Ruth and I have been together since we were 15, and have been sailing together for the last 6 or so years. We love everything about the cruising life, and plan on living like sea gypsies for the rest of our lives. The only problem is we are way to picky about our boat… We have a passion for traditional wooden boats, and often prefer the ways of old with anything we do. It has taken us six years and six different boats to realize that we have a hopeless self destructive addiction to wooden boats, and thats not going to change…
We bought our first boat together when we were 17. she was a run down 30 ft fiberglass sloop. She was totally bare and smelled like fish-pits, but she was good enough to get us out sailing .when we bought her she had no engine, no toilet, no water, and sails from 1964. After spending countless hours fixing our little turd up we set sail for Mexico when we were 18.
After sailing around in the sea of cortez for a bit we decided that the life was definitely for us. we also decided that if we were going to commit to more serious sailing then we should get a boat suited for blue water. After selling our little sloop we started boat searching with the plan that we would buy another fixer upper fit for blue water sailing. We would spend six moths or so fixing her up then set out again….. Then we found Baltia, and so began our love affair with wooden boats.
Baltia was a 1946 john hanna ketch. She was 36ft on deck with a beam of 13 ft, and she weighed 37,000 lbs. She was quite the beast. Baltia is a bitter sweet memory. She was our first wooden boat, and the start of it all, but I can’t help feeling bad for where she ended up after we sold her. I didn’t know much about wooden boats when we bought her. I spent much of my free time reading, and learning, and the rest working on Baltia.
After living aboard and working on her for over a year, Ruth and I made the decision to sell her after uncovering some bigger issues with her hull. We were back and forth on the decision, but decided we needed to focus on our life and our upcoming wedding rather than such a large boat project. looking back on it now after 4 years of working on wooden boats, and cramming my brain with as much knowledge as I can on the subject the sad thing is that she really wasn’t in that bad of shape… So it goes.
The next chapter of our nautical ramblings came in the form of a kettenburg 40 called Bravata. She was a 40 ft mahogany racing sloop built in 1959. Being a racing boat she was not really our normal style, but damn she was sexy!
She was a gentleman’s yacht Built like fine furniture out of real old growth mahogany. We got her for a song because her stern was rotted out, she didn’t have an engine, and she needed about 8 new frames. We were very lucky that Napa Valley Boatyard was so awesome, and let us haul her for the refit (although I could see their doubt when I told them that we would be done in a month…) Boatyards don’t like wooden boats. Especially when they need work. Ruth got an awesome job at a wine shipping company while I set to work on Bravata. I built her a new stern, fixed her frames, and dropped an old diesel in while Ruth kept us both very hydrated with amazing wines that work sent her home with daily.
We launched on day 30. Now that she was more or less seaworthy we decided that although beautiful she was not the boat for us, so up for sale she went. We also learned that we could make a living from fixing up old wooden boat’s then selling them, and at the same time save an awesome part of history that may have been destroyed otherwise. Definitely best of both worlds for us! So we did it again.
Ronin was next. She was a 1951 Ralph Winslow ketch, and by far our most ambitious project. Nearly every frame in her hull was done for at the turn of the bilge. She also needed some plank repairs as well as numerous structural repairs throughout. After stripping her interior we hauled her for the refit. Which at first consisted mostly of demolition. I decided the way I would go about the frames was to cut out the bad section, laminate in a new piece then run a full length sister up next to it. Essentially creating a double frame, just laminated instead of sawn. I decided to do this because in my opinion she was framed way to light in the first place, and I wanted to stiffen her up quite a bit. I am always learning as I go, and in no way am I an expert. Looking back I would do the job differently, But I have learned a lot since then. We also replaced numerous floor timbers, and decided we would try our hand at the age old practice of copper plating the bottom.
We couldn’t find much info on copper plating so we just kinda came up with how we thought it would work, and went at it!
We spread on a layer of tar, then felt, then another layer of tar, and finally the copper on top tacked into the hull with copper nails.
