Well, I have finally let technology come to the north woods. Got tired of looking at cambered Okoume with its blah grain, so decided to try something different. I am vacuum bagging decks laminated from hardwood veneers and fiberglass cloth. Did the first one yesterday, and have the second "in the bag" at this very moment. Will shut off the pump around midnight (or a bit later).

These are three plys of veneer (the top of fancy bookmatched veneers and the core of mahogany). The ends beyond the hatches have only two plys. There is a total of 18 oz of cloth (three 6oz.) and I will lay on a layer of 3.25 oz. on the top after installation. Will be putting one on tomorrow. These really kind of knock your eyes out. The first one is of "emberwood" (dark brown and golden orange grain)and will have a similarly constructed cockpit recess of quilted maple. The one in the bag now is of "chen chen" (like a golden blond striped mahogany) and will have a redwood burl cockpit recess. Hope to bring both of these to the Great Lakes symposium in Grand Marais next weekend. (they may be short a few coats of varnish!).

I will give some more details in a couple of weeks in case anyone is crazy enough to want to try this. Right now, got to go build boats....Sleep, what's that?

Grant