PocketShip Build Timeline
A chronological track of the key steps in the building of ‘Dreams Won’t Wait.’ Hopefully this will give you a better idea of the time commitments needed and approximately how long each of the steps took me in particular to complete. I would add or subtract needed time based on number of workers, experience, and skill. I also have been working remotely which allows for the lack of a commute to not impact my time in the evenings or very early morning.
These steps are seen in more detail in the build blog entries found here: https://dreamswontwait.com/pocketship-build-progress/
Preparation
- ??? – Many moons ago in college I promised one day to build a sailboat
- Oct 28, 2018 – ordered study plans and build guide
- Nov 16, 2018 – moved to new house by water with a functional workshop garage
- Aug 3, 2021 – requested shipping quote and verification of kit order sequence
- Aug 10, 2021 – received shipping quote and initial invoice, created spreadsheet to track costs
- Aug 21st, 2021 – Drove to Mystic, CT to see PocketShip #1 and place my order (PocketShip #1 no show, order placed regardless)
- Aug 22nd, 2021 – ordered 125# of lead
- Aug 23rd, 2021 – saw Hull ID number in order – became more real
- Aug 24th, 2021 – Shipping date email update – time crunch, panic ensued
- Sept 8th, 2021 – Scheduled shipping date from CLC – rush to complete restoration of kayak restoration
- Sept 7th, 2021 – Shipped notification received – day early
- Sept 8th, 2021 – Arrived 36 miles from the house at warehouse, panic sets in – must complete ongoing kayak restoration faster
- Sept 10th, 2021 – Call received 15 minutes before delivery of a “pallet of chemicals” – Epoxy is here
- Sept 11th, 2021 – final sanding of kayak epoxy prepping for coats of varnish
- Sept 13th, 2021 – delivery of materials scheduled
- Sept 11th, 2021 – final sanding of kayak epoxy prepping for coats of varnish
- Sept 12th, 2021 – boat marine plywood and milled timber arrives
- Sept 13th, 2021 – delivery of materials originally scheduled
- Sept 14th, 2021 – unloaded sheet goods to add casters to pallets to be able to move around
- Sept 14th, 2021 – Jeep sold to make room for boat to live down the road and pay off some costs
- Sept 14th, 2021 – Cabinets arrive for moving brewing equipment upstairs out of garage
- Sept 15th, 2021 – Jeep leaves with new owners
- Sept 17th, 2021 – pool table support rebuilt into work table
- Sept 17th, 2021 – new cabinets for upstairs arrive and we discover they wont go up to final location
- Sept 18th, 2021 – maple base cabinet rebuilt into mobile sanding station
- Sept 18th, 2021 – Pantry cabinets and butcher block returned and smaller uppers and more bases bought with longer butcher block. Those got moved upstairs okay.
- Sept 19th, 2021 – Electrical outlet adds/relocation and install of cabinets
- Sept 19th, 2021 – Butcher block sanded and oiled/waxed/installed. Everything hurts.
- Sept 20th, 2021 – Fridge moved upstairs – never doing that again
- Sept 20th, 2021 – Maple pantry cabinets installed in garage, lumber rack added
- Sept 21st, 2021 – More cabinets arrive and wider butcher block island slab – sanded/finished that one
- Sept 22nd, 2021 – Last set of cabinets installed and butcher block installed – finally done there
I’ve still not cut a single piece of wood for the boat yet but now have more space in the garage and will start full bore organization and prep to start. - Sept 23rd, 2021 – moved all brewing equipment out of the garage and into new space upstairs
- Sept 24th, 2021 – reorganization of racks in garage, reduction of bins allowing for flat piece storage as well as completed assemblies
- Sept 24th, 2021 – added plywood top to work table, layer of cardboard – cut to 36″ width x 8′
Chapter 1 Begins
- Sept 25th, 2021 – First pieces cut from sheets – Centerboard trunk and centerboard! Stacked and re-stacked the sheets
- Sept 25th, 2021 -First glass and epoxy applied to centerboard trunks
- Sept 26th, 2021 – two fill coats applied to centerboard trunk, centerboard assembled and curing, keel nose block rough shaped
- Sept 27th, 2021 – Centerboard blocking cut and epoxied. Layout of keel parts and blocking with angles transferred
- Sept 28th, 2021 – Centerboard trunk blocking joints sanded and joined to other centerboard trunk panel. Keel noseblock faired and sanded.
