UPDATE – Blue Arabian Progress!
Reporting Live – ish from Katzs Marina on Lake Hopatcong. The Rare V Bottom Blue Arabians progress is amazingly fast. Or not amazingly when its at Katzs. Most of all the frames are replaced and soon the bottom will be next. For those of you not familiar with the speed of such things. 
Many of us have waited Months..lots of months for this sort of progress. We are reporting this all so when you are about to undergo such an adventure, you get an idea of what to expect. The Rare Arabian will be totally redone by Lake Dora!
What kind of bottom is she going to get?
Looks like their gluing the keel up out of 2 pieces of wood.
Look forward to seeing her in Tavares in 108 days or 101 if they are doing the St. Johns.
Laminating the keel seems like a good idea. Are they going to bend it into the rocker before applying the glue?
On the last picture it looks like a shim has been added and glued into place on the intermediate chine log notch? If so are the chine logs also going or are made up laminated?
On the first picture can you explain why on one frame there are batten notches on both sides and on the next one forward only the starboard side has batten notches?
Methinks the wood without batten notches is new wood . Notches are forthcoming, perhaps. Also note that frame #1 is doubled.
If I blow up the photo I don’t see any holes from previous planking screws on the notched frames. I have a suspicion the new bottom will be plywood. Any takers? Also I would bet there was a mistake made. – Any takers on that?
You will just have to stay tuned wont you!
starboard #2 is notched and port # 2 is not. my guess is they reused what they could, filled and sanded.
mistakes or not, i just wish they would come over here and finish my bottom, i havnt seen my deck in 3 years, and i just moved my business. had a flat bed tow truck bring it over. you should of seen his face!
mike
Other shops may works as fast, but Katzs is the only shop that is able to get a posting on the woodyboater webpage so how would we know? I enjoy the site, have made donations in the past, but I thought that everyone got a fair shake for the most part? I was looking forward to the story on the W engine rebuild as I have two that I need sent out to be done as well.
John, Lake Hopatcong has an active local group of woody boaters, frequent updates coming from them are going to Matt or Texx. I’m sure if you get your camera out and spend some time on the keyboard and submit a story, these shops you’re interested in could get published. Once you write an article you’ll find how much time and effort it takes. Having written and published a newsletter, when an article does come in (and its rare) either the pictures are poor or there’s little or no details or story line. Its a writers dream to have a source like Cobourg Kid or other contributors who I’ve just slighted (my appologies to them).
Thanks My R Turbo. Bob kays is amazing at keeping us up to date. Plus this Blue Arabian is a very special restoration and is part of an ongoing feature on Woody Boater so folks can see a restoration over the winter and then see the finished product on Lake Dora. Plus the boat belongs to our long time fellow Woody Boater Phil Andrews from New Zealand, who gets to see updates here on Woody Boater. We are Always open to new fun stories. Bring them on. Like Mr R Turbo said, the photos help when they are in focus. And the place doing the work is reputable and consistent.
Thanks for the pictures Matt & Co. I can’t wait to see this gorgeous boat at Dora. Excitement is building down here in New Zealand for its arrival. Probably in the depths of our winter. A ray of pale blue and grey goodness in the ‘ land of the long white cloud.’
In my shop we have heat and work in woodyboater tee shirts , we put on the sweaters and stocking caps to go outside and feed the wood boiler.