character of the boat.  I rounded off the remainder.   I'll pull the point together when I make a breast plate to cover up the gap and finish off the lines.

I also cut the mast partner hole and restored the mast partner apron.   I put the floorboards in just to see how they fit.  They are in remarkable condition.  Just needs cleaning up.

Splash boards

When you find a boat like this, you usually don't get the original splash boards.  They  broke off and were ditched years ago.  This boat was just about fully found.  The old splash boards are worn and cracked but I'm going to reuse them.  I'm not going to install them as Fran did.  That must have caused some stiff legs back in the day as the boards came all the way down the cockpit and terminated at the aft deck.  They were also held proud of the deck by about 1/2 inch.  Hiking out with those digging into the back of your legs must have been quite painful!.

 I'm going to terminate them short of the aft deck and make them flush with the inner rail.

Looks good

Didn't have much time to work today but I did get the excess wood on the  decks trimmed..  Really starting to look like a Moth.

Main decks glued on

I got both decks glued on the boat.  The fit was critical as there was only 1/4 of an inch left for the overhang at the mid section of the boat.   The chink of metal is holding down the deck at that point.  Nails didn't want to work.  I had to use C clamps for one side as I cut the lip too big to fit the spring clamps.

Main decks

I got the main decks rough cut.  It's slow going with just one worker...  The file on the aft deck is my second most favorite tool.  It's a rasp and file in one.  George A gave that to me for an Xmas present.  I thank him every time I use it.