This one didn't fit.

When you do choose to build a boat that doesn't fit in your van (see previous post...) this kind of thing has to happen. This is the very beautiful 'Kamala'. Mikey (my partner) designed and built Kamala. It is 22ft long and is part of the reason I fell in love with him. This is Kamala being taken on a truck back to the water after coming out for some work. Whole other story but we had melted 750kg of lead in a bathtub over a big fire and made a new bit of lead keel. It's OK, we did wear respirators...and gloves...except for Al who couldn't resist running his hands through all that lead shot.

Phew!

We are on the move. Luckily my project is a small one. When moving boats it is far far easier if they actually fit inside your van...

Light

Hang on, this isn't my boat?! No, it's an interval in the story of the building of Bumble. It's not meant to be an example of spectacular photography. If you want to see some really fantastic photography go to Lucy's latest post - box elder.

I was given these daffodils the other day. It was very strange. I looked at the brilliant Australian sun shining on them and they looked very odd - to me. Daffodils are exotic here. In the UK (where I grew up) they come up at the start of spring and are native. They mass along the country lanes of Devon and cover whole hillsides in yellow. Sometimes it snows after they are in full bloom and they can be seen proudly poking their bright heads up above the snow. I love the bright light that I live in in Australia but my daffodils were like visitors just arrived from another place. Their yellow was brilliant but somehow unreal.

It's a boat!

With a small leap of excitement I get to turn my boat up the right way. It looks like it's ready to float but little do I know that I have all sorts of bits and pieces still to make. For now though I can see it's shape and can't help myself having plans about what colour I'm going to paint it. NO! STOP! That's ages away!

Boat hugger.

Hooray! All the planks are on. By this stage I have a good working relationship with my plane. It is great being able to see this little boat taking shape. At this point in the Bumble building project I shared my workshop with the previously mentioned shipwright (more about him later). It's an industrial unit with other light industrial businesses in the block, you know, steel machinists, carpenters and at least three surfboard manufacturers - it is Australia! Basically, I am the only woman around and so this small tool wielding female is a bit of an oddity. My mother brought me up well!

Getting there...

It's all his fault.

OH NO! I've just realised I am creating a 'how to build a small sailing dinghy step by step' guide. Um...oh well...can't stop now!

The edges of the first planks need to be planed at the correct angle to take the next planks. The boat is built up symmetrically. Can't really picture a wonky boat sailing too well. Here I am tidying up a plank before it goes on.

The planks are glued with epoxy and all the oozes of glue are cleaned up very well with a rag with meth...meth...um...meth...o.

Language translation required. "Metho" - its taken me ages to be able to say it but once I got it in my brain I am unable to revert back to my roots and say "methylated spirit". I am having a culture crisis. My UK roots are fighting with my adopted Aussie identity. 'Methylated Spirit' just seems so long and unnecessary but I can hear my sister laughing at me if I say 'metho'. Bloody Aussie shipwright, he's a bad influence.