something else to look at

check this out

Kind of an interesting project.  I'm not ready to try it out just yet (not at $800 anyway) but I think it's pretty cool.

Won't be fooled again

As I move ahead with this project- shoulder to the wheel and all of that- it occurred to me that one of the major reasons for my failure last year was that I lost who I was. Somewhere in the mess of emotional trouble (which ended and restarted so often it now reminds me of a bad used car: at one point, you have to wonder what you are doing in it) and the race schedules, I forgot that I am a designer.
Want to know how this happened to come to my attention?

I knew you would.

We are, in many ways, defined by what we do.  We might intend a lot of things, but it is what we do that really counts.  It's so rare that our thoughts make any difference, while our words can do so much. And so, with our actions.  There is a story about this in the Bible where Jesus relates people to trees, essentially saying we can know trees (people) by their fruit (actions). I'm not going to delve into a long discussion of theology and so on, so don't worry. I just wanted to use it to illustrate the idea that our actions are a product of what we are. So, if I am a designer, I should have done what designers do. The fact that I did not, or, more accurately, did not adhere to my discipline fully, I ignored what I am to be something else.

Unfortunately, that something else was a failure. I suspect that is what will come of all of us who neglect who we are... but that is another digression.

So, to get to the point: I have been designing my new hull. Not just with a sort of general sense, but in the proper scientific method of design.

The forward model in this picture is the same design as the last post, only I managed to eliminate the flat bottom and keep the lines. Not a bad boat for a solo paddler at 14', but not a proper hull for Fenrir. The aft model is the same lines with the same 'v' bottom, but scaled in length to around 16'. I also managed to maintain the beam from the original, and I think it has a pretty nice line.

I think it has too much rock, and I haven't resolved the decking, but I think the basics are here. And, more importantly: it feels good to be doing what I do.

I believe the next step will be to take out most of the rock from the rear stem. The decking will become more  canoe-like, and then I will make a scale wooden model to test it in the water. Should it go well, I will build this hull for paddling, and then continue to adapt it as a model to house the refined pedal drive.

I will talk about the refined mechanical parts next post.
Have a good Thanksgiving everyone... unless you are not in the U.S. Then, I guess, enjoy the weekend and I will post again soon.

Images of Experimentation

Hey everyone. 

As promised, I am moving forward.  In this case I am having a look at the stitch-and-glue method of hull building.  It has the advantage of being faster and cheaper to both mock-up and build. It won't have the elegance of a strip-built or of a sculpted composite, but I don't remember trying for best in show.

Who knows, I may bring sexy back... and nothing is sexier than first place. 

Right ladies?

  

Pitter Patter I'm back at 'er

In my attempt to avoid the walking dead, I have ironically locked myself in my office and worked on boats while watching The Walking Dead. I'm not under siege by zombies. I am under siege by people who don't have the strength to be bold and follow their dream. They who cannot understand the value of vision and don't really believe the cliches they spout off ("follow your dreams" and "the future is what you make of it"...I'm sure you've heard them before).

I can hear a collective, "What the hell does this have to do with boats, Bates?"
Probably followed by something like, "Get to the point."

Part of it is me going through some stuff, (which will remain personal as far as I am concerned) but it is all connected. I am expanding my role at work as well, and that takes a good deal of time and effort. I'm adjusting my diet to make myself a better athlete (recently ran a half marathon in St. Louis and nearly broke 2 hrs) and I am working hard to get my finances into a better place. The whole thing is busy, a storm in a way of speaking,  but to me that is life.

I don't think there is a perfect time for anything really. What there are, is opportunities. We find moments when we can sieze a chance to accomplish something, or to take a step in the right direction. We need to know the direction we want to go. And we need to be bold. Every choice will both allow us to achieve, but it will also limit what else we can do. If we are to make anything of ourselves, I believe we must be decisive.

In my round about sort of way, I am trying to let you know I am still here and still making progress. I am still in pursuit of the goal. I intend to proceed as I can, or, as Least-Heat Moon said, "as the way opens."

the chaos of me making paper mock-ups on a beer-box cut mat

Of a feather

Here is a guy after my own heart.  Read this today at work while scrounging food in the kitchen.
Better than a giant hampster wheel.  Reminds me of Capt. Slocum.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444799904578053023649693516.html

An admin change

I will no longeer be allowing anonymous comments.  This is something I have been considering for a while, but didn't want to put it into effect. Recent events in my life have made me rethink that policy. While I encourage everyone to read what I write (good for my ego when I get a lot of traffic) I am not interested in anyone being a part of the conversation when they are not bold enough to be a identified.
If this is unpopular, I will miss the traffic, but I have to control my content. I am still available through the regular channels if you have something to say, but it will not be posted here.

Cheers.

I'm still here

I'm making some progress on Fenrir: Mark 2, but I don't have much to share at the moment.  Saw this video in a link on Core77 and I thought I would share.