One of the more challenging aspects of this project is knowing when something is an issue or whether it is just a case of me being 3000 miles away from Tim and his work. This may be the case for deciding on the toe rail profile. As I mentioned last week I quite like the profile number 4 that Tim milled up. My problem is that "I quite liked" and "I think we nailed it" are worlds apart. So, in what has become a typical scenario on this project when this distance exists, I get cranky and rant to Tim. For some reason I think that profile number 4 looks a little fat and bulky for the sleekness of the Shields hull (yes, I am already enrolled in obsessors anonymous). With that in mind I took the concept is a different direction and created one piece concept that tried to emulate a more traditional two piece rub rail and toe rail. There was something about this look that I liked so I took a sketch and made an approximate mockup out of some scrap. I didn't quite have the router bits I needed so the rub rail curve seems a bit too rounded to me but this mockup did allow me to visualize a bit. I also need to deepen the deck rabbet to allow room for the deck screws. Having seen and held this mockup, I "sort of like it" as well. Still my socks have not been knocked off. And Tim tells me that I am allowed to be wowed and that the "devil is in the details". Tim passed along a nice example of a Hinckley Picnic Boat which has a similar toe rail to the rounded concepts that we have looked at. Nothing wrong here. So we are still hashing this out. On another note, we are planning a visit to Tim's the first week of June. This will be the first time that my wife and I have will have seen Bolero or met Tim. It strikes me as closing the barn door after the animals have escaped but the visit should be fun. I plan to kick a few tires and act important but I will probable just end up staring at the beauty of the Shields hull and Tim's handiwork. Well I can think of a lot worse ways to spend my time. Update: It does actually look like something helpful and productive might come from our visit, the toe rail decision. With all the mockups and drawings it seems the best way to decide is to see the concepts in person. Also, we have selected a shipper from from uship . We selected U-Save Boat Transport (uship id: boats). I picked them because they had perfect feedback and Erwin makes frequent trips to the Pacific Northwest and knows the area well. I have arrange from him to bring Bolero all the way to my Island and having familiarity with our ferries systems seemed like a plus. But really I selected them because I liked what I read and the email interchange I had with this husband and wife shipping team (Ewrin & Melissa). Obviously the proof is in the pudding and I will undoubtedly blog about that pudding in the future. Project Stats Total Hours - 437.50 Total Photos - 1278 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week 32.25 hrs

I have spent a fair bit of time this week working on shipping arrangements for Bolero. Although that date is still some time away it is actually becoming a date. With that in mind I have been contemplating what to do with this blog. All along I have used this blog as my personal resource for managing and organizing my Bolero Knockabout conversion. This combined with a few of Tim's sites are my central resources for most of my information. For some reason it has been easier for me to organize it here than on my own computer. In light of this transition from a working project to an actual sailboat, I have decided, for a number of personal reasons, to continue my blog as a private resource. I expect to fully blog the rest of the project, the delivery and a few posts of the launching and the initial water trials. So this transition is still months away. My best guess is that I will close this blog in late July. I wanted to give my faithful 40 daily visitors ample warning.

With Tim in full blown wooden boat mode, a welcome relief from fiberglass grinding I'm sure, I spent a fair bit of time finding a way to ship Bolero from Maine to Washington state. One of my early decisions was to purchase a new Triad trailer with the idea that I would almost save the cost of the trailer in shipping. This allowed Tim to haul Bolero from Connecticut to Maine at a much lower cost than having to load Bolero onto a semi for hauling. My original plan was to fly to Maine and rent a truck and bring Bolero home myself. I thought that this would be cheaper and there was that little control thing working also. But I had trailered my last boat across the country from Fort Meyers, Florida back to Washington so I wasn't overjoyed with the idea of the trip. I also have no illusion about the relative skill between a seasoned commercial truck driver and myself. With all this in mind I did some google searching to check out my options. This came up with two results. First, I never did find a good source for a reasonable priced heavy duty pickup truck rental. Actually I didn't find any heavy duty pickup trucks for rent. The options I did find didn't provide much cost savings over my second option, uship . This is my first experience so my opinion may well change. But they seem to be trying to rationalize truck shipping the way ebay rationalized individual selling. This is my listing in which I describe my shipment and the location of the pickup and delivery. One of the things that quickly impressed me was the quality of the inquires that I received from the prospective bidders. I sort of got the impression that these guys and gals are driving with their laptops open on the dashboard responding while they drive :). This is the current bidding status of my shipment. I have currently not selected a shipper, although I do have a favorite. I want to do just a bit more research before my final selection. uship is like ebay in that they use the feedback method of rating the shippers. This is certainly not a perfect method but I have grown quite comfortable with using it on ebay. I am still brand new to this service so time will tell, I will post my experiences as they they happen. Project Stats Total Hours - 405.25 Total Photos - 1223 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week 22.25 hrs

Tim has been busy milling up various profiles for the combination toe rail / rub rail. You can find more detailed info from his daily logs for Thursday April 29th and Friday April 30th . The inspiration for this concept came from Tim's Triton Daysailor project. I quite like the way the combined toe rail and rub rail cleaned up the hull deck joint and accentuated the shear line. In addition Bolero as some humps from deck repair at the chainplates that need to be hidden by the these rails. The only concern that I had prior to Tim's toe rail profile research project was finding a profile that "fit" the sleeker shape of Bolero. Profile #1 This is the first profile that Tim milled. It included a flat area along the side for including a brass rub strip which as been discussed as a possibility. From the start and from every view this profile seems way to bulky. The Shields just doesn't seem to have the size to support this much toe rail. Profile #2 This second profile is very similar to the fist except Tim removed the flat portion for the brass rub strip. Again this section is too bulky for the Shields. Profile #3 For profile #3 Tim reduce the dimensions to slim down the profile. This is a balance act. Finding the slimmest profile that will cover the hull deck joint while enabling him to fasten and plug deck screws. This was my favorite section so far. I like the size much better. I did however prefer the more rounded section of the first profile. So of course that means on to profile #4. Profile #4 So here we have the profile to end all profiles. Well for now anyway. Tim modified profile #1 to the minimum size of profile #3. This is starting to feel right. I am still pondering a bit but I like the looks of this one. A couple of definite decisions have come out of this process so far. First the idea of a rub strip along the outside edge of the rub rail is out. For me it seemed a bit too much when combined with the gold cove stripe that we have planned. Second, I am going to go with out toe rail chocks. This happened for two reasons. I have been unable to find bronze Skene chocks in a size that I like and also I just don't anticipate being tied to a slip that often. So for mooring, Bolero will use her bow fairlead and for docking lines will run over brass rub strips mounted to the top of the toe rails where needed.

With the cabin concept firmed up, Tim and I had a long conversation about the cockpit layout. From the start I had envisioned an open cockpit layout with bench seats. I quite like the styling of this type of cockpit but Bolero also promises to be a wet ride at times. So I felt that slatted bench seats would be a very usable solution. The only real dilemma was how to layout the slats. The first option was to have the seat slats start at the hull and maintain the hull contour as they came inboard. It took me a while to figure out that this wasn't quite what I had envisioned. What I want is for the seats to have the same contour as the coamings. So Tim is going to layout a 4" tall fiddle (for foot bracing) mounted on the seat bracket just below the cockpit coaming. The seats will then maintain that contour inboard as well as outboard towards the hull. The will likely be a bit of discussion as Tim lays this out. Tim laughs at me as I continue to predict that we are almost out of hurdles. But this time we are really over most of the conceptual hurdles. In my mind there are maybe three left and they are pretty small. These are the bilge pump location and plumbing, the toe / rub rail and the rigging modifications. Project Stats Total Hours - 383 Total Photos - 1170 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week 34.50 hrs

In my past life I worked as a aerospace structural engineer and the nicest thing I can say about the original Shields deck mounted chainplate fittings is "they suck". Sorry if I offended anyone but that is a technical term. The original Bolero chainplates are fastened directly to the deck with this fitting. And backed up by this: There is apparently some glass reinforcement that is suppose to help the large shroud loads work their way around the corner, through the hull deck joint and into the hull. Let's just say it didn't work. There have been a number of articles written about this weakness and possible repairs. In Bolero's case the deck had separated from the hull on both sides. A previous owner had "repaired" it by filling the voids and re-glassing the joint. Unfortunately, although the repair was thorough, it left a visible bulge in the sheerline that Tim will now have to cover up with a creatively sculptured toe / rub rail. But I am straying off topic big time. The beauty of this modification is that we don't have to stay "class legal" and can make "improvements" when it makes sense. Early on I knew that I want a true structural chainplate joint. I briefly considered external hull mounted chainplates but settled on traditional internal chainplate knees. Well here they are and they make an ex structural engineer very happy.

