Those conversant with the ways of boats will acknowledge that only a part of the pleasure actually comes from sailing them. The major enjoyment comes from preening the boat. I spend most of my weekend sanding, oiling and varnishing the new boat, whose name will not be uttered until Dileas goes to her place of final rest.
Mast and bit of wood that goes down the middle get oiled and varnished
I enjoy this so much. watching teak oil seep into very undernourished hardwood is one of the great pleasures of life.
Teak oiled
There is still much to do. The horses need to be manufactured. The oars need to be made. There is no tradition of rowing in Japan and it is not possible to buy oars longer than tiny dinghy size. I buy 8 ft lengths of 5cm diameter hardwood that I will will turn into oars. Every wooden part needs at least 4 coats of varnish. As it takes 24 hours for each coat to dry and due to the bind of having to go to work during the week, this will take some time. So many projects, which are of course the key to contentment.
Getting better
Here is a film about varnish. I seem to slur my words rather in this film. Alzheimer’s?
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 