(Off Topic) Some Mik/Bolger Inspired-If-Not-Designed Boat Projects Since My Last Post

Hello Mik and list,

Thought I should de-lurk and share some pics of Hilliard-eyeball-designed boat projects completed since my last post:

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The pram was launched and named Majory-Ruth. It has two shaped foam cushions for seats and can be rowed by one boofy person or two small people (pictured). It has marginal buoyancy with me in it at my current weight, but in sheltered waters (e.g the Patonga lagoon on the Hawkesbury north of Sydney) is very enjoyable to row, scooting around just above the surface like a water spider over the reed beds and around the mangroves and oyster leases. I tried surfing once, it doesn't work.

My daughters taught themselves to row in it, and once they got the hang of it headed off for an adventure to the beach at the caravan park. The last thing I heard them saying as they rowed off (since denied vehemently by both) was "Hey, lets pretend this is a car, we're teenagers and this is Parramatta Road..." dashing my vicarious Swallows and Amazon imaginings.

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More recently after some frustrations developing a bending brake for my aeroplane project I found myself musing more and more about Mik/Bolger/Benford cruisers and decided to do something with the marine ply remaining from the scow project. Since my daughter had just acquired a rabbit I decided to build a hutch inspired by the old wooden ferries on Sydney Harbour. Captain Snuffles took delivery of the Thomas Hutchley a few months ago now. The bottom is as flat as whatever part of the lawn it happens to be sitting on at the time. There was a point when I started thinking about a deep-V bottom and some concrete balast to turn it into a manned gimmick boat with sitting room in the pilot house to cruise around in at boat shows, but the four foot draft would precluded getting close enough to the shore for people to realise that someone was actually in the wheel house.

Boating projects continue with the re-scarfing of my Ness Boat mast and building a new partner after a spectacular mast failure off Balmoral Beach in a fresh southerly last month with me and four rather impressed children aboard. Onwards and upwards! :)

Cheers,
Robin