With the cabin structure construction well under way this week Tim and I spoke about schedules. He also sent me a brief list of the remaining tasks. Interior trim, ceiling, and joinerwork as needed (including cabin sole) Build cabin overhead/ trim and finish as needed Toerail and other wood deck trim (aft hatch, etc.) Cockpit seating and cockpit sole grate/bilge pump installation Hull and deck paint; interior paint (lockers, berth, bulkhead, etc.) Details--Deck and sailing hardware It is still premature to estimate a completion date but the remaining tasks are becoming well defined. The last remaining concept that I need to visualize and give input to Tim is the cockpit layout. I don't anticipate any issues here at all. First off, I really like the cockpit Tim designed and built for his Daysailor. And second, the cockpit is one of the pace where the Shields actually have a "bit" of room. I would also like to have storage under the side decks for my two piece oar and maybe some store shelves as well. Project Stats Total Hours - 348.50 Total Photos - 1126 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week28.75 hrs

With the porta potti decision behind us Tim and I discussed the remaining details of the cabin layout. Tim had provided two workable mockups with the idea that unless there was a reason for two different height cabin soles (one over the bilge and one running over the top of the mast beam) he thought that the v-berth should fill that area. The only reason that I could come up with was a place to store a boat bag or a padded cooler. There really isn't anyplace on Bolero where you could set something down below and have it stay reasonable stable while sailing. I also thought that this detail might add some interest to the cabin layout. Time will tell. Project Stats Total Hours - 319.75 Total Photos - 1072 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 15.50 hrs

Often this project seems crazy. I mean who would spend this much effort and money to build a 30 ft glorified day sailor? But apparently glorified day sailors are quite the rage. I originally set out to build something that I couldn't buy new hoping not to spend more than a new version of something I didn't like as well (does that make any sense?). My less than price goal has always been the Alerion Express 28 which sells for about 100k (I hope to be much less). Although I think they hit the ball out of the park with this modern / classic design I think Tim and I will do better. Well recently I was sent this link to Ames’ Point Boatworks which is building a new version of the classic Camden Knockabout. Well here is her description from the Ames website. The Camden Knockabout is one our recent projects. The hull design will remain true to the original lines of the Camden Class Sloop, drawn by B.B. Crowninshield in 1915. The underbody, rig, and cockpit have been modernized by the experienced yacht designers at Brooklin Boatyard located in Brooklin Maine. Having proven their abilities to produce beautiful, fast, functional Spirit of Traditional boats in the past, we are thrilled to be producing another modern classic day sailor of their drawing. The Camden Knockabout will be cold-molded with veneers, epoxy resin, and sheathed in fiberglass. The cockpit has been re-drawn so that it self-bails, a feature that many light day sailors of that era lacked. An inboard diesel with sail-drive will supply additional push when the breeze isn't cooperating. A spade keel, carbon fiber mast and rudder will help drive this elegant day sailor around the buoys or up the coast at the front of the fleet. The Camden Knockabout will be finished in yacht style with Teak and Mahogany accents, coamings, and cabin top. She will certainly turn heads on the water, and at any dock she occupies. With LOA 28' 3", a displacement of 3743#, and SA/D of 25 this boat will be a joy sail on a leisurely afternoon, and a lively competitor in any race. Okay, well this ranks right up there with the vision that I am working towards. But the price I heard was 195k so I guess you can buy a new Knockabout Sloop. Just dig deep.

