Building ‘Sharpy’ Part 109

On her trailer

The sun shone this afternoon which allowed me to transfer ‘Sharpy’ from her trestles to her trailer so that I could see her for the first time from a distance. Because of the confines of the garage I have not been able to step back and see the project as a whole. I was happy with what I saw and I imagined her finished, freshly painted in light ochre International Toplac gloss paint. Her stout short mast reminded me of the one I made for my Matt Layden Paradox. She also has upright sides and a single chine. Both boats are sharpies, but the keelboat is the more graceful looking of the two. I’m hoping she will be faster than Paradox because of her longer waterline.

Rubbing strips

After viewing her the right way up, I turned her upside down for attaching two central rubbing strips. Only having a limited time at my disposal, I temporarily screwed them to the bottom of the boat. If tomorrow is dry and warm I may be able to permanently attach them with epoxy and screws. I may even have a chance of shaping her outer stem post and attaching it to her inner one.

Rubbing strips again

I am referring to the boat as ‘she’, and yet most names I am considering for her are masculine or neuter. She is taking on a personality, and I am hopeful that I will find a name to suit her, a name that will be expressive of the purpose for which she is being built, i.e., day sailing, mostly on the River Crouch, exploratory sailing on rivers and lakes, the odd coastal hop and maybe, if she and I are up to it, something a little more challenging. Time will tell.