I just hogged right through with a big old bit. The end pour was already done. I cleaned up the entry and exit hole afterwards with countersinking bit. On some other boats I may be a little more careful, but I intend this boat to get well beat up, so I am not being to picky about every little detail. It is just a boat that will soon enough be all scratched up, a less than perfect hole will be lost in the noise.

Thank you, yes I did get the paua shell. I am saving it for an appropriate project. It is beautiful stuff.

: I was impressed by the way you drilled the holes for the grab loops in the
: bow. I have only done it once for my guillemot s&G, but I nervously used a
: brace and bit. As soon as a tiny hole indicating that the bit was starting
: to come through I whipped the brace and bit around and finished it off
: from the otherside to stop break out.

: In your photo it looks like you just blasted through with a standard BIG bit.
: Did you make an epoxy core first?

: Did you ever get those paua shell strips and were they of any use??

: Cheers Pete