I have often joked that heads on small boats are designed to make airline lavatories seem nice. But when you gota go, you gota go. So most small boats incorporate some form of "facilities". As I mentioned in a previous post I had laid out a small porta potti for Bolero. That idea failed rather miserably so we needed to come up with an alternative that was still legal. After some googling I came up with two. One to replace standing on the taff rail and one for the more serious business. These two option are the Travel John Disposable Urinal and the PETT Compact Dry Toilet . These systems will be used based on our needs. For liquid waste we will use the very portable Travel John and for solid waste we will set up the PETT Compact Dry Toilet. Travel John Disposable Urinal Urinal Bags provide a safe and sanitary means of satisfying personal sanitation needs when permanent facilities are not available. Travel John is convenient, sanitary, discrete, and compact. The key ingredient is LIQSORB(TM), a combination of an exclusive, patent pending, biodegradable non-woven fabric pouch containing a biodegradable polymer substance that immobilizes bacterial growth quickly - absorbs the liquid waste and turns in into an odorless, spill-proof gel bag that is non-toxic and waste disposal safe. The unisex adapter makes it easy for anyone to use while standing or sitting, and a spill guard prevents back flow during use. Men, women, and children, in virtually any place imaginable, (including airplane cabins and cockpits), can use Travel John with no mess or fuss. Its unique design prevents any leakage whatsoever in the event a full bag is dropped. Designed for use by men, women, and children Odorless and spill proof No clean-up necessary - simply throw away Compact and lightweight for optimal ease-of-use with convenience in storage (pocket, purse, flight bag, etc.) Can be used while standing or sitting Hygienic, non-toxic and waste disposal safe And here are some reviews: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Great benefit to travelers by Phil Kelley from Asheville NC Pros: Excellent product for travelers Cons: Does not zip closed. Review : I'm a pilot and I travel a lot. This product is a lifesaver for men, women and children. I buy it by the case. When you finish using it, just fold the top over and hold it for a few seconds for the gel to work. Then dispose of it in a trash can. If in a plane, just put it at your feet or in a seat pocket until you leave the plane. One thing is for sure, for the price, it cannot be beat. Thursday, January 03, 2008 Woman's point of view by Pilatus gal from CA Pros: Great fit for gals Cons: Does not absorb all urine if filled to maximum fill line. Review : Transcontinental flight for this big water drinker. The cup fit snugly, no leakage. However, stop urine flow well before the 28 oz maximum line as it will not absborb the last four ounces. Saturday, December 08, 2007 When others are waiting by A Customer from Birmingham, Ala. Pros: Fits well in pockets and can be deposited easily in waste cans. Cons: none Review : Not being able to use "squat" toilets in China, I resorted to using the few of these a friend had given me years ago for something else. It alleviated a lot of worry and provided the kind of aid for moments when a line of people were behind me and muscles were beginning to lock up. Sunday, November 04, 2007 by Brian from Chapel Hill, NC Review : This product works okay, although I thought before purchasing it that you could ziplock it closed, however if you really fill it up it will gel up, but you have to sit there and hold it until you de-board the A/C. Although better than nothing in a pinch. Tuesday, July 20, 2004 by A Customer from Indialantic FL Review : a lifesaver in a pinch, beats a coke bottle any time! What surprised me most about this system is how well reviewed it is. Once my wife and I got of the weirdness of the concept this idea really seemed like a good one. PETT Compact Dry Toilet Easy to use. No assembly required, sets up in seconds Same Height and Size as a Standard Toilet Folds into Briefcase Size with Dimensions of 19" x 14" x 5" SANITARY: Utilizes degradable waste bags (WAG™ bags) that gel Waste, neutralize odor and begin the decay process, which make this system spill proof and hygienic. Special design of seat flange keeps outside of waste bag clean STABLE: Three-leg design for stability on uneven terrain LIGHTWEIGHT: Weighs only 7 lbs. This system is a porta potti replacement. We already know, or hope, that this toilet won't get much use. During our normal day sails it will be stored behind the watertight forward bulkhead. I only anticipate using it when we are overnighting. It is a bit early to know for sure but I think that this toilet could be set up in the cabin for privacy during the day or in the cockpit for use at night. Both of these systems work on the same principal. They both use a dry a non toxic biodegradable powder that forms a solid gel when exposed to liquid. After use they will break down in the landfill in less that a year. In many ways this seems ideal compared to the idea of a porta potti and carrying around and disposing of liquid and solides in the waste tank. Time will tell but we have pitched the porta potti and I am not looking back.

Tim took a short vacation this week, but not before he create one of his infamous "Whitefield Mahogany" mock-ups of Bolero's cabin options. He modeled two different option. The first with the porta potti forward by the mast facing aft and second with the porta potti next to the cabin bulkhead facing forward. Well let's just say that I hated both of these options. I wanted a clean open feeling cabin that was functional and stunning and this was not it. The forward location was to much of an eye sore and the aft location reduced the cabin space to an unacceptable level. As is typical when we hit what seems like an insurmountable obstacle I think the worst for a while and start to think that I just don't get what I want and I have to settle. Settling is not something that I do well. In this case my wife and I had decided to drive out to watch the Women's NCAA Basketball game in Spokane. Early the morning after the game I woke up and reread Tim's log with these mock-up pictures. I thought there must be another way. So I fired up Google again and started searching. Well of course there are other solutions to portable toilets. I will talk more about those option in another post but we quickly decided that the porta potti was out. I couldn't wait to let Tim know that he had a clean slate with the interior. Although nothing gets to happen until he returns but next week should be fun. Project Stats Total Hours - 304.25 Total Photos - 1044 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 29.25 hrs

