Spring Cleaning
Getting one of the boats ready after the long winter nap. Washing down dust and mouse nests, finding all the scattered bits, trying to remember how it all works.
@eyeinhand boats are everything
@eyeinhand Wow that's a beautiful boat!
@Thalass Thanks!
@eyeinhand what a beautiful boat!
@cbielstein Thanks! She's lovely to sail, as well. Lifts up her skirts and skips across the water.
@eyeinhand Do you mind if I ask what kind of upkeep a boat like that takes? I sail small wooden boats similar to that at a local nonprofit that cares for them and teaches lessons. I've been considering purchasing my own but I'm a bit afraid of the level of maintanence required...
@cbielstein
It all depends on how the boats are built and finished. A traditional boat needs yearly care, even if used infrequently. I'm terrible at maintenance, so built these with that in mind. They're over 10 years old at this point, and the only thing I've had to do is add one coat of varnish 5 years ago. Storing them in a shed out of the weather helps a lot.
I just added a link to the blog. In that you'll find a link to the day they came out of the shop.
@eyeinhand Wow, that's a lot less work than I anticipated. Do they see salt water? I've heard salt and sun are the enemy of wooden boats, so maybe that'd change upkeep...
I hit the blog again, boat looks just as good now as newly constructed. Very nice!
Yes, they do get to saltwater. A mix of salt and fresh, though my boats are kept under cover most of the year, and aren't used nearly as hard as the boats at CWB.
Honestly, that's the beauty of small boats. You can take them anywhere, don't have to stay in one place. And you can store them out of the weather when not in use. Big boats stay exposed year round, and take a beating.
@cbielstein Are you referring to the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle? If so, they're a terrific org, lots of great people there. Many friends connected with that place.
@eyeinhand I am! I learned to sail there a few years ago from one of their instructors and have been sailing there ever since. CWB is one of my happy places. 
But they also (understandably) limit sailing to Lake Union, so I've been trying a few other places around or bumming rides off of folks to expand my sailing experience. Thus starting to get the itch for my own boat. So many bodies of water in the PNW and they're all calling my name...