Red Green Craftsman's Club

[phil416]

   When Deep Blue neared completion, my friend Anson dropped by and commented that the stuff I built did the job intended, but looked sorta homemade.  This made me wonder am I the only one? 
   1.  Are you an expert barnyard engineer?  Making what you need from whatever is close at hand.
   2.  Do you work hard every day, but the results are never Bristol?
   3.  Is your loving paint job a 50 ft. Masterpiece?
If you can answer yes to any of these quetions you are eligible for the Red Green Craftsman's Club.  Named for my heros up in Possum Lake Canada.  The rules are simple; No one is authorized to call the meeting to order. No dues, no T-shirts,no membership lists, or any other impediment that make organizations such a pain.  If you belong you know and welcome aboard.     Fair Winds Phil

[Godot]

Wow.  Yeah.  That's me.

[Auspicious]

Depends on the skill set. My electrical and electronic work is darn good. My woodworking doesn't rise to cabinetmaking (more finish carpentry). Glass work -- a bit rough. Varnish work ... well I'm putting that off.

[Godot]

I heard the term "work boat finish" a long time ago.  One of the advantages to owning an old and inexpensive boat is that there is no expectation of a "bristol" finish.  And a damned good thing, too.  My work is functional, reasonably attractive (for the most part); but definitely not up to yacht standards.  I like it this way.

Examples:
Before pic...


After pic...


Actually, that new cabinet looks pretty good in this picture.  Believe me, though, a perfect job it ain't.  You can see the gaps in the fit even in the small shot. Still, it makes me happy.

As an aside, the VHF location was an experiment.  It is right by where the antenna cable comes in from the mast, keeping that length as short as possible.  I have two wireless WHAM command mics that allow me to use the radio from the cockpit (or anyplace within a hundred feet or so of the boat) which work pretty nice.  The experiment was a success, although next time I'd go with a WIRED command mic. Next step is to mount a AM/FM radio right next to it.

[phil416]

Adam;  Welcome Aboard,  Looks great to me.  A side note; I found that a well maintained workboat appearance was a greart icebreaker wherever I went.  Local sailors see your boat and they say I can do that.  Deep Blue made many friends for me.  heck for stout works.  Phil

[boblamb]

Here's my application to join the club.  We remodel our good old boats by and for ourselves.  And the 50 foot rule fits me to a "T" ;D

Bob

[Jim_ME]

That Red Green Club, may be for me, too.

For those who might not be familiar with the show, I found a photo showing an example of his workmanship...appears to be a clever combination of a tow vehicle and boat trailer...possibly amphibious if you keep the boat strapped on?

I've learned much about how to be creative and fix things from the Red Green Show, and that the most important tool is vast quantities of duct tape.

At the risk of sounding picky though, I do think that in a marine environment, he should wear his red suspender on the port side and green on the starboard.  ;D

[Jim_ME]

Can't resist one more... This one apparently addressing that eternal dilemma between towing capacity/traction and fuel economy...  ;)

[phil416]

thanks Jim for the pictures.  The important thing is when we see someone struggling with boat repairs, give some encuragment, and relate our own learning problems.   We the mechanically impaired are sailors too.   Phil

[SamHunter]

Well... I'd LIKE to think I produce mostly 12-foot beauty, but reality seems to be just a bit more "distant".

So...  I insist that I am simply following an old oriental philosophy:  That nothing should be "perfect".  Instead, the creator/craftsman must deliberately build in some non-trivial flaw to ensure no one can think s/he is so arrogant they tempt the fates by claiming perfection in their works.

Since I can pretty much GUARANTEE there will be at least one "minor" flaw in whatever I build, I am comfortable the fates won't think I am arrogant enough to claim "perfection".

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!   ::)

[Godot]

I had never heard of Red Green before and missed the reference.

I've rigged up some pretty ungainly (yet remarkably functional) contraptions in my life; but as far as the boat goes, they've been temporary (you should have seen the cockpit enclosure I rigged up one year with a blue tarp, a boat hook, a broom handle, and a maze of docklines and bungees).

Perfection is not it my genes.  I don't have the patience for it.  Once I recognized that in myself, I became a lot happier.  Experimentation is in my genes, and I generally figure that I'll get a project to the "good enough" stage in two or three iterations of different ideas.  This can be expensive if good wood is used, so I often use the cheap lumberyard stuff, which is terribly painful when a fully operational idea has to be redone because it simply didn't last.  There's a balance in there somewhere...

[phil416]

Hi Godot; You are my kind of sailor. I just completed cockpit enclosure #3 on Deep Blue, It finally is starting to look presentable.  The last iteration was built from junk sails and did the job but soon began to fall apart.  Keep the faith.  Phil

[Captain Smollett]

Hi Godot; You are my kind of sailor. I just completed cockpit enclosure #3 on Deep Blue, It finally is starting to look presentable.  The last iteration was built from junk sails and did the job but soon began to fall apart.  Keep the faith.  Phil

Phil, you give me great comfort...I am not the only person requiring multiple 'tries' to get something 'right' (where right is 'acceptable').

"Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes"  --Oscar Wilde

(  ^--- one of my favorite quotes)

[Ingy]

I miss the Red Green Show.  We can't get it on the dish we use.  My practice when all the nitpickers point out  flaws is to tell them to show me how to do it right.  It seems they are able to overlook quite a few things after that.  Bristol is very far from my location, especially in fit and finish of the interior.  I have enough trouble with right angles and straight lines, when you throw in curves and everything else forget it.  Or there's always the old saying "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with B.S." 

[David_Old_Jersey]

One of the things I have struggled with on the refurb project is my expectations not being met by my skills!................I am getting a bit better (accepting less!), but it is still a conflict.......and I like "workboat" style! - plus I know will be happy to wear her down gradually over future years back to needing some TLC - rather than trying to keep her spic and span.

My problem originates from a Father who used to have wooden boats, and fought an endless battle in his bilges against.................dust! (honestly! - and the rest of the boats matched that).