Port Austin

On Friday Martha and I drove up to Port Cresent State Park, where we met up with Rick for a weekend of camping and paddling. Friday afternoon, Martha and I took a short paddle down to the Pinnebog River while Rick went to find firewood. Then Rick and I went out from the campsite for a little practice paddle.

On Saturday we put in at Port Austin State Harbor and paddled out towards the Port Austin reef light. We then had lunch at the sand bar on the end of the reef. Martha and I then headed down to Pointe Aux Barques and Turnip Rock, while Rick scouted out a passage through the reef.

On Sunday, we headed home. We made a stop in Leonard to check out Bill's antique skin-on-frame kayak. It was made in '30s by his wife's uncle and restored in the 80's. It needs a little work on the skin, but the Sitka Spruce frame looks great.

Happy Easter

Yesterday Rick and I headed out from the beach at Belle Isle for a paddle up to the end of the island. The sun was out and wind blowing downstream. This made the paddle up seem like work. The paddle down took about 1/3 the time. We paddled along with several ducks and geese and a muskrat. The tree swallows were active along the banks of the channel on the north end of the island. In the afternoon I baked my (now) traditional bunny cake.

Oakland Legal News Online Covers Launch

The Oakland Legal News Online ran the above photo with the following text today:

KEY STORIES Maiden voyage Andrew Wise (left) uses a can of beer to christen the kayak he and Richard Helfrick built in Helfrick’s living room in his Huntington Woods home. Both attorneys with Federal Defender’s Office in Detroit christened the vessel “Ka-Bar’s Fury” on Sunday, March 15, at Belle Isle. A Ka-Bar is a type of knife used in the U.S. Marine Corps. After the christening, Helfrick took Ka-Bar’s Fury on its maiden voyage on the Detroit River. Photos by John Meiu

Sunday on the Huron

Sunday March 22, 2009, saw the RSCK hit the Huron River after the morning pool session. At least 21 of us ran from Dexter-Huron to Delhi.

More Pictures from Sunday

Courtesy of Pat and Penny, we have some better pictures from the launch, including the christening and Rick's graceful exit from the boat.

Launch

Sunday, March 15, 2009 saw the official launch of Ka-Bar's Fury. The weather cooperated. A small crowd gathered at 12 Noon for the christening. Then Rick took her out for the maiden voyage followed by hot dogs and beer on the beach.

What a difference a couple of nice days of weather makes. Below is a photo of the beach take Thursday after work on a scouting run:

You're Invited

The official launch is scheduled for March 15, 2009 at 12:00 noon (hopefully on beach at Belle Isle)(weather/ice situation permitting). Check back here for last minute updates. We will have hot dogs and beer (PBR is the kayak christening beverage of choice.) RSVP to me or Rick or by e-mail to detroitkayaklaw@gmail.com. I am on my way to Costa Rica. No updates 'til March 10. Check back then.



Here are some pictures of kayaking in Costa Rica from my trip in December 2007.
That's me in the bottom one.

Beware the Ides of March

Because of our vacation schedules, we have settled on March 15, 2009 for the official launch of the boat likely to be christened "Ka-Bar's Fury." Mike R has suggested "Chirrois on the River" but that hits too close to home.



In the meantime, I have been working on carving greenland paddles out of cedar 2x4s. Hopefully by 3/15 I'll have a nice one done.

It Floats

After attaching the front pad eye and tying on a rope handle on the stern yesterday, today we took the boat (Ka-Bar's Fury is definitely the front runner in the naming contest) to the pool this morning. She seems to handle pretty well and definitely floats right-side up. Jan even proved that she will roll in the right hands. (My attempt failed.)

For those of you wondering about getting her out of the house, she went straight out the front window as the back door is still locked without a key. This may actually have been easier, or at least shorter, than going out the back, through the snow and the gate to the car.

Done (?)

Two hours of work today redrilling the holes, fitting the webbing for the hatch straps and bungies and rigging the bungies. It still needs a rope handle on the stern and the pad eye on the bow and it will be ready to take out of the living room. No pictures until the formal unveilling at halftime on Sunday.

Total Construction Time: 69 hours.

Almost Done

While this boat will surely always be a work in progress, it seems like the major construction work is almost done. Last night when we flipped it over, we decided to put another (6th) coat of varnish on the deck. About 1/2 hour of work. Then tonight we began the process of outfitting and rigging her. First we installed the foot braces. Then the back band. The next step was to drill holes where the bungies and hatch straps will attach to the deck. The holes were drilled larger than the screws in order to fill them with epoxy and redrill holes for screws. This is to keep water from reaching the wood in the holes. After that came the nerve-wracking drilling of a hole through the stern for a carry handle. We decided to attach a padeye at the bow (still need to find one), so no hole through the bow. Finally, we filled the holes with epoxy. About 2.5 hours of work.

One more session should have her ready to hit the water. We will need to see a substantial warming trend before we can take her outside, but I think the pool on Sunday should be a go.

Then of course the unveiling at Super Bowl party at Rick's.

Total Construction Time: 67 hours.

Last Varnish (?)

