Spring Work Begins

First look under the tarp for the season. All was snug and tight.

    It's that time of the year, when catboats come home to roost. Well it's only temporary as they are prepared to splash in the coming weeks. Facebook is full of mast stepped forward boats either about to go or in the water. And SV Kat Boat is no different. She's come south from her roost in a very tumultuous boat yard and is once more safely sitting in the front yard. There are parts missing, the annual USGCA Vessel Inspection is looming in a few days and a launch date is set with an overnight dinghy cruise event coming soon. It's busy as it should be. 

With the leeboard and guard removed.

    There are  few major areas of work to be done on the boat this year. It seems the leeboard guard has been cracked and will need to be either repaired or replaced. The guard takes a bit of abuse but that's why it's there and we're pleased the hull behind it remains sound. The gaff proper actually came back before the boat. 2024 was a season of unsatisfactory performance from the gaff in the area of lowering. The gaff didn't always hang up except when you actually needed it too and going forward while doable is not ideal. So The Typesetter has taken it upon himself to redo the jaws in a more traditional fashion. I picked up a band saw, most likely a former meat saw, for future wood work. The phrase "Just use a bandsaw" was getting more and more common in our talks and it became apparent one was needed. 

Cutting gaff jaws. The saw does remarkably well for what it is.

Roughed out gaff jaws.

    There is a history of gaff jaws with this particular boat.  The original builder actually built another Michalak catboat the now unavailable Vector. This racy narrow hulled boat showed the error of the plywood gaff jaws that are specified and he broke several pair. This meant that the Kat Boat nee Julie L sported a gaff design of the builders. But it's come full circle and we are now fashioning jaws rooted in both tradition and good oak. We'll know pretty quickly if they work and if so what needs to be done to make them work.

    It's going to be a busy year. Yacht Club stuff aside the Western Montana Small Boat Association and the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association have two major events planned. First up is Cedar Island Odyssey, based on the short story of the same name. This overnight event serves as an opening to our small boat season. And the big event this year is the Wild Horse Messabout an overnight in Skeeko Bay and a day sail to Big Arm and return. All of the information can be found on our website.

Kat holding a Cat with a catboat named Kat Boat.