Spars and sawdust

Few boatshop tasks generate more wood shavings and sanding dust than spar making.  Fairing a carvel hull is certainly right up there in dust and shavings production, but we haven't done that very recently at WoW, and only the masochists on the team are complaining about that.  This week, Jeff is finishing up the masts for the two whaleboats, and is beginning to work on the booms and gaffs.  All spars will be made of Douglas fir, and we have acquired some beautiful, straight grained timbers for that purpose.  Although trees tend to be round, for some reason timbers tend to be square, so Jeff's first task is to make them round again.

Jeff does final planing on the second whaleboat mast

Moving the sanding block faster than the camera can capture!

Bruce, meanwhile, fitted the new transom plank onto our abused Whitehall, Huffin.  It is just about ready for fastening, after which much varnish will be applied, paint will be touched up, and Huffin will be ready for another season of rowing around the basin.

Bruce test fits the new transom board.

One or two swipes with the Ryoba saw and she'll be good to go.

Carl is on "special assignment" making boxes to replace the crumbling cardboard storage boxes that fill the supply room.  Carl is doing finger joint joinery on the boxes, and it looks like he will be turning them out until there is no more white cedar left on the east coast, or at least in the shop.

Carl adding another to his pile of boxes.

Meanwhile, work continues on the multitude of widgets and parts needed to complete the second whaleboat.  The launch celebration is scheduled for June 8, so she will need to be turned over for caulking and painting very soon.  Hopefully, the interior will be completely finished before flipping the boat.

This week, the mast trough and forward lifting ring were added.

Jeff fastens the mast stowage bracket to the aft deck.

Filing shoulders off carriage bolts to fasten the tabernacle.

Gluing up a white oak block for the loggerhead.

John is "detailing" the boat.  Here he cleans up some bedding compound squeezeout.

As planned, Suzy motored down the river for rigging and some final installations.  She looks much more distinguished and notably smaller floating beside the ISM dock than she did in past months in the shop.

Suzy at rest alongside the ISM dock, all painted and rigged and ready to sail again.