During the early part of this week Tim trimmed out the cabin sides and bulkhead. After that, this week became all about interior layout and finding a suitable location for the porta potti. I had originally laid out a plan that situated the porta potti just aft of the mast facing aft. I had thought it would reside quite nicely under a beautifully crafted piece of cabinetry and remain invisible until its use was required. Well this plan looked fine in my two dimensional drawings and even look quite doable on Bolero with Tim's tape outline. But as soon as Tim put the actual porta potti in place its excessive height became apparent. The real problem is trying to maintain sitting headroom, which is one of our highest priorities. This necessitated placing the cabin settee's at a certain height that ended up being well below the top of the porta potti. So this ended up being pretty bad news. I thought, and Tim independently came to a similar conclusion, that maybe the porta potti could be placed aft against the cabin bulkhead and face forward. Maybe incorporating it into a step / table. My only worry from this photo was that the length of the cabin sole, which was already quite short, would become unmanageable. So I asked Tim if he could make one of his famous "Whitefield Mahogany" okay cardboard mock-ups of the interior showing the porta potti in both positions before we decided. Project Stats Total Hours - 302.50 Total Photos - 1019 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 29.25 hrs

I will pretty much talk about this project with anyone who will listen and some people that don't really want to. Often, and I really mean alway, I am asked, couldn't you have found someone closer to do this work?. Well it is impossible to explain in words but I see the explanation every week when I re-review the weekly logs. Tim's passion, skill and attention to detail are especially evident this week as he laid out and built the coamings /cabin sides and aft bulkhead. Tim also chimed in about my picture count. He says that he only posts maybe 1/3 of the pictures he takes which makes this total even more amazing. Project Stats Total Hours - 272.50 Total Photos - 926 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 29.25 hrs

The current edition of Wooden Boat Magazine had two photos of classic sailboats under sail. One with white topsides, blue boot stripes and a green bottom. And the other deep blue with a white bottom. This really help us to choose the blue color scheme that I have liked all along. So this is where we are definately, I think, headed. Having said this, I did really like this shot of Bolero that Tim took. She looks good in white now that she has some wood on.

Tim had a bit of time off from Bolero early in the week while he waited for new pieces of wood for the coamings / cabin sides. Once they came he wasting no time layout them out. The details are in the logs but things are starting to come together. This project is a vision of traditional curves and ellegance that just doesn't transfer onto paper all that well. Bolero is really starting to come to life with Tim's recent work. Oh, and the Pacific Northwest weather is screaming "Time to Sail". Project Stats Total Hours - 243.25 Total Photos - 843 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 13 hrs

Ok, I am scooping Tim on this. Today Tim received mahogany for the cabin sides and coamings so he started laying them out. The full log will be posted tomorrow but here is a teaser photo. This photo shows the cabin side with the cardboard template taped alongside. Since this project began I have had a tradition of waking up early and reading Tim's daily logs, the 3 hour time difference between Washington and Maine sure helps. Tomorrows will be like Christmas morning.

A few more photos from the Shields Class website. Maybe just a little more wind than a Shields can carry in her spinnaker canvas.

I seem to constantly look at photos from the Shields Class Association website and here are some of my favorite images of Shields sailing with plenty of wind. They do seem to carry their canvas well.

More structural work this week. Tim installed the new chain plate knees to replace the "crappy" deck mounted shroud fittings. The old fittings were actually bolted into the deck and the very significant shroud loads had to work their way around the deck / hull splice to get into the hull. Many Shields, including Bolero, have had separation between the hull and deck do to this poor design. During this process Tim discovered just how light weight the interior liner was so he removed it. Good riddances I say. Tim is getting closer by the day to the "Wooden Boat" part of this project. All along I have wanted a wooden / fiberglass boat. That is I wanted a wooden boat with a fiberglass hull. In preparation for this exciting stage Tim created a cardboard template of the cabin bulkhead and has been laying out the coamings. This is the stage that brings the various parts of this concept together. I can't wait. Project Stats Total Hours - 230.25 Total Photos - 781 Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 30.25 hrs

Ok, were are back. I should say that Tim Lackey is back working on Bolero. He did a remarkable job on Iota and she looks great. I highly recommend that anyone who owns a sailboat read completely through one or two of his renovations. It is extremely valuable and free schooling. This week Tim moved Bolero and started in some of the structural repairs and improvements. I will let Tim speak for himself with his daily logs but in my mind we are on the downhill side. I know that there is still plenty to do but it seem like the pictures are getting better looking everyday. And as Tim says May is coming fast. Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 20.5 hrs

With Tim working on another boat in his shop, I have been on a bit of a holiday with respect to the Bolero project. I have taken the time to take care of some health issues (sinus surgery) and get some other chores done. The only real Bolero news is the addition of two pieces of equipment. The first is a nice Optimus alcohol Sea Swing stove, another ebay find. This stove was in pretty nice shape and lite right up. But it leaked quite a bit and needed cleaning so I order all of the rebuild parts and gave it an overhaul. The other equipement purchase was a older but restored Pfaff 130-6 heavy duty sewing machine. I bought this machine off ebay from Jay who seems to make restoring these machine an art form. Our goal is do our own canvas work including cabin cushions and the mooring awning. This Pfaff is capable of zig zag stiching so I may even attempt some sailmaking or sail repair. I say it is the calm before the storm since I know that when Tim resumes work on Bolero things will start to happen very, very quickly. Although there are still many decisions to make a bunch our behind us. In addition Tim has done much of the prep work required for reassembly. The upcoming work is the fun work for Tim, at least that is what he says. For me it will be the culmination of a vision that I have been pursuing for a couple of years. I will be both excited and nervous as it unfolds.