It ended up looking pretty sweet
Next to come
Sirena a beautiful Aries 32 cutter
And Scout a rawson 30 cutter.
Salt & Tar 
Yeah guys! Loving the new blog!! Will be following the journey and hopefully get up there to see ya’ll soon!
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Guys I watched from pouring of the keel til it left its dry dock and I cannot remember ever watching a series as much as I enjoyed yours. Good luck
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https://saltandtar.org/about/ Why dont you stop playing that hippy music and get with it, you can put one of my tunes on your video if you like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrkEuU5iUr4&list=OLAK5uy_kZREHkPJLQ6TJsWP4eLX8BnSWB04sJO1E&index=7 Cant find how to post a comment.
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Hay kids!! I love the blog!! Vary well done! Broaght back a lot of memorys and i’m going to share it with lots of friends. Now Ruthy, A wornning…. If you see some of those big lumberjack woman up there and here the sound of GEEE…..BOOOO GEEE….BOOO!! RUN!!!
Love you kids vary much
Christopher Damien Rainsford ( The paint god )
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Great blog. I look forward to following along. What kind of engine are you going with?
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Thanks Rick,
We are not sure yet it definitely depends on funds when we get to that point. So far we are leaning towards a older perkins 4-108 or the equivalent westerbeke. They are inexpensive simple workhorses. Although we would love to throw a brand new beta marine in there!
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Awesome projects. I was building my house (along with my wife Susan) in the country when I was somewhat older than you guys. I keep an old Prindle cat for zipping around the lakes and I’m beginning restoration on a T26 Columbia – a nice shoal keel all fiberglas boat – but I’m definitely going to be following your boat build. It combines some of my favorite things – wood work, sailing, and based on photo, beer. I love the fact that it’s PBR – reminds me of when my Dad and his buddies built a wood Y-Flyer back in the middle 50’s!
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Thanks Steve! Im glad your enjoying the blog! Wood work, sailing, and beer are definitely some of life’s great pleasures!
Good luck on your restoration, and thank you so much for supporting the project!
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Hi folks, just saw a post about your blog on reddit. Wow — a lot of progress in a very short amount of time. Long way to go too! Are there any completed versions of this design you know of?
I’ve got a back-pocket project in the works to do something this size if I ever can scrounge up the cash. For now I’ll have to satisfy myself with building dinghys & such.
Looking forward to checking in on your blog and seeing the progress.
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Hi Ian. This is the first of this design so far! We found the original Button design on George Buehlers web site, and really liked the look of the hull. However the cabin, and rig were not right for us. We talked to George and he totally redesigned the boat into the new Button 2.
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Badass! My back-pocket project has always been Atkin’s “Fore an Aft”. Smaller for sure, but no less pretty. Unfortunately, if I ever undertake that build, it will be without the benefit of a living designer to make modifications and comment on errors in the plans…I can see how that would be a massive help.
Looking forward to seeing it come together. If you have an auto-mail list that notifies folks of new blog posts, can you put me on it?
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Right on! I love the Fore an Aft design! I definitely considered a few of Atkin’s designs very seriously before deciding on our boat. It’s awesome having George Buehler available to give advise here and there, and he’s really good about getting back to you quickly. I spent probably around a year looking at different designs. Most of that time it was still just a fantasy. When the opportunity actually arose to do this we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted. We both really like chine hulls. They just look super tough and salty. A lot of people don’t like them, but that does’t matter to me… Anyway you can follow the blog and receive update emails. Under where it says archives there is a blue button that says follow. That should get you on the mailing list! Im glad your enjoying the build, and thanks for the comments!
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Q – hey !! Might u two need a small 8 ft period wooden tender ? As I have one in my barn. Let me know!
Shade cloth Steve
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Hi Steve, We are definitely wanting a cool wooden dingy for the boat! Where do you live? How much ya want for it?
