Day Two

**In actual boatbuilding news, I am getting really close now to picking the plans for my next boat. I may actually draw something up myself, or pick up some existing plans and modify the decking for what I am looking for. I'm planning for an 18' sailboat out of plywood and the mathematics could get a bit difficult to get the hull shape right and get enough sail(s) for that much hull space. Most of the plans I'm finding don't have enough seating or burn too much space on a cabin. I don't care about sleeping on the boat but being light enough to sail by myself or fit 4-8 people for an afternoon on the water has a lot of appeal.

Day 2 of our 4th of July holiday deck build started with a massive Lowe's run for lumber and fasteners. We ran out of deck screws with two boards left on the first level of flooring, right? My goal was to stay ahead of Kelley. If She was ready to hang the joists on level 2, then I needed to be working the rim joists for level 3. The lumber we got was massive, so we lost most of the morning with that run. Still, we start with the mid-day pictures.

Level 2 got to smoke 2 joists in the morning

Morning progress on Level 3 rim job

And there is a crapload of flooring piled up on the level 1 deck already. Got to use that before we can screw down the last 2 boards on level 1. Also really looking forward to finishing the rim on Level 3, it's the key asymmetrical design element that really makes the entire deck fit.

The Level 3 rim joists

 Level 3 got a completed rim, and we put in a double joist in the middle. We wanted to orient the floorboards in the opposite direction for that level to add some visual interest. The double joist in the middle lets us hang the framing members  in a way that will give us the flooring we want.

Now we have a complete outline!

Really starting to come together!

It's nice to see our final layout/design on full scale now

We need more joist hangers!

Level 2 is floored!

We finally got to finish off the last 2 boards on level 1 as well

Kelley and I enjoying that night's refreshing adult beverages on a floored level 2!

After a hard days work

Level 1 is 10' x 10' square. Level 2 is a step down, and there is a kicker in the exterior wall. It's just over 12' long, sometimes 6' wide but sometimes 7' wide. Same 2x8 framing and 5/4 flooring all around.

We're halfway through this holiday build out and ready for the next Lowe's run. Need some more joist hangers, and now we know exactly how many 2x8's we still need to buy. We're rolling, and ready to keep going. Day 3 is next.