Wooden blocks on small dinghies?

I have been thinking of making some nice wooden blocks for Arwen over the summer along with a new pair of 9’ 6” oars.  Now the garage has been cleared of scooter debris there is no excuse.

This is elegant craftsmanship and I am sorry I don't know who to attribute the copyright to

I do rather fancy having smaller versions of these on Arwen

 

I’ve been researching about block making on the internet. Joel on his navigator blog has a lovely blog entry detailing how he makes them. His have lovely brass straps. And I have to admit, I like the way he has gone about it. Although we have never met, I have a huge amount of respect and regard for Joel. He is a thoughtful craftsman and sailor and these qualities permeate through his blog, his workmanship on ‘Ellie’ his navigator and in his comments to people queries. A courteous, good humoured gentleman craftsman is Joel. He’s probably chuckling reading this and thinking ‘if only he knew me better!’

Go here to find Joel's blocks and guide on how to make them: http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/download-my-how-to-guide-to-make-lovely_04.html

On the other hand, getting back to blocks, I am attracted to the type of block that comes with a rope strop. Be under no illusion, I know these will take far more work and craftsmanship than I possess but this is how we grow isn’t it. As humans, we frequently bite off more than we can chew; we make mistakes and then if we have any sense we learn rapidly from them! I’ve never played with bitumen twine before but it does sound rather fun doesn’t it!

being of a somewhat dim persuasion, I've lost my copyright credits list and so can't remember where I got these from. I think it was either Nick on the Woodenboat forum or from Duckworks

If they are yours please drop me a comment so I can thank you and attribute them to you...or of course remove them if need be.

 

So, I’m thinking ash blocks, brass pins, tufnol sheaves with rope strops which have been properly bound.  3” in size, I’d need around 3 or 4. I’d need to replace the two side deck blocks with wooden ones that had Joel’s brass straps because they will have to stand on end within springs to sit proud of the deck.  The mainsheet block on the end of the boom will need some thinking through. I have two blocks under the deck mounted to the front thwart around the mast where various halyards come down from the mast and through the deck and then run aft to the rear of the centre case.

I think they call this binding 'racking'?

 

Of course there are then the blocks on the centreboard up haul – a triple and a double.

Um – so that would be about 10 – 12 blocks.  Now I have a band saw and a router so that should help. There are various rasping files. I have some measurements of sorts. There is quite a bit of advice on the duckwork's site and on the woodenboat forum……..so now it’s a matter of thinking it through more carefully over some cuppas; pricing it out; going to ‘she wot must be obeyed at all times’ (or ‘her in-doors’ as she is affectionately known by me and number one son) to get the cash…….and then running away fast as she explains in no uncertain terms that if I want to retire at 58 from teaching and have a skiing holiday at Christmas, Arwen can’t have new shiny blocks!

 

If I really planned it out carefully (that would be a first I hear my son, daughter, wife and father all mutter at the same time) I could set up an assembly line production

 

I’ll keep you all posted! Watch this space…a significant war of attrition is about to take place in Arwen’s household…..I wonder who will blink first!

Oooh! another thought, the smell of boiled linseed oil wafting up from the garage through the floorboards of the sitting room.......oooooh! that does sound nice (well to me anyway!)

 

 

I really am genuinely sorry to have misplaced my copyright acknowledgement notes

Please will people be patient and forgive this temporary lapse

 

 

Steve