Howdy! We’re doing something new. Saturday mornings at 10 am we are going to be live. You get to ask questions, see what is going on, meet the crew and maybe a visitor. We are in Tulsa Oklahoma which is -6 hours from GMT, so figure out what that means for you and join us. –Doug
I question myself when I want to add something that I have never seen on a boat. But this one just makes a lot of sense to me, and lugging the 80 pound welder, and plasma cutter, grinders, and steel up and down the companionways has convinced me this is a really good idea. Putting a lift into the companionways actually started because we wanted to be accessible. While Seeker is not going to be wheel chair accessible there is still much we can do to make it more accessible and ladders are high on the no-go list for folks missing a leg or two. So boat tradition be damned, we’re putting in lifts. Yes, we could use the deck crane but think about all the things that have to be done before you can swing a load through a cargo hatch using hydraulics and a crane that needs to be secured. The lift will make the trip in about 30 seconds. So BRAVO to Russ, Eli, and Clyde that worked out the details and made the parts that got my idea from paper to steel. There is more work to be done and refinements to be made but the first parts are in place and working.
And I did an interview with Julie from DirtPatchHeaven Click here to see it. –Doug
Sometimes you need to slow down and relax, and when you don’t you lose $100 parts to the drill, the welder breaks down, the plasma torch dies, your laptop dies, and you catch a cold. Maybe these are good things. Maybe it’s the Universe making us slow down. And you know what? It’s right. Tools and the other things in our lives can be replaced. This moment we live in can not. It’s been a long time since I had a day to do something with my mind other than office work or boat work. Go see “Hidden Figures” …great movie. And many thanks to Bart, Clyde, Eli, and Russ. You’ll see them in the next video too where they are working on the companionway elevator.
And you can find Tom’s “Portable Steel Rocket Stove” Here
A lot got done this past week. “DC” and I finished out his week by figuring out a design for working the anchors on and off the boat, including a bow roller, chain stopper, and a possible redesign on the winch that will make it easy to switch out a capstan for a spool of steel cable. Then Clyde and Joel came in and we mostly completed the framing for the forward cabin sole. And along with Bart and Paul Hatch we have the hydraulic cylinder mount for the rudder installed. I’ve got one more week of vacation and beautiful weather ahead before we shutdown the boat building a switch to back to working on the ROV. If we’re going to have an awesome work boat, we’re going to need some awesome tools to do the work.
How about sailing a Chinese Junk to the South Pacific and investigating the naval battlefields of World War II? It sounds to me like the perfect job for Seeker. And our friend and crew member Nick is doing all the leg work. Check out his YouTube channels: Renegade Show and Sailing Through History and here more about our plans in this video.
Many thanks to “DC”, Paul Hatch, Richard Day, Bart, and Betsy and all of you. Please stop sending extension cords and locking plugs. 🙂 We feel the love and absolutely appreciate your support. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you! Working beside Seeker crew has been the greatest gift I have. Betsy’s got a new ankle for Christmas and I have been swapping out ice packs while DC and others put in welding time. I just makes my heart swell when I step outside and hear construction noises coming from the boat. This really is the Boat the Internet build.
–Doug
We had another very good weekend. Not too cold yet, and lots of good help from locals, Jason, Bart, and Paul, as well as Doug Fox from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who normally is engineering electronics for a nuclear power plant. It’s always fun to rub elbows with some of the really smart young people out there. It give us hope for our future.
And our sister ship is now for sale. If you are looking to get into a completed hull, ready for blasting and paint this is your chance. There is a lot more here than the $50K asking price. Check out Paul’s 65 foot Chinese Junk. If you’re serious then write me at svseeker@ymail.com and I’ll forward your email to Paul.
I tell ya. I have to make all the tough decisions around here. Chris can figure out the CNC machine and the best way to clamp down the deck tiles, and Betsy figures out how to run the web site and online store. Everybody else gets to do all the welding. But me? I have to decide which photo to use for the icon on the YouTube video. And the folks at YouTube say it’s a critical decision that will determine the success of failure of your video. I really wanted to use the one with Chis holding Bart’s hand gun that looks like a cannon with a scope. But as it really has nothing to do with the video I opted for the blow torch instead. God, I hope I made the right choice. 🙂 — Doug
This past Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. I wish we had more holidays like it. I have a few suggestions: Forgiveness Day, Compassion Day, Be Happy Day, Hug Day, Own Your Own Shit Day, and Show Me Your Tits Day. Betsy made a top drawer meal for the crew and some of our neighbors. It was a nice time to stop and think about all the great people that have given their time to our little project. And thank you to all of those who sponsored a deck tile. It’s awesome to know that we can count on our viewers for more than just a thumbs up. We have cash in the account again, and materials on hand for the winter and that is all we need for now. Sorry if you missed the tile deal, but we do have a store with mugs, and caps and shirts. If you want a reminder that you should be working on your dreams, Betsy would love to wrap something up and send it your way for a small ransom. Visit our Junk Store
We got a lot of work done, with plenty of smiles and laughter, and no body got more than a small burn. Sorry Bart. Many thanks to our boat people: Bart, Jason and Cloie from Tulsa. Luuk Martijn who flew in from Rotterdam last night and has become very proficient with the plasma torch, and Chris Gassen from Germany who is showing some fine stills for a novice welder. And we are keeping the CNC router cranking out floor tiles with beautiful results. Thanks again for your overwhelming support.
Luuk
Jason
Chris
Cloie
Bart