Hilmark Boats Blog

sepele hardwood rails

2010-07-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our newest product will be trimmed with Sepele hard wood. This wood is from Africa. Finished bright it looks great and will last for decades.

Happy Birthday to " Just For Now "

2010-07-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

SALUT JEAN Enjoy you sailing lessons in Brent Wood Bay..

14 foot row boat

2010-07-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

our new 14 foot fibre glass boat floats high, has lots of room for family and camping gear..

lapestrake profile

2010-07-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

fibreglass copy of our Tyee row boat

2010-07-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

2010-07-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

2010-07-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

2010-07-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

repair and refit boat rails

2010-07-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

We have had several old glass boats in for repair of their wood. This is a picture of one of the glass boats that was left unattended for many, many years. We replaced the wood with mahogany all around. Wood will last for many decades with just a minimal amount of tender loving care. If however you leave boats feeding wild berry plants for 20 odd years natural decay is the result.

We offer all our local clients annual maintence and our out of country clients have the benifit of our experience via email. Our advice is part of the service you get when you buy one of our boats.

10 foot sunshine row boat

2010-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of our sunshine row boat. It is finished in douglas fir.

- just for now - bottom paint

2010-07-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

bottom paint

2010-07-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Wherry "Just for Now" is based at Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada. The owner has decided to Dock the boat in salt water. This past spring we brought the boat back to our shop and prepared the hull for bottom paint as well as refinish all surfaces. This is one of the annual services we offer to our clients.

New Additions to Hilmark Boats.

2010-07-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

The year 2010 has seen an amazing increase in boat repair and construction. We have completed repairs on six boats. A sunshine row boat, and another 7 foot yacht tender have been completed.

For ten years we have had request by local fishers to copy our 14 ft. Tyee row boat in a fibe glass hull. In due course all of our wood hull boats will have a fibre glass mold constructed. This way we can offer the tried and proven hulls of the traditional boat construction we are known for in both wood or fibreglass construction.

The company contracted to build these boats for us has a total of 87 years experience in fibreglass boat construction.

These boats will be offered at a much reduced price over the all old growth wood version . We currently have four Tyee row boats in stock. All boats are trimmed with mahogany that is finished bright.

Once the paint shop has finished with the boats a picture will be posted.

Sunshine and Acorn

2009-10-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

The Sunshine is all planked up and recieving a few coats of varnish on the inside of the hull before we start installing the ribs. We've also started work on Iain Oughtred's Acorn Tender design. We've setup all the moulds and are just in the process of finishing the backbone.

Cynthia has also been very busy getting the finish on the canoe to look just right!

Feature Photos

2009-10-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

While we sand the new Sunshine hull, I thought I would post some pictures of the compleated Chistmas Wherry and Newfoundland Trap Skiff. The wonderful pictures of the Trap Skiff were taken by Michael Deeley of Toronto and the Christmas Wherry pictures were taken by Hilford Burton.

The first three are of the Newfoundland Trap Skiff and the last four are of the Christmas Wherry.

'Gertie' Christmas Wherry Launched!

2009-10-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

The shop has been very busy the past couple of weeks so I appologize for the lack of blog posts. 'Gertie' was launched last night up at McIvor Lake with her owner David present to be the first pull the oars. We also had a chance to hoist the lug sail which worked very wella and looked spectacular (pictures of the sail rig will be posted next week). There was no wind so we were not able to try sailing her but we really look forward to hearing how she performs.

We have also been busy finishing off the lapstrake canoe. The finishing is coming along very nicely and I think shes on to her last few coats.

We have also started a new project. We are building another Sunshine yacht tender and are ready to start with the third planks. I will keep you updated on that project as well.

'Wolf', 'Gertie' and the Canoe

2009-09-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

On September 8th, the yacht tender 'Wolf' was completed and sent out to be shipped to the Ukraine. We were all happy with the way she turned out. I've included some pictures of her hand carved name plate and sail rig.

