since my last confession. Today the boat escaped the basement at long last. I had to make room for HVAC workers and new HVAC parts. Until today, one thing has led to another, and the rowing project has been sidelined over and over. June 12, 2026. I am amazed: freed from its claustrophobic shipyard, the…

I needed to get the Honda prepared to use as a carrier: new battery, wipers, some indicator lights, inspected, registration renewal (only 1,000 days late), new tag, used rear rack for canoes, appropriate ratchet sockets, a 200-mile shakedown cruise to Johnson City and back. All’s fine. It’s good to go (except for that ignition wiring…

OK, make some choices. Get it in the water. I bought some hardware at Lowe’s today, and when I got home I installed the eye-bolt that will anchor the bungee cord I intend to use in place of the inclined plane that sliding seat arrangements use to reduce effort during the recovery phase of the…

I attacked the aft deck with the orbital sander and 80 grit pads, went over it again with 220 pads and then with ScotchBrite (just because), wiped it down with a fresh tack cloth, and then applied varnish using a small foam brush. “Wet edges, anyone?” This small deck will be a laboratory for how…

Today is the first anniversary of starting this project. One day of project time is just about four calendar days. I really wanted to have the boat “completed but not finished” today and I almost made it. I got dizzy working out the light-bar clamps and tilts to mount the rigger on the vertical member…