Garrett
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Can you tell us the name of the designer and what plans you are using?
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Hi Steve, the designer is George Buehler and the design is the Button 2. Here is a link to the boat on George Buehler’s
website.
http://www.georgebuehler.com/Button%20number%202.html
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Ruth – Check ur personal email ! Steve
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Noticed your post on scarphing.
I do this quickly with just hand tools and without needing to bother with the saw cuts.
1 – Strike 1:12 (or whatever slope) lines for your scarphs down the sides of the board, and across the flat of the board at the end of the scarph
2 – Hack out the rough shape, down to maybe 1mm of the line on either side on low angles so that you leave the middle. Use a draw blade, framing chisel or slick for this.
3 – hack out the middle, being careful not to dip below the lines on the sides. You should now have a mostly-cut scarph.
4 – Plane carefully down to the lines on both sides, holding the plane at a low angle so that you again leave a ridge in the middle.
5 – Hatch across the middle with a pencil and start planing away the middle ridge. As you plane, the hatches are peeled away, giving you a gauge of flatness. Check every so often with a straightedge to make sure you’re not leaving too much in the middle and replace hatches as necessary.
Seems complicated but it’s very easy. Taught to me by a proper boatbuilder too — and if you have a good sharp slick, you can do 98% of the job without picking up a plane.
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Thanks Ian! I’ll definitely give this a try. The saw cuts are the most annoying part anyway!
Garrett
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Here’s an example of one of my scarphs in progress.
http://www.nashwaak-boatbuilding.com/2015/10/post-xxxix-big-sand-floorboards-bow.html
Should have mentioned it helps to have the boards stacked so you can do multiple scarphs at once and be sure they all have the same angle. Set as many atop each other as is practical depending on wood thickness and scarph angle.
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Hi..
the video Salt & Tar Episode 9 – The Engine isn’t visible in Germany due to audio rights..
Maybe you should consider using free music so that everybody could enjoy your videos.. 🙂
Thanks
Marco Ramberti
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Hi Marco, sorry about the video. We don’t know much about the audio rights/ regulations but we’ll definitely look into it. Thanks.
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nice life worked on boats all my life still like wood not sure where you are but up in BC you can still cut a few log on the beach just. saw a place for sale Thais Inlet 65000 three houses garden and ship yard what more could one ask for needs a Little work but comes with every thing solar generator green house waterfront lease it rains there a lot but beautiful deer jump from you front yard to the deep frizz salmon of the dock trout in the streams one more year before she retires if she not ready to sail of i will be gone. LOVE TO READ
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Man I love checking in on this site — have it in my bookmarks bar for the occasional boat-gawking indulgence at work…haha.
Nice to see you making such great progress. I like the quote in the most recent post[paraphrasing] “we’re done the topsides, so it should be pretty easy from here on” .
good to have a positive attitude about things!
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Thanks Ian! Yes a positive attitude in necessary. without it I would go crazy! She’s been a lot of work , but it’s been an incredible experience so far!
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I’ve twice left a comment, logged in, and come back to nothing, despite what the gravatar police have to say. If there is a way to get a comment to stick, please notify me. aukai@earthlink.net
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Hi Donald. We haven’t seen any other comments, but this one worked… Not sure whats up.
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Please Ruth and Garrett, I need a high res picture (digital camera) of you guys smiling with your boat. I wrote a story on YouTube Channels for sailors and yours is featured. The publisher would like a picture. The pics on your blog have been optimized for the web, not good for print (glossy). Thanks!
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I came to your website by way of George Buehler’s. I admire your choice in boats. She has a classic style and looks incredibly seaworthy as well as livable and manageable. I also admire the way you have learned your skills, by just jumping in and doing. Thank you for explaining how you put the copper on the bottom. Would you please be so kind as to write a book about the building of your boat, with plenty of pictures? It would be of great value to a lot of people, and I think it would be profitable as well. Thank you for sharing all of this with the rest of us. Best of luck!