Since the last post, the Christmas Wherry 'Gertie' has been progressing steadily. As of today, the inside has received her final coat of oil and the bottom only needs a couple of more coats of paint.

As we finish up the final bits of finishing on the Christmas Wherry, we have also started working on the lapstrake canoe again. We've installed her cutwaters, outer keel, sister keels, gunwales, inwales, spreaders the seat and the floorboards are almost complete as well.

Paint Prep Complete

2009-09-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Sunshine yacht tender 'Wolf' is really nearing the stage of completion. Only two more coats of paint need to be applied. Between coats, Ezra and John are finishing off the final little details such as installing the name plaque and the davit lift points. The sailing rig has also been completed (see the picture of the mast being rounded on the router)

Once the Sunshine wheels out of our painting room, the Christmas Wherry 'Gertie' will take her place. The final sanding was done today. The amount of paint prep that goes into these boats never ceases to amaze me. The 'wear shoe' (the pieces of wood that protect the keel) were built and installed this week as well. Other details such as oarlock blocks and belay pins have also been checked off our to-do list

Almost Ready for Paint

2009-08-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Both the Christmas Wherry and the Sunshine are to the point where it is time to start our favorite stage... paint prep! We are also starting to get some of the components started such as the mast Cynthia is gluing up in the second picture.

Good Progress

2009-08-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

We have made good process this week on both the Christmas Wherry and the Sunshine Yacht Tender.

With the Christmas Wherry, the thwarts, sternsheet, knees, inwales and rubrails have all been installed. She's really starting to look like a fine boat now.

As for the Sunshine, John and Ezra are almost finished installing the ribs and you can see that the daggerboard case has been built and fitted as well.

Christmas Wherry and Sunshine Update

2009-08-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

I just have a few progress pictures to post. The Christmas Wherry is coming along nicely, all interior components are almost complete and I am pleased with the way everything is looking. We just got some nice sitka spruce for the mast, boom and yard and by the end of next week we should be starting paint prep!

The Sunshine is planked as of about an hour ago and it looks great. Ezra and John will be sanding starting Monday to prep for a quick coat of oil on the interior in preparation for the ribs.

A local TV crew was in filming some interviews today with Hilford, Cynthia and Ez. Hopefully I'll be able to stick that up here on the blog once they finish editing so stay tuned fot that.

The Blog's 100th Post!

2009-08-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

This is the Hilmark Boats Blog's 100th post! The blog has been a great way of keeping boat owners updated on the progress of their boats and we hope the blog continues to grow on this success.

At the shop, things are still very busy. Brahm and Cynthia are working to get all the ribs in the Christmas Wherry by tomorrow morning. We can then move on to bolting the centreboard case in and then we can get on to the thwarts.

Ezra and John have started work on a new Sunshine tender that we be sent all the way to the Ukraine! The keel, stem, and transom are all complete and today they nailed the garboards on.

Canoe and Christmas Wherrys

2009-07-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

While we were oiling the inside of the Christmas Wherry prior to installing her ribs, we were able to install the ribs in the lapstrake canoe. Both boats are turning out excellent. As I type, Cynthia is milling out more white oak for the wherry's ribs and Ezra is almost finished constructing her centreboard case.

Also, the Christmas Wherry 'Just for Now' is now complete, I'll post some more pictures of her out on the water soon.

Busy Shop

2009-07-10T16:08:00.001-07:00

A lot is happening around the shop these days. The Christmas Wherry 'Just For Now' is pretty much done. The final touches are just being made. The first picture shows the outside paint job. (The picture is from last week. As of now, the inside has had a few coats of oil and the rails have been varnished.

The Canoe has been planked and the inside has been sanded. It is going to get a few coats of finish before we install the ribs.

And we are finally, we are back to work on the newest Christmas Wherry! So, as you can see we are busy which is excellent!

A Lapstrake Canoe

2009-07-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

We've recently started work on a 15 foot lapstrake canoe. It is an interesting boat and the progress has been coming along nicely. Here are a few pictures of the work so far. The first shot is Ezra dividing of the plank spacing at one of the stems. The second shot is the 'lining off' process. The next shots show the planking so far.

