S P A C E

Thanks to a really soft mortgaging market and remarkable timing, we managed to put together one of those dream refi rates and loosen up a couple bucks. In return, 24 x 36 feet of storage goodness. This is slowing down the beginning of the Clipper project, but its a necessary slowdown to make building more efficient.

Due to roots and frost heaves, we ended up getting a sidewalk at the same time:



Posts set and getting the floor leveled:





Day three, concrete down, trusses up.

Note the difference in height. Im keeping the shop low for now to reduce the square footage I need to heat in winter. We will see how it works out building such a large boat with low overhead (7' door). The outer garage area will be 12' ceilings and an 11' door which should be gravy if the bigger boat needs headroom for things like hardtops and windshield installation:



What a nice day to work...





Can't wait to get the shop cleaned out of all of the storable goods and get to WORK!

Initial mockups

Started the mock up process the past couple of days between tasks and other obligations. Its terribly pleasant to have a project to work on, but one that isn't tied to deadlines or other time-sensitive criteria.

Using a little cheap lauan plywood, its fast to throw together a clampable/screwable setup which gives a reasonable representation.





Im thinking its still a hair stubby, might need a little lengthening for visual balance. The V berth should have good headroom for sitting on the bunks or on the honey pot with this 12" configuration forward, 19" aft. The windshield will need the side panels cut off and a new, curved setup installed to make the lines work. Piece of cake, right?

E

A stray followed me home...

I was horribly torn. I love scratch building, but with the economy what it is, the best price point for a given vessel is a good idea. Couple that with the "green" aspect of finishing something that already exists (less waste, less shipping costs, fixed expenses built in, etc), and a GREAT price worked out through months of negotiating, results in a 6 hr drive home from Hood River.



Looks dimunitive, right?



At a full 2 feet taller than the truck, she's a little wind-prone and takes some gas to haul!

What we have here is a 1994 Clippercraft Mk 1. 1994 EZ loader trailer, 1994 Volvo 3.0GL 4 cyl IO with the SX outdrive. Purchased initally in 1994, the first owner had intentions of picking her up, finishing the boat, and enjoying it. A decade later, he passed away, and it was sold to another gentleman with the same aspirations. There it sat for another few years, untouched.

Plans are starting to come together for a 23' sportfisher, rigged up for salmon and halibut fishing, with the outside potential for albacore fishing once she is bulletproof.







Lots of work to be done, from top to bottom there is something everywhere that needs attention...