Kéet is Splashed!

Launched my SEI build in a local lake, unfortunately it was a day with no wind. Lake Pillsbury is about 17 miles up a forest service road badly washboarded from my place, so it took about an hour's drive to the ramp. This did provide a very good "shakedown" allowing me to see how the boat road on the trailer which is good as the intended use is a road warrior boat behind the Sprinter RV.

The lake is very low as are all of our lakes and this ramp is the only one of about four on the lake functioning. This did allow for a more quiet day on the lake. Set-up is easy, with most rigging being in place only requiring the raising of the aluminum mast and setting of the rudder.

With crew aboard to oar it off the trailer, down the cobblestone ramp. Shallow put-in are not a problem with this design.

Though we did practice putting the sail up while on the water we never saw any wind. The SEI in my opinion is fine for two in rowing mode, but when sailing, moves have to be choreographed for two. I will be making a few tweaks to the rigging and going to play around with tiller length. Typically when alone I will be using a tiller extension from the floor of the boat (I have it lined with closed cell foam. But with two I may try a cut down tiller and steer from aft seat.

All in all we had a delightful day on the lake, with a picnic lunch on the far side in a small bit of shade found.

Oars and spars

 Now that the boat is essentially done, on to peripherals. I had some 8' 6" oars that I just had to setup for the oarlocks and finish.

I also picked up the aluminum tubing for mast and spars. I had to make the wooden end plugs by hand as I didn't have a lathe and because of Covid could not just go use a friends. Took a little more time but ultimately got the job done. 

Then on to priming the aluminum with an etching primer and  drilling out for fittings before final finish. 

       

Launching onto trailer

 With painting done, it was time to move her out to the trailer.

Hull finishing

 Some shots of hull finishing here. Rolled and tipped. single part polyurethane. Hand done graphics. 

Work on the mahogany gunwales

 Set and plugged

 Putting final finish on now, starting with the cockpit;

While finishing I will also be working on gunnel pieces;

Prepping and scarfing;

I will also pre-bend them in a jig;

Final fairing and finishing to primer

 In between fire and smoke evacuations, I managed to get some progress on the SEI.  Below is a series of photos showing that progress to primer. Final finish and graphics will take a while longer and I still have to put together a trailer.

Also I put together the oarlocks to be installed after paint.