Wow, Eric, the “cab” is awesome! And you are a brave man letting kid-zilla do tools. Crazy cool!
Devon & Jim,
Thanks. I figured a few broken craft-sticks were worth letting Kid-zilla drill a hole. He did pretty well after I started the holes, though he mostly spun the wooden ball on top rather than actually drilling! Going to hand tools was worth it to let him have a hand in the project as well as to help me play with the pin-vise, a recently acquired “toy.” This all goes back to CINCHOUSE’s mandate when she granted permission to being the Triple O: “This cannot just be your hobby!”
We should turn to on the rigging this Sunday. I have to decide how much of the rigging I want to add and whether or not I want to use a full gaffe rig or just imply one. There has to be detail enough and in sufficient style to say “Hawaiian voyaging canoe” but not so much that it takes the fun out of playing with…I mean conducting operations with…the project when is pau (done).
Good weekend and happy modeling to all!
Eric
Eric I approve. Neither my mom or dad sheltered us kids from “danger” and insisted from the start that we learned how to do things. Kidzilla wont do serious damage with a pin vise but teach him proper safety and in s few years he will be able to br trusted with s drill press
Eric, I truly love this build (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)And I applaud your willingness to let the kids be part of the project team. Although they think they are just playing with trains and having fun, they are learning valuable skills and lessons that will be valuable to them later in life. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.
Eric, this think is really going good hard to wait to see the mast and rigging but guess I’ll have to, Arrr
Another fun family project. Nice work Eric & Crew!!!
Keeps on getting cooler by the post. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
All,
Sorry, I was involved in my living history hobby over the weekend and playing catch-up around the house ever since. I really appreciate your comments regarding keeping the kids involved. They enjoy knowing they are “famous,” which in turn keeps them interested. I benefit, because scoping the projects to allow their participation keeps me from biting off more than I can chew, and these smaller projects in turn have been key in deciding what tools are nice to have and what are must haves, all with salubrious impact on the budget!
Back to the project…
We did add enough standing rigging to give it some flavor, but not so much to prevent fun. The boys helped using the pin vise to drill a hole to mount the kia (mast):
After they got bored and headed off on real adventures, I got out the Dremel to finishing boring out the mounting block, almost shattering it in the process. The other thing I wanted was the half-moon piece atop the kia known as the pueo. The word means owl, and it serves to direct running rigging fore and aft from the la (sails) and paepae (spars). I ground and sanded down a piece of scrap wood, opting for durability over scale:
The glue glob is known in all languages by multiple universal terms…Though a bit heavy, I thought the pueo added a distinctly Polynesian touch, helping to fix this canoe in place.
Next up was the standing rigging. Again, I opted to simplify, adding only the kaula pu (shrouds), leaving off the kaula ihu (forestay) and kaula hope (aft stay):
Below please see where she stood after adding the standing rigging. The crew had knocked off, but they left the whole contraption in front of the Pu’u’oma’o shops:
Tonight we made the paepae (spars) out of shiskabob skewers and la (sail) from the old t-shirt we used for the “cab.” I got to sew all that together with the twine. I simplified the running rigging, running a the kaula huki (main halyard) over the pueo and fastening it to the 'iako (cross-beam). I did the same aft with kaula paepae (main sheet). This gives the impression the crew can angle the sail to fit the wind without bogging it down in line after line, all of which would add detail and consign this beast to the shelf instead of out on the line. Pictures to come tomorrow…Hopefully!
I am going to supervise the staining, but I really am hoping to turn over the detailing to the crew. The building is pau (finished; this word remains in common use, should you make a vacation out this way!), though I may tinker with the chassis to make sure it’ll run nicely and to Polynesian steam punk it up a bit, time permitting.
Now to see what the rest of you have been up to!
Aloha,
Eric
That is looking really cool!.. Looks like the kids are having fun too…
I was an avid sailor racing a Star sailboat locally for about ten years. Have sailed off and on for most of my life. I really enjoy your explaining the traditional boat and its rigging and using the traditional names with translation. These polynesian sailing canoes were amazing. I am told my 22 foot boat is not an offshore boat but yet the islands were populated by people sailing across the ocean in these canoes
Oh, a couple books now come to mind,
So Eric were in this family do you come in …
This project is really Maika‘i (thanks to the internet for finding that word) 
Eric, huli nui
All,
Thanks for your continued interest! I had a long post explaining my interest in Polynesian voyaging and pre-Columbian contact, but managed to delete it. I will mention my Dad sailed square riggers, so when we had a boat on the upper Chesapeake, he infused all of us with an appreciation for the art and science of sailing. Someday, I hope to get involved again, but now is not the time. The book “Voyage of Rediscovery” tells how local conservators, scholars, and activists saved the dying art of instrument-less navigation, and it is quite inspiring, especially when you consider they set in motion a movement that culminated in Hokuleia’s recent instrumentless circumnavigation of the globe.
Also, Sean, I am then off-screen financier. That is why everyone is so happy in that shot!
Back to the project…The crew took this creation out for its first sail yesterday:
After which, Kid-zilla performed the very important “play test” to determine the contraption’s “fun factor.” This involved pushing and pulling the beast around the Triple O. I had forgotten to lock the leading truck laterally, and, as forewarned, she didn’t corner well at all. We fixed that with some nuts, bolts, and washers, all of which would have been much easier BEFORE I glued on the foredeck! Also, the topmost paepae (spar) caught on the tunnel, so I will have to adjust or cut it. Easy fix. I will let Kid-zilla’s expression speak for itself in terms of the results of his vigorous test:
I passed my most important design criteria!
Oldest Daughter and I stained the exposed wood today, and she and her sister are allegedly making some ha’i (telltales) and sundry bits.
Stay warm!
Eric
Yes,
It seems as it has passed kid-zilla’s fun test. He is cute little bugger.
Eric Mueller said:
I will mention my Dad sailed square riggers, so when we had a boat on the upper Chesapeake, he infused all of us with an appreciation for the art and science of sailing.
Where at off the upper bay ?
I think Kid-Zilla’s smile says more than any words I can write. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Rooster,
We kept her at Havre de Grace. We pretty much hit every navigable hurricane hole and crab town from there to Annapolis, with Wharton Creek being a favorite.
Eric
She got her coat of stain! I am waiting for the girls to make the promised detail bits before the next photo update.
Quick question…What is a good way to seal the hull of the canoe so it can voyage amongst the hyacinth and guppies when not plying the rails? I am $18 into the project (stain, brushes, dowel, and Dremel bit), so I have room to spare.
Have a great week!
Eric