Is This Forum Worth Saving?

[MarkR]

I received a message that this forum is slated for deletion.  It seems like this should be a good feature of the club and wonder why more of us don't use it.  

Just a couple of thoughts:  I noticed that a "Forums" link does not appear on the main website navigation bar.  That might help to advertise it.  We might also do articles for the newsletter advertising its existence. What do you think?

[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Hi Charlie,

As you have probably noticed, the forum is not being widely used.  Very few posts.  I think it could be a wonderful asset to the club if we could get more participation.   One of the great things about RW is that if you find something that you want to build, there are people in the club that have experience in that kind of construction.

You might want to talk to Randy Torgerson about doing a class on building a small, simple pram.  Sounds like you have quite a lot of experience and the boat under construction in one of your posts is very well done.  The boatshop could probably handle the construction of 3-4 prams over a weeks time…  Good thought!

And we normally do some Oar and Paddle workshops over the year.  Making is cheaper than buying - usually.

Mark

On Apr 28, 2016, at 11:14 AM, Charlie03 [via RiversWest Forums] <[hidden email]> wrote:

I haven't been a member long enough to know the history and intentions of the club. But with a name like RiversWest Small Craft Center, one might think that actively promoting through an online forum the building and use of boats appropriate for our local waters would be a good idea.

The downside of building one's own small craft shouldn't be money, not when labeled, BS1088, 1/4”  Merenti (21-22 lb/sheet) is available for as low as $40, and a decent 8' pram or skiff can be put together with a sheet and a half. Even if one frames with walnut (typ., $8/sf for 1/2”), uses high-end epoxies and decent varnish, a nearly furniture-grade rowboat can be completed for maybe $150. (Oars and oarlocks are a whole 'nother matter, with even a pair of Caviness clubs costing half again the boat.)

What prevents most from building a boat is time. Furniture-grade boats don't build fast. But plenty of very acceptable knock-abouts could be gotten from lofting to 'ready for sanding' in two weekends of time.

The Smith and Bybee wetlands aren't far from the Riverswest shop. That's a fun place to poke around in with a flat-bottomed, shallow-draft boat.  Kelly Point Park and access to the Columbia and the Willamette is only a bit further west from the shop, and the Cathedral Park boat launch is around the corner (though those all of waters need different hull shapes due to persistent winds).

But it shouldn't be hard to develop a pair of designs in the 8' to 10', 35 to 60 pound range whose building and use Riverswest could promote and support through this forum, not in competition with its Family Boat Building program, but as an extension of it.  

Charlie

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[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Charlie,

It's taken me a while to get back to this thread.  You and I both think this forum has value and is worth sharing.  My guess is that very few members are even aware of its existence.  Maybe one of us should write a brief article for the newsletter publicizing the forum.  What do you think?

BTW:  I keep wanting to tell you that I really like the boat you built, shown above.  I love it that it was built with a specific purpose and it fits the requirements of that purpose.  The craftsmanship makes this little boat very compelling.  You may want to write an article for the newsletter on the development of your pond boats as well.

Cheers,

Mark

[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

I will put together an article about the forums, with a link.  That seemed to do the trick with the skills list.  We've had pretty good response on that.  You put it in the newsletter, then follow up in a few weeks with an "all hands" email and response follows.  We can give it a try.  Thanks for encouraging that action!

Charlie, you might want to talk to Randy Torgerson about a "how to" class or workshop.  He always has good ideas as to how a class might be put together to attract the people that you want.  

A great way to advertise a class would be the newsletter.  Stu Whitcomb, the editor, is a great guy and does a wonderful job with it.  He's always looking for articles with photos for the publication.  You can access the newsletter archive on the RiversWest site to get a sense of the articles.  There is usually a boat build article in most every issue.   About 6-700 words and 4-6 pictures are perfect.

What I like most about your boat is that it is an honest expression of its purpose.  It's not trying to be anything that it isn't.  It's a boat built with a function in mind and it performs that function well.  

- Mark
 

[Charlie43]

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[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Charlie,

I'm embarrassed that I haven't read this before.  BUT:  It seems odd that RW doesn't want to do epoxy when that is the primary method of joining boatbuilding materials these days...  And most of our members boats are made that way.

Epoxy is done in the shop for the Salt Bay Skiff builds.

When you return from your weekend, let's talk about this.  Your program to build a boat pond boat is advanced for most.  But broken into achievable segments it seems do-able.

Mark

[Charlie43]

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[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Hi Charlie,  I think you misunderstood my intent of the word "advanced".    It wasn't in reference to construction, but design.  I think most are comfortable with construction.  And the construction of your boats is quite elegant.  Design is a more complex issue.

If we build to a plan, it has been reviewed, critiqued, poked, prodded.  Vetted.  We pretty much know what it is.  A good designer, one we know, who has forgotten more about designing a boat than we will ever learn.

If we design it, we know that it might take five to ten iterations before we get it to the 'OK' stage.  We're just not that committed.  But we are committed to building a particular kind of boat.

That's where you come in.  You are 128# (guess).  I'm 150# most days.  How do I modify your boat to suit me?  BTW: I take 85# of gear...sometimes like to take my 55# dog.  (Hypothetical dog - don't have one anymore.)  How do I make a boat like yours to do the same thing that you have designed it for?

So that's my take.  I'd be interested in your take, based upon the fact that the 'target audience' isn't interested in designing a boat, but is interested in building your boat, tailored to them.

Glad you had a good trip an hope the time with the grandkids was wonderful!

Cheers!

Mark