Everglades Challenge: Clearing the decks

            Having partly dismembered the donated Flying Scot, "Red Stripe," TwoBeers discovered that the boat suffered the classic signature of fiberglass age: not just dulling of the gelcoat and wear-and-tear crazing, but more serious structural issues. 

          Moisture had made its insidious way into the balsa core of the boat.  The telling detail? After he removed hardware from the area, TwoBeers saw water welling up in screw-holes. 

          There are two methods for removing water in these situations: either vacuum the moisture out using a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption with a shop-vac and Visqueen, or remove the damaged core surgically.

          Naturally, the Sawzall was called back into play.  And with a little help from Uncle Markie (Tribe name: Ensign RumDOWN, pronounced with a decided note of panic.), Frankenscot now sports a newly grafted-on floor section. 

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While an inner mad scientist is probably needed for this kind of project, it's important to give credit where Promethean sparks fly:  A modified Flying Scot over in Texas (Hello White Lake!) called "Turbo Pig" has plowed the way -- the YouTube video below shows how the souped-up Flying Scot really scoots in a breeze:

July 1, 2013. 
This just in: Rick Tears over in Texas sent a handful of photos of the Turbo Pig. This project, engineered and designed by Richard Wade, added a masthead spinnaker, subtracted decking, and added a foil rudder and a carbon bowsprit. Hey, that sounds smart! 
Photos below credit Rick Tears: