Mystic Seaport John Gardner Boat Shop Stool

I saw a shop stool in the John Gardner Boat Shop at Mystic Seaport and wanted to make one for our shop. It will be helpful to reach some top shelf items, pegboard over the sink and in a pinch could double as a moaning chair.

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I contacted the Museum and one of their staff was kind enough to take measurements from their stool and send them to me.

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Ran up to Lowes and picked up a piece of 1"x12"x8' Select Pine. Looks like I have some other pending projects waiting patiently in the back of the Edge....

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Drew the line for the 17 inch wide top first.

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Cut the top with a circular saw. This project is small enough that you could use a set of cordless tools.

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Traced lines for the legs.

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Traced lines for the sides.

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Traced lines for the center support and used sides to help draw the correct angle. The plan measurements are a bit off for the center support top width.

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I measured the picture of the stool to get a general idea of how wide and tall the arch is on the legs.

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The hand hold on top is just over 4 1/2 inches in diameter. I used the cap from a 5 inch inspection port to get the approximate size.

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I grabbed my level to draw the hand hold cross bar, but I ended up trimming it later as it was too wide. What I used the second time was a scrap piece of the 1x lumber, that gave me the width to match the center support below.

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I used the cap from a 6 inch port to get the approximate arch for the legs.

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Drilled a 1/4 inch starter gole for the jigsaw blade.

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Cut out the top handhold and also cut out a section of the center support with a jigsaw.

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Cut out the leg arch with a jigsaw and then used leg 1 as a pattern for leg 2.

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Dry fitting the pieces to see if the support angles and widths match up. I did not cut any bevels on the legs or supports as the angle formed between the legs and top is negligible.

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Drilled pilot holes and counterbor for the screws and then assembled the base.

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Used a router bit to round over the edges of the stool. The piece feels better this way, and you get rid of sharp edges that can gouge.

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I centered up the top and traced around the base. Then I set the base upright, flipped the top and used a tape measure to make sure top was centered up again. That way I had a idea of where the edges of the base were when I drilled pilot holes for the screws.

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Finished up the assembly with #8 1 1/2 inch brass screws. Here are the tools and materials that I used.

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Assembly finished, waiting for paint.

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I need the stool so I can reach the keel of the Penobscot 14 with a plane and bevel the keel.

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The stool could also be used to carry a few tools to the job site.

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First coat of Interlux Fire Red.

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Did some operational testing and found out the end arch is just big enough for a toe hold, handy to reposition the stool.

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Put the stool back into the shop, rounded the corners and put on the second coat of Interlux Fire Red.

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The project took about 2 hours, not including the trip to Lowes.

Paint splatters next? Nope, we'll let it develop its own patina :)

Fair Winds,
Kent

Florida 120 Mile 4 Day Small Boat Sailing and Camping

The weekend after Mother's Day a group of small boat enthusiasts have been descending on NW Florida for a 4 day, 120 mile sailing and camping event. 2014 is their third year. The group puts in at various ramps in the area, but the general starting point is Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze.

From their Yahoo Group FL 120 page: "The Florida 120 is an annual cruise-in-company for small boats. It takes place every year in May, starting on the first Thursday after Mother's Day and runs through the following Sunday. The route each year is subject to change, but it typically is in the bays and sounds in the Florida panhandle.

The 2014 event is scheduled for May 15-18.

The route for 2014 is the same as last year with the first night destination (and first meeting) being Specter Island 8 miles East of Navarre and 30 miles from the recommended launch point of Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze. This whole day is on Santa Rosa sound and is generally a windward slog.

On Friday, we all sail west back down Santa Rosa Sound and across the mouth of Pensacola Bay to Sand Island, a distance of approximately 40 miles. The last 10 miles is on Pensacola Bay which, being a bigger body of water, can develop some chop.

Saturday we sail approximately 25 miles northeast up Pensacola Bay to Redfish Cove and into Blackwater Bay to Skull Island. Again, Pensacola Bay can be choppy especially by Sand Island where a pass lets out to the gulf. East Bay and Blackwater are beautiful bodies of water not often frequented by powerboats so very peaceful sail. The poker run and wrapup of the Florida 120 happens on Skull Island.

Sunday's sail is a little shorter at about 25 miles as the fleet returns to Gulf Breeze or wherever you launched.


The challenge is to do the entire route relying less on an outboard and more on oar and wind. However, all are welcome."



We intended to intercept them on East Bay, but this year the course got cut short due to high, unfavorable winds. On day 2 the group stopped near Juana's Pagoda on Navarre Beach and camped for the night. We went over to chat and took a few pictures, saw at least 30 boats out there.

ODay Daysailer with a local abandoned boat behind.

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2 more Daysailers.

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Drascombe Coaster.

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Penobscot 17.

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West Wight Potter.

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We hope to work up to doing the event one year, but this year we went out and did a "Florida 10" on Saturday in our Drascombe Lugger. SW wind 8-10 knots, 80 degrees.

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