Shelter

Once I felt like I had a good handle on the plans and all the templates were cut out it was time to order the plywood and lumber. I decided on Marine Meranti (Phillipine Mahogany) Brand "Aqua-tek" BS 6566 from Westwind Hardwood. A few days before the wood arrived I realized I needed somewhere to keep it. My landlords have allowed me to build a shelter under their patio. Perfect! I've got around 10x20 feet to work in. It has been raining almost everyday for the last week so I am happy to say that the shelter is working perfectly. I bought an outdoor thermometer and put it up inside, My average temp. while working has been 10 degrees Celsius, thats roughly five degrees warmer then what the weather forecast is.

I have since closed in the open end

Getting ready to start tracing the templates

onto the plywood!

Research

After much research online looking for the right boat for the pacific northwest I came across John Welsford's designs. Beautiful boats and there are currently around five or six being built in this region. After more research into this design and finding the John Welsford Yahoo group, where the designer himself is ready to answer questions along with the many other builders who hang around the forum. Knowing that there is a good support base and the design seems right for the coastal conditions here I ordered the plans from Duckworks. The first step for me after receiving the plans was to first figure out what I was looking at and how to interpret the plans. After that I decided to make full size templates out of bristol board. I'm not sure if this is called lofting, but i imagine it is similar.

How it started

I guess you could say I was a prairie boy, Born in Manitoba In the middle of a wheat field. Well the hospital in the city was in the middle of a wheat field. I knew nothing of sailing, the idea of ever sailing a boat was probably the last thing that would ever be in my mind. Until I was introduced to Naomi. She grew up in Squamish where we now live. One of the last things we did before moving from Manitoba to B.C. was hike the epinette creek trail in spruce woods provincial park. I remember the last day hiking back to the car I was asking her the names of different parts on a sailboat. I didn't have a clew what she was saying. She tried explaining the different points of sail. I wanted to know because I knew that her dad had a sailboat and they had a few dinghy's at the family cabin. The first two weeks in B.C. were spent at the cabin. I dont think I was brave enough to sail one of the dinghy's on my own the first week. I would serve as crew moving back and forth on the tiny boat trying not to hit my head. The second week at the cabin I remember Peter, Naomi's dad. Taking a scrap piece of paper and drawing a diagram of the different points of sail and what it all meant in relation to the sails. From there I went down to the dock and nervously pushed off on my own in a mirror dinghy. I would say I fell in love but I might get in trouble, so I was hooked!

After that time spent at the cabin I wanted to build a boat. But back to the real world and finding work, unpacking, etc. Time went on. I started racing with Peter on his Mirage 33 with the Squamish yacht club. What a great way to learn! S

till hooked. Another year later, more time spent at the cabin, more racing, the idea of building a boat returns! This time I'm gonna do it!

This blog will be my build journal with photo updates. Please Enjoy.

A view of the dock at the cabin!