Unfortunately, the Surf Boat has spent most of the winter in lonely anguish in Eric Holch's mother's yard braving gales and snow storms. We were, however, given a chance this February to bring her in to Rick Kotolac's shop for two weeks of face lifting.
The main goal was to finish up the painting that wasn't finished over the summer, and to being putting all the pieces back together. When I first towed her over to the shop, I had to pull her through a foot snow drift that had built up off Cliff rd, and she was happy to thaw out in the heated shop. In two weeks, I got a lot of painting done. One coat of primer on the rudder and all sole beams, two coats of semi gloss white on the rudder and topsides, and two coats of beetle grey on the interior and cap rail.
The other big job was to install the heavy 100% bronze centerboard that Ron Shepard shaped to Alfie Sanford's specifications. We ended up drilled a 1" hole as a hinge point and placing a bronze bushing with a 1/2" diameter hole to take the bolt. Alfie stopped in to help me raise the centerboard into the boat and using a flashlight with a bit of luck, we were able to punch the bolt through the bushing and lock in place the centerboard.
With the boat painted, the sole beams were ready to install one last time and the floorboards on top of that. With the floorboards down, she really has a sense of completion, and you can finally get an idea of how you will sit and what it might be like to row her. Although it is my guess that this will be an altogether singular experience and will have to be executed to fully appreciate.
I brought the boat back to Eric's yard, covered her up with the tarp, and although she still sits alone to bare the brunt of mother nature, she seems a little happier now. Soon the warm weather will come, and all the loose odds and ends will be put together, and the surf boat that was originally launched in the 1940s will row once again.
The main goal was to finish up the painting that wasn't finished over the summer, and to being putting all the pieces back together. When I first towed her over to the shop, I had to pull her through a foot snow drift that had built up off Cliff rd, and she was happy to thaw out in the heated shop. In two weeks, I got a lot of painting done. One coat of primer on the rudder and all sole beams, two coats of semi gloss white on the rudder and topsides, and two coats of beetle grey on the interior and cap rail.
The other big job was to install the heavy 100% bronze centerboard that Ron Shepard shaped to Alfie Sanford's specifications. We ended up drilled a 1" hole as a hinge point and placing a bronze bushing with a 1/2" diameter hole to take the bolt. Alfie stopped in to help me raise the centerboard into the boat and using a flashlight with a bit of luck, we were able to punch the bolt through the bushing and lock in place the centerboard.
With the boat painted, the sole beams were ready to install one last time and the floorboards on top of that. With the floorboards down, she really has a sense of completion, and you can finally get an idea of how you will sit and what it might be like to row her. Although it is my guess that this will be an altogether singular experience and will have to be executed to fully appreciate.
I brought the boat back to Eric's yard, covered her up with the tarp, and although she still sits alone to bare the brunt of mother nature, she seems a little happier now. Soon the warm weather will come, and all the loose odds and ends will be put together, and the surf boat that was originally launched in the 1940s will row once again.
