"The Building of Miss Thriftway!"
Hull Construction Photos - 2005


Archived Photos from 2003 Archived Photos from 2004
Jan 2005 Feb 2005 Mar 2005 Apr 2005 May 2005 Jun 2005
Jul 2005 Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005



JANUARY 2005
Jan 1

All 6 bottom pieces in place (Shiney!)
Jan 1

Chief and Peter aligning 4 pieces

Jan 1
Rob "fine tuning" one of the end joints
Jan 1

"There...How does THAT fit?"
Jan 1

Hole through the transom for steering linkage
Jan 1

Peter working on the finished edge of the bottom
Jan 1

The finished notch where the side, non-trip and bottom meet
Jan 1

Alan, Peter, Steve and Chief checking the margins after the bottom piece was complete
Jan 16

Steve, Chief and Larry pilot drill for the bottom extension at the transom.
Jan 16

Larry countersinking one of the 252 holes per sheet!
Jan 16

Rob mixing glue
(One of these days we WILL clean up the bench!)

Jan 16

One of the last photos before the bottom is permanently installed. Rob is filling the bolt holes with West Epoxy.
Jan 16

Rudder Bracket in place - permanently!
Jan 16

Rudder support
Jan 16

Rudder bracket with support - top view
Jan 22

Rob putting the final sanding on the battens

Jan 22

Bottom piece with all the location marks
Jan 22

Steve, Chief and Larry doing the final markings before the glue
Jan 22

Larry Fuller, Larry Vanderhoef and Rob drilling over 600 pilot holes

Jan 22

Our drills!
Jan 22

Steve giving the bottom the final sanding before glue
Jan 22

Chief applying epoxy to the keel
Jan 22

Alan and Stuart giving the battens a coat of Weldwood

Jan 22

The glue goes down!
Jan 22

The screws go down!

Jan 22

Glue on the SECOND sheet
Jan 22

Weldwood on the other side battens
Jan 22

TWO down - FOUR to go!
Jan 29

Bolting the bottom to the extension angle
Jan 29

Routing the excess off the bottom at the transom
Jan 29

Screw pattern at the cross joint under the firewall
Jan 29

Butt blocks in place
Jan 29

Finished transom WITH our new Ron Brown refurbished rudder!


FEBRUARY 2005
Feb 12

One down, one to go (TODAY!)
Feb 12

Glue pattern on bottom by Chief, Stu and Dane
Feb 12

Larry and Rob applying Weldwood to the battens
Feb 12

Alan is fixing some of the high screw heads
Feb 12

Last picture of the bottom of the Right fuel tank
Feb 12

Second set of butt blocks
Feb 12

4 down, 2 to go!
Feb 12

This is the intersection of the bottom, side and the Left non-trip as viewed from the inside
Feb 12

Top view of butt blocks in place
Feb 12

Engine compartment with bottom in place


MARCH 2005
March 5

Ron Jones Sr. with Rob talking about the bow shelf angle
March 5

Steve routing the primary sponson area with jig while Ron makes sure nothing slips
March 5

Close up view as to how much material was being removed
March 5

Ron with his plans checking a dimension
March 5

Finished primary at 3 degrees dihedrahl
March 5

Another view
March 5

"The nose"
March 5

Bow Shelf doubler in place
March 12

Ron & Larry discussing the chine intersection
March 12

Ron doing his magic
March 12

The final nose shape
March 12

One more chine, battens and planking!
March 12

From the back side
March 19

Right Sponson
March 19

Right sponson
March 19

Angle where primary running surface will butt


APRIL 2005
April 16

Battens on the Right sponson
April 16

Right sponson transom...note the limber holes for water to get out
April 16

Chief in his new team coveralls grinding screw tips that came through when the air trap double was installed
April 16

Ron working on fairing the left sponson
April 16

More on the left side
April 16

Alan clamping up the chines on the left sponson
April 16

We do MORE than just Hydroplanes!
Steve and Lloyd installing a round window into a door for Larry and Kathy Vanderhoef
April 23

Ron Jones Sr. putting the finishing touches on the left sponson
April 23

Steve & Larry working with a spoke shave to fit a sponson plank
April 23

Ron and Alan looking over some info
April 23

Rob attending to our lunch
April 23

Alan showing some of the King crab he brought for lunch!
April 23

Chief, Steve and Larry...fuss, fuss, fit, fit
April 23

Larry and Steve on the Right Sponson, Rob and Ron on the Left
April 23

Left sponson ready for battens
April 23

Left sponson chines (DONE!)
April 23

Air trap/nose/sponson plank
April 23

Right Sponson jointery
April 30

Alan, Lloyd and Stuart contemplating the main rib for the bow spoiler.
April 30

All 7 pieces of the bow spoiler
April 30

Left sponson batten in place
April 30

Left Sponson Joint


MAY 2005
May 14

Steve and Larry clamping the first lamination of the left sponson primary
May 14

Chief working on glue cleanup

May 14

Right sponson battens (primary)

May 14

Rear cowling pieces - 1 left side,
3 right sides
May 14

Larry, Alan and Chief stripping another left rear cowling piece from the mould
May 14

Finished Product!
May 14

Alan working on the spoiler
May 14

It's starting to look like a sponson!
May 21

Final fairing is done on the right side
May 21

Left Sponson clamp farm!


