Jersey Girl

Houseboat update, Saturday, May 4, 2019 -- Dodging the raindrops that come and go, I am spending my 77th birthday adding more roof beams to Jersey Girl's aft deck. You might wonder why there are three spanning the center area, but only two on each side. I'm glad you asked. There will be a gate in the railing on each side, for easy boarding via the aft deck no matter which side is snugged up to a dock. But the 45-inch headroom from the sheer of the hull to the low-hanging eaves of the arched roof will present a problem to most adults, especially if they happen to be in my age category. So, I am designing a "gullwing" roof section to fill that empty space on each side that will lift up to allow boarding with a minimum of stooping down. I'm thinking of using gas-lift cartridges, similar to the ones you'd find on an automobile hatch, to support the roof section. It's all experimental; let's see if it works. A neighbor stopped by to wish me a happy birthday, and pronounced a traditional Yiddish blessing, "you should live to 120 years!" That'd be fine by me, but I would hope that by then I'd be enjoying an easy life on the water, and not still building this boat! Anyway, thanks to all who have wished me a happy birthday. You're all welcome to spend some time with me and Jersey Girl, when she's finished (but not all at the same time).

Houseboat update, Wednesday, May 22, 2019 -- A view from the bridge. Well, the helm, anyway. Or, in any event, where Jersey Girl's helm will be. The recessed central portion of the fore deck is permanently glued and screwed into place. I sure hope I can remember what I did with that hatch cover. I know it's around here somewhere.

Houseboat update,Thursday, May 23, 2019 -- Raise high the roofbeams, boatbuilder! (With apologies to J.D. Salinger.) Jersey Girl got her two main roofbeams today, but it was just for a trial fitting. It turns out I mismeasured by an inch and a half, but luckily it's no big deal. There's still plenty of wood to make a strong joint, and I'll fill in the gap later, as I go along. I made another discovery as well, as I hoisted each of these beams into place, one end at a time while I was precariously perched on 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch hull framing. A year ago, when I was a mere 76, this would have been easy. Now, at 77, it's still possible, but noticeably more difficult, with respect to both strength and balance. I'm glad I started this project at 73 and didn't put it off until it was too late! Some things require more strategizing than they used to. Tomorrow, I will pull the beams back down, taper their forward ends a bit so the roof slopes down a little at the forward end, then glue and screw them permanently in place.

Houseboat update, Sunday, May 26, 2019 -- Jersey girl now has her two main roof beams and her two side roof beams installed. When the epoxy cures, I will start fitting her arched transversal rafters, following the pattern I established at the stern. In the meantime, I checked to see if the starboard aft cabin bulkhead would fit on the port side as well, if I reversed it. I know it should, but one never knows, does one? As it turns out, it's a perfect fit! That means all I have to do is use it as a pattern, tracing it onto another piece of 3/8-inch panel of marine plywood, and cut it out.

Houseboat update, Tuesday, May 28, 2019 -- The rain cleared out just before dusk this evening, so I had an opportunity to install Jersey Girl's two aft cabin bulkheads. The openings are for "eyebrow" windows, but I won't put those into place until I'm sure there's no danger of crashing through them with errant construction materials. Tomorrow, if weather cooperates, I plan to work on more of the arched roof supports. That will bring me closer to a job I'll be happy to call done, but dread doing -- installing and finishing the roof. For that, I'm thinking of stabilizing the trailer and boat with jack stands, and buying or renting a scaffold system.