- Sept 29th, 2021 – unclamped the centerboard and mixed up very small batch of epoxy to fill holes in centerboard and trunk in preparation for drilling during quick lunch break. After work rounded over trunk and glued nose block to keel https://dreamswontwait.com/build/pocketship-delays-due-to-work/
- Sept 30th, 2021 – Centerboard part alignment, final glue up and allowing to cure
- Oct 1st, 2021 – sanding and general epoxy cleanup on the keel. Rounded over edges with router – made first mistake and dug a gouge – taped around area with blue tape to deal with in the morning
- Oct 2nd, 2021 – fixed mistake first thing in the morning with epoxy fill. Lead casting day. Poured centerboard weight first. Filled largest aft cavity next. Melted the aluminum pot, finished off with a cast iron pot. Sealed the keel up.
- Oct 3rd, 2021 – Keelson attached to the keel. Centerboard rabbeted and filled with thickened epoxy to reinforce leading and trailing edge.
- Oct 4th, 2021 – Leading and trailing edge of centerboard sanded and faired
Chapter 2 Begins
- Oct 5th, 2021 – Centerboard glassed and fill coated. Clean up of scrap and space in general. End of Chapter 1 and Start of Chapter 2 with the hull cradle assembly.
- Oct 6th, 2021 – Reinforced the arms of the build cradle and some space cleanup
- Oct 7th, 2021 – Joined the first hull pieces together by epoxying the puzzle joints
- Oct 8th, 2021 – Continued joining the remaining puzzle joint pieces
- Oct 9th through 11th, 2021 – Glassing and sanding of hull panel pieces along with sealing floor supports with epoxy.
- Oct 13th, 2021 – Final panel sanding completed, Keel gets placed in cradle, bottom hull panels joined to keelson
- Oct 14th, 2021 – Upper hull panels stitched on
- Oct 16th, 2021 – Stood inside the hull for the first time, stitched in bulkheads and floor supports
- Oct 17th, 2021 – First trip outside for the PocketShip since arriving flat on a pallet. Glue part of ‘Stitch and glue’ construction starts
- Oct 21st, 2021 – Filleting starts over the glued areas. Starting electrical design while fillets cure
- Oct 24th, 2021 – Prep and taped for the floor support and bulkhead fillets
- Oct 27th, 2021 – Sanding prep and glass of rear section by transom
- Oct 28th, 2021 – Dove into electrical design and layout while bilge is accessible
- Oct 30th, 2021 – Sanding of remaining fillets
- Nov 2nd – 4th, 2021 – glassing and sanding of lower hull interior one section at a time. Fill coats as I go.
- Nov 4th, 2021 – Drainage plugs drilled for front and rear bulkheads
- Nov 6th – 7th, 2021 – Glassing of more floor sections, electrical panel layout, and sanding
- Nov 9th, 2021 – Sanding and epoxy fill coats
- Nov 13th – 14th, 2021 – Bow section glassing and fill coats. Rounded out support cleats on router table and sanded, planed where needed to match angles, and attached cleats
- Nov 18th, 2021 – Mast lumber scarfed and epoxied
- Nov 19th, 2021 – Mast, boom, bowsprit, yard are all cut to shape. Started cutting out sole pieces
- Nov 20th, 2021 – Sole pieces cut, screwed, faired
- Nov 27th, 2021 – Final epoxy coats on lower hull, fairing, and paint
- Dec 11th, 2021 – Paint is layering, drains, glands, conduit, wiring, sails ordered
- Dec 16th, 2021 – First flotation, centerboard sheave, sole ready for varnish, cockpit deck prep, wire routing, transducer hole drilled, rigging, wiring
- Dec 17th, 2021 – Deck plates, interior paint wrap up, forward compartment sole, wiring and cable management
- Dec 18th, 2021 – Sole finished, last of wiring runs and NMEA 2K backbone drop
- Dec 19th, 2021 – Footwell installed
- Dec 20th, 2021 – I sat in the boat after work and just relaxed.
And then life happened
Delays in posts due to focus on build and career (will come back to this and fill in gaps)
- May 5th, 2023 – Build completed
- May 14th, 2023 – Dreams Won’t Wait successfully launched
- May 15th, 2023 – submitted launch info and photos to WoodenBoat Magazine
- May 18th, 2023 – Left hand broken with trailer winch accident
- May 25th, 2023 – Registered with WoodenBoat Show for 2023
- June 5th, 2023 – CLC reached out about highlighting DWW in newsletter and at the show
- June 8th 2023 – web traffic spikes from CLC feature
- June 9th – June 19th, 2023 – finishing up a few details on boat for show (broken hand and weather not cooperating)
- June 22nd, 2023 – Heading to Mystic, CT
- June 23rd – June 25th, 2023 – WoodenBoatShow 2023 in IBIM area (Village Green) 9AM-5PM daily