February 24, 2018

About 22 members and board members met at Spencer Boatworks in Saranac Lake on a cold February for a workshop and special board meeting. Jay was well prepared with coffee and donuts.

Jay had Marcellus’s 26 Lyman in the shop doing some restoration work for the new owner. The boats previous name was showing through the sanded transom and the new owner want to rename the boat on a clear transom. Jay proceeded to explain the process he was going to use to provide a clear surface on the transom. He had cut a ¼ inch sheet of occume mahogany to an exact pattern for the transom. He demonstrated the vacuum bagging process he was going to use with a rigging and clamping setup to hold the sheet on the transom. The process included gluing the back of the sheet and then with vacuum bags set on the sheet of wood in strategic locations, air would be added to the bagges to hold the new sheet against the old original transom. Once the glue set the bags would be deflated and the rigging and clamps removed.

The next work session Jay wanted to demonstrate was his “in-line” sanding vacuum system. The system is set up on a rolling portable cart. With several different types of sanders and grades of sandpaper this system provides a compact platform to perform any type sanding procedure.  Jay explained the order of using rough sandpaper up to the finest finishing “numbers”  to prepare the wood for stain and varnish. While using different grades of paper he also explained the use of different sanders for each step.

Jay then moved on to one of his older custom made Spencer Boats. The owner was getting older and need the boat modified from a runabout to a utility with reconfigured seating arrangements. This included set up a split font seat arrangement to allows easy walkthrough to the helm. The owner also wanted a “Dietrich” Canvas Folding top like the ones used in the 20’s and 30’s runabouts (triple cockpits). Jay had built a jig for stem bending oak and ash wood frames for the folding top. (a lot of work).

Lunch was brought in and the board the discussed the 2021 proposed hosting of the ACBS International Meeting and Boat Show in Burlington Vermont using the new marina. Dates are being evaluated for September along with logistics, hotels banquet facilities and meeting rooms. The chapter will also have to host pre-events before the Wednesday night receptions. Committees have been formed to plan and arrange the processes to host ACBS. We will need our chapter to step up to help plan and operate this event if we accept the challenge. ACBS is very supportive and handles all their meetings and events working with us.  More to follow.