This was a relatively quiet week as we transitioned into the Holiday season. It seemed filled with logistical issues. I plan to replace the running rigging myself so Tim package up the old stuff and sent it to me for a late Christmas present. As an early present the wood order arrived. It was nice to see the beautiful raw materials that will complete Bolero's transformation into the modern Knockabout Sloop that I have envisioned. Although I have learned that you don't get beauty for free. Even in this short week Tim continued to knock off tasks that needed to be done prior to new construction. He continued his sanding and fairing of the hull and deck surfaces for eventual painting and he constructed new cockpit floors to replace the hole under the old seats. In addition he created the template for the anchor locker bulkhead. Tim will be shifting his prime focus from Bolero to another boat in his shop, Iota . Iota is in for some structure repairs and hull and deck refinishing. So through the end of January the work on Bolero will become much more sporadic. The new cabin and cockpit construction is scheduled to start up again sometime in February. At least that's the current plan. Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 16.50 hrs

I have been trying to figure out a cooking and lighting solution for Bolero. Searching the web reassures me that this is a common conundrum among small boat sailors. This post is a summary of my starting point. A way to keep my thought on in one place. Needs & Wants A simple, portable and safe solution for cooking and lighting. The ability to easily store everything in a bag or a locker. A stable setup that can handle wakes and walking around the boat during meal time. One that I can comfortably leave untended for a bit. The ability to create reasonable meals during an over night trip. Some form of heating to take the chill off down below. I want to try to standardize on one type of fuel. I don't want to have propane and alcohol or kerosene on board. Not Really Needed or Wanted I don't have any need or desire to cook while underway. All of the cooking will happen while at anchor. I have been considering a couple of scenarios. Propane for cooking and heating and propane or LED lamps for lighting. Kerosene or lamp fuel for cooking, heating and lighting. Propane Let's start with propane. And when I talk about propane, I mean those little 16.4 oz Coleman Propane Fuel bottles. These have really become a standard for small camping and boating cooking and heating. The are a myriad of option for cooking, heating and lighting. So I will only show those that are interesting me currently. For stove there are two off the shelf items and one modified stove that I like. These are all based on the old Sea Swing single burner type of stove that have been around for years. Kuuma/Force 10 Seacook Stove When conditions are really rough and nothing would be more comforting than hot food or beverages, this is the stove to have. Keep it stored out of the way until you need it, then mount it on its low profile bulkhead mount, conveniently located, using the quick-disconnect fitting. Ball-bearing gimbal swings easily Unique single-action pot holder accommodates any size pot up to 8'' D A true regulator, not just a needle valve Has a positive OFF position and precise flame adjustment Standard 16.4 oz. propane canister Canister provides over 3 1/2 hours of cooking on the high setting Partially used canisters can be disconnected, then used again later Makes a great back-up or auxiliary stove An adapter for foreign propane canisters is available Spare Seacook Wall Bracket available Forespar Mini-Galley Stove The Mini-Galley 2000 allows cooking under adverse weather conditions in the cockpit or below. The burner can be turned off and on instantly with no preheating or priming necessary. A disposable propane cartridge gives up to 8 hours of hot, clean heat. A simple valve permits any flame intensity. Designed to accept U.S. Department of Transportation approved self-sealing propane bottles only. This modern, attractive unit includes a low profile mounting bracket which allows the entire stove to be easily detached and stowed when not in use. It features an all stainless steel gimbaled "basket" with springs that secure the cooking pot. Modified Classic Sterno Aluminum Sea Swing Stove The biggest beef that I have read about the two stove above is the small diameter of their cooking surface. The original Sea Swing stove could handle larger pans, pots or a pressure cooker . I don't know if this is a real big deal for me or not. I like the idea of a pressure cooker and with a pressure cooker nice fry pan I could cook many of the meals I have at home. So this type of conversion or finding one of the original kerosene Sea Swings is appealing. For heaters propane just rocks. I find it hard to go much further than Coleman's. Coleman BlackCat Catalytic Heater with InstaStart Provides comfortable warmth whether indoors or in a tent Electronic ignition for quick and easy matchless lighting 3,000 BTU output operates up to 7 hours from one 16.4 oz. propane cylinder (not included) Compact legs integrate into collar for easy storage Portable easy-to-grip handle makes heater easy to carry There is a lot that I like about propane. It is clean, quick and it is the fuel of today. The canisters are readily available (and even refillable if I want to go that route) and can be found at a reasonable cost for the amount that I will be using. Propane appliances, especially from the camping world, are available and there are lots of choices including a portable hot water heater. So what's not to like? Well I am just not to fond of the the little cylinders. I don't like having that much disposable packaging for so limited an amount of product. Also most of the storage on Bolero will be in the cabin and even though these are small cylinders, I can envision carrying two or three at a time so I still need to be mindful of propane leaks. I don't know if this a problem or not with these little canisters. But storage is something to think about. Kerosene What I really mean when I say kerosene is the more highly refined, lamp oil. I don't expect to be cooking, heating and lighting on a regular basis so I am not so worried about the high cost of this product. It will be worth it for elimination of the soot and odor. For a stove the old Sea Swing with an Optimus burner would be my first choice. These seem quite well like my many who have them and I haven't found them that easy to find. I have heard that these were available in both kerosene and alcohol. For lights I quite like the Weems and Plath yacht lamps. There are often review as not have enough light to read by but many people seem quite happy with them. The decision on lighting will have to wait until I know what kind of room is available in Bolero's cabin. Summary of Fuel Properties Here is a summary of the heat content of the fuels that I am considering. Properties of Cooking Fuels Fuel BTUs/gal Propane 91,600 Alcohol 80,000 Kerosene 134,000

