Mini Sailboat Project

[StanFM]

We're amidships today-- Wednesday! Goal: to get 2 - 3 coats of water based poly onto the hull, keel, rudder, and other parts. Plus get our sails cut out and the corners reinforced. Also want to throw in a bowline knot, and securing a dock line on a cleat. Oh, and just for fun, let some kids who are caught up get a little sailboat simulator time. I'm pooped. The plan is to finish tomorrow, so we can walk to a residential lake on Friday to try these things out.

Hadn't used the water based poly before. We got dry-to-the-touch times of around 35 minutes, so that allowed us to varnish one side, and then flip over to do the other, and so on. Working on sails in between. Not sure if I like the product yet-- it sets so quickly, but it was my only hope with our schedule. I think I read here on line that some folks like it on their teak because you can get multiple coats on in a few hours.

Stan:zzz:

 

[Chris Patterson]

So; this is pictures of hell.

Sort of what I expected.

 

[StanFM]

So; this is pictures of hell.

Sort of what I expected.

At one point I spotted an otherwise intelligent student scooping up with bare hands large blobs of the varnish that had escaped the can from on the picnic table and was putting them back into the can along with dirt, splinters, paint, and any other contaminating debris stuck to the blobs. That's just excellent!

We also had one hull that was carefully placed on a paper towel immediately after painting yesterday. So this morning we found that fiberous mess right when we were supposed to start varnishing. Again, excellent.

Stan

 

[Chris Patterson]

Things are going to start to get REAL grim when you break out the West Epoxy..

 

[Bilbo]

Things are going to start to get REAL grim when you break out the West Epoxy..

Especially if they're using their fingers to apply the stuff.

"I think I read here on line that some folks like it on their teak because you can get multiple coats on in a few hours.
"

I've used the water based spar varnish and I found that it seemed to hold up a bit better to the weather last summer. But yeah, cleaning up with water is a real plus.

 

[StanFM]

Day four... standing and running rigging. At least the students have been using many of the terms as they lose things, break things, need help with things. I guess that was the whole point of it after all. Not every boat will sail tomorrow, but all will float! Notice the one kid's flaking job on his jib! Cool. PITA to tie all those small knots!!!! I thought small fingers would be better than mine for that sort of thing, but, alas... no.

Stan

 

[StanFM]

Well... time to put this project and this thread into the locker! On our last class day, we walked to an urban lake, got to put everyone's boat into the water, do a couple races, and basically have a great time. Finished it off with a quiz, and some footage from the Volvo around the world races. But-- had no time left to clean my classroom, which is a war zone. Next week. Found 2 or three of the "so-and-so-stole my rudder" parts laying around on the floor. A couple of the kids started to really get it, so I gave them the whole string spool so they could get as far out as possible. We only had one disaster, a really nice boat was sat upon and dismasted like two minutes after we got to the lake. I was able to do a string-wrap splint of sorts to get it running.

No matter how well or poorly each boat was made, every builder was very proud of their ship, and their imagination carried them off into an exciting voyage! Who would have thought $3 could take you so far, far away.

Thanks for your patience (for a non- C22 topic) and for all your encouraging words. It meant a lot and helped me get through the week!!!

Stan

 

[Bilbo]

Great job with you and your students. It looks like a real fun learning experience all around and something that they will remember for a long time.