In recent threads about our younger years in olden days, several people made reference to kit boats.
So, who built from a kit or even scratch, growing up?
One summer, in my teens, a friend down the beach, built a "hydro plane" out of fibreglass over plywood. I helped but mostly watched and gofered for him. Thing was about 5 feet long and looked like a punkin seed scootin' around the bay. Scared all the grannies. Crazy, they said.
Anyway, after a bunch of years beating ourselves up chasing salmon in a 12' plywood job, I made a deal with the old man. I'd build a boat and he would power it.
In the summer after grade 10 I talked to my upcoming G11 shop teacher. Being the good boat, beer and fish guy he was, he agreed to my kit boat project.
Sight unseen, I ordered a 16' laminated mahogany shell. Just the hull, no transom, no ribs or stringers...nothing. Thing wobbled off the truck like a Siamese slinky. Once a week in shop, I would fabricate pieces to take home on the school bus and either fit it or take it back for redo.
We needed a steam box, so teacher put the challenge to the class to come up with one. The simplest setup was done by a native kid from Bliss Landing who was the best damn salmon smoker anywhere. Made it out of stove pipes rigged to a big old 5 gallon milk can.
Only place we could fire that thing up was the "Home Ec." kitchen. After school.
Miss Mastrodonatto was not the least bit impressed with "a bunch of buffoons turning her kitchen into a savage potlatch to cook sticks." She came around. Maybe mom's canned salmon, maybe Okeover Arm homebrew; who knows.
So, we got 'er done. Slung a couple long shaft Evinrudes on the back.
By launch time, I had turned 17 and was able to work in the mill, make more money than a small town kid should...bought my first car. A whole new world opened up and a major shift in priorities exploded... a whole 'nother book in that statement.
So, here's the end result. Pity picture taking was such a challenge back then. Mostly a camera without film...
So, who built from a kit or even scratch, growing up?
One summer, in my teens, a friend down the beach, built a "hydro plane" out of fibreglass over plywood. I helped but mostly watched and gofered for him. Thing was about 5 feet long and looked like a punkin seed scootin' around the bay. Scared all the grannies. Crazy, they said.
Anyway, after a bunch of years beating ourselves up chasing salmon in a 12' plywood job, I made a deal with the old man. I'd build a boat and he would power it.
In the summer after grade 10 I talked to my upcoming G11 shop teacher. Being the good boat, beer and fish guy he was, he agreed to my kit boat project.
Sight unseen, I ordered a 16' laminated mahogany shell. Just the hull, no transom, no ribs or stringers...nothing. Thing wobbled off the truck like a Siamese slinky. Once a week in shop, I would fabricate pieces to take home on the school bus and either fit it or take it back for redo.
We needed a steam box, so teacher put the challenge to the class to come up with one. The simplest setup was done by a native kid from Bliss Landing who was the best damn salmon smoker anywhere. Made it out of stove pipes rigged to a big old 5 gallon milk can.
Only place we could fire that thing up was the "Home Ec." kitchen. After school.
Miss Mastrodonatto was not the least bit impressed with "a bunch of buffoons turning her kitchen into a savage potlatch to cook sticks." She came around. Maybe mom's canned salmon, maybe Okeover Arm homebrew; who knows.
So, we got 'er done. Slung a couple long shaft Evinrudes on the back.
By launch time, I had turned 17 and was able to work in the mill, make more money than a small town kid should...bought my first car. A whole new world opened up and a major shift in priorities exploded... a whole 'nother book in that statement.
So, here's the end result. Pity picture taking was such a challenge back then. Mostly a camera without film...
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