Shop Visitors

[Guest]

With recent quarantine and isolate-in-place guidelines I have not had many shop visitors in the past few months. I’m pretty much a hermit in any case, so that didn’t much bother me. But it was nice to have visitors this past week.

Lance, Nancy and Rosie the cat-butt sniffing hound stopped by to pick up the (little) used Appalachian. Rosie, tight on a leash, caught scent of something hound-able in the back yard, fox maybe, or deer (turkey, raccoon, opossum).

Or dang groundhog, there are five different groundhog burrows I could hit from our lawn with a weakly thrown stick. It is groundhog central here, including the fattest, oldest “”silverback” groundhog I have ever seen. I feel some simpatico when I see him waddling around.

Whatever it was Rosie wanted it, with the plaintive vocalized hound baying (truly a beautiful voice to my ear) and straining at the leash. dang Rosie, I had a water dish and box of dog toys ready for you; tennis balls and Kongs, and Foxtails and etc. That girl needs to run the scent of something.

The Appalachian went up the driveway, along with some of Joel’s freebie tarp poles and a guidebook, and I kept a pocket full of used canoe cash for Joel. Winner, winner.

P6020006 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Lance & Nancy, please give us an Appalachian trip report when you take it on the river.

A few days later I had the immense pleasure of Joel in the shop. Talking current events, telling tales I had not heard before. So many years of paddling stories all over the US, Canada and Mexico; I so wish Joel was a writer, and, as usual, screwing around, albeit too briefly, with boats and gear.

Joel showed up, as requested, with two sea kayaks on the tall van roof racks. The Caribou to take with him to Maine, and the 18’ 10” Nomad left behind for me to work on. Glad the shop is 30’ long.

P6050014 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Once I clear some room in the shop the Nomad gets scrubbed/washed, the E-glass tape keel strips we added last time get sanded to remove the abraded paint top coat, new keel strips of Dynel sleeve and graphite powder get epoxied in place over the E-glass, and the bottom (except the black keel strip) gets painted with EZ-Poxy.

And while I have the EZ-Poxy, pan, roller and tip-out brushes out, I have a couple other hull bottoms that need painting. Hours of prep work, 10 minutes to roll and tip a hull bottom.

Joel said I can do anything to the Nomad I wish. I’m thinking old-school metallic flames. And maybe some glitter. OK, before Joel freaks out; black EZ-Poxy over the graphite keel strip, rest of the bottom painted EZ-Poxy Hatteras Cream. Maybe with subtle Haida Orca swirls to better tie the black keel strip to the black deck seams and trim (Thanks Doug)

Just getting the Nomad off the high roof of the Ford Transit was a ladder challenge, even with two people. Joel related that getting the two boats up there, by himself, was even more of a challenge, climbing up a step ladder while holding almost 19 feet hull aloft.

To head out for ocean or inland trips once in Maine he would have to do the same. Mikey no likey; Joel isn’t 25 anymore, or even 45. He may still have the balance of a mountain goat, but as a sexagenarian he shouldn’t be climbing ladders while holding boats over his head.

In a shop box of long disused saddles and such we found a set of Thule Hydro-glide saddles, and a pair of Thule Set & Go saddles, all of which had wide enough bases to fit the Transit’s VanTech Aero crossbars, needing only slightly longer bolts. Easy peezy fix.

P6050009 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

And, whadda ya know, a pair of old-style Thule Rollers, the beefy ones from years ago, not today’s flimsy plastic crap. Rollers which I believe Joel gave to me and, after storing them for 20 years (no charge Joel), I have now given back.

The rollers needed a little customization to fit the crossbars and we divided the work as usual, I drilled the larger holes in the mounting plates, Joel filed them smooth. I did not inspect his work.

P6050007 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

At little experimentation showed that, with the set of Hydro-glides and the set of rollers on the Transit’s back crossbar, Joel can just aim the kayaks to the high roofline from the rear and slide/roll them into place. Even better, the Hydro-glides fit the flat-ish bottom of the Caribou like a charm, the rollers fit the more rounded bottom of the Nomad. It’s like this was meant to be.

Maybe put the Set & Go saddles on the front crossbar for whichever yak bow/bulkhead they best fit, and find some appropriate used saddles for the front of the other boat. Shortie may still need to step up a rung or two on a ladder at the back, so he doesn’t drop/slam the front hull into place, but that’s better and easier than up climbing five feet of ladder while holding the entire kayak airborne on tippytoe. He’ll still need a ladder to strap/tie the belly lines in any case, that is a tall roofline with racks.

This required some DIY’ed adaptive reuse, like everything on the boat trailer

P1110408 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

and things on/inside the Transit van.


https://www.canoetripping.net/forums...oday-nice-rack

At one point in the shop we needed a couple hose clamps. Do I have a couple hose clamps? No, not a couple; I have several dozen hose clamps.

P6050013 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

That was too short a visit from my best shop partner. And the story of my life; Joel shows up with two boats and leaves with one.

