Hadn't heard from Dawne lately.....

Sherm · Post by **Sherm** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:22 pm

She may be paddling around in her new canoe....Hope She and her
family is O.K. and didn't experience any of the "Dakota" flooding we saw on the news....

.

doe4rae · Post by **doe4rae** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:53 pm

Hey there.... I would love to tell you that I was out in that canoe today. We got up to 75 and I got on the phone this afternoon and called the maker's of my varnish to ask them if I could put my canoe in the water yet??? I just put the last coat of Coronado Marine Spar varnish on the hull exterior this morning and tech support told me I really should wait 10-14 days or I would risk the possibility of the finish turning a milky color! Ugh!!
So there she sits. Gorgeous -- but not able to take to the water just yet!

I had a couple things slow me down. I ordered 3/8" plugs from Rockler to cover my screw holes in the outwale (used a #8 fuller bit to couterbore the holes) and they were too big. So I ordered 5/16 from JD and they were too small. Grr... I decided to fill the screw holes with thickened epoxy and push the plugs in so that the epoxy will make up the extra space around the plug but God help me (or whoever) if they ever have to be removed for any reason. Two weeks just waiting for plugs to come in the mail. Anyway. That's done and the varnish is done. So I went to the courthouse to check into getting a Hull Identification Number (HIN) so I can liscence the boat and found out have to "permanently" affix this number to the hull somehow. Somewhere in the corner of my mind I had feared that I might have to do something like that to my brightwork.
If I had planned ahead enough, I guess I would have burned it into the wood before doing the fiberglass layup.

Anybody have any ideas how to make the HIN look neat and permanent?

I have my online album up to date as of last weekend here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/olson.dawne ... erWinter09#
but you can count on me posting here again after my first time out!
Thanks for "looking out" for me in the mean time!

p.s. we definatley had some flooding! I had to move out of the basement a little earlier than planned and getting that boat out the basement door was a full evening of work in and of itself! thank God for my husband's patience. I laughed though, because when we finally got it out he turned to me and said "Are you going to do this again next winter so I know whether or not I should put the door frame back?"

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:05 pm

For the HIN, perhaps you can get a graphics print shop to print the HIN (according to the standards for height , width, etc) on transparent self-adhesive vinyl so you can apply it over the varnished surface.....?????

doe4rae · Post by **doe4rae** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:10 pm

That was my first thought too Glen... but the directions say it can't be a "sticker"? Or anything that is easily removable. Letters/numbers not to be less than 1/4" tall and 2 inches below the sheer line on the starboard side near the stern.

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:17 pm

I guess you are going to have to be imaginative on this one. Do they also give you ugly colored stickers you have to place on the canoe?

Jim Dodd · Post by **Jim Dodd** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:46 pm

Hi Dawne
Great job !
Nice photo gallery !
And I love the decks ! Just Too Cool !
Here in Iowa we are also forced to "DEFACE" a canoe with numbers and a license !
One thing I've done, is I have a sign shop here that makes great vinyl signs that are easy to put on and they stay.
I even get them to styleize the letting"just a little" and it helps.
It's very hard to wait to put her in the water ! Enjoy !
Jim

doe4rae · Post by **doe4rae** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:48 pm

Ya, you have to put an ugly sticker up at the bow end as well. Or at least that is where it was affixed when I had my aluminum canoes licensed several years back. The HIN has to be in two places and the second place can be somewhat hidden (I'm thinking bottom of the outwale or inside under the deck.) I just have to figure out how to make that one on the starboard side permanent.

SpiveyMtnMan · Post by **SpiveyMtnMan** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:54 am

How about an engraved brass plate that is affixed with rivets? Just a thought. I've really enjoyed following your progress, thanks for sharing.

John Michne · Post by **John Michne** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:37 am

Just curious - what is a hull identification number? Is it a state requirement? As far as I know, here in NY we don't need any registration stickers unless the craft is motorised. None of my boats have any numbers, only a brass plate with the name of the boat and the builder's name and date - purely decorative.

John

SpiveyMtnMan · Post by **SpiveyMtnMan** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:12 am

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/hin.htm

Here's a link to a good explanation.

Jim Dodd · Post by **Jim Dodd** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:15 am

Hi John
Here in Iowa when we license a home built boat, over 13ft. We are issued a Coast Guard required serial # that needs to be permanently marked usually near the stern in 1/4in letters.
It's best to do this before glassing, but a builder must do what they can. I know some omit this.
Flotation is another requirement that the Coast Guard has. That's another can of worms.
Jim

Jim Dodd · Post by **Jim Dodd** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:25 am

Hi Dawne
I'd try a magic marker, when it dries just brush a coat of epoxy over it. BUT ! TRY THIS ON A TEST STRIP ! To see if the epoxy will erod the ink !!!
Good Luck !!
Jim

PS. Tell Hubby to make the door removable ! Building canoes is like riding a bike ! Once you learn how, you don't quit !
Nice work !

doe4rae · Post by **doe4rae** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:36 am

Correct, the HIN is a Hull Identification Number and by South Dakota state law (and I believe the National Coast Gaurd) there are speciic instructions about registering any boat, motorized or non, that is over 13 feet long. My kayak is 12 feet and I do not need to register it but since other surrounding states have different rules about length etc, sometimes it easier to just go ahead and license the boat and not have to worry about it. And yes they will pull you over and ask to see if you have the correct amount of PFD's per person and check for that sticker! I couldn't believe it when my boys and I were canoing in the Big Sioux River near Akron, Iowa (on the SD border) a couple years ago and we got checked! Fortunately I knew the rules and we were all in compliance!

doe4rae · Post by **doe4rae** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:38 am

.... what would happen if I tried to burn the number (lightly) into the already existing varnish/epoxy/glass ... maybe it wouldn't get to the glass or even the wood.... but then varnish over it again a couple times? Would that work?

I think the engraved brass plate would be the best way to go, and I wanted to get one of those -- purely decorative -- but I wanted to put it on the deck and now I am just not sure I like the idea of attaching it in the location required by the law. I think a brass plate in that location would look kind of weird.

Larry in Champaign · Post by **Larry in Champaign** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 2:49 pm

I pressed the HIN into the gunwale of my last canoe using metal punch letters and a simple jig. I filled (blackened) the letters using a roller ball pin and epoxied over them with some T-88 and then varnish. Looks goods...better than the brass plate I stuck on my first canoe. If you want to see a picture I'll try and look for one tonight.

Larry

The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

Hadn't heard from Dawne lately.....

Hadn't heard from Dawne lately.....

Here I am!

stickers too....

Required by law

other idea....