http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html Havana, at age 8, already has a passion . . . it’s boats. He likes to read about them, design and draw them, even build them. First it was Legos, now he’s working with block of scrap lumber. The inspiration for his first of a kind came from pouring over my collection of super yacht magazines, International Boat US and ShowBoat. He’s into wedding cake yachts right now, with helicopter landing pads, bow thrusters, reverse sterns, and aluminum super structures. This first wood model has occupied him for 4 weeks, what with his initial drawings, which I make him do before we cut the wood with my power saw. With the pieces in hand he plays with options for the super structure, revers windows in the pilot house, sky lounge, garage for the water toys . . . he gets me to do the heavy work of sawing, grinding and shopping, but this is an activity that brings us together, and we spend hours some days discussing design, engineering, construction methods, final finish and hardware. We visit boat yards together, boat building schooIs and marine stores. I was into these small wooden models when I was a kid his age, and boats are still a large part of my life. . . not building them, but sailing them. But this passion has to begin some where and I’m please as a father to see my son has an imagination and the ability to get involved in an idea and turn it into reality. We took his mega yacht, expedition cruiser, Coast Guard cutter, Navy destroyer for his first sea trials while we were in Vineyard Haven, on Martha’s Vneyard. The bow was a little heavy, which turned Havana’s ship into a submarine when towed in deep water, but with skillful boat handling, Havana soon had her plaining and reaching her design speed, which was “fast!.” http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#0 64a9aa41-a004-48db-a52b-9b34aeaa551e http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270541/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270541/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Havana and sister Ren visit  the Rockland Coast Guard Station with Havana’s plans for a new cutter.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#1 4f3c24f5-d7fd-4cee-a590-af381deb9760 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270542/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270542/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Petty Officer Ripley accepts Havana’s plans for the stealth cruiser.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#2 8fe4dbe7-c609-4070-b97f-6162b65d16a9 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270547/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P8270547/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">“Many thanks and job well done”</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#3 8ab97757-0bd0-4fb2-ac19-060b31ba99c0 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P9261092/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/P9261092/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The idea for a yacht takes shape. </p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#4 90868dc1-7551-4849-b80e-463c8cbcfc2d http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0385/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0385/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Dad grinds down the super structure on the aft deck of Searcher, the boat on which we live.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#5 33571f91-cfa1-4eba-8a1e-f507f075e15a http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA021120/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA021120/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Havana and I epoxy and clamp the parts together .</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#6 110f64da-1538-47e0-843a-672b444e6b54 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA021118/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA021118/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The super structure was also screwed to the hull.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#7 15679259-bd96-41a3-894f-700240041f1c http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0403/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0403/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Havana and Phil Halend, owner of Martha’s Vineryard Shipyard, discuss design and model construction.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#8 982d745c-c464-42e6-bf11-5e34441654e1 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0410/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0410/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Phil shows Havana the template for a keel wing for a racngf model he’s building.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#9 2b57b62f-40a2-4e20-9836-3d9f02a1e7e4 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0415/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0415/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The first coat.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#10 72bb27e9-7ab7-434a-8980-16cb0ffae4a0 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA101410/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA101410/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Two coats of primer, two coats of gray top coast, sanding, between each coat.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#11 1c85250f-a5db-4e54-95fb-ccde6e416391 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA101415/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA101415/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">First launch . . . she’s bow heavy! But that’s soon solved, with expert towing techniques.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#12 b3eb8e68-9b2f-41de-a606-1feb929a83d7 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111432/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111432/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Shallow water along the beach in Vineyard Haven helps the model skim along at “top speed”</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#13 72c8cfe9-7fb9-4d81-abb3-63ba3d8172fd http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/QKkRg/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/QKkRg/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Havana spent an hour towing his model boat up and down the beach.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#14 c0fb5600-a088-4dc8-a863-bda2ea3bd19a http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111439/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111439/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">. .  and along the dock at ferry terminal.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#15 f8c9591c-930c-405f-aa0a-9e6cfdcf4014 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/q4Uxl/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/q4Uxl/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Young designer and builders wants more speed, so pof we go in the dinghy, Searcher in the background.</p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#16 5d336be5-09cf-451f-bed9-aa81c089ac2a http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111444/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/PA111444/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The model racing along beside us in the dinghy. </p></div></div> http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building.html#17 42e9b359-e84e-4580-9384-681f78430638 http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0190/thumb.jpg http://www.KidsOnBoats.net/KidsOnBoats.net/Model_Boat_Building_files/Media/IMG_0190/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">A visit to the Apprentise Shop in Rockland, Maine where students build boats to learn the craft.</p></div></div>