Taste of Being These photos show the launch of my sternwheel paddleboat, "Taste of Being," from a 40 x 8 ft. trailerable on Friday July 27, 2001. The boat will have smokestack and railings before the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival the weekend after Labor Day (2nd wk. in Sept.), where the boat will be on exhibit. She's plywood with 2-3 layers of fiberglass, a 40 hp Westerbeke diesel 12.7 KVD gen-set with hydraulic pump on front. Hyd. "motor on wheel," 30 rpm., 8-1/2 in. draft at stern. Six bunks, head, galley, refrigerator/freezer and apartment-sized 4 burner 220v range with oven. Unbelievable first day. Two minor glitches, none interferring in whole three-day weekend of paddling around the lakes. - Bruce Benton next