On the water
13/06/15 04:37
Looking back, it is a good thing that we had our Messabout with boats on May 31. Had it not been for that wonderfully fun afternoon, I might not have gotten any paddling done that month. May is usually a good month for paddling for me, but the particular combination of weather and various tasks that needed to be accomplished, with a quick trip to Montana thrown in for good measure, and I didn’t get on the lake very much at all.
For the record, it only seemed like the wettest May ever. 6.86 inches of rain is a good amount for a place that averages about 18 inches per year. It is well above double the average May precipitation of 2.98 inches. According to the National Weather Service, which has been keeping precipitation records in Rapid City since 1943, 2015 is only the seventh wettest May on record. In fact it is only the second wettest since we have been living here. May of 1996 was the wettest on record, with 8.18 inches of rain.
But everything worked together for me to get out in the rowboat yesterday morning and it really felt good to stretch my muscles and work out with a well-balanced little craft that really gets going when I put some muscle to the 7 1/2’ oars. I am really more of a paddler than a rower. Canoes are my favorite type of boats. This little rowboat, however, is very special.
I made it the year our grandson was born. He was our first grandchild and I want to share my love of boats with all of my grandchildren. I thought that his parents would probably be more comfortable with him going out in a rowboat when he was young than in a canoe or kayak. So I decided to build a rowboat and name it in his honor. The boat is named “Mister E.” The double meaning is intended. Our grandson’s name begins with the letter E and he is and will remain a bit of a mystery as we all are.
Of course not just any rowboat would do. I want one with a bit of historical flavor, but constructed of plywood for ease of construction. I don’t have access to old growth timber for planking a boat as was the case a century ago. After studying a variety of plans, I chose the Chester Yawl. Boats like the yawl were used as working craft in the 19th-century. Efficiency was critical in human-powered craft, so the shape of the hull evolved into a long and some what narrow form with quite a bit of rocker to make the boat handle mild waves and turn easily. These working boats were sometimes called Whitehall boats. For my purposes, I was hoping for a lovely wineglass transom that could support a name board with “Mister E” on it.
The Chester Yawl seems to match all of my criteria. Mine was made of plywood, formed by the “stitch and glue” process, with thickened epoxy filets sealing the plank edges. Designer John Harris seemed to come up with just the right balance of appearance, inexpensive construction, and performance.
Every time I take that boat out, I’m proud to be rowing it and I feel like a fortunate person to have such a fine boat. I installed oarlock sockets in three different places so that boat can be rowed solo or tandem with two moveable rowing seats and adjustable foot braces. I finished my boat with varnish on the interior, but paint on the outside to reflect the workboat heritage.
This morning promises the possibility of a paddle. I decided to do a little touch-up on the rowboat last night, so it isn’t ready to put into the water this morning, but I have a small canoe on the roof of the car and I’ll be heading to the lake in a few minutes. Two days in a row to be out on the water is a real treat this year. It hasn’t happened that many times so far.
When I do get out on the water, I remember how much I miss it when I don’t get there. It isn’t just the exercise - though exercise is important. It is the way that time alone outdoors adjusts my attitude. When I spend too much time in front of the computer, or solving church problems, or dealing with people, no matter how wonderful those people are, I find that I am a bit too cynical, a bit too critical, and a bit too quick to judge. An hour of rowing or paddling seems to accomplish the required adjustment in my attitude.
There are still plenty of signs of the wet May we just completed. The water is high in the lake and quite muddy. It is harder to see the fish and there are fewer fish rising. But there are also advantages to the high water. The lake is so full that the boat ramp is entirely underwater. This makes it more difficult for those who are launching big boats from trailers. However, for someone like me with small and lightweight boats, having the regular shoreline submerged means that I can launch almost anywhere around the lake with a nice grassy and gradual entrance into the water.