May the wind fill your sails, may the sun warm your face, and may the rum never run out.- John
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After ages of being a composites expert, frp boats made a decent carpenter out of me. You have all this energy that comes from the 1st quarter life, as you say, the advise from the 2nd quarter is quit spending time fixing at the boat yard and spend it out in the ocean. You can work on wooden boats till your gray hair falls off, but there will be a time that sailing will become a sport for the young at heart.
I’d get something like a Valiant or some Taiwanese look alike, a few gallons of good epoxy, sails made out of steel, and a decent sea anchor and kiss that land goodbye. Too late for this advice huh? 🙂
There is nothing like sitting on the dock with a beer after the tropical sun has gone down telling stories about how you built it by yourselves and it lasted the passage. All the older know-it-alls immediately shut up!
The more serious advise is that keep in mind that after this experience you may never be fit for urban social life ever again and the earth is getting crowded these days. Imagine a boat with out any dock lines, deck cleats, or anchor. Surviving with landlocked people may be more of a challenge than taking day trips from Chile to Argentina and back.
A higher quality picture of the Eagle would greatly be appreciated!
Rock-On!
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Hi guys, love your project and your video’s. It’s great to see such ambitious young people. I am building one of George’s Diesel Duck’s, you can see it at: http://www.seadreamerproject.com Maybe I’m just not seeing it in your pictures but shouldn’t the bow be elevated slightly on the building form. Looking at the plans online and comparing it to my 41′ duck, the bow rises off the base line slightly. I think this how she is supposed to sit in the water so if you don’t do it while your’re building it when you get her in the water all the floors will slope down towards the bow. Just curious and like I said you probably have I just can’t tell from the pictures.
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Sure miss hearing from you guys. Hope all is okay.
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Awesome update Ruthie!
Thanx
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Hubby and I taking a rare day off and ran across you two amazing WINNERS browsing You Tube! WOW!!
Rarely have we been so impressed….your chill, determined, intelligent, stick to it no matter what approach to MAKING YOUR DREAMS HAPPEN is nothing short of inspirational. The loving, supportive way you move through near impossible situations is beyond admirable. I commented that if you two ever have children in your plans that you will make the BEST parents. My husband was stunned at your level of patience even with broken ribs! OMG!!
We will continue to watch your progress as we work on opening our 5th store. Perhaps we will be able to send some financial support after our construction is complete and the $$ start coming back this direction! It also occurs to me that to you, your tenacity feels normal, but to those of us in our 50’s and beyond watching, we know how rare you “kids” are! Therefore, please be clear on what you need….you never know who would take extreme pleasure in helping you and Ruth. It could be a part, some moolah or anything.
Godspeed to your launch! All of us watching are pulling for you 200%! The visible, true love between you is the very fiber that draws us to you and that, we’re sure, keeps you “on course!”
Sincerely,
Benicia and Don Woodward
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Many many thanks Benicia for your kind words. As another husband/wife duo you know it’s not always easy to keep your cool or patience. Garrett once told me “as long as we are good to each other and kind we’ll be alright.” Still sometimes easier said than done but those lines run through my head before angry words slip out my mouth haha So it helps. We are happy to share our journey because it truly links us with people and in turn gives us motivation and strength. Thank you so much for writing it really warmed my day 🙂
~Ruthie
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Every few weeks or months I check back on this page or youtube to see the progress you are making. I’ve been following since episode 4 when I found you guys while trying to learn how to build a tiny version of your effort. Unfortunately (or maybe not) I ended up doing a giant effing house project with my wife instead. Truthfully you (and I’m sure the dozens of folks immediately surrounding and supporting you) have shown tremendous courage and perseverance to get this far. It must feel amazing to sit on the water finally and look at what you’ve built with you’re own hands. If I might be so bold as to offer something I’ve learned in my life: Focus on the journey, the experience you are having together, and the memories you are building. That boat could sink to the bottom of the ocean one day, but the memories you have of building it will last your entire lives (hopefully if it sinks that’ll be more than a few hours). Anyway, thanks again for documenting your journey, and sharing your inspirational effort with the rest of us.
