Captain Andy and 1st mate Simple Green!

Here are some shots of the bilge, after a good scrubbing and removal of all the unnecessary crap:







I have decided to replace pretty much all of the frames, enough of them have rot and/or breaks that I would just be worrying about the ones I left behind. I haven't pulled any out yet to see what the planking underneath looks like, but overall the planks look like they might be OK. The sheer planks are pretty rough, I think as a result of the decks leaking for a long time.

I have built a kickass steamer box for the upcoming frame job, out of an old turkey fryer, and assorted furnace duct parts. The burner sounds like a jet engine (and living in the shadow of Boeing Field, I sure as hell know what a jet engine sounds like!), and will boil 3-4 gallons of water in no time. It also looks more like a meth cooker than anything I've built before. If there were any grizzled Appalachian hillbillies walking by, they would probably say it looks like a moonshine still, but it's the 21st century for pete's sake, get with the program!

This is what one of these beasts looks like if you were to remove it from your yard and put it in the water:



And here is me on my old Blanchard. Note that life has not yet crushed my gentle spirit. I also seemed to have hair:

One More Time...

Or, another attempt to document something, knowing full well that what will be documented is my total inability to stick with something for any length of time

This time will be different, I just know it! This time: a goal, a project, something to document besides the excruciating minutae that is my life!

The project:


















A 1947 Blanchard Sr. Knockabout, hull#53 out of 97 originally built.



















The interior appears to be very clean and original, under a lot of grime and stuff. Note the manly ropework curtains. Not macrame, manly ropework!



















Some decently sistered frames. I will assume that any unrepaired frames are due for replacement, as will most repaired ones.















At first glance, the keel bolts seem somewhat new. I'll investigate further, but it's a good sign.















The original electrical panel. I love this kind of stuff!

OK then, there's the boat as she sits in my back yard. First step will be to remove everything that's not nailed down, then most of what is. I know that there will be new decks, maybe not all over but plenty nonetheless. The deck framing seems serviceable at first glance. Some hull frames will be replaced, if not all of them. I assume that I will have many opportunities to learn how to replace carvel planks, but so far the planking looks good. To summarize: Not a bad project, I give it a year. (Note to self: Don't forget to come back and read this last sentence in 16 years when the boat is still on blocks and I am dead)