Keith Black

Nix, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

I look forward to watching your Pegasus build come to life, Bob.

Bob, congratulations on completing Nina, beautiful work.

Boerscht, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Thierry, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

The Vicksburg bow stairway reconfiguration speaks volumes about the inconvenient/inadequate (for passengers) stairs in her previous Missouri River configuration. If the original stairs had been adequate then the Vicksburg reconfiguration would not have been unnecessary. In the below images the second photo is an enlargement of the first in an area directly below the upper deck port and starboard doors. IMHO I think this is a ship's ladder with open risers, horizontal treads, and an iron handrail commonly seen on ships and boats allowing access from lower to upper decks. Also a black square can be seen directly above what I think is a ship's ladder. The Peerless was originally a working boat with few passengers and a ship's ladder would have been more than adequate. When Peerless increased passenger excursions a ship's ladder would have proved both inconvenient and inadequate and particularly for the increasing numbers of women passengers and their long dresses. I'm sure many a woman complained about having to go up and down a ship's ladder with open risers hence the Vicksburg reconfiguration. I think this is a ship's ladder with open risers, horizontal treads, and an iron handrail commonly seen on ships and boats allowing access from lower to upper decks. Also a black square (opening) can be seen directly above. With a ship's ladder in this location access would have been immediate to the upper deck through the port and starboard doors and wheelhouse access would have been close through a door as indicated. Once the Vicksburg bow stairway reconfiguration took place that opening above would have been floored over and would have made for more passenger room. The area enlarged completely changes after the bow stairway reconfiguration. Building from photographs is a challenge and requires much speculation. Thank God for our iMac 27!

I beg to differ. I grew up in the south and every summer, Sunday dinner included okra. And it was prepared from fired, baked, and stewed. To this day I'd be hard pressed to eat okra to survive starvation. Maybe baked in your oven, Erik, but I have my doubts. Just one of the foods I never cottoned to. Bye the way, your food dishes look mouth watering with the exception of.....

Dave, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Bob, good to see you feeling better and the Nina is looking great.

I like the furled sail a lot, very realistic. Actually, quite amazing.

Could you rig three nooses running between the oars at fore, mid, and stern and then draw the two halves together once you're ready to join the two halves?

Welcome back, Glen. Got yourself a little nautical centipede, very impressive. The oars turned out great.

Blaine, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Bill, glad to see you on active status. Looking forward to seeing your Polaris build log.

LJP, congratulations on the completion of Thistle. She turned out fantastic, well done.

Antonio, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Tom, I am totally confused. I searched and couldn't find anything. You didn't say anything that offended me, it's a simple matter of not being able to help you.

Roger, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Eric, do you know what river system?

My wife might argue that point.

My statement was a jest. No doubt you've reduced your carbon footprint but unfortunately being totally carbon free is impossible, IMHO. Unless you're running butt naked through the woods eating raw whatever we all have a carbon footprint, some way more than yourself. As for a salmon or any seafood, always buy frozen. Supermarkets mistreat seafood horribly. Fresh seafood for the most part is a myth. Very few boats are out and back in the same day with enough daylight left to get product to market on that same day. I know this having lived in Alaska on the Bristol Bay side where we were heavily involved in the salmon industry and we also owned an unsuccessful seafood company in Texas. What part of Alaska does your acquaintance fish?

You meat burners are are the reason for global warming.

Congratulations, Chris. Seventeen years deservers a medal.

Sorry to hear about the painter's broken wrist. I hope his broken wrist doesn't interfere with raising a glass or two.

"mind the gap"