The Float Again

by Robison Wells

Last week I told you all about my new obsession: the design and construction of the stake parade float for the 24th of July. Well, the good news is that the dang thing is finished (mostly). On Saturday morning we towed it down to the SouthTowne Expoe Centre for the preview party, and then I spent the next two days in bed.

Here are a few pictures, as requested. Remember: I have worked about 10-12 hours a day on this thing, six days a week, for the past three weeks. (This is not to say that I did it alone. I designed it all, both aesthetically and structurally, but others in the stake came in the evenings to swing hammers and paint.)

Also, bear in mind that these pictures were taken before it was finished.

The picture below is the full boat. As you can tell, we haven't yet attached the sparkly water underneath the boat, and the mast hasn't been put on. But this gives you a good overview. It's a little over 25 feet from bow to stern. The driver sees out through the portholes.


Below is the view from the aft. All of the details were carved out of foam by yours truly. (Well, the ballisters for the railings were carved by the Hawthorne Ward Relief Society after I made a few samples for them.) The foam we use is made for insulation, and it's bright pink. So, for about a week (before the foam was painted) the boat was purple and pink, and it looked like it would be better suited for the gay pride parade.


Here's a close-up on some of the carved foam. Note the sun, moon, and stars. Discussion questions: Was Rob trying to use some form of deep symbolism? If so, what do these celestial bodies represent? (Answers: No, and Nothing.) The truth is that I had drawn out the design for this piece of foam, and included three circles. I turned the big one into a sun because they're easy to carve. And then it just kind of made sense to do a moon and a star. However, despite my original non-symbolistic intentions, I have taken to referring to this as the sunstone. And I'm hoping the parade committee will think I'm really deep and artsy and give me an award.


I continued the use of suns elsewhere:


I also carved a globe on the captain's wheel, before I realized that it would be mostly covered up.


And, last of all, here's a picture of me this morning. I finally went to the hospital yesterday after having fallen off of a ladder last week. I have contusions on both hands, and my left hand and bicep are sprained. Also, you'll notice I'm growing the beard back. (That's not a result of the fall.)


So, watch the parade on Friday and cheer for my float. Yes, it will have about a thousand people crammed onto it, waving flags, but don't pay attention to them. The boat is the important thing. It's the Sugar House Stake float, and I believe we're #86 in line (which I think is in about the third quarter).