The Marine Police always knock twice

This past week, some other endeavors kept me from boatbuilding. But that isnt to say that no advances towards sailing were made. The Alabama Marine Police assigned the hull serial number, which will allow me to register my Passagemaker dinghy. How they did this was a bit surprising. A while ago, I sent off the form requesting a serial number, as is required in the state for home built boats. I assumed the description of my boat in the form would be enough for them to send me a number. But nowhere in any of my reading was there a mention of a personal visit by an armed Alabama state trooper of the Marine Police division. So when I arrived home from work one day this week, my wife told me the story of being surprised by a knock on the door, and finding a law enforcement officer waiting there. It turned out he merely had to inspect the boat and place a sticker on the transom- and voila!- I now have my serial number. Lucky for me she was home from work that day! The next step is a return to the drivers license office to pay the registration fee, and obtain another number for another sticker to apply, further ruining the appearance of my boat.
Today was a little change from sanding. I finished some odds and ends I have been meaning to get to for a while. Although earlier I had shaped and sanded the daggerboard, I hadnt yet done the rudder blade. I finished that today, rounding the leading edge and sanding the trailing edge to a fine taper. I also routered the mast step plate, and some edges of the tiller head. Then several areas got a first coat of epoxy: rudder parts, daggerboard, rub rails, and some bare edges in the hull, such as daggerboard slot, motor pad and transom knees. Sanding continues tomorrow. Total hours 77.00.

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