Hello everyone,
Though at times it seemed the sanding, painting, filling in holes, making holes would never end, my boat is now out of the garage and onto its trailer. Such a feeling after a whole lot of hours leading up to this point.
Check out the most recent photos: http://buildingpocketship.wordpress.com/
Also, for those still in the 'what outboard' debate, here is another option: the 2.3 hp honda. Same size and weight, though not likely any quieter. (see photos of mounted outboard at link above). Seems the 2hp is typically enough, but I always had the hesitation of, for just a bit more weight you can get a lot more power! So when I walked into the store to finally see them in person, the sales guy directed me to the 2.3 which I didn't even know was available during quite of lot of internet shopping. Will let you know how it works once I'm on the water - perhaps in another month or so.
As I still have a bit to go, a couple items I was pondering and wondering if anyone has any input to share: seat cushions and boat cover. I definitely like the idea of the sealed cushions like on John's CLC PocketShip, but they are bit pricer than I expected. Are making fabric seats any cheaper, or preferable for other reasons? And do some of you do just fine on camp cushions?
I will be storing it outdoors, so will need to cover it, especially once the sails are on. Of course there are the all-purpose tarps, but seems they are not a great long term option. I could get a simple sail cover, but I would also like something to keep the varnish and paint lasting longer. Wondering how well a complete cover would work with all the structure extending above the boat (i.e. would the cover act like a sail if it's windy?).
-Sean