A Cracker Built GF18- Finished 6/28/15

[Cracker Larry]

Crazy weather all over. Sure glad I'm not in the middle of the country right now! We had record lows 2 weeks ago, record highs this week. I like the highs It will probably be freezing again next week.

Middle sole panel is glued in, with the butt blocks for the final panel splice and leaning post support. I had to router out the foam where all the butt blocks fit and that was one nasty mess. A router and foam dust is an experience in true grit



One more sole panel to go and it will be the easy one. Tomorrow's another day. Mrs. Cracker says we have to go cut a Christmas tree tomorrow though. We'll see.

[Dougster]

A router and foam dust is an experience in true grit

That's funny from here, maybe less so in the middle of it all I have wondered how you cut back the foam to fit the butt blocks, and now I know. Seems like a good, accurate way. Weather's been the same here, up and down. We're down now. 23 degrees and 15 to 20 mph wind right now. I spent an hour yesterday foolin' with a baitwell switch with timer. Got cold, couldn't get it to work, went in and got coffee. Like you say, tomorrow is another day.

Day by day Dougster

[robbiro]

Go find that good woman a perfect tree , SHE needs one to pretty up the house this season.
The cheese trays all look great, I think I would go with the White or Brown. Don't know how much the black would heat in our warmer climes!
That boat is going to be fabulous!! The foam dust is only to be feared without breathing protection!! . RO's can be dangerous with it too.

Keep on Buildin'

Robbie

[Cracker Larry]

Thanks Robbie and Doug.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, 80 degrees, sunny, should have gone fishing, or built a boat instead of the annual Christmas tree mission. We go to a local tree farm, look at 3,000 trees, she finally picks one that looks just like the rest of them. Cut it down, bring it home, make the dang crooked thing almost secure and straight in the stand, get it in the house, then it's the battle of making all the light strings work, swapping out one bulb at a time, figuring out the fuse in the plug is blown, go get more bulbs and fuses, change those tiny fuses, success, my work was done, about dark I was finally dismissed

Today it hasn't got out of the 40s, raining and pure nasty outside. Put together and adjusted the new jointer, picked and cleaned a mess of collard greens and got them cooking with some fatback, going to build a fire and not do a dang thing.

[Prarie Dog]

Today it hasn't got out of the 40s, raining and pure nasty outside. Put together and adjusted the new jointer, picked and cleaned a mess of collard greens and got them cooking with some fatback, going to build a fire and not do a dang thing.

Sounds like a good plan!!

We drove half the night coming home from a Hockey Game in Denver last night. We all feel hungover today, think T's slept the entire time except for enough time to eat breakfast. Got a heat wave today, it's 15 out there.

[Cracker Larry]

Got a heat wave today, it's 15 out there.

Jeez Paul, I'd move. We've got plenty of broke cars to fix down here where it's warm (er)

We had a short heat wave too, it was above 65 for about 4 hours today I took advantage of all 4 of them and got that last sole panel glued down. Sure glad those big beasts are done with. Going to try to get this all sanded, then fillet and tape it tomorrow, weather permitting.



Building on, as the Lord allows

[Cracker Larry]

We got the sole mostly cleaned up, but the glue from the previous day was not dry enough to sand yet, and too cold for taping. Marked lay out lines on the sole for T-top leg supports and leaning post leg supports, console, stringers, frames and other considerations.





Also filled the voids around the chase tubes and drains with thickened epoxy, no pic of that yet, finished at dark.

After much consideration, I like the white best, with thin caulk lines. Mrs. Cracker agrees. That's very unusual that we agree on anything



35 degrees this morning, maybe it will warm up enough for taping later.

[tcason]

Did I miss gas tank install?

What are gas tank plans if I did not miss it?

[Cracker Larry]

No, you haven't missed it yet. Just behind the 2 cockpit drains we will install another full width frame and the tank will go in there, with an upholstered seat running full width on top and removable back rests. I needed to get the sole installed before that frame goes in. Due to the curve of the bottom we couldn't get a tank as large as desired under the front deck. Should be able to get 36 gallons under the rear.

[peter-curacao]

After much consideration, I like the white best, with thin caulk lines. Mrs. Cracker agrees. That's very unusual that we agree on anything

I'm glad you two agreed as I mentioned earlier me to think that's nicest and most classy look

Build looks great and clean as always