Thread: Goat Island Skiff - New Build - Walnut Creek CA

It feels good to be back building and reading of the exploits of others building their Goats!

-Jamie

05 March 2010

Back to Building a Goat

Some of you may be wondering if I can take longer to build a GIS than it takes to permit and build a nuclear power plant. Well, here is a run down of the events occurring over the past year and half or so:

1. January 2009- Moved from Walnut Creek, CA to Danville, CA Both located in the East Bay, San Francisco., only about 10 miles apart.
2. May 2009 - Had a baby boy.
3. August 2009 - Moved 2500 miles across country, from Danville to Cranberry Twp, PA (north of Pittsburgh - THE City of Champions).
4. March 2010 - Goat Island Skiff work resumes.
5. Pending: May 2010 - baby boy #2 due.

With a pregnant wife and young baby, our house shuts down early at night. I am usually able to get into the garage for a few hours after wife and baby have retired for the evening. My wife keeps asking why I am staying up so late!! It has taken me nearly 6 months to the garage organized (among other things), with a work bench and shelving. The problem is the temperature. Low 20-30's during the day, teens during the night. Fahrenheit. Celsius is around 0, +/- 5 to 10 degrees. The garage is not heated, and has 3 of four walls exposed, but stays about 10-20 degree warmer than outside.

Dedicated readers may remember one of my most glaring and memorable (to me) gaffs.

A new hull side panel is nearly complete. The panels were cut from one piece of 8 x 4 BS 1088 marine ply before moving cross country. Last weekend, I glued the butt strap in place. I have trimmed the chine log to fit, positioned it and clamped it in place with the 10 mm overhang per the plans.. This weekend I'll finish it off with the glue and screw like I did here: Goat Island Skiff. I will soon be caught up to the point I thought I was at in November 2008.

A full inventory of lumber on hand was conducted. I need a few more key items... lumber for the spars (DF), one DF 1" x 4" x 16' for the one remaining mast stave I have to cut, some white oak for gunwale caps and skids, DF for the inwales, and finally, DF for the oars. It didn't seem like much until I wrote that out.

I would be surprised if she is ready launch before next summer; but I will plug away at her when I am able to - time and temperature willing. I am really looking forward to making the spars, mast, and oars.

A thanks to all those other GIS builders out there, providing inspiration at every turn to get "her" done and out on the water...

Look at all of the blogs out there now, all GIS builders!! MIK will have himself some kind of fleet:

Goat Island Skiff - Sacramento
Goat Island Skiff Amateur Style
Oztayls-Building Shesha, a Goat Island Skiff
Goat Island Skiff build - Perth, Australia
Planing Around
A Boatbuilding Project
Building a Goat Island Skiff

Not to mention those without blogs but posting on the Storer forum.

And Clint, a professional builder who is always helpful with tips and advice is producing GIS kits now.


(my apologies if I miss any GIS builders)