Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-3, страница 23

Shop Talk

Building Boats; Building Memories

Drilling holes, attaching the bottom framework and applying varnish are all steps that participants take in the shop when building their own boat in a weekend.

Totally shipshape! Together, families of all shapes and sizes build — and drive — a wooden children's boat in the Family Boat Builds hosted by Woodies Restorations.

Boat Build's Goal:

The Whole Family in the Shop

Paul Cundiff bought his grandkids wooden boats for Christmas last year.

It doesn't matter that they're barely old enough to walk, let alone drive a boat: the owner of Woodies Restorations wasn't about to let his own family miss out on the fun of his business's first-ever Family Boat Build. His daughter and son-in-law were one of the teams constructing a truly driveable wooden children's boat from almost-scratch.

True, the deck has been preformed, the motor installed and plugs made ahead of time, but team members, including kids age eight and up. get to experience all the aspects of building a boat, to the

extent that they could go home and build another if they were so inclined.

They drill and center holes for attaching the bottom framework, fasten it in with screws, apply a layer of caulk, do some wiring, install zip ties for slotted and gate construction — and remove them with Forstner bits — fair the outside deck seam with a hand plane they've sharpened (followed by use of a sanding block) and then apply coats of varnish.

"When they leave, they don't have to do anything. It's a working toy right then," Paul said — although he also sends the teams home with enough varnish to apply up to five coats on top of the wood. BS1088 marine plywood forms the base of the boat, with a layer of "Philippine

The boat fits anywhere that a 4'x8' sheet of plywood does.

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June 2009 Woodworker's Jou ma I