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Hi Matt and thanks for your comment. We are approaching our 4 year anniversary of building Rediviva and it has been a long journey. At times we have felt swallowed by the project and forgot to live our lives and enjoy the moment but we are feeling refreshed after a trip to Garrett’s hometown and ready to get back at it! Thanks for following and hope your project is going well!!!
R
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Great to meet you two today!!! Thank you so much for letting us aboard Rediviva. It’s so exciting to see the progress in person!
We are members of the Napa Yacht Club and would be happy to have you two over for one of the Friday night dinners sometime soon.
Cheers,
Neil & Diane
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Thanks for writing! That would be cool, I haven’t been inside the Napa Yacht Club since I was a kid. I went to school with a girl who’s dad is a member, Greg Parker, maybe you know him? I’ll give you our email so we can keep in touch 🙂
salt.and.tar@gmail.com
So awesome to give our first “float up tour”
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Have not seen much from you, how are things..?..
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Hey William, just finishing up Episode 49 so you’ll see it first thing tomorrow! All is going great and the port side bulwark is now fully planked as well. Rounding up the next materials to get to the bowsprit and sampson post next 🙂
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I’ve only built small wooden boats (4) and just came across your YouTube channel. Love it and will sign up with Patreon.
I have a question, why did you decide to use a tiller rather than a wheel? Thanks.
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Hey Steve, thank you! We going with tiller, at least to start, because it’s so easy with our style of rudder. Since the rudder comes all the way up the transom it’s so simple to build cheeks and then secure a tiller for steering. We may further down the road switch to a wheel because they’re so sexy but it’s a lot more work so it’s on the back burner. Both Garrett and I love the feel of the tiller but the look of the wheel, so we’ll try both out over time 😉
R
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Hey Guys,,, great web site,, my wife Sam and I (Salmoneyes) are doing the same thing with an old steel ketch….. I have crazy bunches of questions for you…. Can we converse?
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Hi Rick!
Thanks for writing. Yeah, you can email us directly at salt.and.tar@gmail.com and we’ll try and answer as best we can 😉
R&G
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OK I see your project. I have been a Timber boat builder in a life and relationship. Its an amazing process and you are teenage sweethearts, says many things. Dude your woman loves you so much it makes me weep. She is so tolerant, dedicated, and believes in you so much that I cannot hold back saying this – have been watching your vids as Boat building is in my interests. But what I want to point out to you both – is you have an incredible relationship. True Love is really here. This is why your project works, and continues to work. I’m so happy for you, it is really special – Its so great your boat floats. Its unique, and its your project together. Again My thoughts Man – Your woman loves you so much just hang onto that.. Take time to acknowledge that magic and live on and make great things as you are doing.. The Sky is the limit here My Thought’s XX Pete
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Guys! Only recently found your YouTube channel, which I downloaded, and I have been ‘binge watching’ in order to catch up. I’ve long dreamed of blue-water cruising and I think I’ve read every book and seen every movie or documentary even closely related to the subject. Unfortunately, time and a newly acquired partial disability have caught up with me so sailing on blue-water would be very difficult, if not impossible and probably unsafe. So, I’ve set my sights more along the lines of a coastal trawler or something which would be more easily handled by me physically….where I could more readily access the various areas without worrying about being out on a pitching and rolling deck trying to handle sails. I learned how to sail when I was 5 in my uncle’s Cape Cod Beetlecat and have sailed nearly everything up to 54′ so sail is my true passion but the foundation of my passion is just being on the water, regardless of how I get there.
So I raise my glass to you and wish you good luck in your adventures and I will live vicariously through you and your videos/blogs. Keep up the good work!
