: Well, I've had the hoophouse and sawhorse tables set up for about a month and
: a half now, the Anuri kit has been unpacked and stored mostly behind my
: couch for a week or so less than that. I've gotten so busy with freelance
: design work that I simply have not had time to begin building it.

: The good news is that the kit all arrived in great shape, despite what I
: thought was pretty flimsy packing, and the guys at WD accommodated all my
: special requests for altering the contents of the kit without missing
: anything. They were also EXTREMELY helpful and prompt answering e-mail
: questions about the boat and kit when I was making up my mind. (Thanks
: Jeff!) The manual is VERY thorough and pretty well illustrated (I've read
: it cover to cover), and they included an entire color West Systems manual
: for the epoxy, which I've never used before. The panels of okoume got laid
: out on the floor for inventory, and it looks like I have some nice book
: matched grain, with good consistent coloration of the panels. Never done
: this before, but the kit looks great to my inexperienced eye. Should be a
: pretty boat if I can do a good job.

I've used only West System epoxy and never had any problems with it. I would suggest you forego using the pumps and switch to using 10 cc syringes for mixing the hardener/resin. The pumps burp sometimes and if you are not cautious you can mix a weak batch. Get syringes with plastic tips, like the ones Donnie provided, for mixing and you'll never go wrong. Mark the sryinges using a tape measure so you end up with about three equal measures on each syringe, that will help assure you don't make any mixing problems.

: The other good thing is, that by the time I get my work caught up enough to
: start the boat, the temps outside should be warming up again! So maybe I
: won't have to use the milkhouse heater I bought outside so much. I was
: really nervous about leaving a heater on outside all night.

: Another positive note: I built the entire 20' x 10' hoophouse for under $100,
: have plenty of 6 mil visquene plastic left over, and it is very roomy
: inside. It has withstood some pretty strong storms with no problems so
: far. We had wind gusts up to about 60mph the other night when a warm front
: came through. But it is in a pretty protected spot, bordered fairly close
: by the house and privacy fence. Against some folks advice, I did seam the
: plastic with duct tape, since I could not find any 20' wide sheets
: anywhere, and it seems to be holding up very well. I am not achieving as
: much "greenhouse effect" inside as I'd hoped, mostly I guess
: because I have many trees around, but since I won't get to start until at
: least February, maybe that wont matter so much to epoxy curing out. And
: the shade will probably help lessen the inevitable UV deterioration of the
: plastic.

: Can't wait to get started!

Hey, are the hoop houses warmer in the winter via filtering sunlight through the plastic? I'm wondering if I can build one here to begin building my Night Heron.

Robert N Pruden