Herkimer & Perkins: Building Backyard Boats in Buffalo, NY

My Backyard Boats:

The Piccup Squared

Piccup the pace: Rush to launch

23 August 03: It's been a while since I've posted on this project, but it's done. Launched for sailing, too.

We spent a week with family at Selkirk Shores State Park on Lake Ontario over by the Thousand Islands. I launched the Piccup Squared during the week at Salmon River Reservoir, a favorite place of the group that went on vacation together.

The boat sails well, and I'm pleased with its performance. I had a stiff wind just short of whitecaps, and I sheeted in to see how it would handle. I felt total confidence in this boat at speed, with the rail almost buried.

In the rush to finish this boat, and a Flats Rat, too, I haven't posted the details of finishing up the Piccup, but it went well, and I've posted a lot of pix of the finishing.

Cost so far: Add $20 for lines, $10 for hardware, and $10 for varnish, for a project total of $425.16.

Time spent so far: Add 25 hours for the finishing work including making the sail, handing the rudder and leeboard, and final coats of varnish , for a project total of 176 hours.

Piccup Squared building log index

I had some fun in making cleats out of some poplar. The one in front went on the tiller.
Leeboard, rudder, and rudder stock ready to be varnished.
Toothpick plugs one of the holes from the deck screws I used to laminate the leeboard.
Piece of poplar acts as lower leeboard guard.
Upper leeboard guard in place.
It took only a few hours, on a hot and humid day, to make the polytarp sail. It helps to have a big space in which to work. If you have a big lawn, that is even better, since the sun smoothes out the wrinkles in the polytarp.
The night before we left for vacation, I finally had the boat done and the rigging tested.
Maiden voyage at Salmon River Reservoir.
Salmon Creek Reservoir is a beautiful lake, with no, I repeat, no cabins or houses on the shoreline. For New York state, that is an oddity. There is only one launch ramp, and it's a beautiful setting, too, with room to swim and lazy around.
My lanky father-in-law takes a turn with the oars. The boat rows OK, but it's a sailboat that you can row, not a rowboat you can sail.