Fattening Up Slim
Not sure why, but there is something erotic about this shot
Yesterday before the real world woke up and made me earn a living, I was able to dash over to HQ and get some things started. Like Sweet Pea’s need to be ready for a summer of slow rides. AND, getting SLIM ready for her remaiden voyage. She has been in a carport for some time. The Bee’s had there way with her, and she did dry out.
A Classic Chesapeake Bay moment
Ya, she is pink alright. Out in the sun.
Early morning sunshine
Now, there is a traditional way to do this with skiffs. You just put them in a shallow place in the water and let them sink. Wait a day, or two and bam, she is soaked up. But having just done her good with a fancy lipstick smear, ( Thats a paint job) I wanted to preserve as much of that as possible.
The Butler way
Well that soaks
Soakem if ya gottem
So I did the George Butler method. Soaked burlap. And I threw in a Matt touch. old soaked up towels. All this took some time, and of course it was an amazing day. So I just decided to sit there and watch the wood swell. And then the phone rang. And pings, and all sorts of life intruded on my swell moment.
Tears of joy!
Relaxing in paradise. For a second. But that second refueled me for the rest of the day.
Brings back memories of my old boats before “no soak” bottoms. The Spring ritual!
Maybe a dumb question, but did you use fresh water or pump water out of the bay?
yes hose water
You should have named her sieve.
Even though my U-22 hangs over water in the boat house all winter and I have a “no soak” bottom, I use the butler method without canvas. I fill the bilge with a couple of inches of water for a day or two just to toughen up the inside hull. The cradle hoist supports the structure evenly with despite the extra weight. Before putting away for the winter I wash the bilge thoroughly so come spring everything bilge wise is like new.
I knew there was a reason to prefer my plywood boat!
Did that with an old Thompson 40+ years ago. . Waited and waited, hose running, water cascading out between bottom planks. One moment it was falling out, went in the house for some reason, came out 30 minutes later and it wasn’t. The falling water was down to a trickle, great! The hose was still at full throttle though with six inches inside and trailer tires flattening from the weight. It happened that fast. Wow.
When I had my sea skiff
Yeah that one
You could see the water drip between the planks in the bow area
After a couple days all tight
Thanks woodyboater
Need to learn how to use a caulking iron and mallet.
Matt, I thought that you might fill the Skiff with ice cubes for the Sunday night party to get a jump start on the soaking.
Slim looks good, just needs a burgee pole, and a woodyboater burgee!
Now she’s “Fat Bottomed Slim”