Tuesday night we put the fifth coat of varnish on the underside of the boat. While it will probably require some touching up, this will be the last full coating. .5 hours of work. What remains to be done is the deck rigging, carry handles and cockpit outfitting. While I am sure that it will always be a work in progress, it is looking good for a test float this weekend.



On the naming front, Martha's submission "Wandering Rage" (courtesy of a pirate ship name generator) has emerged as the front runner in keeping with Rick's pirate theme for the boat.



Total construction Time: 64 hours.

Fifth and Final Coat of Varnish/Another Call for Names

Tonight we did a final wet sand of the boat, first with 320 grit, then 400 and finally 600. We spent the extra time of the sanding because we hope the fifth coat of varnish will be the last. Then after wipe downs with water and laquer thinner, we put a fifth coat of varnish on the deck. About 1.5 hours of work.









The earlier call for names (link here) has not resulted in any submissions, so I again ask if anyone has any suggestions. I think Old Weller is also a good choice as I found a bottle in the back of Rick's cabinet when the Buffalo Trace ran out one night. Hmm, Buffalo Trace is a good name too. Any way, we need a name, so we welcome submissions and the winning entry will be rewarded and possibly announced this Sunday at the unveiling/Super Bowl party. Don't forget to RSVP.


Total Construction Time: 63.5hours.

Morning at the Pool and Varnishing in the Afternoon

This morning I went to the pool in Ann Arbor to paddle with the RSCK. I tried out my new waterproof camera. (See video below). Then in the afternoon, Rick and I spent about half an hour finishing off the fourth coat of varnish. We anticipate a test paddle at the pool next Sunday before the formal unveiling at Rick's Super Bowl party in the afternoon. RSVP and request directions at detroitkayaklaw (at) gmail.com.

Total Construction Time: 62 hours.

More Varnish Again

Today saw the begining of the fourth coat of varnish. Rick did the wetsanding on his own this morning. This afternoon Rick wiped the boat down, first with water then with laquer thinner. I worked to get the front hatch cover smooth around the patch. Then we applied varnish to the deck. It doesn't look much different in the photos, but in person one can see the difference each coat of varnish makes. About an hour and a half of work today.

Total Construciton Time: 61.5 hours.

More Varnish

Tonight we spent 1/2 an hour finishing the 3rd coat of varnish on the boat, the second on the rear hatch cover and touching up the epoxy on the front cover.


Total Construction Time: 60 hours.

More Wet Sanding and Varnish

Tonight we wet sanded the second coat of varnish, sanded the rear hatch cover, applied more epoxy to the front hatch cover (it is having a fabric patch applied under fiberglass so more epoxy is need on the glass), and applied a third coat of varnish to the bottom of the boat and the first coat to the rear hatch cover. About an hours work with a 45 minute break to allow the laquer thinner (used to wipe it down before the varnishing) to evaporate fully.

Total Construction Time: 59.5 hours.

What's in a Name

Rick and I have been kicking around how to choose a name for the craft. We would like to have some kind of contest with a formal christening and award to the best submission at the official open water launch. We are welcoming submissions in the comment section or send them by email to detroitkayaklaw (at ) gmail.com for those who might have problems with the commenting section.

I personally like the good ship ipse dixit for a name.

Long Weekend, Little Work

Saturday saw us applying epoxy to the exterior of the hatch covers, wet sanding the boat and applying a second coat of varnish to the bottom. About 2 hours total work. Then Rick got the flu and construction stopped until today when we put more epoxy on the covers and second coat of varnish on the deck. About 1/2 hour of work.

Total Construction Time: 58.5 hours.

Floating Coffee Table

After Rick sanded down some varnish drips on the deck, we applied the first coat of varnish to the deck. The boat is now starting to look like the "floating coffee table" described in the manual. .5 hours of work tonight.

Total Construction Time: 56 hours.

Doggie Playdate

No work on the boat last night due to the extra-long commute because of the weather. Daisy the dog came over for a playdate with Jake. They both tried out the boat and can't wait to get on the water.

Varnishing and Tech Support

Yesterday we put another coat of epoxy on the interiors of the hatch covers and touched up the boat some more. About 1/2 hour of work. Also we unpacked Rick's new computer and tried to connect the internet service.

Tonight we sanded the touched up spots, wiped the hull down with laquer thinner, and trimmed the glass of the hatch covers. As we were getting started, Jake the dog got dropped off for Rick to dogsit for the next few days.

Jake tries it out.

While waiting for the lacquer thinner to dry, I checked the phone line we tried to get the DSL on and found it was wired as a second line. Rewiring the line in the basement and about 1/2 an hour on the phone with sbc tech support got Rick online at home. Then we applied a coat of Interlux Schooner Varnish to the bottom of the hull. 2 hours of work on the boat.

Rick can check the blog at home.

Total Construction Time: 55.5 hours.

Building the Hatch Covers and Cleaning Up

Rick takes it in.








This morning I went out to Ann Arbor to paddle in the pool with the RSCK. In the afternoon Rick and I spent about 2 hours putting together the hatch covers, touching up the boat with epoxy on spots that had been sanded too thin and cleaning the living room.





T0tal Construction Time: 53 hours.