Lapstrake Canoe

2009-06-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the Lapstrake Canoe we are working on.

Primer Coat and 2nd Planks

2009-06-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

There sure is a lot happening at the moment here at the shop. John just finished putting the first primer coat on the boat today. It's always a nice thing to do after days of sanding, all your work finally pays off.

We nailed the second planks on to the new Christmas Wherry today as well. The boat is looking good and I am happy with the progress. Due to where the moulds are located in the shop, Its hard to get a picture from the back of the boat, but I managed to get one today.

Sanding.....

2009-06-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it's pretty much full on sanding now for John and Cynthia. After the wear shoe (the protective strips on the keel) were installed, the nail holes were filled and the paint prep could get underway.

We are also finishing the final touches on the next Christmas Wherry's backbone. Next week we'll be able to start the steam box up for planking. You can see Cynthia and Ezra getting out the planking stock in the last pic.

New Christmas Backbone and Our Flipping Rig

2009-06-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

We've started to get all the pieces together for the next Christmas Wherry. All of the components such as the keel, the stem, stem knee, transom knee and the transom have been cut out and are now in the process of being assembled. In the picture below, you can see Cynthia using a flush trim bit on the router to shape the keel.

We are also finishing off the first Christmas Wherry. We are down to the last bit of work on her before she gets painted. Today we flipped her over using our clever rig shown in the picture below. By lifting her up on the straps and then loosening off the straps on one side, she turns quite easily. All I have to do is finish the wear strips that protect the keel and then the boat will be ready for sanding.

Rails Installed

2009-06-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

As you can see, sometimes you can never have too many clamps. We glued on the gunwale as well as the lower rubrail this week. The gunwale is concaved to accept a 3/4" decorative rope. We've also got the oarlock blocks on as well as the floorboards completed.

Thwarts in!

2009-05-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

The thwarts have all been cut to size and installed as well as the thwart knees. You can see how we do the underside of the wrap around sternsheet. There is a 1/2 inch thick gusset that is inlaid into the seat. Now that the thwart knees are in, we can install the inwales. After that it's onto the floorboards then paint prep!

Another Christmas Wherry Keel Scarph-up

2009-05-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Just a short update. Today we got the centreboard case bedded and bolted onto the keel of the Christmas Wherry. We also started getting out the next Christmas Wherry's keel.

Crates, Name Carving and Ribs

2009-05-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

We've just completed building crates for the yacht tenders that are on their way to their new homes. I just thought I'd include a picture to show how heavy duty these crates are. In the picture below, the crate also houses the trailer that was purchased for the boat.

I also posted some pictures showing the recently completed name plate for "Blacksox" and the plaque for 'Liten Bat'.

And last but not least, we've bent all the oak ribs into the Christmas Wherry. I always like ribbing up a boat I haven't built before because it really shows off more of the nice curves,

Christmas Wherry Update

2009-05-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Progress is resuming again on the wherry after a couple weeks of finishing off some other projects here around the shop. We also went to the Kelowna Boat Show which was a success.

As you can see in the pictures, John has applied a few coats of oil on the inside of the hull, the breasthook and the transom knees are installed, and today I cut the slot for the centreboard case. By the end of the week, we will have started installing the ribs, so stay tuned!

Christmas Wherry Planked!

2009-04-16T14:19:00.001-07:00

Good Afternoon, I apologize about the lack of posts over the last couple of weeks. We have been pretty busy here. We did manage to get the sheer strakes on last Thursday and the boat was flipped off of the building moulds the following day. (I'll post a video of the boat coming off of the moulds) The last week has really been all about sanding. Because this boat will be oiled inside, there is a lot of work involved in the preparation. We have also been busy getting ready for the Kelowna Boat Show happening this weekend. If you are in the area, you should come say hi. We will have four boats at the show on display for you to see up close. The inside of the wherry needs to be oiled before we can go on to installing the ribs, but we should be ready to start by next Wednesday.

