A Micro-Shanty Style Houseboat as built by Bill Nolen

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

After building the external window frames for the Harmonica, and gluing them in place as detailed in Part 5, I decided that for a change of pace I'd install the stern transom drain plug. I've never had a boat that didn't need some method of draining unwanted water from inside the hull. With the large open birdwatcher roof on the Harmonica, there was no doubt in my mind that sooner or later water will enter the cabin and hull area. Bailing with a coffee cup has worked before, but I've found a hull drain plug at the stern transom is so much easier!

Once again I found what I needed at Duckworks Boat Builder's Supply. Listed in the Duckworks Web Catalog, in the Drain Plugs section, I found a one-inch Stainless Snap Handle Drain Plug, SD-530075 for only $4.21. Yes, it's true I could have gone to a local Boat Supplier and bought any one-inch drain plug. But, finding a good quality stainless steel one would be more difficult.

Since I was going to install the drain plug in a wooden transom I knew that I wanted to install a brass tube to provide a smooth opening for the drain plug to lock into. At Duckworks I found a one-inch internal diameter Brass Drain Tube, SD-520210 for $1.22.

Using a one-inch sized bit I drilled a hole in the aft side of the stern transom. Here is a photo showing the drilled hole along with the Brass Drain Tube and Stainless Drain Plug ready to be installed.

Photo 1: Drilled hole

I carefully applied epoxy to the insides of the drilled hole, and then on the outside of the brass tube, and then inserted the brass tube with the flared end inside the hull. I then mixed a thicker mixture of epoxy using wood flour, and applied it around the flared opening of the brass tube. Luckily, I did remember to clean the insides of the brass tube, because there a slight amount of epoxy had found it's way inside the tube!

Several years ago I had collected several cast-off blocks of foam that had been used for boat docks at a local Marina. For the Harmonica's floatation I decided to cut one of these foam blocks into four smaller sections, and install two sections in the bow storage area, and two sections under the bunks.

Photo 3: Foam blocks

Photo 5: Wrapped block

After wrapping two of the reduced sized foam blocks in Glad Wrap Freezer Plastic, I used lawn chair webbing to suspend the blocks in the bow storage area. I wanted to keep the blocks off the bottom of the hull to ensure that any water entering the bow area could drain to the aft end of the boat without any blockage. The Glad Wrap was to help keep the foam dry, and reduce the amount of foam beads flaking off the blocks.

I then installed slightly smaller foam blocks under the aft ends of the two bunks, again using lawn chair webbing to keep the blocks off the hull bottom. While doing this I changed the bunk tops by making the aft ends of the bunks non-raising. This was done to prevent the foam blocks from rising in the event the hull should fill with water! I believe that I installed a total of about 8-cubic feet of foam, which should give me approximately 480 pounds of floatation.

Photo 7: Aft block floatation

It was time to enclose the bow storage area by installing the two 3/8-inch plywood panels that had been left from the hull bottom sheets. If I had not followed Jim Michalak's plywood layout drawing I would have spent considerably more money for plywood! Using glue and ringed nails I attached the panels to the bow deck framework.

Since I'm well known for my clumsiness I thought it would be wise to have a sturdy toe rail at the sides of the bow deck. I had a bunch of 1" by 2" stock on hand so I used that to make the tow rails.

Photo 9: Bow toe rail 1

I was tired of cutting, gluing and nailing wood, so I started the hateful job of painting the hull. For some strange reason I really and truly do hate to paint anything! I tried to bribe my lovely wife Donna into painting the boat for me, but she said she would really, really love to do so… but, she was just "too busy making quilts"! Well, I was disappointed, but her quilts are beautiful works of art!

Now before we go any further, I want everyone to understand that my lofty painting goal is not to have a boat paint finish that will look beautiful to someone standing two-feet away! No indeed! What I shooting for is a paint finish that won't turn your stomach when you stand some 100 feet away! Or to put it another way… I'll be happy with an old Chinese Fishing Junk look… after it's been at sea for months!

Photo 11: Chinese Junk - This photo of an old Chinese Junk was taken by Karsten Peterson. Dozens of Chinese Junks and Sampans can be viewed at his website

I applied three coats of the same latex red paint that I had used on the bottom of the hull up to the center sheer clamp on the sides of the boat.

Photo 13: Painting Bow deck

Using white latex primer I splashed a coat on the upper half of the outer hull and inside the cabin. After this cured for several days, I then applied three coats of Sherman-Williams A-100 External Latex House Paint to the outside top half of the hull. I have used this paint for over 30-years on my house's wood trim, and it has held up great under very adverse Oklahoma weather conditions.

Photo 15: Painting Bow area

During the painting process, I would at times work on some other part of the boat. As far as I know, no builder of a Harmonica has added forward or rear hatch doors. I have always thought that hatch doors would be desirable if a person plans on spending many nights on the boat. In the event of rain, some method of closing off the front and rear openings, as well as the birdwatcher roof opening, would be very desirable.

My plan was to make a sailboat style plywood front hatch door. I used two 1" by 4" boards to make side hatch slides, with 3/8" plywood fillers on the insides of each board. These fillers taper from the top to the bottom so that the hatch door will slide down and are held securely. These side hatch boards were installed on both sides of the front hatch. Later, if this concept works out OK, than I'll make similar ones for the rear hatch. Making the rear hatch door will be much more of a challenge because of the motor does protrude into the cabin area.

Photo 17: Hatch slides

I will later cut the hatch door into two half's, and add hinges, so that the door will fold and fit into the bow storage area. But, before I can do that I must decided on the style and trim to be installed on the hatch door. Being somewhat indecisive, I did what I always do… move on to some other area of the boat to work on!

While the white paint was drying I started work on the Harmonica's trailer. I had previously removed all the hardware and painted the frame with Rust-Oleum enamel white paint. The old hardware had also been painted and was ready to reinstall. At first I was going to have a 4' by 8' plywood flat bed for the boat to rest upon, but I finally decided that it would be easier for me to launch the boat if it was resting on three eight-foot 2" by 4" board bunks. As you can see in the work in progress photo, I'm adding two angle iron brackets to support the ends of two of the outer bunk boards. These angle iron brackets will also hold the front boat guides that will be added later. I will have four boat guides, two at the front and two at the rear of the trailer. I have found that trailer boat guides make solo loading a boat so much easier!

Photo 19: Trailer parts drying

Photo 21: Center bunk holder

I had planned on having the boat on the water long before July 2007, but, like many other home boat builders, many things, bad weather, health problems, as well as the many mundane chores of daily living have slowed my progress.

However, on June 21, 2007 my Harmonica was given and passed a safety inspection by an Oklahoma Highway/Lake Patrol Trooper! I can now take the completed Inspection Form to a local Tag Agency, and get a title and boat numbers for the Harmonica. Once the boat numbers are applied to the boat's hull the Harmonica can be tested on the water! Hooray!

Tune in next month for more daring-do boat building details…and learn first hand the many ways I can delay, screw around, mess everything up, and then delay some more!

GO ON TO PART SEVEN