Except for Monday's cutout of the anchor locker, this past week was all about high build primer. What a big change. It is nice to officially leave the uglies behind. This is also the first time that I have been able to see the contrast between the topsides and bottom paint on Bolero. I find that it makes a big difference in her appearance. I am also finding myself strongly attached to a white topside. After discussing the myriad of options with Tim about wood choices he finalized the wood order which is kind of exciting. My dream has always been to have a wooden boat without having the wood in the water issues. There will not be much of a cabin but there is will be nicely finished. Click the highlighted days for details. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tim's Total Time This Week: 34.50 hrs

I have mentioned many reasons behind my quest for a modern Knockabout Sloop. But I have not talked about the most import one and the main reason that I have gone to such an effort to create such a unique sailboat. This reason is that I choose to sail without the aid of an auxiliary engine. Modifying an old race boat to use as a daysailor / weekender meets my needs for aesthetic beauty and sailing performance. The purpose of this post is to explain why this choice is important to me, what it has got to do with Knockabout Sloops and to provide some information and inspiration for others who might desire to make a similar choice. My passion for sailboats is all about sailing. I admit that the destination is not nearly as important to me as being out on the water sailing. So I guess it was natural that I choose to own sailboats without engines. I would say that if one wants to sail an engineless sail boat you need three thing. Attitude A Thick Skin An Excellent Sailing Craft Why these three things you ask. Well let's go down the list one at a time. Attitude - You will definitely need an attitude that you can sail engineless. You will be trading the convenience of motor sailing for the challenge of honing your sailing skills. You and your sailing skills will be completely responsible for where you can go and when you get there. It will be your sailing skill that gets you back to your mooring or into your slip. There will never be a guarantees that you will arrive home the same day you set out even for a day sail. Mostly you will succeed but again there is no guarantee. So you need an attitude that relishes challenge and an attitude that is flexible. I feel that the rewards are immense. One of the things that I hear occasionally from other boaters is "I could sail up to my mooring if I wanted to, I just motor because I am in a hurry". I won't argue that point one way or another. What I know from personal experience is that when all you have is your sails, unless your are rowing, you always sail up to your mooring. And surprisingly enough, not matter how many times I do it, there are times when it is not as simple as I expected. Each time is a new learning experience. By sailing you will always "get" to take advantage of these learning experiences. A Thick Skin - Other boaters will present you with countless reasons why you can't possibly sail without an engine. Or they will tell you that it is unsafe. You will be "offered" suggestions about how much better your sailboat would be if you added an engine. Or how you could fit and outboard or a small electric on that transom. All of these arguments are just about choice. All of the challenges can be overcome with skill, preparation and thoughtful sailing. So you will need a thick skin and a strong ideal around some other boaters. Don't get me wrong, most other boaters have been very supportive of my engineless sailing. But some get defensive and feel that I am just showing off or trying to prove something. I am not and you won't be either. There was a time when sailing without an engine wasn't proving anything, it was just sailing. So my advise is to keep a low profile. One of my early mistakes was that I got too excited. So, of course, I wanted to tell anyone who would listen or not how wonderful and possible it was to sail engineless. This was a mistake. What I know now is that if someone is interested they will seek the information they need. An Excellent Sailing Craft - In our modern world this may be the most difficult part of sailing engineless. Modern sailboats are rightfully called "Auxiliary Sailboats". This means that they need their auxiliary engines some of the time. Many need them most of the time. My goal for an engineless sailboat is to maximize the conditions in which I can sail. For me this means a smart sailing boat with plenty of sail area. I feel that most modern cruising sailboats just don't have enough sail area. Often time they also have a great deal of added windage in the form