Maxim’s Page

I wrote about something that we all fishermen are probably going to do in the future; biuld a boat or boats. The story is from my own experience and has no romance in it (sorry). I listed steps on how we biult our own boat step-by-step and went fishing on it.

 The other story is nonfiction and is something every person will have to do in order to drive on a vehicle legally. Getting a drivers license. This writing is from my experience and is about how I drove around with a trainer on the side. Did I pass? or did I fail? find out by reading:) 

Building a Boat by Max

Once upon a time, three-four years ago when school just ended, my dad decided to build a boat in one month. I didn’t think we could do it, but dad said it’s possible; we just have to work harder and longer. We planned to fish out in Cook Inlet because our uncle rented a permit for a good price.

We built a bow picker because it was a little easier to build than a stern picker. It was 32’ long 11’6” wide, and needed to be less sturdy. We started counting our days (except Sundays and holydays) working in a shop and lay fiberglass layers onto a mold to create a hull. There are a lot of steps involved in fiberglassing and everything has to be done the right way. When fiberglassing we have certain tools (a roller to roll out bubbles), material (math and roving), and liquids (resin, catalyst, acetone). First, we wiped the mold in the shop because it was outside and it rained leaving bunch of unwanted stuff. Then waxed it with special wax, to prevent the hull from bonding to the mold.

On the same day my dad painted the mold with pearl white gelcoat and left it to dry overnight. The next day we came in early and started on a base called skin coat. It made up of mat and resin, which prevents pinholes when the hull is popped off the mold. Then came the layers, which is the most important part of the hull. One layer is made out of mat, roving, mat, glassed together and to make a bow picker hull takes about four layers. Dads’ two workers were helping us out; and we had those layers finished in three days, which was pretty fast.

As the sun rose, again, we went to work at 8:00 A.M. Our next step was to install bulkheads to reinforce the hull. This took us about five days because there was lots of work involved. We had to grind a lot to make sure everything was smooth; Fiberglass is all spikey after it dries and a person can cut himself easily. Once we got all the bulkheads installed all set and glassed we installed a fuel tank approximately 350 gallons. It’s made out of fiberglass too but I didn’t help with that. Just making the fuel tank takes about three hours per days for two days to complete. The rest of those hours, we were working on the cabin floor, fish holds and deck. We had the deck built before we even started because my dad had built 12 early in the year.

Next was the cabin part which is made out of two layers and is about 12 ft. long by 10 ft. wide. The cabin was done in three days and the next day we popped it off the mold (there is a cabin mold too). It was also the time to pop off the hull; we hitched it up to my dad’s truck and drove to the cranes. In no time, the hull was put on onto a trailer and returned back to the shop. That same day, we bonded the cabin to the hull with fiberglass.

The shop gets messy overtime and I hate cleaning! The sweeping is the worst because all that fiberglass dust gets under the skin and itches. After that a cold shower is necessary. By the time I finished, my dad called some extra people to help put on a visor (almost like a fly bridge) on to the cabin. It weighs about 500 pounds and had to lift it about 15 ft., but with seven men it was piece of cake.  Next, we fiberglassed the visor to the cabin. It was ready for window installation. But first, my dad decided to build cabinets and bunk beds then install the windows. He did it that way because when he paints, windows won’t get dirty. It took us about three days to complete the cabinets and the dash. A dash is where a steering wheel and gages are located, just like in a vehicle. After that the boat was ready for window installation (takes about four hours).

This time I didn’t have to wake up early in the morning and go town because it was a weekend off. Weekend passed by pretty quick and I don’t really remember what I did but I do remember how I didn’t want to wake up next Monday morning.

Day 21, engines and jets came in and were installed by a guy dad knows really well. Next thing I know an electrician comes in and starts on wiring. He connected two large batteries and hooked everything up from the dash, to breaker box, to batteries, then to motor. Other minor hook ups were fishing lts., running lts., anchor lts., inside lamps, deck lights, and electronics (GPS, radio’s, etc.). Oven and propane tank got pre-wired.

We painted the deck, fish hold, and did other minor touch ups. We bolted down a reel, bow roller, and mast. Hydraulic pump and the whole hydraulic setup was fitted. Next was water tank, water pumps, pacer pump, and racor filters for gas. Then steering wheels (in cabin and bow), jet guard, trim tabs, controls and fish hold hatch. After these main things were finished, we moved to less important hardware like toilet, cushions for bunks and seats, counter top, sink, etc. etc.

Finally, after one in a half months of hard work, the day came to test drive that thing, boy wasn’t everybody excited. It took us about an hour to start just to break in the new motors. After that, we were going 37 knots full board on a calm weather. That was very fast and the fastest I ever went on a fishing boat. Time came, and the bow picker, now named Roadrunner, was ready to rock ‘n’ roll out to fishing grounds. Driving a fast is pure legit to get to the fishing grounds. From Homer it takes about three hours to drive on a normal boat, Roadrunner reached the place in forty-five minutes.

This was my first experience to help build a bow picker and I learned a lot. We didn’t make much money that season because it was one of the poorest. With a fast boat we ended up catching a little more than average, plus whenever we had extra time we went sport fishing. Winter came and the boat was put on market, in no time it wasn’t ours anymore. Next one is to be built by 2012J

Did I Pass? By: Max Martushev

One day it was time for a trainer to see how good I could drive. It was nice weather and I was to get a drivers license. His name was Bob and Bob’s car was a gray Honda Civic. I was very nervous because I was thinking I won’t pass over and over.

“Are you ready?” asked Bob

“Yup, sure am,” was my answer.

“Alright just don’t kill me. Hehe. Now, drive straight forward and see those two cones over there? Imagine you are driving in Anchorage with busy streets and make a parallel park,” directed Bob. At first I was confused and started off wrong. By the time I figured out what to do I had completed a bunch of steering and gone back and forth. Finally I put the car on park.

“Alright, now go to the next drive way and make a three-point turn,” instructed Bob, “Oh, and just imagine that drive way is a ditch.” Three-point turn is pretty easy and it took me seconds to turn around.

“Ok. Drive forward, when I say children, do what you have to do.”

Well, I knew what I had to do; I had to make a dead stop.

“Children!” He alleged. I slammed the breaks right away. The car jerked to a stop and Bob almost hit the dashboard, fortunately he had his seat belt on.

“Very well!” exclaimed Bob,” hehe almost flew out of the car.  We are almost done. Now go to main highway and turn left.” I did what I was told and drove for about two miles. Then he told me to turn left into a driveway and turn back around.

“Now, if you will, go back to the house,” said Bob. I drove into his driveway and put the car on park, his hand shot out.

“Congratulations you passed!”