Bill Moeller Commentary: Time for a Lifeboat?

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We verge on drowning in crises. Beyond our health epidemic, we must also face, yet another, tragic killing and its aftermath, this time on the streets of Minnesota. And we have to find answers to both. We cannot ignore either. There will be solutions, but we have to act.

In order to bring a passing relief from those important dilemmas, memories of “better times” surface. 

In my case, building a boat came to mind, or, rather, two dreamers building a boat. It was both a lot of work and a lot of fun. Several years ago my son, Matthew, and I decided to do just that. Both of us had some experience building small rowboat-size crafts but we wanted a boat large enough for two people to spend a weekend or more aboard. And we wanted it sturdy enough to tour anywhere on Puget Sound up to — and including — the San Juan Islands. And of course, we wanted construction to be simple.

Matthew went online and found plans that fit our needs. I already had a covered area for construction and enough power tools, plus a 50 horse power outboard engine from a previous boat. So, with a stack of plywood and a few 2x6s,we were on our way.

Boat building is a lot simpler these days than it used to be. Plywood, fiberglass, epoxy and wire are enough to build the hull, which was constructed upside down on a building jig consisting of plywood bulkheads cut to specified dimensions. Placement of them was clearly described in the plans. The hull required four sheets of plywood, each 24 feet long, built by joining three sheets end to end, using fiberglass tape and epoxy glue on both sides of each joint. Following the plans for cutting each sheet carefully, we ended up with two pieces for the boat’s bottom and two for the sides that — when attached to the framework and wired together—completed the hull.

All pieces were joined by a process called “stitch and tape.” Holes are drilled every 3 or 4 inches along each side of a seam and then two pieces are joined with short lengths of wire twisted until the seam is tight. Are you still onboard? This was enough to lay short fiberglass patches between each wire, and then cut the wire “stitches” loose after the epoxy hardened. Another long fiberglass strip was then laid over the entire seam. The added layer made us feel a little safer in rough water.



After all the seams had been sanded smooth and the entire hull was sheathed in fiberglass, it was time to turn it over and start on the cabin. We made several changes there, the first being increasing standing head room from the plans’ five feet to six by lowering the flooring (with extra reinforcement) and raising the roof. The plans called for a two-piece sloped windshield but we wanted more of an older look, so I made use of my basement power tools and built a three section vertical windshield with each pane curved on its top.

V-berth bunks with storage underneath were built according to plans, but those plans also called for a porta-potty located between the bunks! That was not satisfactory and it was moved to a closed-off compartment in the cabin. Plans called for a small table and seats on the port side of the cabin but that was scrapped in favor of a raised plywood seat on each side with storage drawers underneath.

Construction activity was limited during the winter months but we got it done! Was the effort worth nearly three years of our spare time? A couple of trips to the San Juan Islands plus countless hours spent anchored for the night in a secluded cove along the shores of the Salish Sea and being wakened the next morning in calm water by seagulls calling to each other are unforgettable memories.

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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.