Sailing

When Ian and I went out the lake was flat, the sky was blue and the wind was a breeze from the South, just enough to sail. The wind moved to the west and picked-up so we were really sailing, trimming the sails as flat as possible. We were getting speed and heel. Then we were really moving and an Anvil-Cloud turned the sky black. We were heeling, dumping wind on the wave-tops feeling the thrill of the G-Force. Then we were knocked on to our beam-ends against a ton of cast iron keel. I was standing on the lee-rail watching the jib hit the water. I put the tiller hard over. We turned down the face of a wave and came-up into the wind. Ian struck the sails.We struggled to keep her in Irons until we could safely reef. Then the wind went North. Typical Lake Ontario.

Canoes

Two canoes of interest are in the works: One designed and in fabrication by Harold Potts, a Marine Engineer who currently occupies my former shop at Frenchman's Bay Marina, and one being built in the skin-on-frame tradition by my friend James at my shop at 1414 Old Forest Road. They are both using the finest straight grain clear Ash from up north. Harold's design is engineered to the n'th degree of precision and is strong enough to withstand thrusts that would easily kill any occupants. James' canoe will be a traditional Canadian design with light rocker and a moderate sheer. It will be a light-weight two person tripping canoe. Harold's canoe will be an indestructible solo canoe, a masterpiece of innovative skin-on-frame engineering.
I am also rebuilding a Kevlar Prospector. That would be easy but for four Kevlar patches on the keel applied with cheap resin. When I sand the patches the resin melts away leaving tufts of the stronger Kevlar. I have to re-coat with harder resin, sand again with fine paper and repeat.

Toastmasters End of Session

Some Pics:

I'm Back

Due to unfortunate financial burdens I have been working my but off at minimum wage for subsistence. Work- Sleep -Work- Sleep... with no time for the fun stuff. Now I have managed to sublet my unwanted studio to the brilliant Marine Engineer Harold Potts my financial burden is manageable.
I've just finished a canoe paddle for Charlie Jaffe. Currently Charlie is engaged in a Top Secret operation for CSIS. He has infiltrated a viciously cruel crime ring. I hate to think what would happen to him if they suspected that he was Rickey the Snake.
The paddle is the most typical of typical Beaver-Tail designs with an extra thick spine extending right to the end of the blade and a Kevlar patch on the end.
The blade is the size of a snow-shovel to harness Charlie's awesome thrust. The shaft is very deep tangentially to the blade at the bottom and shallow and wide at the top. This gives a good grip and spring at the top end with strength at the blade.