1955 CC Hurricane Restoration

Paul, I here a rumble on the jungle drums .........

Hurricane SJRR 2011........

Must be some sort of code maybe?

FINS wrote: Love the updates Alan. The clamp idea and a simple planking table are very good ideas and look like they have paid for themselves already! On the planks that require bending, do you soak, steam, and bend prior to scribing with the router and plane? It would seem you have to since the board is going to change shape a bit with the bending process. Thank God for cordless screw guns! Can you imagine setting all those screws by hand?

The clamps are working fine but could be a bit more rigid, maybe 1/4" instead of 3/16" thick steel. I may put another screw hole in front of the clamp. best solution would be to buy long reach clamps but at over $10+ each I'd hate to cut them up for a one time use.

I have yet to figure how Im going to clamp the top row of planks. I may have to remove the deck so I may end up flipping the boat to do the last row. I have about a month before I get there so it'll get some more thought.

Yes on the steaming, they have to be fitted after cooling. That's what is slowing me down because anything steamed has to stay clamped overnight for cooling. I'm working on the transom and doing prep work on the next set of planks while waiting but I can't make any time. I have to spin the boat around to work on the other side but even that is a project as I have to move all the tools outside to be able to spin the boat inside.

Setting those screws with an old yankee screw driver must have been a hard days work. Flat head screws too just to add to the difficulty.

As for a finish date I've stopped guessing but it will still be atleast 2 more winters of work before this thing hits the water guys. You'll be reading these updates for quite a while yet. Thanks for the comments and encouragement.

Alan,
Look'n good!!!

Did you find the wood bleach?

That boat looks so dang! good.

PLBC wrote: Looks awesome Alan, flipping party?

Is that an offer????   Probably some time in March, I'll put some cold ones on and we'll test the grill out after. Maybe a good place for our March Chicago bears meeting since I can't seem to get to any others.

81nautique wrote: Been a long time since I updated the thread but I just haven't had much time to work on the boat since the holidays.

You probably found yourself with a few extra hours on Sunday afternoon...

Anyhow, it is good to see _somebody_ in the greater Chicago metropolitan area shows up to do productive work on Sundays. Not surprising all people are talking about here is a roll-over.

Kidding aside, looking spectacular Alan.

8122pbrainard wrote: Mojo wrote: Alan, You just say the word and we'll all help out flipper her over.. Yep and down a few cold ones afterwards... Looking great, Magic !!!! Moj' I'm in as well!

Plan it on a weekend and I'll fly up for the flipping Party.

Yes....... I'm serious!

Been away from the boat for the last three weekends. We decided to do some remodeling at the offices which involved ripping some walls down to double our showroom size. Been dealing with the contractor, drywallers, electricians, painters, carpeting,etc all while we've been working at temporary work stations scattered around the production floor. Lots of fun, anyway we finished up a few days ago and moved back in to our nice fresh offices and I could finally get back to the boat.

Yesterday I got row 6 installed on one side and dry fitted #6 on the other, I'll install that one next week and will be done with planking for a while.

Running out of clamp space, note the wedges I've been using to ensure nice tight seams.






I then built a jig for steaming the transom planks.


Here's the original lower plank that I need to get installed so I can trim the over-hanging bottom planks before flipping the boat back over.




Really figured out the timing of the steaming, the planks have very little spring back when removed from the jig.


Also spent some time fairing in the sides starting to get some shape into it. We had some real nice weather here Saturday, it will be nice to roll the boat outside soon when I really start sanding this thing.

Bruce, I went to a vocational school for carpentry but really never spent more than a few years in the trade once out of school. Any real Knowledge or skill I may have came from working with my Dad, he was a true old school carpenter/builder/finish man and I worked in the evenings on side jobs he would pick up. I don't pride myself in being very book smart but working with almost any tool feels pretty natural to me. Enjoying what your doing certainly helps.

Sure has come a long way since I saw it at Green Lake!

Alan,
I am in absolute AWE!!!!

I have no idea where you find the time/motivation, not to mention the talent..

Riley wrote: 81nautique wrote: Bruce, I went to a vocational school for carpentry but really never spent more than a few years in the trade once out of school. Any real Knowledge or skill I may have came from working with my Dad, he was a true old school carpenter/builder/finish man and I worked in the evenings on side jobs he would pick up. I don't pride myself in being very book smart but working with almost any tool feels pretty natural to me. Enjoying what your doing certainly helps. I'd say you're a good boat builder now!

Bruce,
Only "good"?? I'd say that's a understatement!!

When people see you and Dana driving that boat around they're going to think "man, those guys must be rich". The best part about it is that in actuality you'll have the boat because of your own two hands and your own resourcefulness. That's going to be a feeling of pride and accomplishment that money just can't buy. It would be cool if the name of the boat reflected that somehow- any ideas on the name?

Thanks guys but I must admit I didn't get this far alone, lot's of reading and homework but most of all Pete B has been my fall back guy from day one. I bounce things off of him weekly and his guidance is very appreciated.

Pete, I haven't been keeping track of hours. I put in one full day on a weekend and maybe 3-4 hours during the week, I am convinced 2 experienced guys in a real workshop could plank this boat in 2 weeks. Since starting back on the boat Nov 1 I estimate I've put in 21 full work days so 4 work weeks and I'm almost done with both inner and outer planking with one man. A team could knock this boat out pretty quickly.

Joel, You nailed it buddy, there is already a great sense of pride just seeing how far it's come. This project was a test and as bad as I wanted to tackle a wooden boat I really didn't know if I had the will power to stay with it, long way to go but I'm over the toughest hurdles now.

The boat is already named in my wife's honor, she is the whole reason I took this project on and with her encouragement look where we are. I'm sure once we unveil the name people will think the obvious but those who know Dana and I will understand. Sorry but you have to wait,

I wouldn't even know what to compare it to in automotive terms as far as head-turning/neck-snapping factor. It's a big deal.