Progress Reports

Hello all ......... for those who have shown an interest in my skiff, here is a summary of where I am at the moment.

The hull is finished and the electronics are basically in place. I decided to raise the floorboards and locate the electronics under them. The winch (from a DF 65) is mounted on its side to lower its profile and I have doubled its range with a block arrangement. The rudder servo is mounted under the after deck and will control the rudder with the equivalent of tiller ropes. I have formed a mock-up of the foredeck in cardboard, and still have to make it, and the side decks, thwarts and rudder. Next will be the mast, spars, and the sail (to be custom made). When finished, the hull will be painted white. The rubbing strake, interior thwarts and spars will be varnished. The floorboards will be matte dark grey to try to make them less noticeable.

There is still a lot to do, and it is slow going as I have to figure it out as I go. It would be nice to get the boat in the water at least once this year. John C.

Hull with foredeck mock-up in place and electronics.

Foredeck mock-up with spray guard.

Electronics roughly in place, and rudder servo under the after deck.

Gents .............. the Viking Drakker Ship, Da Da!

This is another "covid 19" project; a Viking Drakker (dragon) ship from an Amati kit, at a scale of 1:50. All went well 'til the Missus decided to clean and some parts I didn't need were tossed. Plans had full patterns so pieces were recreated. The figurehead and benches were all created scratch. The single bench in the kit was grossly out of scale. In doing research, I found an example of the only dragonhead ever found, this I replicated. A pat on the back to my granddaughter for the sail work. Now for the case and brag tag.

Thanks Bob (better not show this to the Missus).