Another kind of boat
Sunday, August 4, 2013 (boat), 10 comments
The grandchildren have for some time asked for a garden playboat (those grandchildren who are not sailing around in the West Indies in a real sailboat). After some prokratination, partly due to a massive workload and partly to different opinions on what to build, we agreed on a combination playboat-playhouse with room for a couple of kids in sleeping bags.
Construction grade plywood and some boards were purchased and so it all started.
A couple of days later it looked like this: the framework done, all in IKEA-like modules ready to be transported and "launched" in the home port/garden. On the pics the boat is temporarily assembled to check measurements and angles. Of course it is strong enough to be climbed on everywhere.
It got thumbs up from the prospective users at an inspection today.
Among the insprational sources are Jay Benfords interpretation of old coasters. With the "superstructure" enlarged and foredeck squeezed they become almost a charicature of the original, but still with some of the marine flavour intact.
When it is assembled and bolted together, the kids will paint and decorate it. This is the suggested color scheme.
It has been a very nice project, in spite of a relentless sun, no wind and over 30 deg C day after day now. I will miss the boat when it moves ;-)
So back to touching up the old worn Njord, that is visible in the pics...
Update a couple of days later
More details and a birds view of the progress.
Close-up of the foredeck area. One opening widow and two fixed. The mast and the crane boom in place, as are the handholds on the rooftop, and a 2" tube for the anchor chain from the foredeck down to the bow (may be seen in the pic above).
The ladder to the sunroof is also in place. I like full-size details, even though the boat is small. They offer the same charming, somewhat naive feel as old sailor ship models: erratic in proportions but correct in details (unlike museum models that are to scale and where details can not be done in the correct scale simply are omitted).
Close-ups of the sturdy handholds and the mast foot.
View from the "cabin". No sole yet – it will be attached when the boat is assembled in the "home port" (the parts are yet held together with a couple of temporary screws – thus the light shining through the gaps).
Tomorrow is moving day, and the boat is disassembled into easily handled part and ready for transport...
Update after "tomorrow"...
Here the boat is assembled again in the small garden in Lomma. Next is some sanding and the paint job – I guess the boys need a little assistance from mom and dad. That done, windows (sheets of plastic panes) are to be installed, door handles, ropes for the crane boom, anchor with chain and other hardware purchased and installed...
Some photoshopping to suggest a possible final look ;-)
