All Blog Posts (240)

what is the best paint to use on the outside of the boat and inside? how do you get it really shinny?

Missing the Middle Fork. Here's a GoPro video of the low water run through Sulfur Slide(1st Slide) Rapid. http://vimeo.com/32737431

WHAT IS THE BEST THICKNESS OF PLYWOOD TO USE FOR BOTTOM OF THE BOAT? 1/4" , 3/8" , 1/2" WITH IT BEING FIBER GLASSED.

Hi, I just added some photos of my first boat build. Its a 12' Tatman kit.  I took about 4 months to build.  Special thanks go to Randy and Sandy Dersham, and my good friend Art for all their advice and help.

I have a 14 ft boat that has some issues. Rot in the side. anyone ever fix a boat with rot in the side? please give me some tips or tricks if you have any!

I recently finished this rowboat of my design and finally got some video of it http://youtu.be/qnotdh8hIfo

I wanted to do something to personalize my boat. (I had bought it used, simply because It was the right price. I had restored the interior, but I still wanted to add something just for the fun of it.) I came up with the idea of inlaying an animal into the bow.

After considering several things, I choose a…

For those who want to watch me battling the rotted remains of the Betty Boop, the blog is going again. Big fun in the boatshop.

http://fretwaterlines.blogspot.com/

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Well, I finished off the San Juan punt yesterday and sent it off to Utah with its new owner. As my friend Lora says, for such an ugly boat its really nice looking.

more at

www.fretwaterlines.blogspot.com…

Finally realized a dream of running a local Matanuska-Susitna Valley stream that is off of the road system. We had to haul our driftboat on the back of a jet boat 15 miles upstream and drifted out over the last weekend; October 8th and 9th. The boat was surprisingly easy to load up onto the jet boat:

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I ripped open the Betty Boop / Great Thumb today to se just how bad our little rot problem is. I don't feel so good.

http://fretwaterlines.blogspot.com

Here is a summary of the first incarnation of the Betty Boop

http://fretwaterlines.blogspot.com/

Boop Oop a…

I just updated my blog to include many boating adventures from the last four months. Some of you may enjoy the pictures:

fretwaterlines.blogspot.com

So its looking like Ill get the oppertunity to build another boat this winter. Many thoughts are running through my head, one of the biggest is the finish of the boat (paint, varnish, oil, etc.). After talking with a sailor I am starting to think that paint would be the best option for what I am looking for (durability, low maintenance). I have done oil before but I feel like it does not provide all that much protection, plus I would like to do epoxy fillets on the decking that I will be…

I worked today on painting the boat name and the stripe on the boat today.  Almost finished but the weather threatened rain and I had to roll the boat back inside.  The stripe has some taper to it... 1/4" every 30".  The name is the Jenny Lind.  Named after Jenny Lind Rock in Echo Park, Dinosaur National Monument.  The process is time consuming but it's pretty cheep and technically easy once you can visualize the paint and tape layers.…

Still trying to get more background on my antique wooden drift boat. The comment about Willard Lucas was helpful. A couple of additional features which might be diagnostic are: a storage box (20x11x10 in.) made from plywood and mounted to the floor in the bow and a spare oar which is 2 piece with a metal ferrule joint that has a twist lock.

Also in checking the registration papers for the trailer I noticed that is was made in 1961. Does any one know if Willard Lucas…

Jayson,

Thanks for the response!! Do you have any idea what year (prior to 1969) this boat was likely built?? I have no background on Wilard Lucas Boats, was he building boats at the same time frame as Keith Steele?

Thanks again for the info.

Rod Woodin

Ok, as I said in the last post I've got the Eastside in the garage and am ready to start tinkering until winter when the real work will start.  I also decided to start on a chip cover for the boat.  Decided that with the high frequency of dirt roads I will be on that I needed a cover to protect the front of the boat as much as I can.  Dug out some canvas scraps I had around and got the basic cover put together.  need to reinforce it in a few spots and hem the edges for…