Alan and two helpers working on one of Seeker’s mermaids in Shasta California.
Ellie and Brooklyn scaling the mermaid.
New dust connection hose. 🙂
The Canadians have arrived. Father and son, Jack and Robert from Grimsby Ontario.
Betsy helping unload the main mast.
Bart and Johan prepping for welding.
First 5 sections of the Mizzen.
Looks like we are going to have to finish the sails before we build the tender.
Growing the Sewing Table
Tinka celebrating Johan’s return from Sweden.
I endured 30 seconds of the presidential debate last night. I saw nothing presidential, honorable or respectable. Only two rabid dogs. If you stay too long on the side of the baiting pit you too become covered in their mud and excrement. So I Seek something true and find it in the words of the poet.
Hannes Stauffer, Brenzikofen Switzerland
David Sharp, Groveland, California
Jim and Nancy Bambenek
Hannes flew to the USA from Switzerland, purchased and old Volvo to get around, and spent 57 days traveling the length of the Mississippi on a raft. David rode in on a bike from Northern California on a loop through the USA, and has build his own boats including a trimaran. Jim and Nancy spend weeks each year traveling about the USA in their camper enjoying outdoors. They all have a desire to learn, share their skills, and to make the most of life. Building Seeker is a passion for me, but it is also a magnet for people I love learning from. Seeker crew continue to amaze me.
OMG! Their working on an outboard again! 
Someone stop them.
David from California and Hannes from Brenzikofen Switzerland
Jim from Winona, MN
Someone call Mike Rowe
I just love the diversity of people that come to help build Seeker. From tall ship captains, to truck drives, to nuclear reactor design engineers. Everybody has a skill and knowledge that becomes part of the boat. Danial and Rob, a pair of engineers from San Antonio, Texas stopped by and we put them to work testing the ROV’s tether and lend some inspiration. It was great to meet two young engineers that had a passion for building an racing. There car was with them and then were on a trip to Nebraska to compete. These are the kind of engineers that I love to see. The ones that get dirty, think outside the box, and have a love for what they are doing. Seeker crew are Awesome!
For details and updates on the tether see: Winch & Cable
The snow birds intent on being “First” in the warm ponds are working their way south along with the cooler weather. The main mast is off to be galvanized. And it’s fun to be back inside the hull. We’re double welding the plates on top of the lead and adding frames to reinforce the keels. The lightening holes look awesome, but they will also give use tie down points for cargo or the occasional adventurous sailor. Our crew and viewers continue to be a great source of inspiration. We appreciate the love you show through ideas, supportive comments, gifts, and labor. I also love the diversity of our crew. Amateurs looking to build skills, pros looking to share skills, and retirees with the knowledge of the world. Thank You!
Remember the flying sub in “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”? I have always loved lightening holes in aircraft, and now they will be a visible part of Seeker.
It took the better part of two days but we got one of ten frames cut for the cargo hold. It was not one of our better weekends. Getting a hole cutter best suited for sheet rock to cut through 3/16″ aluminum took lot of skill and patience from Doug Stout. And we had more that our fair share of do-overs on patterns for the frames themselves. And the heat in the hull finally drove us out. We’re looking forward to more cool weather.
Doug making our template.
Bart and Hugh
First of 10 frames in the cargo hold.
That second capstan has been siting in the lathe from over a month, and Doug Stout a retired machinist showed up and not only completed the bore but showed us some really nice tricks. Tomorrow is the final fit up. The rest of us spent the day stretching and breaking ROV cable. Very surprising is how crappy Cat5 is and how much better RG6 is at haft the cost of Cat5. The tick now is to find some strength members that can be added to the RG6 that will take the load before the RG6 reaches it’s limits.
Bart and Anders Maudal from Norway helping me break wire.
Cat5 in Polly showing good but not great number.
Doug the hack, and Doug the machinist.
Megan, Bart, and Anders.
Testing Cat5 Bury in Poly
Explorer Tulsa came to see the boat.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! About 50 folks showed up for last week’s open house and we got a year’s worth of good vibes. Seeker is more that a boat, she is a crew and a following of people that love making things, building a better world and who love life. Thanks for sharing your love!
Special Thanks to Scott Rokeby for the aerial shots. You can get Scott to shoot your event. See: https://www.facebook.com/DaedalusImagingLLC/