1. A Boat is Born

Having an established genealogy (see LA BAÑERA and GAMBELLA), and having been conceived (click here), the future STARSHINE entered a long gestation period. Doug eventually rented space at the Palo Alto Boat Works (East Palo Alto location), and obtained an old Matson container in which to store tools and materials. Serious construction then began in on his future boat. Here are two photos of the work underway:

Site Preparation

Taking Shape (sign courtesy of Uncle Rob)

Needless to say, many hour were spent on this effort, not only by Doug, but also a large circle of friends and family.

(click for larger view)

Ferrocement construction requires that an armature be assembled to which a special blend of water-impermeable cement is subsequently applied. Hours and hours were spent twisting ties, shaped like an old fashioned hair pins, to hold all the wire mesh etc. together. The nerve-wracking part of the whole process is the fact that the most crucial step is out of your control. Application of the cement must be done all at one time and by a crew hired for that for that purpose. However, Doug proved to be a good planner, and each step was carefully thought out beforehand.When the day came to apply the cement, things went well with only a few minor glitches. The whole structure was then covered with tarps and the hull was steam-cured for a period of time. After the curing there was still the deck and internal bulkheads to build, installation of the engine, paint to be applied and on and on and on.

Eventually, the time for launch did arrive. This is another occasion that is bound to make one a bit nervous, and necessitates the hiring of a crew and crane. Here are a couple of shots of that day: