|  |     Make sure you have good ventilation, that the kids know to keep their
    distance at all times (sometimes they'll forget at crucial moments if
    you don't make it a hard-and-fast rule to stay away all the time --
    that was *my* experience with *my* kids, at least), and make sure your
    wife understands that this project may take about five times as long as
    you said it would when she agreed to let you undertake it. <grins>
    
    Nothing like building your own boat to make it fun to be on the water.
    
    I put together a 14-foot Folbot from a kit. It was well worth it.
    
    Have fun, relax, and measure twice before cutting once.
    
    John H-C
 | 
|  |     To announce to the world, on April 25, 1993, my home made boat,
    hit the water.
    
    "Fish Naked" as she is called, embarked on her maiden voyage on Dockery
    Lake, in north Georgia.  She handled like a dream.  No leaks. 
    Smoooooth.  She landed 11 trout, and missed a good six.  she is
    Beautiful.
    
    8 ft, 3 inches in length.  4 ft wide at its widest part.  30 lb thrust
    trolling motor.
    
    She handled me (295 lbs), 50 lb trolling motor battery, wife (about 130
    lbs, ice chest and tackle box with no problems.
    
    I was nervous at first, about putting her in the water, but man,
    nothing like being out in open water, in a vessel in which you have
    built with your own hands.  Now my wife says, your gone all winter
    hunting, and now your gonna be gone all summer fishin.  
    
    Guess the golf clubs will start getting rusty.
    
    bob
    
 | 
|  |     	This is more of a boat restoration question:
    
    I bought that 16' aluminum jon boat I mentioned in a previous topic and
    decided to do some minor restoration (it's gotta look good!). Anyways,
    I stripped all the old paint off of the bottom. Worked some aluminum
    sealing putty around the rivots and primed those areas with special 
    alum primer. To finish this job right I should be spraying the exterior 
    of the boat with marine grade paint. I'm thinking TREMCLAD. Anyone had
    any experience with useing Tremclad on a boat. This would be sooooo 
    convienient. Any input here will be greatly appreciated.
    
    
    thanks,
    
    _Kev-
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