Stada Shipyard

The  buttons of the oar's collar are strips of leather of 12 mm width. With two pieces each I could make them about 13 mm high. They are rolled on the end of the collar and glued with epoxy. To get it together when drying, I made an iron wire around it. The leather was absorbing the epoxy, so I had to use much of it. As a result, it was hard to get everything clean. I should have protected the collar leather better. It got some stains of it. But after using the oars for some time, you pobably won't see it anymore. I am quite satisfied with the whole result. Professionally looking oars to me!

To protect the wood of the oars while rowing, you need so-called oar collars. I bought a piece of leather for it. The boat had to be put in the garden and I had to take place on the seat and put the oars in the right position. With that I found out the exact place for the 'buttons' on the oar collar. The button prevents the oar from sliding. It is made of small leather on the collar. I expected the leather stretchable and made the collars 1 cm smaller than the circumference of the oar. While sewing the oar collar together, I found out that there is some space between the two sides. Probably no problem, but with the second one I will try to wet is with water. The button will be made of some small pieces of leather, glued with epoxy on the collar. The holes are punched and drilled. The end of the waxed yarn is made stiff with help of a match flame in order to be able to get it through the holes.

Done with both inside and outside, two times a layer of DD. Between them some sanding, especially on the spots that come in sight. The center part of the inside bottom has got some anti slip powder in the paint. Nice rough result, not glossy though. All banks have two layers now and are like a mirror. Left over are the rudder and the spars. The rudder has to have the pintles. For the gudgeons I have to make the holes in the transom. I want to drill wider holes, fill it with epoxt and drill again, for a waterproff result. Then I have to fasten the center seat tot the trunk. It will probably be installed for good. For the oars I bought some leather for the collars. It will prevent wear on the spots where the oars touch the oare locks. With was-oated nylon the collars will be stitched. The 'buttons' (that will keep the oars from sliding outboard through the oarlock) will be made of leather as well. A spiral 12 mm strip of leather around the oar. To determine the exact position,

After some extra hours of sanding, the varnishing could be started. I use transarent DD-paint. Two components 1:2. And some thinner. Epoxy is sensitive for sunlight and DD is a sort of filter against UV. All parts should be painted at least two times. I used a foamroller for the easy parts and a little brush for the small parts. For the rail I used a stick with a part of foam. Very handy and neat. Something I realised a day after: for making the paint more fluent, I added some extra hardener instead of thinner. Same bottles... Nevertheless all got hardened and looks very shiny and glossy. One little problem with the oars: the red paint liquefied again. The brush got red and it was very hard to get the non red surface to paint transparent. One of the grips has some faint red on it now. Two days later I put a second layer on the outside. A little extra rolling with the foam roller after 10 minutes was not a good idea: because the paint was thicker already, it became a bit like orange s

Most of the damage to the bulkheads has been repaired now, thanks to the new electric heater in the shed. Just one layer of epoxy to the places where I have been sanding too much, and I am ready.  I will spray matt paint on the ends, to mask the uneven surface. I finally put the smaller part of the boat into the bigger one. Nice to see that it is fitting. Next week will be warm. That's just what I need for the eventual layers of transparent varnish.

Although the brass rail I bought for the rail is a bit heavy, I put it on the skeg. The skeg is a vulnerable part of the boat. With this rail I will be able to get the boat on land without worries. I first  curved the rail, then drilles the holes, made little holes for the heads of the screws and finally screwed it all on the skeg. Unscrewed it, put epoxy in the screw holes, thickened epoxy ont he rail and fastened the rail again. Learned lesson: never buy cheap metal drills. Cheap is expensive.

Painted a nice design on the oars. Next time I need better tape but nevertheless, I am satisfied woth the result. The foam under the seats has been sprayed with matt black DD-paint.

In the beginning of the project, I had to join the two bulkhead parts with some cardboard between it. With this, I later would cut the two parts easier. Because the bolts on the threaded ends had almost no space to screw them, I flattened the cardboard. This was a terrible mistake. When I finally cut the boat in in two parts, it went wrong. It was almost impossible to let the saw find its way.  As a result, I cut wrong on two places. I now have to repair it by adding epoxy on the edge. Hopefully it will look nice enough. Otherwise I have to paint it in a colour instead of the nice varnished wood look. Next problem: temperatures are dropping below the necessary heights. Let's find a heater for the shed.