One More

2009-04-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, we've almost completed the planking. We just had to put the planking aside for a few days while we got our wood supplier to cut us up some wider wood. I've been amazed at the plank widths! While waiting for the wood, we've been busy with some of the components. Ezra almost has the centreboard and the centerboard case compleated while I have been working on the yard for the sail rig. Hopefully on Monday I'll be able to post some pictures of the boat coming off the moulds!

Clench Nailing Video

2009-03-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

We've managed to put together a quick little video on clench nailing. It's purpose is just to demonstrate part of what is involved in the planking process. Just keep in mind that there will be around 800 of these little nails in the boat. We only have four more planks to go, then we can flip the boat and start the inside work!

Half way Planked!

2009-03-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post some pics due to the fact that we are half way planked! 8 more planks to go! Everything is going well so far. The first picture shows one of the planks all clamped up and ready to be clench nailed on. We use sheet metal clamps with soft cedar pads glued to the ends. These are, without a doubt, the best clamps for the job. We've tried many different models of home made lap clamps, but nothing beats the ease of using these particular clamps. I'm going to put together a little clench nailing video later this week, so stay tuned for that!

#2 Planks installed

2009-03-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

The 2nd planks are now installed. We've also been busy milling out the rest of the red cedar needed for the remaining 12 planks. The cedar is actually very nice. I've counted up to 60 grains/inch in some spots. The whole shop is full of the cedar's strong odour. This morning I spiled out the 3rd plank patterns and I thought I would post some progress pictures. The top picture shows Ezra planing the top edges of the garboards flush with the keel. (This makes for a better work bench as you can see in the last picture)

"Lining Off"

2009-03-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we successfully steamed the garboards in place which was quite the relief as the twists in the planks are extreme. With the garboards set, it was time to start "lining off." This, in my opinion, is the most importent aesthetic operation of the entire lapstrake boat building process. "Lining off" is the process of defining the top edge of each plank, including verifying the sheer. This is where the artfull aspect of boatbuilding comes in. As you can see in the pictures, long, clear cedar battens are laid out on their theoretical (mathmatical) locations. After they are all tacked in place, we step back and have a really good look at the fairness of all the curves. The battens do a lot of the work here, as they naturally want to lie in a fair manner, however we also have to trust our eyes and adjust any curve that doesnt quite look proper. So, as you can imagine, a good part of the morning today was spent fairing these curves to ensure nice flowing lines.

Backbone Work

2009-03-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

After epoxying the keel together, it was time to shape it to final dimentions and fix it to the moulds. The keel's compound bevel is massive as the keel is very wide. You can also see Ezra gluing up the stem to the stem knee. Notice the stem's rebate. The transom has also been glued up, and will be ready to fix to the keel by Monday. Have a good weekend!

New Project!

2009-03-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well, the 'Sunshine' is off to the paint room. That means we can now move on to the next project! We are very excited about this new boat. It is Walter Simmons' 'Christmas Wherry'. She's a very nice looking 15' open sailboat with a traditional lug rig. (check out the Duck Trap Woodworking site for more info: http://www.duck-trap.com/newwherry.html ) Building a new boat means starting everything from scratch. This means a new strongback and set of building moulds and getting out new patterns for the keel transom and stem etc. We have been busy working on this for the past week. I've posted some pictures of where we are so far. The pics show the building of the strongback (the ladder like structure to which the moulds are fastened), the transom pattern, and the glueing up of the keel. I've also included a very brief clip of the scarphing sled jig that we use for all our scarphing, including the scarphs for the wherry's keel.

Floorboards and Mast

2009-02-25T16:07:00.001-08:00

The past week has been spent mostly sanding and fairing the outside of the 'Sunshine' hull. You can see from the pictures that the gunnels and inwales are installed as well as the rubrails and the sister keels (which you can't see in the pictures) You can also see that our shop dog Buddy has done a very nice job of the floorboards. Today I rounded and tapered the sitka spruce mast and it fits properly in it's step and partner. I can almost imagine her out sailing...

