Aluminum Memorial to a Welded Aluminum Skipper

[jrogers]

Kevin,

Neat project, I am very impressed. A couple of questions, feel free to ignore if you don't want to answer. How may hours do you think you have into this project? My bet is alot! Also, you commented that you have built aluminum boats. Are you with one of the builders on the peninsula?

Thanks for sharing this, it is a beautiful tribute.

[kmorin]

Jim,

I really don't know how many hours are in the aluminum memorial because I built it as I could spare time over months. I would guess that I have a hundred hours but without being able to keep a shop setup, that is having to tool each time and clean up after any given work session to move back to our day job... well I've added at least 30% to the hours if not more. Those hours could be considered 'wasted' because if I'd been able to keep focused on the memorial I'd have only cleaned and set up once a day for a full 8-12 hours of productive work instead of half an hour or three here and there.

Figuring out the water was a little slow but I cut the boat on an NC router after drawing it in 3D modeling from some photos I took and the boat only took about 16 hours, the outboards took another 8- but the water ? I don't really have track of all the tries and experiments. Finding accurate drawing of the Honda 150's was more time consuming than I'd have ever believed. I'm not counting my tool up time. I had to build an English wheel; a planishing hammer frame, and practice with various hammers on a forming 'stump' so the learning time might have been the bulk of my effort?

I built as Cape Kasilof Boatworks from 1977 to 1989/90, I don't build now, except family and friends' projects.

Thanks for the kind words,

Cheers,

[kmorin]

After finishing the work on this memorial I got some weather and took an afternoon to get the Coastal Quest to her final mooring.



I used four SS bolts lined with a SS tube and bedded the four legs about 4" into the top of this rock using a hammer drill and some monument mounting epoxy.







The piece is mainly viewed from these sides, above, but I'll show the 'back' too.



if you were to compare photos you'll notice the wake is finished here and was shown unfinished before.



I also filled in some spray trailing down the chine in the trough as I liked how that offset the hull there.



Here is the final wake and outboards as they were finished.



An overall look at the whole piece from the 'back'.



And a low angle parting shot.

In leaving this memorial to our Skipper John B. I wanted to remark about what I'd hoped to accomplish by doing this memorial. In the afternoon, here, a land breeze blows N.xNE 'down' the Cook Inlet toward the fleet of fishing boats running in to harbors or river mouths to land the sports and their fish.

When this breeze blows the tops off an ebbing tide a short break forms that you just have to pound into it, take the weather on the bow, go slow and slog along to get back in. I saw that sea state at that time of day, as I recall it from so many years fishing here, as our remembrance of John and Marty.

So I call this piece "Running In" in memory of all those who've passed over the bar before us.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin

[welder]

Kevin, very well done Sir, very well done.

May we all have more true friends than we can count on one hand when we are old men!

John C., may you have calm winds and fallowing seas as you set sail in all of Gods glory.

[S L Dave]

What a beautiful memorial for your friend who left us way too young.

[pjay9]

Sir, I salute you and your efforts in a fantastic memorial, so warmly dedicated to your friend! I have been to many memorials around the world and have seen none finer or more meaningful! Your posting is well appreciated and it is hard to see the keyboard after reading all of the above. Respectfully, Captain Peter Walsh.