Greg is busy working on the keel well. It houses the lifting keel, which will be over 18,000 pounds. The lifting keel mechanism will allow the navigator to travel into shallower water as low as 6 feet. With the keel fully extended, the navigator will need at least 10.5 feet of water.
Greg completes work on the fixed keel, to mark a milestone. He transports the large object out of the shop and into the fenced yard outdoors to eventually weld it to the hull.
Work progressed on getting the ribs extended across the frames. Near the end of 2003, he began welding sheets of aluminum to the hull as weather allowed. In November, Greg obtained many pounds of lead for the ballast. Welding continued in late October before snow and low temps.