Thwarts etc.

2009-02-18T15:35:00.000-08:00

All the ribs were installed as of last friday, now we are on to the inside components such as the thwarts and sternsheet as well as their knees. These pictures show the thwarts and thwart knees completed as well as the sternsheet. Today we are working on the gunwales and rubrails etc. More pics will be posted friday.

Here's the steam bending video

2009-02-13T15:42:00.001-08:00

Varnished and on to the Ribs

2009-02-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

Now that the inside of the "Sunshine" is varnished, we are ready to install the ribs. The pictures below show our progress as of yesterday. The first picture is me turning a belay pin for the sailing rig while we were waiting for the varnish to dry. The rest of the ribs will be steamed in today, maybe I will post a video at the end of the day if I have time.

Varnished and Now Ribs

2009-02-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of the progress this week. The inside hull of "Sunshine" is now varnished which means we can move on to steaming in the ribs. While we were waiting for the varnish to dry, we got out more of the components. One of the pictures shows turning a belay pin for the sailing rig.

The Daggerboard Case and other Components

2009-02-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

The Daggerboard Case is now installed in the sunshine as well as the breasthook and the transom knees. I've posted some pictures to show some of the work involved in installing the case.

After using a jigsaw to cut the slot for the daggerboard, I use a flush trim router to shape the slot to final dimentions. Here is a picture of the flush trim jig I use to finish off the daggerboard slot.

At this point the case is finished to the point where I can drill the bolt holes through the case's bedlogs and keel. I've also made a drilling guide to help me keep the right angle while drilling.

Now that the bolt holes have been drilled, I can finish off the case. All that needs to be done is to make it look nice by putting some trim on it and bunging the screw holes. After this, the case can be permanently installed into the boat. We use sikaflex to bed the case to the keel.

We've also completed the sprit for the sail as well as gotten a head start on the rudder and daggerboard. This last picture shows Ezra installing the mast step to the stem.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to check out the Hilmark Boats display at the Vancouver Boat Show!

-Brahm

Some pictures from the last month.

2009-01-30T12:13:00.000-08:00

Now that we have the computer fixed at the shop and we have a brand new shop camera, I will be updating the blog on a more frequent basis. At the moment we are working on a couple different boats. We just finished planking up a sailing version of a Walter Simmons design 'Sunshine'. We are also just getting ready to start a 15' Christmas Wherry which we are really excited about. These pictures show John doing some finishing work on some of the boats that we have been working on. There are also pictures of Ezra gluing up a breasthook for the new 'Sunshine' and Brahm fitting a breasthook on a Harbour Skiff we recently completed. The last picture is the Sunshine fresh of the molds.

The Herreshoff Pram and Special Edition Tyee Rowboat

2008-09-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

"After World War 1 yachts became smaller and smaller, so that a good dingy (particularly for the deck of a racing yacht) became quite the problem, for when the usual models of dinghies are made too small the are not safe or comfortable. In England about this time the smaller yachts were using what is called a pram dinghy, that is, one with a transom both forward and aft. While somewhat similar models called square toes had been used in this country, as a general rule they were so poorly modeled that they were not a success.

In 1921 when I was racing a Cowes in England, I had an opportunity to try one out in rough water on a day when the tide was setting up against a stiff breeze. I rowed one from Cowes Roads nearly to Southampton waters and back, and was so much impressed with the performance of that pram that ever since I have considered it the best model for a small tender.... These little prams tow as well as, if not better than, any other dinghy and on account of their low freeboard stow well on deck."

This is what famous yacht designer L. Francis Herreshoff had to say about the pram design. (Taken from John Gardners book, "Building Classic Small Craft" p. 16)
We have now built two of these prams at Hilmark Boats and they have turned out to be absolutely wonderful! We were pleased at both how beautiful they look as well as how they handle on the water.