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Thanks Chris! Yes, it doesn’t matter what you’re on just as long as you’ve got the ocean blue around you. There are some super cool trawlers out there, you’ll find something you’ll be proud to stand on, easy 🙂
~R
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Hello , I would like to send you a very old antique wail oil lamp that I have had for 50+ years .
It is now electric with a off/on switch. no funny business this is a very cool small lamp out
of a wail fishing sailing vessel .Im 77 yr.s now , needs a new home. I turn it on at Christmas.
To die for sexy sail boat lamp. * For your wife’s smile. Please send shipping Info to ,
colotowerwork@comcast.net .. You will not believe how cool this is Chris , Jack
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We love you guys ! Found you on YouTube by a very happy accident. We are just like you, a happy married couple building a boat, except we were twenty-somethings about 50 years ago ! We envy your youth, strength, and flexibility, and admire the surprising wisdom that sometimes falls from your lips. You guys are beautiful, may you and your vessel be blessed.
And thank you so much for sharing your story and your selves with the world.
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Ah thank you so much Bruce. Cheers to you and your lady!
R&G
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Did you guys get the portholes you wanted
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Hey Ernie! We did. They just came in the mail we only have to wait for a multiple day weather window to install!!!
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Watch often! could you provide ingredients and cooking instructions for the wonderful vegetables you cook. My husband said he would try the veggies, they look so good, he hates vegtables! He loves the boat, being a retired sailor himself. Blessings and Good Luck
Gregg and Janice
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Sorry Janice for my delayed response but the veggies are super simple! Easiest is olive oil, salt, and pepper then in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes give or take. Presto! Sometimes a higher temp. or a few minutes on broil will make them a little crispy which is delicious! I got my mom to even eat brussel sprouts this way haha
R
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Hey guys, I’ve just started watching you and see that you’re Captain Ron fans. I composed the music for the film and would like to send you that music if you don’t already have it. Might help raise spirits on the slow days!
Best, Nick
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No way!
Oh, that’s too cool. Yeah, haha, we’re fans how do you think Swab got his name 😉
You can just email us: salt.and.tar@gmail.com
Right on!
~Ruthie
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Hi Garret and Ruth,
I just watched 100, 101, and 102. Well actually, over the years I’ve watched every episode. But in these latest updates, I’m not seeing how the architecture of the bowsprit and the samson post come together. The post seems to be in the way of the bowsprit. Sprit lands on top of post? What am I not seeing here? Thanks.
R
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Hey Robert!
The sprit is not attached yet it’s just tied down onto the sampson post. It’ll be another episode or two but Garrett’s first welding fabrication is the bowsprit bracket. The bowsprit will be hinging and the butt of the sprit is in front of the post then reaching 10 feet out over the stem(bow of the boat)
R
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Just watched all the episodes up to now in the last week or so, an awesome, incredible and inspiring journey it has been! What a ketch to be proud of. Thanks for sharing.
Can you recommend any other boat builders channels to keep me going until your next installment?
Thank you!
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Hi guys. Just watched episode 198 on fixing the oil leak. The most important thing to do with this type of oil filter mount is to torque the bolts holding in the mount to the correct torque. Yes the gasket and sealant is important but because the mounting bracket hangs off the side of the engine, it has a tendency to slacken slightly because of engine vibration. I have had the same problem with a 4 cylinder Perkins. It seemed fine after the new gaskets were installed but after around 30 hrs of running it started to leak again. Two things stopped the leak. Using locktite on the bolts and torquing the bolts to the proper inch-ponunds. Good luck.
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It was a real pleasure seeing Rediviva and talking to you today. She looked beautiful from the beach with the sun on her, shining under the fog as the sun set. Glowing red! Have a great cruise and put out extra fenders in Avalon.
Don’t want any fibreglass stains!
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You guys rock! Love the channel but I had to write to find out…What is the name of your intro song?!
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Thank you! It’s “Wonderful” by Dyalla Swain
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