P6050010 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

That “Life-time Guarantee” on boatwork may not have been such a good idea. Or t’was; I now have a boat project with all the fun elements; resin, cloth, peel ply and hard roller work, and lots of sanding and taping and painting. WOO-HOO, we’re having some fun now!

The Everglades sun faded, salt water scoured decks on the Nomad desperately need buffing and waxing, and I have a buffer and an unopened can of Meguiar’s Premium Marine Paste wax. But that will necessitate removing (and reinstalling) all of the deck bungees and perimeter lines. Semi-skilled manual labor; sounds like a job for Joel when he passes through this fall.

 

[LanceR]

Mike, I don't know what it was Rosie hit the track of in your side yard but it had to be pretty fresh scent for her to go from looking for a place to pee to her hackles standing up and scrabbling for traction trying to drag me down the trail in a fraction of a second. So you see why I can't let her off leash in strange-to-her places. We'd never see her again.

We had a reliable sighting of an estimated 400 pound class black bear just 1/3 mile down the road this morning and as we see a bear about once a year it caused a little local excitement. I'll be walking Rosie with a half hitch of leash looped around her waist for a while so she won't pull so hard if she hit its scent. I don't hunt her but she already has a few little scars and I'd like to keep it that way. A lone coon dog trying to corner a bear is a good recipe for a badly injured or dead dog.

As far as Joel's kayak, I have a pair of those old school Porter Cable 503 worm gear and chain drive production belt sanders in the basement (the ones that look like locomotives and weigh 15 pounds). I could slap a 36 grit belt on one to make quick work of buffing off the faded bits and use a 48 grit belt on the other one to finish sand it for paint. And you could skip all that Dynel stuff and just shoot the skid plate area with some rattle can bed liner touch up stuff.

On a slightly more serious note though Nancy just found our long lost book of gold leaf. If you wanted to put some bling on the kayak you could letter it up in gold leaf. Let me know, I'd be glad to mail it to you. I haven't used any of it in years.

Yes, you will get some on the water pics and a trip report with the Appalachian, maybe as early as the week after next. Hopefully the next time we meet we'll have more time to visit and not have to worry about who has what cooties. And maybe I won't be facing a 7 hour drive and we can enjoy a few adult beverages together.....or more than a few adult beverages.

Best regards to all,


Lance

 

[Black_Fly]

Looks like a great place for a hermit to hang his hat.

 

[TrailBlaser]

Great post Mike, I enjoy the photos of the shop and your narrative is an interesting read. Do you have a board with all the photos of visitors driving out with their boats? I sympathize with you having ground hog central there; it is gray squirrel central here. Keep those shop photos coming. All the best.

 

[Guest]

Do you have a board with all the photos of visitors driving out with their boats?

I only recently started taking photos of boats as they leave the shop. That would be a fun photo board, with lots of different vehicles and watercraft heading up the driveway.

During my 35mm photo days I had double prints developed, one set for selected shots in a yearly photo album with printed trip reports, the other for a framed collage of that year’s trips.

P8193868 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P8193869 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P8193870 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

There are 20 years worth of those photo collages hung on the basement walls, each with the year’s date stamped on the bottom of the frame.

P8193865 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

My sons and I always made a photo enlargement calendar of the past year’s trips as a Christmas present for my wife. We kept the old calendars, stored away unseen. I realized they would make an interesting pictorial on one of the 4x8 platform tabletops.

Spray glued to a sheet of plywood with some stiffening battens on the backside, covered with a coat of epoxy resin for protection, even peel plied for a smooth finish.

P8203874 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Framed out & corner capped

P8313881 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I rarely look through the 40 years of photo albums, but I see those wall hung photo collages and tabletop in the basement gear room daily. Old times with old friends, something on those always brings a smile.

EDIT: Missed a photo. These are some of the old photo enlargement calendars:

P8313877 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

 

[TrailBlaser]

Wow Mike, those are fantastic! I especially like the addition of the paddles. It is a great touch! I can only imagine the thoughts that go through your mind as you look through the photos. Many great memories I am sure. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Guest]

I especially like the addition of the paddles. It is a great touch! I can only imagine the thoughts that go through your mind as you look through the photos. Many great memories I am sure.

All of those photo collages, and photo table, reside in the gear room with 30 feet of gear shelving on one wall. I so appreciate having a 4x8 table to work on when staging gear for a trip, just pull gear, toss it on the table and cross it off the list. That I get some old friends smiles out of it is a bonus.

Despite my best efforts to reduce the stock we have a stupid number of paddles. That isn’t half of them. As noted in a previous post, between the four of us we use the same 10 or 12 sticks (double and single each) on almost every trip, depending on our boat choices. (Post #9)

https://www.canoetripping.net/forums/forum/general-paddling-discussions/safety/32680-%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%80%B9contact-info-on-paddles-and-gear

(Love those waterproof golf club labels. My thanks to Will Derness for the gear ID suggestion, beats the hell out of Sharpie or paint pen marking.)