We have also completed a special edition, one of a kind, Tyee Rowboat. We are extremely proud of this boat, and she turns heads every time we show her.

These boats are available now! Contact Hilford at hilford@hilmarkboats.com or call 1-866-923-0281 for more details.

Hello Again!

2008-06-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

I guess i have been neglecting the blog over the past few months. A lot has been happening at the shop and I want to start making regular posts again. At this moment we are working on the sailing version of the yacht tender "Sunshine." I hope to post some pictures tomorrow!

New Tyee Almost Finished

2008-02-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

Hello,

The new Tyee that we have been working on is finished except for some sanding and painting. This boat will be used locally here in Campbell River by a local fishing guide.

New Tyee boat ribs started

2008-02-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hello,

Sorry about the lack of posts recently. Here are some pictures of the boat we are working on now. Since the last post, we have finished the planking and painted the interior hull. Today we started on the ribs. The ribs on this boat are oak.

Garboards Steamed and Bent In!

2008-01-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Despite the unusually cold and snowy Campbell River weather, we were able to get the garboards steamed in on the new Tyee Rowboat. Once the garboards have dried out, we will epoxy them on to the keel, then we can spile out the next planks.

New Project

2008-01-25T10:54:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas, there were pictures on the blog of us taking the lines off of an old, 1920's rowboat. That boat has been used every year by a local fishing guide for fishing the infamous tyee salmon. (Check out the club's website at www.tyeeclub.org) We are going to build a new copy of this boat for him so he can relieve the workload on the old boat. We have glued up the backbone and are now working on the keel rebate to accept the garboard. The boat in the background of the first picture is the old boat we are copying.

Ready for Paint!

2008-01-16T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here are the most recent pictures of the boat going to Nebraska.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it's 2008 and the boatbuilding continues here at Hilmark Boats. Here are some recent picture of the Campbell River Classic we are working on now. The boat is finished now except for the sanding and finishing, which we are working on now.

Sub-Deck and Gunnels On

2007-12-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Sorry about the lack of pictures on the last post. Here are some more recent pictures showing the marine plywood subdeck and the gunnels installed. The gunnels have been routered to accept a 1" rope bumper. Hilford is shown applying primer to the teak deck.

Thwarts and Inwales Installed

2007-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

Hello,

Just another quick pictoral update. The thwarts along with their knees have been installed as well as the inwales. The sternsheet has also been built. Up next in the construction process is the gunnels, rubrails and sister keels! Then its on to my personal favorite job.... sanding.

Ribs and Risers Installed!

2007-12-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the Nebraska boats progress. Today we also installed the sternsheet brace as well as the front step and the transom knees. I also just finished making the thwart knees. Now that the inside varnish is done and the snowstorms are gone, progress is moving swiftly and smoothly!

Nebraska boat Varnishing

2007-11-29T16:31:00.001-08:00

Here is a picture of the 5th coat of Varnish being applied. The boat is almost ready for the ribs!

Taking Lines From 1920's Rowboat

2007-11-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

As we wait for the varnish to cure on the inside of the Nebraska boat, we have been taking the lines off an old 1920s boat so we can build our client a new one! Here are a few pictures of some of the process. Theses photos show us setting the constuction mold locations and recording the shape of the hull at each location.

Nebraska Boat Flipped!

2007-11-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Good Morning,

We are just final sanding the inside of the hull before the varnish is applied. I always like sanding because it gives me an opportunity to really look at the wood. As always, the planking is absolutely gorgeous! After the inside gets painted, it's onto the ribs! Here are a few pics.

Nebraska Boat

2007-11-07T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the new Campbell River Classic boat that is going to Nebraska. The garboards were steamed on to the backbone this afternoon.

Austria Boat, "little a"

2007-11-07T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of he deck of the Campbell River Classic that is going to Austria. Hilford is just finishing the varnishing, and the boat is looking great! Pictures of the finished product will be posted soon.

New Project On the Go!