of radars, mast steps, roller furling, high cabin tops etc. What this means for engineless sailing is this: In light wind they are woefully under canvased and in heavy wind they have too much windage. This makes sailing in really light air almost impossible and makes it more difficult to fight off a lee shore in the heavy stuff. So what this does is minimized the wind range that they can sail in. Just the opposite of what I am looking for in a sailboat. So if you truly want to sail engineless remember that everything is a compromise. You have to ask yourself what you are willing to give up to sail more. That is the question. Since I don't have an engine I row when there isn't enough wind. So while I am rowing I get lots of chances to think about what I could give up so I could sail instead. Arthur Beiser's take on performance in his book “The Proper Yacht" Resources - The following resource have greatly helped me developed the confidence and skills that have served me in my pursuit of engineless sailing. Lin and Larry Pardey - Lin and Larry planted the original seed of sailing without an engine. They simply sailed around the world for years without an engine. They help me see that it was and is possible and also rewarding. They have documented much of their journey in their many books. Two in particular I reference often "The Capable Cruiser" and "The Self-Sufficient Sailor". Combine this with "Cruising in Seraffyn" for inspiration and you will be all set. Lin and Larry Pardey Classic manual for hands-on sailors. Discusses what every cruising sailor needs to know: preparation, maintenance at sea, safety aloft, seamanship, staying healthy. Lots of clear photos, illustrations. 1995, 400 pages Lin and Larry Pardey Full of ideas and wisdom on how to sail in comfort and safety without large cash outlays. Every sailor, whether or not they plan to sail over the horizon, should read the Pardeys. 1997, 320 pages Jerome (Jay) Fitzgerald started the Oar Club out Bellingham, Washington with the follow mission: The Oar Club is dedicated to those who sail and appreciate the beauty inherent in sailing. The oar Club is dedicated as well to promoting the skill, character, and seamanship displayed by those who sail in its traditional fashion--without the aid of engines. The Oar club affirms the rigors of true sailing--the attentiveness they demand and the strength they contest--as rewards: This is what makes the experience meaningful. We cannot imagine demeaning our experience by making it trivial or common. That does not mean that we demand that we cross oceans (though some do) or rashly brave storms (though some have) bur rather that we do what we do, in a manner real and meaningful, and eschew that which is not. Perhaps fifty percent of seamanship occurs within fifty feet of a dock... His two books, "Wind and Tide, An Introduction to Cruising in Pure Sailing Craft" and "Sailing with Purpose, The Pursuit of the Dream" were my first introduction to engineless sailing. At the time I didn't know of anyone sailing engineless in the Pacific Northwest so in that respect his books were invaluable. A sort of sailing book that is seldom seen anymore, Wind and Tide is more concerned with the necessary skills and techniques involved in sailing than the gear. A must have for any that desire to voyage under sail. Paperback 6 x 9 168 Pages A quirky philosophical work written with the express intent of encouraging men to go to sea to seek their fortune. A sailing book, blending philosophy, archetype, crude irreverance, and the need to sail. . . Paperback 6 x 9 148 Pages Neither of these books are professionally edited and they both contain grammatical and typographic errors. Many readers offend by Jay's passion, strong opinions and judgments use these errors to dismiss his books. I say give one of them a read. If Jay's message appeals to you, you will see past the writing flaws and take what knowledge and inspiration you need to become an engineless sailor. One last thing I often here is that it might be okay to sail engineless where you sail but in our area (name your area) we have a lot of calm days. I bring this up again because I live in one of those areas, the Puget Sound. And again, it is all about choice. Choose a great sailing boat and set it up with a flexible sail plan. Focus more on you light air sails than on your storm canvas as we are talking coastal sailing here. Rather than give up and say there isn't enough wind use the opportunity to challenge yourself to find a way to get more out of the wind that is around you. Sure there will be calm days. But change your own definition of what constitutes a calm. For some boats a calm is 5-7-10 kts other boats, hopefully yours, can be doing 5 kts at 6 kts true wind and still be sailing with even less. Like the Aphrodite 101