A Cooperative Community Boatbuilding Event
Scale model by Pat Patteson comparing the IMS (100') to Mr. Moon (18')
The genesis of this idea came from Rick C. in a discussion on the WoodenPowerBoats Yahoo! Group:
"But as I was looking at Bolger's folding schooner I was thinking what if a bunch guys got together and each built an 8' section of a boat and then all got together for a messabout and bolted them together to make one large boat? with 86 members we could build a 700' sharpie. 35 Knots at displacement speed!!"
The objective is to stimulate public interest in amateur boat building by assembling and operating the longest possible boat from modules constructed independently by various individuals and groups from across the country. The modules will be brought to a public venue where they will be combined into a single unit in the course of a weekend. The resulting boat is planned to be as much as 100’ feet long and become the longest wooden boat ever built in such a short time.
The Infinite Modular Sharpie (IMS) will be comprised of independently constructed units that will be from 4-8 feet in length, 4-6 feet wide and 3.5 feet deep. Because the IMS units are rectangular in both plan and section, they can be cheaply and quickly constructed by anybody who is capable of making a wooden box using only ordinary construction materials found in any home center or lumber yard. The materials list will be a few sheets of ˝” exterior grade plywood, a couple of two by fours, a couple of pounds of galvanized deck screws or ring-shank nails, a couple of tubes of construction adhesive, and a gallon or so of latex paint. The organizers will provide the pointy bow unit and the motor unit at the stern. The IMS will be powered by an outboard motor of a 7-15 hp also provided by the organizers and/or sponsors.
Judging from the early response, it may make sense to reduce the length of the IMS units to 4 feet, thus allowing a higher number of participants while keeping the length of the completed IMS within sane limits. The idea is to make a 100-120 foot boat, not a 300 footer. If we wound up with that kind of participation, it would be best to build two or more boats instead. Reducing the IMS unit length to 4 feet would also reduce the cost per unit and simplify transportation to the assembly event. Units that size could even be sent by parcel post to allow participation in absentia.
If a suitable charitable organization can be found, then the organizers will ask the participants to solicit pledges from sponsors based on the length of the IMS achieved at the event. The charitable organization would ideally be one dedicated to either maritime ecology or the diversion of at-risk youth into community boat building projects. The IMS will be assembled at a public event to maximize the general public’s awareness of amateur boat building and the aims of the charitable organization.
Equally important in our goals is to make the event both safe and fun for the all the participants and the public.
It is our objective to make TIMSP a reality in the summer of 2002. If you are interested in being part of TIMSP organizing committee or participating as an IMS unit builder, please contact John Bell at jmbell@mindspring.com.