Blake Boatworks Boat Building in Gloucester, North Carolina - Design, Construction, Repair, Restoration, Boat Plans

Blake Boatworks

P.O. Box 91 Gloucester, North Carolina (252) 729-8021 blake@blakeboatworks.com

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Notes from the Field - "Cherokee" Huckins Restoration Project
March 13, 2003 The Cherokee site was literally humming with excitement as the engines were started for the first time after being installed on the boat. After an initial cloud of smoke, the engines purred clean and steady. Engine midwife Bill Brown was so happy he took on an uncharacteristic air of non-chalance, claiming, "I had no doubt they'd start without a hitch." He was later seen passing out cigars...A ground tank provided water intake and outflow in order to keep the engines cool.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

Coolant Tank for Engines

Tom Parker is shown below installing aluminum clips to the washer and dryer so they can be bolted to the wall in the laundry room.

Washer and Dryer in Laundry Room

Sample paint was applied to a section of the Cherokee hull, to see how the "fighting lady yellow" looked with a grey deck and white cabin sides against the varnished trim.

Trim and Paint

Chris and Leonard have installed the wing walls for the deck. Now they're tackling the flybridge walls above. The flybridge walls are both strong and lightweight, constructed of fiberglass over Divinicell.

Chris and Leonard Working on Fly Bridge

Fly Bridge Construction

Below, Kevin and crew are working on the installation of coach-roof supports, and Jeanette is sanding the windshield in preparation of varnish.

Installing Coach Roof Supports

Jeanette Sanding in Lotus Position

Meet Marshallberg's newest U.S. naturalized citizen - Yogi Shah. He and his wife Dipika are from Gujarat, India and have run the Korner Store in the 'berg for the past four or five years. "The locals helped us set up and get started," said Yogi. Dipika, who is in the process of naturalization, never layed eyes on Yogi until after her parents checked him out and gave her their approval. "In the old days there was no choice," she explained. "You married who your parents wanted you to. But I was able to choose Yogi." She's from a village called Sathamba, and Yogi's from Kapadwanj, "about the same distance as Marshallberg and New Bern." 200 of his relatives came over to Sathamba by the busload for the wedding. They now have three sweet daughters - Priya, which means pretty, Pooja, meaning worship of God, and baby Payal, which means ankle bracelet. Although there is the inconvenience of no Hindu temple, the Shah family loves Marshallberg for its "nice people" and "no crime!" Yogi and Dipika have certainly added to the charm to their adopted village...Signing off for now, Barbara "Fish Doctor" Blake
Yogi behind the Korner Kounter

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