It's been a while since I last posted pictures of the boat, so I thought I would take a minute today and update you on the progress. As you can see, its coming along. John is doing beautiful work. We've replaced even more than we were going to- as he worked his way down the side he would see another plank that just wasn't up to par and the shipwright in him couldn't let him leave it. The only problem is that he's working full time getting the cannery up and running and the busy season is upon us both. Unfortunately I can't do any of the plank work myself so I have to wait for him to find time to do it. To compound the issue, I had to go to Juneau the other day to pick up supplies. The return ferry trip which should only take three and half hours if it's direct to Hoonah, took twelve hours because the geniuses who set up the schedule, bypass Hoonah and go down to Tenekee and Angoon first and then come back to Hoonah. So the normal amount of time is quadrupled- it takes over twelve hours now. I love it. After twelve hours on the ferry my back feels like I was practicing to take over the duties of a couch for a Japanese Sumo wrestling team. It would almost be funny if it didn't hurt so bad. To add insult to injury, some of the local boats are catching king salmon close by. Several guys came in with kings from Spasski Bay and Floyd Peterson brought in fifteen for two days of fishing from one of his favorite haunts. Obviously I won't be going fishing any time soon, so I get pretty spastic when I hear the good fishing reports. I don't know why. Every year I tell myself that next year I'll be ready to go get them, but when next year comes, there is always some reason why I'm not out there. I'm kind of running out of next years. I'm hoping that we can wrap this project up before the gnats or No-see-ums hatch. The misquitos are already flying around looking for a treat (me, of course) and if I have to deal with the hoards of gnats I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I can invite a bunch of bums down for a smoke- I 'll buy them all cigars and have them follow me around to keep the bugs away. I might just lather myself in Crisco and when the bugs land they'll get stuck. When I'm doing some mundane work like painting, I like to turn on the music- it helps to lighten up the mood, so you can imagine how pleased I was when saw load after load of logs being placed across the street from where I was working. The good folks at Sealaska corporation decided to unload a bunch of pulp wood in the lot right across from the boat haulout so that the locals can cut it up for firewood. There's nothing like the sound of four or five chainsaws revving in the morning to cheer you up. Whistle while you work- but if you can't whistle, crank up a chainsaw!
Man the boat has come a long way. I can't wait to see it. Hope all is well dad. Take care
ReplyDeleteHi Brian- yeah, there has been a lot of work done. I think John is planning on finishing up the planks pretty quick. He put two more in yesterday and is going to work on it some more today. His busy season is really on him now so he can't spend too much time on the boat. I need to wrap it up too. We decided to just patch the forward deck for now until the fall. I got the cockpit painted the other day and have a little more to paint down in the hold. I need to replace a few boards that were used for the skin inside the hold-we had to remove them so he could put clamps on the frames to draw in the planks on the outside. I need to get the hull sanded and painted and skin over the focsile and replace the bunks.John needs to caulk all the seams yet- so you can see, there's still major work to do. I'm hoping to get it all done in the next thirty days or so. Your mom and I will be going down to St. Louis at the end of the month,so I'm going to have to work fast to keep from being all spazzed out when I'm down there. Hope you're having fun.Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you haven't lost your sense of humor in the overall scheme of things! Helps make life a bit easier at times. I hope you are able to relax and enjoy Yani, I'm so glad you guys get to go!!! Love ya!
ReplyDeleteBoat is lookin great! Don't doubt you're more than ready to get on out there and get to fishin, but glad you're bein as patient as is possible to make sure the work is done right so you can go out safely! Love n miss ya'll..AJ
ReplyDeleteHi girls- thanks for the comments. I could use a little help painting, so if the two of you would spend all of your money and come down or up or up and down and help me I would be forever grateful- or at least grateful until the work was done. Of course you would have to sleep on the floor, but your'e both young enough to do it. Then when I'm in St. Louis enjoying the concert, I won't have to worry about falling behind on the boat work.
ReplyDeleteShoot, thanks dad! I'm just feeling the love! :) And, I believe I already came down there and helped...sooo...you ungrateful...soo...you will be the one sleeping on the floor until it feels like Michael Flatley has been riverdancing on your back...sooo...
ReplyDeleteWhile your at it Autumn and Amber...get to rebuilding the gurdies as well as repacking the stuffing box...ah hell just pool together and get a nice set of Easthopes for the boat and call it good...
ReplyDeleteWell Autumn, I happen to like Michael Flatley and if he did dance on my back it would probably feel good, although his taps wouldn't make much noise unless he ran them across my backbones. I think you should listen to your brother and get busy with the gurdies and stuffing box... I know it's an expense now, but look at it as an investment. When I die all you kids will benefit from the sale of the boat- it can't be sold for very much if things don't work good. Of course the odds that it will bring a very high price anyway are slim because its an old wooden boat sooo...
ReplyDeleteYou should have been thinking and bought a metal boat...sooo...and he'll tap across your backbone and do a jig across your rear...sooo...
ReplyDeleteI did not know you had a twelve hour ferry ride!!! I don't know why they do this, it is absurd. Glad you made it home and hopefully your back is better now:) Liz
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they do it either Liz, but they do. It's one of the frustrations of living here, but there isn't much I can do about it.
ReplyDeleteuhhh...gurdies? I know what a girdle is....do you wear one now dad? If not..it would probably help with said back problems and Michael Flatley wouldn't have to Riverdance across your back..just saying...and a what what box? Snuff box? didn't those disappear back in the 1800s?
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