2007-11-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hello,

Well, the Campbell River Classic that we have been building that is going to Austria is now prepared for varnishing. We are now starting another Campbell River Classic! All the strongback components have been built and tomorrow they will be epoxied together on the molds. We have included some pictures that show the aft plank gains, as well as some busy shop pictures.

Almost Done!!!

2007-10-26T08:14:00.001-07:00

The Deck is on now. As you can see in the pictures, the deck is always a bit of a messy process, Its always very satisfying when all the sikaflex (that black stuff)is sanded off to reveal the gorgeous teak. The rubrails (the strip on the top plank below the gunnels) and the oarlocks are now installed as well. All that is left to do now is to put the coaming on the deck and then sand and put the finish on the boat!

Update Pictures

2007-10-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the progress made on the Campbell River Classic. As you can see, the thwarts and their knees have been installed, as well as the sternsheet brace and the inwales. Ezra completed the floorboards as well! We are constructing the deck today, and I will post pictures within the next few days showing how it turned out.

Campbell River Classic Update

2007-10-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

The ribs have all been installed, as well as the seat risers and thwart knees. The gunnels and thwarts will be going in next as well as the sternsheet.

Finished Sunshine Pictures

2007-10-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of posts over the past two weeks. Here are a few more pictures of the 10'6 Sunshine. The boat is finished, and is just awaiting the bronze name plaque from the foundry.

Redwing 26

2007-10-15T14:10:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of a Redwing 26 Hull we have here at our shop. Here is a quote about the popular boat from the Chesapeake Marine Design Website. (http://www.cmdboats.com/rw26.htm):

"REDWING 26 was designed for a client who wanted a larger version of the successful REDWING series to cruise the intercoastal waterways. She is designed for modest power including an outboard or inboard. Speed is a relaxing 8 to 10 knots depending on power selected. A sound isolated engine will provide hours of silent cruising. She will be economical to power and cruise long distances on very little fuel. She has accommodations for two or four in her cozy cabin layout."

This wonderful crusier is available. The hull can be purchaced alone, or we can custom finish it according to the owners needs.

(The straping in the second picture is just to secure the tarp...)

Campbell River Classic Off the Molds!

2007-10-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the last few planks being installed, and of the hull being turned.

Sunshine and New Tyee Update.

2007-09-26T22:21:00.001-07:00

The first two pictures are a few shots of the Tyee project from a couple days ago. And the next two are of the sunshine tender taken by our painter.

New Building Project!

2007-09-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

We have just started the next project on our list, a 14' Campbell River Classic. So far things are going well. The keel was glued up yesterday and we are just preparing to get out the planks (14 in all).

NTS Sailing!

2007-09-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

The proud owner of the Newfoundland Trap skiff was kind enough to send us a picture of 'Winterpast' out sailing!

Sunshine Ready for Painting!

2007-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry about not posting pictures in awhile, we have been very busy trying to get this boat ready. Here are some recent shots!

New Boat

2007-08-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pictures of the 10'6 Sunshine yacht tender that we have been working on. The boat will be ready for the ribs in the morning.

Winterpast Finished!

2007-08-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

After much work, Winterpast is finished and she has been delivered to her owner. What a great experience it was building her, we learned so much. Here are some pictures of the sea trials. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some pictures of her sailing posted soon!

....Sanding....

2007-07-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

The wear-shoe has now been installed to the keel. The purpose of the wear shoe is to protect the keel from rocks etc. The shoe is 1/4" sapele. We have also been sanding the hull to prep it for finish. It is crucial, especially for a boat that is to be finished bright, that the boat is sanded to perfection. The boat is really looking great, and I can't wait to see what she looks like finished!

Turning the Hull!

2007-07-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

After a lot of thought and head scratching, the hull was finally turned today. Now we can final sand and finish the outside of the hull! Here are a few pictures of the turning process.

