In case you think shipwright Louis Sauzedde isn’t listening to viewer comments – this video will assure you that he is not only listening – but also taking viewer comments to heart. So much so that Lou has removed the plastic hawsepipe that he installed in the skiff and replaced it with a modified bronze through-hull fitting. He is varnishing and adding bronze to make his work skiff a bit more refined than originally planned, due in no small part to viewer comments.
Installing the bronze fitting into the covering boards calls for something to seal that open wood now that it’s been exposed and will continue to be exposed to salt water (presumably)! Coating the opening with the 2:1 epoxy will seal the grain and prevent rot. Lou then thickens the epoxy mixture with Milled Glass Fibers from TotalBoat – turning the thickened epoxy into a perfect marine adhesive that will work perfectly on the wooden skiff. The High Performance 2:1 Epoxy mixture is a bit more flexible and dries more clear than the 5:1 Traditional Epoxy Lou is used to using on his projects. And as we know with Lou, it’s hard to teach him new tricks – but he loved the new epoxy and so will the eventual owner of the work skiff.
Lou’s special “cleat system” also gets refined and installed in episode 35. And it won’t be long until Lou is calling on this unique system to tie the boat alongside a dock, another boat or onto a trailer.
Come to the Tent Sale on April 22 and see the skiff for yourself. Meet Lou and try out the different products he has used on the skiff. Other impressive wooden boats from our hard working customers will also be on display at this “mini boat show.” We hope to see you in Bristol on the 22nd. Send Lou comments and questions below and he will be sure to read them and maybe even use your insight to change the way he is finishing off the TotalBoat Work Skiff!
