Here are a couple of videos that show the process of building a small boat.
VIDEO ONE
VIDEO TWO

So yeah, THE BOAT ISN'T FINISHED YET and the semester is rapidly coming to a close. I have been able to get some shop time, which has been great. Over the weekend I jointed and planed the crappy lumber that I purchased at home depot. This stuff is what I used to build the molds and jigs that the boat is built around. I'm hoping that I can get over there one more day before everything closes down for the semester.
I visited the SHIP STORE INC. in Marina Del Rey. They did have a lot of the brass, copper and stainless steel hardware that are needed for my project, but their prices were pretty insane. One of the guys working there referred me to a company out of Rhode Island that sells that sort of stuff at really good prices. It's called Jamestown Distributors. I found their website, and the guy from the Ship Store was spot on. The prices from JD were great, and they have everything I need as far as hardware goes. PERFECT!
So you might expect I have gone with other Christmas gift plans for my parents since there's a good chance that this won't be totally finished until after the holidays are over. Besides, I couldn't really figure out a way to get it back to Idaho. Once I actually do finish this project, if I can't figure out a way to get it back to my parents, maybe I'll try to sell it down at the marina or something.
I plan on keeping the blog going until it is totally finished even though the semester will be over.

Barrow Boats in the UK

I found a pretty cool resource in barrow boats. They make an array of wheel barrow boats. Pretty cool stuff. I haven't posted much for a while. The budget for my project needed to be used for some more important things, but it's looking like I'll be able to get back into it now.
One of the guys I was working with at Home Depot pointed me in the direction of some marine hardware stores. They'll have all the brass, copper and stainless steel hardware that'll be needed. I've yet to purchase those items. So I plan on visiting the marine hardware stores in Marina Del Rey sometime this week. Other than that, I should be able to do some actual work on the boat this week. Hopefully the shop isn't too crazy with IPD kids working on their finals.

Oh yeah . . . I wanted to post this link to Harry Bryan's website. It's pretty cool. There are all sorts of designs and pictures.

Things have been pretty slow on the boat project. I've been busy with midterms. That's where I place the blame. I have been pricing and gathering materials, but I haven't purchased everything yet. I'm waiting on some material quotes from Stock Building Supply.

I'm also trying to find a local wooden boat builder. I would like to have an expert brain to pick. I am hoping that this week I will be able to get all the materials purchased. Hopefully I can construct the thing the next week. We have a student holiday on Nov. 4th and I am praying that the wood shop will be open. That would be the perfect time to rock out the project.

I really hope I can find a boat builder. I do have the plans and the magazine article I spoke of earlier, but a real person's tips and hints would make me feel a little bit more confident for this project. Oh well, even if I can't find some great boat builder I'm doing this thing either way.

Today has been spent doing a lot of research and price comparison. The design I found has some options when it comes to materials. Plywood seems to be the cheapest material to use for the sides and base of the boat. The instructions I have call for cedar and pine planks, but I am going to do it on the cheap and use the plywood. Doing this requires a chine log in the corner of the boat where the sides join the base. What is a chine log? . . . That's what I've been reading about for the last 30 minutes.
I stopped by the Home Depot earlier this morning and looked around at their materials. That place drives me crazy. The employees saw that I had a long list of materials and were avoiding me like the plague. The one guy who did answer some questions pointed me in the direction of one of the isles in the hardware section and ran. I couldn't get anyone to really help me find the specifics that I was looking for. The few things I did find looked pretty shabby. I've been to Terry Lumber once before and I think I'm going to take my business there. It isn't so busy, and the service is great. Also, their materials are a better grade than anything you can find at Home Depot. I'm going to try and stop there this afternoon.
I also was able to find the wheel assembly online. Looking forward to its delivery.
The jig design will need to be altered a little bit because of the plywood and chine log. I plan on getting the jig built next weekend so I need to figure all that out through the week.