And then I get to breathe fresh air, watch the birds swimming on the water or soaring in the sky, enjoy the interplay of light on water with the rising sun as I feel its warmth creeping into my body that not long before was resting in bed, and behold the incredible beauty of God’s creation.
The luxury of owning several boats is just one of the privileges of being a boat builder. More significant for me is that there is a deep satisfaction in rowing or paddling a boat I made with my own two hands. I can trust my boats because I know exactly how they were built. And I can enjoy them because I was able to build them within my budget.
If you’re looking for me and I don’t appear to be around, check the lake. It is likely that is where I’ve gone.
For the record, it only seemed like the wettest May ever. 6.86 inches of rain is a good amount for a place that averages about 18 inches per year. It is well above double the average May precipitation of 2.98 inches. According to the National Weather Service, which has been keeping precipitation records in Rapid City since 1943, 2015 is only the seventh wettest May on record. In fact it is only the second wettest since we have been living here. May of 1996 was the wettest on record, with 8.18 inches of rain.
But everything worked together for me to get out in the rowboat yesterday morning and it really felt good to stretch my muscles and work out with a well-balanced little craft that really gets going when I put some muscle to the 7 1/2’ oars. I am really more of a paddler than a rower. Canoes are my favorite type of boats. This little rowboat, however, is very special.
Of course not just any rowboat would do. I want one with a bit of historical flavor, but constructed of plywood for ease of construction. I don’t have access to old growth timber for planking a boat as was the case a century ago. After studying a variety of plans, I chose the Chester Yawl. Boats like the yawl were used as working craft in the 19th-century. Efficiency was critical in human-powered craft, so the shape of the hull evolved into a long and some what narrow form with quite a bit of rocker to make the boat handle mild waves and turn easily. These working boats were sometimes called Whitehall boats. For my purposes, I was hoping for a lovely wineglass transom that could support a name board with “Mister E” on it.
The Chester Yawl seems to match all of my criteria. Mine was made of plywood, formed by the “stitch and glue” process, with thickened epoxy filets sealing the plank edges. Designer John Harris seemed to come up with just the right balance of appearance, inexpensive construction, and performance.
Every time I take that boat out, I’m proud to be rowing it and I feel like a fortunate person to have such a fine boat. I installed oarlock sockets in three different places so that boat can be rowed solo or tandem with two moveable rowing seats and adjustable foot braces. I finished my boat with varnish on the interior, but paint on the outside to reflect the workboat heritage.
This morning promises the possibility of a paddle. I decided to do a little touch-up on the rowboat last night, so it isn’t ready to put into the water this morning, but I have a small canoe on the roof of the car and I’ll be heading to the lake in a few minutes. Two days in a row to be out on the water is a real treat this year. It hasn’t happened that many times so far.
When I do get out on the water, I remember how much I miss it when I don’t get there. It isn’t just the exercise - though exercise is important. It is the way that time alone outdoors adjusts my attitude. When I spend too much time in front of the computer, or solving church problems, or dealing with people, no matter how wonderful those people are, I find that I am a bit too cynical, a bit too critical, and a bit too quick to judge. An hour of rowing or paddling seems to accomplish the required adjustment in my attitude.
There are still plenty of signs of the wet May we just completed. The water is high in the lake and quite muddy. It is harder to see the fish and there are fewer fish rising. But there are also advantages to the high water. The lake is so full that the boat ramp is entirely underwater. This makes it more difficult for those who are launching big boats from trailers. However, for someone like me with small and lightweight boats, having the regular shoreline submerged means that I can launch almost anywhere around the lake with a nice grassy and gradual entrance into the water.
The luxury of owning several boats is just one of the privileges of being a boat builder. More significant for me is that there is a deep satisfaction in rowing or paddling a boat I made with my own two hands. I can trust my boats because I know exactly how they were built. And I can enjoy them because I was able to build them within my budget.
If you’re looking for me and I don’t appear to be around, check the lake. It is likely that is where I’ve gone.