Minimouse

Chuck:

I have named my new little Micromouse Bumble Bee. We are having bleak winter weather now so it is unlikely she will get her bottom wet until Spring comes again. But if you should chance to be crossing the Shirley bridge on the Stratford Upon Avon canal next time the greensward is strewn with daisies you might just see the grand launching ceremony when I smash the bottle of champagne over her bows and Bumble Bee and I set out on our first adventure. And if you do, give us a wave."

Les Brown

Here are some photos.

1) The main components for my tiny 6ft.6in. boat (2m.) The curves and piercings in the bulkhead sections are to give me room to stow the boat wheels when I am under way. Chine logs are already glued and tacked to the side panels.

2) Components all assembled. She is already starting to look sort of like a boat.

3) The flat bottom is attached to the chine logs. I hate polyurethane glue. The fumes make my throat sore, there are warnings on the container to keep it away from children and if you get it on your fingers you will be picking at it for days. When you are an old tosser like me the extra couple of inches of freeboard provided by a well with raised sides all round is very comforting.

4) Bottom-up. At this stage the inner gunnels are also on. All she needs now is a deck and a lot of sand papering.

5) Done and dusted. The rest of the pics are views of the finished boat and are not captioned - all except the last pic of all which has words of wisdom re. the uk climate and final info about my little boat.