363 days after turning the boat over she finally got a taste of her true element. I worked late into the night sanding, varnishing and completing other chores so I could take her to the Toledo Wooden Boat Festival yesterday. My wife and I drove to Toledo and launched her about a mile and a half from the festival.
When I thought of launching Ravn I envisioned a larger affair with friends and food, but the actual launch was better than I imagined; just my wife and I at a quiet boat launch with no one else around. I tied a glass nazir (a Turkish bead that symbolizes the eye of God) around the stem with marline and tucked a spruce bow and a raven feather in the marline. Then I said a little prayer to God, poured my favorite beverage on the bow stem. Gave her a little shove off the trailer and she was afloat for the first time!
There's still a lot of work to do -- I need to make the mast, yard, boom, rudder, tiller and fit the hatches on the water-tight compartments -- but I feel like I've really reached a milestone.
The best part is that she rows like a dream. I'm eager to see what she will be like with two, three and four rowers.
And what was that beverage, Brandon? Congratulations!
ReplyDeletedoryman
OK. I'll fess up. I'm addicted to Pepsi One.
ReplyDeleteShe looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteKabes: can you feather the oars while rowing. I see your oars are round (not square) at the kabes. I'm building a Sooty Tern by Iain Oughtred and would rather avoid oar locks, but kabes aren't removable readily. Thole pins can be.
ReplyDelete