Update Pictures

2007-07-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

NTS Update

2007-07-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of updates over the past few weeks. We have been busy working on the decking. Here are a series of update pictures that illustrate the process up to now. (Not included in these pictures are progress on the tiller)

1. The coaming gets steam-bent onto the carling
2. The deck gets sheeted with Joubert marine ply (6mm)
3. The teak gets dry fitted onto the deck.
4. Sikaflex is applied to the deck
5. The deck is then wet fitted onto the sikaflex.
6. All spots are checked to ensure proper clamping pressure
7. The spacers are removed after proper curing time an the deck is prepared for the sikaflex deck seam compound.
8. The seams are caulked.

Deck beams in and Crazy coaming clamping!

2007-06-22T16:15:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more update pictures of the NTS progress. The deck beams are in and the coamings are steaming in!

Deck beams in and Crazy coaming clamping!

2007-06-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more update pictures of the NTS progress. The deck beams are in and the coamings are steaming in!

Inside Varnished!!!

2007-06-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

The inside of the Newfoundland Trap Skiff is finished!!! The varnish job looks wonderful! At the moment we are almost finished the deck beams and the framing should be completed by tomorrow.

Progress Pictures

2007-06-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures on the progress of the boat. The floor boards are done as well as the shelf that will be under the rear decking.

Update Pictures

2007-06-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the interior layout. The Floorboards are almost complete and the wrap around sternsheet is nearing compleation as well. The frame that supports the storage shelf that will be under the rear decking has also been completed.

Sternsheet

2007-06-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! The wrap around sternsheet is getting glued to the aft thwart, and it really looks great! Sorry, but I'm cameraless and cant post the most recent picture of the sternsheet, but heres a picture that shows me shaping the sternsheet. The wood is gorgeous. Also included is a picture of the sternsheet frame.

Thwarts

2007-05-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

The thwarts have been fitted over the centerboard and the sternsheet brace has been made. The deck rail is being cut as I type!

Risers In!

2007-05-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

Well, the thwart risers are in, and I've milled out the thwart stock. Monday the thwarts will be installed and I will start on the wrap-around sternsheet brace. I've included a picture of the risers as well as a close up picture of one of the roves.

Roving Videos

2007-05-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

We just thought that it might be interesting to post videos showing the process of fastening the ribs to the hull. The following videos show the installation of one fastener. (There are 304 roves in this boat!) The process is as follows.

1 - Steam and bend in rib.

2 - When the rib is clamped in where you want it, you can drill pilot holes for where the nails are going to be driven in (from the outside of the hull in)

3 - The copper nail is then driven in

4 - A Rove is set on to the nail, and the nail is snipped of 1/8th of an inch above rove.

5 - The copper nail is then peined over the rove. Note the doorskin with the hole in it that I have over the rove as I pein. This protects the rib and rove from my flailing hammer blows... (also note the nail being backed up by the roving iron under the boat)

New Pictures!!!

2007-05-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

The centreboard case is in, the bedding compound is cured and we are back intalling the ribs!

Update!

2007-04-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Centreboard case is now assembled, and we have bent in the first 5 ribs. Tomorrow the case will be bolted in place inside the boat, then we can continue on with the ribs!

Cutting the Centreboard Slot

2007-04-24T18:30:00.001-07:00

Just a quick video...

NTS Interior Sealed

2007-04-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

The interior of the Newfoundland Trap Skiff is now sealed. Here are a few pictures.

Sanding...

2007-04-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sanding a NTS is very time consuming. The primer clear coat should be ready to be applied by tuesday or wednesday. Then its on to the Ribs!

Setting the Last Nail!

2007-04-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

Setting the last nail on the Newfoundland Trap Skiff!

Lap Bevel Video

2007-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Beveling a plank lap on the Newfoundland Trap Skiff

NTS Wood being sawed!

2007-03-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

New wood and Mast

2007-03-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the cedar we got in from Nootka Island off the west coast of Vancouver Island. (The landing place of Captain James Cook in 1778!) This tree was blown down in a pacific storm and is estimated to be over 600 years old. This wood will be used on the Newfoundland Trap Skiff planks 8 and 9. Also included here are pictures of the aft mast (made of sitka spruce.)