Hey guys. Sorry I dropped out for a while there. I took some time away from the boat during the cooler months but have made great progress since I restarted.
I cut and varnished all the interior and exterior wood, made and installed the transom board and put the transom back on the stern, applied a final coat of paint on the interior, and have been testing polishing methods on the exposed metal. For the transom board, I sandwiched 2 pieces of 3/4" hardwood plywood, installed, drilled, removed, varnished three times, and reinstalled using stainless hardware. I then bolted the transom back onto the stern using stainless hardware. For polishing the sides I used a hand sander with 3m metal finishing pads with and without rubbing compound. I need something more aggressive to achieve the shine I desire. I need a high speed, high torque tool for that.
I took a few pics but mostly just plowed through the work. I will post after resizing.
I am now researching power options. I love the idea of electric but want the range of gas. I see there are 165lb thrust engine mounted trolling motors out there. Would these be an option for a light aluminum vessel? I could fabricate a hanger for that. I would be surprised if I am 1000 lbs currently. I am leaning toward a 50-90lb gas engine but if I can keep 2 banks of batteries and recharge one bank with a 1000w generator while the other provides propulsion I would go that route.
I could conceivably be on the water in a month or so if the stars align just so...
