Current Status of the Ketch Project (and some steps along the way)

Since turnover, the interior has been ground down to bare wood, sheathed in glass, epoxied and varnished. The bulkheads were in place with the building molds. The deck structure has been built with steam bent Oregon White Oak beams. The beams are finished and varnished. It's amazing how long all this takes. Yes, there are faster ways to build a boat, but I want something that I'll savor when it's done and will be something to pass on when I'm gone. Since 'the year of the ballast' I'm back to wood working. After installing the ballast, I sanded and final coated the bilge with more epoxy plus painted under the cockpit and pilot house. The deck is continuing to go on, with prefinished V-groove staving. This summer I got most of the deck on, (leaving some open fwd for light and ventilation) and I'm starting to finalize the side deck and bridge deck and build the pilot house. Then interior cabinetry.

Dec. 2010 to March. 2011: Building the pilothouse. SEE BELOW. It's now temporarily sheathed. Notice the oak grown knees. Soon I'll be taking it apart, prefinishing the pieces and gluing it back together. I'm now working on the companionway.

Keel Pouring Shows most of what happened in 2009 and early 2010

Test panels for the Port Orford Cedar deck overlay and exterior Oregon White Oak brightwork now started.