Boatbuilding
I have managed somehow to get myself sucked into building boats recently. It started in Fall 2003 when I stumbled across the Chesapeake Light Craft web site. They happened to have their newly redesigned West River 18 kit on sale, so I convinced myself this was something that was absolutely necessary. I decided while assembling the kit that it was more an epoxy-technology experience than a boatbuilding experience. Not that there is anything wrong with that -- the kayak is great fun to paddle and performs very well -- but I wanted what I envisioned to be a true boatbuilding experience, with the emphasis on building and woodworking. After quite a bit of research, my first choice was a Caledonia Yawl by Iain Oughtred. I bought the plans and after a couple days of due consideration I decided I was nuts to try that particular boat as my first serious attempt. Besides which I don't yet know how to sail (yes, yes, cart before the horse and all that, but I am signing up for sailing school this summer). In the end, I found Arch Davis who designs small craft (and some larger ones, too) for beginning boatbuilders. So now I am in the midst of building his Penobscot 14. You can check the links below for more information than you probably want about these projects.
Boat Projects:
Paddling
When I am not in the classroom and not tied to some
vacuum chamber
or other, I like to get out and do some paddling. My favorite destinations are the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Quetico Provincial Park. Here are the itineraries and some selected images from trips I have taken:
| Year/Area | Itinerary/Notes |
|---|---|
1991 Quetico | Pickerel, Russell, Agnes, Hurlburt, Metacryst, Fred, Dore, Pickerel -- my first trip, woo-hoo! (some photos from this trip can be found on the 1997 trip page) |
1993 BWCA | Lake 1 to Seagull by way of Knife Lake without meaning to -- also known as The Gumby Trip |
1994 BWCA | Seagull, Knife, Thunder Point, Ottertrack, Cache Bay, American Point, Red Rock -- my spouse's first trip, woo-hoo! |
1994 Quetico | Pickerel, Cub, Sturgeon, Chatterton Falls, Dore, Pickerel -- rain, wind, and a spectacular sunset |
1995 BWCA | Brule, Winchell, Vista, Kiskadinna, Long Island, Temperance, Cherokee, Brule |
1996 BWCA | Sawbill, Frost River, Little Sag, Polly, Phoebe River, Grace River -- a small rivers tour and my favorite trip to date |
1997 Quetico | Beaverhouse, Quetico, Jean, Sturgeon, Kawnipi, Darky, Maligne River, Badwater -- an eleven day extravaganza with lots of pictographs |
1998 BWCA | Round, Brant, Gillis, Little Sag, Crooked, Tuscarora, Round -- short and restful |
1999 BWCA | Missing Link, Little Sag, Boulder, Kekakabic, Gabimichigami -- go to Boulder Lake, it's worth it |
| 2000 Quetico | Nym, Sturgeon -- an epic trip (supposed to make our way down to the Falls Chain north of Cache Bay) completely destroyed by mud and gastrointenstinal upset (it *still* looks good on paper -- maybe next year) |
2001 No Trip | D'oh! |
2002 BWCA | Missing Link, Tuscarora, Little Sag, Kekekabic, Gabimichigami -- why did we get primo camping sites? because the flies drove everyone with common sense away! flies feed on caterpillars which feed on trees -- in the woods there was this background buzz of the flies, and beneath it you could hear the munching of the caterpillars, and also the pit-pat of caterpillar poop landing on leaves as it fell to the ground! simply amazing |
2003 BWCA | Ham, Long Island, Kiskadinna -- quite a lot of rain, short and restful |
2004 No Trip | Double D'oh! |
2005 BWCA | Brule, Winchell, Omega -- cold and rainy and quite relaxing |
2006 BWCA | Angleworm, Crooked, Lac La Croix, Agnes, Stuart River -- gotta like them 2 mile long portages... |
Some links to other BWCAW-related pages:
Our Old House
I don't know if I should call this an "interest" or another occupation. Though it is not ancient by historical standards, our house has needed some tender loving care. So...when I am not in the classroom and not tied to some
vacuum chamber
or other and not out paddling around, chances are you can find me somewhere at home flailing away at some so-called home improvement project or another. To date, these projects have generally involved refurbishing our wood-framed, double hung windows. Taking my cue from the computer industry, I have named the projects by year:
- Windows '96 -- stripping, reglazing, and repainting all 30 storms
- Windows '97 -- stripping and repainting exterior windowframes on ground floor & rescreening about two-thirds of the windows
- Windows '98 -- stripping and repainting exterior windowframes on upper floor and the garage (who else out there has seven (count 'em) windows on their garage not counting the ones on the doors?) & stripping and refinishing interior windowframes for the living room and dining room
- Windows '99 -- stripping, reglazing, and repainting the basement windows & stripping and refinishing more interior windowframes & rescreening the other third of the windows
- Windows '00 -- stripping & refinishing the six windows and other woodwork in our tiny little sunroom
- Windows '01 -- turned into home remodeling instead
- Windows '03 -- okay, this project had nothing to do with windows, but I stripped off the old shingles and put a new set on my garage
- Windows '04 -- I made screens for my garage windows and one for the house that had been lost to history
 First Project 1996: Eliminate the Cursed Red |
 Window Hanging Demonstration |
 Window Hanging Practice |
 Windows 04 |
Some links to old-house related pages:
Dennis' Homepage | Physics Department Homepage | UW Oshkosh Homepage
Last updated on 18 April 2008