The memories in those photos are too precious to be hidden in a seldom opened album, and include a half dozen paddling companions that have since moved way. Or passed away. And twice that many gone-to-canine-heaven canoe dog friends. I’m not sad when I see them, just reminded of good and treasured times.

Scattered here and there in the photo collages is a yearly Gentleman’s Trip tradition; dozens of photos of friend’s backs, each stationary in a wide legged stance, making room for more beer. Those did not make the wife’s office calendar.

I enjoy the photos of the shop and your narrative is an interesting read.

My shop would be an embarrassment to the boat builders on this board. Other than a dozen sanders, couple circular saws, a band saw and sundry drills, drill press, and 90 degree drill adaptor for tight spaces and etc there are not a lot of power tools or large equipment.

What the shop lacks in woodworking equipment it makes up for in stocked parts and pieces. Peering out the shop office door I count 13 seats. 15+ if I include plastic buckets awaiting a new home.

More thwarts and yokes and carry handles than I will use in this lifetime. If I’m making one or two of those, eh, I might as well make five or six. Making truss drops or wedge drops? Jeeze, same deal; band saw and router and sanders and varnishvarnishvarbnish, might as well do a production run and make a shop supply while I’m at it.

Three (heavy, getting heavier) boxes of stainless steel hardware. Again, if I need two long machine screws that I don’t have on hand, and have to stop what I am doing and drive to the not-close store, yeah, I’ll buy a half dozen. Washers and lock washers and nuts to fit those machine screws? Yeah, just gimme a whole freaking box. It is amazing how fast washers and nuts get used, and there is a cost savings with buying a box.

Outfitting parts and pieces; snaps and grommets and pad eyes and deck hooks? Check. Buckles and cord and bungee? Check, check, check. Sheets/slabs of minicel? Check, in different thicknesses.

Quality floating rope? Screw it, give me a whole 300 foot spool, I’ll use it eventually, and it’s a lot less expensive by the spool than buying it 30 feet at a time.

I’d like to think that, other than replacement gunwales, I have everything I need in the shop to rebuild and outfit several naked canoe hulls. But I know I will get to some point and find that I need four 1” machine screws, and only have three.

I’m not freaking driving an hour roundtrip to buy just that one. Gimme a dozen.

Eh, lemme check them with a magnet first, just to make sure no one tossed a steel machine screw in the bin by accident. Not an uncommon occurrence.

 

[ppine]

Mike there is no doubt that you are a canoe geek, and I mean that in the nicest way.
You make the rest of us seem a lot more typical and normal. thanks.

 

[Guest]

Mike there is no doubt that you are a canoe geek, and I mean that in the nicest way.
You make the rest of us seem a lot more typical and normal.

PPine, I take that as a compliment. Many of my friends, and most of my paddling companions, are canoe centric, and few of them would be called typical or normal.

I have been diddling around with rebuilding and outfitting boats, mostly canoes, but also kaya. . . .er, decked boats, for (grabs calculator), 32 years. Before that I just paddled whatever we had, however it was, mostly battered Grummans and Wards Sea Kings, with little thought of any outfitting advantages, upgrades or comfort. I was younger, and much tougher, back then.

I am chagrinned when I think of some early repairs and rebuilds. It floated may be the best thing that could be said. Seriously, I repaired the chipped and cracked plastic gunwales on the first ancient used canoe we bought by slitting lengths of fat garden hose, filling them with construction adhesive and taping them down tight over the cracked nasty wales until the caulk tube adhesive cured.

That derelict canoe was $50 (I may have overpaid) and I had all of $5 in “repair” materials. Looked like redneck hell, worked fine for years, and we eventually gave it to another young family lacking mad-money to spend on a canoe.

I have slowly and incrementally gotten better; some of that was trial and (lots of) error, some of it was tips and tricks I learned from reading boards like this, and I thank everyone willing to share their boat working knowledge.

I’m still learning; I spent part of yesterday sanding some fugly (not my) “repairs” on a Current Designs Nomad, 18’ 10” of kaya. . . . .decked sea-going boat. Simply sanding at those “repairs” I learned a few new things; mostly what not to do in gel coat repairs.

I did not need to learn to do that sanding outside, or learn to wear full PPE, including respirator and goggles. But I wish I had learned those lessons 30 years ago.

This morning’s task was a thorough and vigorous scrubbing of an ancient MRC Explorer, another custom soloized tandem. Both of those hulls are white, or white bottomed and both desperately need a coat of paint.

I have some white topside paint; once they have both been scrubbed clean and taped/masked the actual time spent rolling and tipping out paint will take less than an hour, so I might as well paint them both at the same time using the same pan, roller and foam brush.

Who you calling a canoe geek?

P1010464 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

There are a couple kaya. . . . decked boats with rudders on that rack.