Rub rail redux

Over the last two nights, Ive continued to lay up the rub rails on the port side of the Passagemaker dinghy, and tonight the task was completed. Turns out its true what they say about practice making perfect; by the fourth and final strip, I was getting pretty good at applying just the right amount of thickened epoxy, and attaching all the clamps to hold the strip in place. Once this final strip completely cures, I can trim the ends and shape them, sand the laminated strips smooth, and give the edges a nice shape with a router. After that, things enter the home stretch, at least as far as major boat construction goes. I hope to get the fore and aft seats in place this weekend, after which there are only a few small parts to install: bow and stern knees, and motor pad. Then the extended period of finish sanding, painting and varnishing begins.

Yesterday morning, I stopped by the local License Office to pick up the forms for registering the boat. This is never my favorite place to visit. Nonetheless, Alabama state law requires that motor-driven and sailboats be registered. (Whether this also includes vessels like the Passagemaker dinghy when used as a row boat is unclear.) The first step in this process will be to apply for a hull serial number from the state Marine Police, a division of the state troopers. Once this number is assigned to a newly homebuilt boat, the registration and yearly fee is obtained from the county License Office. Fortunately, Alabama has no provision for titles or license plates for boat trailers, so I am spared that hassle. Total hours 68.25.

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