JUNE 2005
June 1

Magnetic sign for the sides of the trucks
June 1

Only ONE more dash left to do!
June 4

Bill working on the Thriftway
June 4

Rob and Steve setting up the cowlings
June 4

Bill in the cowlings
June 4

Chief in the cowlings
June 4

Larry in the cowlings
June 4

Using the plywood to get a rough layout on the .080 aluminum skin
June 4

Primary sponson step
June 4

Lots of battens and chines
June 4

The famous "Compton Block"
June 4

Sponson Drain holes
June 4

Right sponson
June 4

Right Sponson intersection
June 4

Right Sponson - side view
June 18

Chief making the drain holes in the primary plywood piece.
June 18

Larry and Stuart fitting the primary recovery plywood on the left sponson
June 25

Reinforcement pieces fo the front spoiler
June 25

"Softened" inside corner of left sponson.
June 25

Transition area
June 25

Right sponson primary running surface battens
June 25

Full batten layout of the left sponson.


JULY 2005
July 2

Lunch Time!
July 2

Scarf joint at transition area - outside chine

July 2

Left sponson skinned!

July 2

Inside chamfer on left sponson extended to tip

July 16

Steve and Larry cutting out the aluminum for the sponsons.

July 16

Angle aluminum to reinforce the sponson transom

July 16

Right sponson non-trip

July 16

Right sponson non-trip

July 16

Larry's getting an extension on his garage so Miss Thriftway can have a nice warm and dry winter home!

July 23

Chief wants this joint PERFECT!

July 23

File, file, file, file, file, file, file,file...

July 23

One applied, one almost ready, many more to go!

July 23

Chief and Alan doing the final check on the bow spoiler alignment


AUGUST 2005
August 27

Chief decided we needed to reinforce the sponson transom.
August 27

Chief and Larrys handiwork!
August 27

Plywood on bow.
August 27

Left sponson non-trip in place
August 27

Right secondary getting ready
August 27

Right secondary in place
August 27

The joint!
August 27

Next up...Air Traps!


SEPTEMBER 2005
September 3

Left sponson - secondary applied
September 3

Left sponson joint
September 10

Right air trap aluminum with reinforcing angle
September 10

We'll finish this next week
September 10

Right air trap aluminum with reinforcing angle (from the back)
September 17

Aluminum on bow ...DONE!
September 24

Tip detail of angle reinforcement piece
September 24

Left side getting ready
September 24

Rob putting the finishing touches on the secondary
September 24

Chief "tuning" the right non-trip
September 24

Steve working the countersink
September 24

Larry pilot drilling the left side air trap pieces
September 24

"Well...What do YOU think?"
(Rob, Stuart and Alan)
September 24

DONE!!!
September 24

Tip detail after installation


OCTOBER 2005
October 1

Skid fin template in place
October 1

Front view
October 1

3/8" backing plate
October 1

Inside looking out
October 8

The left side is alomost ready!
October 8

The layout grid for drilling
October 8

Rob drilling the back area of the recovery
October 8

Alan working on the front
October 8

Recovery area - Side view
October 8

Recovery area - Front view
October 8

Recovery in place, Primary getting fitted
October 8

Right Sponson Transom with primary aluminum
October 29

Trailer hold down brackets
October 29

Dumas Kit - Plan rack - Spoiler piece etc...
October 29

Chief applying the final seal coat to the right primary before it gets covered.
October 29

Primary aluminum ready for the 5200
October 29

Steve & Stuart sealing the battens
October 29

DONE!
October 29

Larry block sanding the first fiish coat on the right side
October 29

Rob & Chief (with supervisor ALan) block sanding the left side after the first coat of finish.


NOVEMBER 2005
November 5

"Holey Skid Fin Chief!" Yup, many holes were drilled in order to anticipate what was needed for the skid fin
November 5

Left side airtrap aluminum...DONE!
November 5

Our newest "contributor", Layne "Stitch" McDonough (see explanation in the "Progress" section)
November 12

Lloyd supervising Steve on drilling the pilot holes
November 12

Left side inner non-trip ...DONE!
November 12

Left Aluminum angle reinforcement at sponson transom...DONE!
November 12

Right side after 3 coats of Varnish
November 12

Spoiler parts final coat of Epoxy
November 19

Inner non-trip on left sponson
November 19

6 pieces of aluminum meeting at the front of the left sponson
November 19

Closer view
November 19

Almost there! (file, file, file, file....)
November 19

Chief and Steve holding the spoiler ribs in place while Alan attaches them from below
November 19

Spoiler ribs in place
November 19

Alan with his spoiler ribs...next up, skin!


DECEMBER 2005
December 3

Alan, Stuart and Rob perpping for the spoiler plywood
December 3

Alan putting the final sanding on the ply
December 3

This is an interesting view
December 3

File, File, File, File, File, File, File, File (Finish filing on the Primaries!)
December 3

Verrry thick Hysol to fill in the gaps!
December 3

First piece on!
December 3

Second piece
December 3

Finished product ...(front view)
December 3

Finished product ...(rear view)
December 3

Inner non-trip finished detail
December 10

Starting to install the bunks on the trailer
December 17

Model by Mike Fitzsimmons (on Steve's desk)
December 17

Rob fabricating the rear roll over fixture
December 17

Rear roll over fixture
December 17

December 17

Chief working on the front roll over fixture prepping it for paint
December 24

Sky Cam shot
December 24

Front roll over fixture
December 24

Forklift Fixture
December 24

Lifting test
December 31

Aluminum for spoiler ready!
December 31

Chief and Steve discussing the roll around configuration
December 31

Chief, Steve & Larry installing the aft fixture.
December 31

Rob's shop
December 31

Totally suspended!
Chief on pins and needles as we lower Miss Thriftway onto the roll around dollys
December 31

Alan & Larry removing the last support frame.
December 31

Miss Thriftway is ready to roll!



©2005 Vashon Unlimiteds, LLC
Vashon Island, Washington USA
E-mail comments or questions to: Steve Compton