Well...I'm finally back after about 6 weeks traveling through New England presenting boat building class. After delivering a boat to Lake Saranac in upstate New York, we took the ferry across Lake Champlain and then over to Brooklin, Maine. Brooklin is the home of WoodenBoat Magazine and The WoodenBoat School. I taught classes on Runabout Restoration and Marine Painting and Varnishing. Then after some much needed time with family I got to teach one more class at the original Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury MA. This is the oldest continually operating boat shop in the country, started by Hiram Lowell in 1793.  

Beautiful light  from the south facing windows

Still headed with a wood stove, save your scraps

Notice the floor, coated with 200 years of dripped paint and glue. 

The shop overlooks the Merrimack River in northern Massachusetts 

1948 Deluxe Runabout
Jack has removed and replaced most of the areas where rot was found. He'll keep working to remove and replace.

17ft Carolina Skiff
After bedding the first layer of plywood, Shane adds the deck planks.

Chris Craft Holiday
We're doing some more detailed adjustments on the Holiday engine this week

1955 Continental
We're doing a second test run on the motor this week before we plan for the next sea trial.

The Nancy
We've got the deck hardware on the Nancy but we've got a long list of little things to get done.

1967 Lyman
There's a few adjustments to be made on the Lyman steering and engine.

26ft Sea Skiff
We're working on finishing up the Sea Skiff as well.

Ski Boat
I'm still building up coats of varnish on the deck! In the photos it is hard to tell the difference between coat #3 and coat #10, but we can tell.

17ft Carolina Skiff
Shane is quickly making really great progress on the Carolina Skiff! After he finished both rear hatches, he fit the plywood for the first layer of the deck and is now bedding it.

1948 Deluxe Runabout
We shipped off the engine today. Jack is continuing to remove deck and side planks for further inspection.

1961 Willy's Jeep
I'm almost finished building up multiple layers of varnish on the wood for the Jeep.

Update from Gary in Maine...
Looks like class is going well! They are scraping and sanding old paint and varnish off one boat. Masking off the hull for painting on the second boat. Priming the bottom of a third boat.

Carolina Skiff
Shane added more beams in the forward deck to support the new deck that will be put on.

1955 Continental
Shane is fitting the hardware back on the rear light post and reinstalling all other deck hardware.

1967 Lyman
Jack installed the rest of the rub rails, fixed the steering, and tested the gauges.

1961 Willy's Jeep
I'm working on building up coats of varnish on all the wood for the Jeep!

Deluxe Runabout
We're removing some deck panels to continue inspecting for more rot, removed the engine and packed it up ready to send out.

'55 Continental
We tested the engine before taking it out for a sea trial. Everything looks great! We just need to make a few adjustments.

1961 Willy's Jeep
After Jack finished dry fitting all the wood, I'm working on filling any holes before we stain it to match the rest of the interior wood paneling. 

Carolina Skiff
Shane painted the bilge and can now start reinstalling the inner mid and top rails.

1967 Lyman
The Lyman is looking great, we just need to make a few adjustments to the steering.