Reclining on Chestnut

After laying the deck, there are a number of things to fit into the hull before the coaming goes on. Also, I had a seat idea that I was anxious to try. You see, it goes like this: The congregation where I served for a number of years removed two front pews for the usual reasons - space for more theatrics, weddings, worship combos, etc. I had reason to believe that the pews were American chestnut since much of the interior is finished in chestnut.

Strapped to the roof of the mini-van, they made their way to the The Works, where they were stripped of cushions and disassembled. (True story: The two front pews were used since time immemorial - well, at least since 1925 - for the assemblage of the Sunday School children; boys on the right; girls on the left. The boys' pew had a reef of used chewing gum on the underside of the bench proper. Girls, of course, would have disposed of their chewing gum in the carefully saved wrapper.) The main seats were edge-glued, contoured chestnut.

A template was fashioned and similar grain of sassafras was used to make up where the chestnut could not extend in width. I am reclining on the port side bench prior to its finishing: