A Boat In Desperate Need of Some Paint - Episode 335 - Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
For months, Steve and Robin have been moving Arabella south, waiting for warm enough weather to haul her, and give her a fresh coat of paint. The time has finally come. Arabella is getting hauled out, and—in this episode—we’ll detail the hard work that went into scraping and painting their homebuilt wooden sailboat.
Arabella’s last paint job was done in Rockland, Maine, back in November 2023. It was a little too cold, and despite tenting and heating the hull below the waterline, the paint job just didn’t stick.
This paint job will be different. With a sunny, warm, and dry forecast for the foreseeable future, it’s time to get to work. But he’s gotta move fast to prevent the oak and cedar planks from drying out too much while Arabella sits on the hard in the hot Florida sun (and to prevent a yard bill bigger than his bank account).
He starts by gathering and sharpening the equipment he needs to scrape the bottom paint and splooging seam compound off Arabella. Steve singlehandedly scrapes and sands the entire hull down to the wood, and explains why the bare hull looks the way it looks (hint: the wood isn’t moldy, it’s just the remnants of a layer of black bottom paint). As usual, Steve’s got a well-thought-out plan, and a few boxes of TotalBoat paint and products to make the magic happen.
Steve and Robin use the laser to mark the waterline, bringing it up just a few more inches. Before applying the first coat of bottom paint, Robin gives Arabella a bath in denatured alcohol. The crew gets to painting, coat after coat. Ultimately, they apply three coast of bottom paint and two coats of topside paint, working well into the night to get all of the work done. The finishing touch is Arabella’s name, hand painted onto the stern of the boat.
After 8 days on the hard, Arabella is ready to be relaunched, and Robin, Steve and Akiva are ready to continue their journey south to…who knows! But, they have another problem they could use your help with: modifying the 8-pin connector on their Epropulsion electric dinghy motor. Their Propulsion Evo Tiller has left them stranded one too many times, but Steve and Robin really like other aspects of the motor and don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. If you have an idea, we’d love to hear it! Send your thoughts to [email protected].
————————–
Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv
Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38′ wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin’s Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel’s gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they’ve built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva.
————————–
If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help
Acorn to Arabella’s wishlist:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority
TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They’ll kick 10% our way!
To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions!
https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com
FOLLOW US:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella
Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com
For months, Steve and Robin have been moving Arabella south, waiting for warm enough weather to haul her, and give her a fresh coat of paint. The time has finally come. Arabella is getting hauled out, and—in this episode—we’ll detail the hard work that went into scraping and painting their homebuilt wooden sailboat.
Arabella’s last paint job was done in Rockland, Maine, back in November 2023. It was a little too cold, and despite tenting and heating the hull below the waterline, the paint job just didn’t stick.
This paint job will be different. With a sunny, warm, and dry forecast for the foreseeable future, it’s time to get to work. But he’s gotta move fast to prevent the oak and cedar planks from drying out too much while Arabella sits on the hard in the hot Florida sun (and to prevent a yard bill bigger than his bank account).
He starts by gathering and sharpening the equipment he needs to scrape the bottom paint and splooging seam compound off Arabella. Steve singlehandedly scrapes and sands the entire hull down to the wood, and explains why the bare hull looks the way it looks (hint: the wood isn’t moldy, it’s just the remnants of a layer of black bottom paint). As usual, Steve’s got a well-thought-out plan, and a few boxes of TotalBoat paint and products to make the magic happen.
Steve and Robin use the laser to mark the waterline, bringing it up just a few more inches. Before applying the first coat of bottom paint, Robin gives Arabella a bath in denatured alcohol. The crew gets to painting, coat after coat. Ultimately, they apply three coast of bottom paint and two coats of topside paint, working well into the night to get all of the work done. The finishing touch is Arabella’s name, hand painted onto the stern of the boat.
After 8 days on the hard, Arabella is ready to be relaunched, and Robin, Steve and Akiva are ready to continue their journey south to…who knows! But, they have another problem they could use your help with: modifying the 8-pin connector on their Epropulsion electric dinghy motor. Their Propulsion Evo Tiller has left them stranded one too many times, but Steve and Robin really like other aspects of the motor and don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. If you have an idea, we’d love to hear it! Send your thoughts to [email protected].
--------------------------
Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv
Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva.
--------------------------
If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help
Acorn to Arabella's wishlist:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority
TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way!
To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions!
https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com
FOLLOW US:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella
Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com
Acorn To Arabella
We are building a 38’ sailboat from stump to ship, once complete she will take us around the world. We hope to inspire and educate as many people as possible along the way. Join us on our journey and let us show you that with a bit of dedication, good company and some old school smarts even the wildest of dreams can be made to come true! For inquiries about collaborating or integrations, please email [email protected].
Channel Information:
Social Media Links:
Note of Recognition for Acorn To Arabella
At WeBoating.com, we profoundly acknowledge the unwavering dedication that Acorn To Arabella and other creators invests in crafting each and every video. Their passion for delivering exceptional content shines through every frame, and it's a labor of love that deserves your attention.
We invite you to watch their captivating videos and actively engage with their content, including their social media links above. Liking, commenting, and sharing their work goes a long way in fueling their creative fire.
We're also inviting you to explore any sponsorships and partnerships highlighted in the video description of "A Boat In Desperate Need of Some Paint - Episode 335 - Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat", or directly on YouTube. By considering their offerings or purchasing services and items, you not only support Acorn To Arabella but also the brands and collaborators they're associated with.
If you have any feedback, corrections, or additional information about Acorn To Arabella or their videos, please use the comment form below to share your thoughts with us.
Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting the creators we cherish. Your time and support truly matter!
Acorn To Arabella Lastest Videos
Showing 1-6 of 413 results
Rock Climbing on Shannon Island: Training for a 2,000’ Big Wall in Newfoundland
If you can remember, back when I started this project, I was working full-time as a route setter at a local rock climbing gym. I largely set climbing aside while I built Arabella, but my goal has always been to sail Arabella to remote places where the clim...
Anchored in Terence Bay: It’s Time for Some Rock Climbing
This week, I move the boat and drop anchor in Terence Bay—which is surrounded by some of Nova Scotia’s best climbing areas. But Robin is still making her way back to Canada with the truck and all of our climbing gear. My rock climbing stoke will have t...
Single-Handing the 38’ Wooden Sailboat He Built Himself
You can still contribute to the fight against cancer at https://profile.pmc.org/bf0201 This week, we map out our passage from Shelburne to Lunenburg, NS, making sure to follow a route safely offshore enough to avoid the many shoals and exposed rocks on th...
From P-Town to Nova Scotia: Our First International Sailing Adventure
This week, we’re taking Arabella international—we’re sailing from Provincetown, MA to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. But, before we go too far, we need to calibrate our NEW Pelagic autopilot. After our autopilot broke a few hours into our last multi-day off...
We’re Over-Wintering Where? Getting Ready for Our First International Passage
This week, we're getting our homebuilt wooden boat ready for her first international passage. Sure, it’s just to Canada, but to us, it’s a big deal! First up is finishing work on the bowsprit. I needed to get the bow out of our bronze bow roller befor...
Moving the Diesel Engine Panel & A New Cockpit Nav Station
It’s Arabella Demolition Day, folks! This week, I’m dismantling our on-deck nav station and engine control panel, and rebuilding one big station to house all of our gadgets and gizmos: the chart plotter, wind reader, VHF radio, engine controls, and our...
Something AWESOME is coming!
Be the FIRST to know⛵
Sign up for exclusive updates and be the first to hear when we go live!
Get sneak peeks, exciting announcement, and special content straight to your inbox!
We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.