Skallywag Bay Adventure Park – Another Sawatzky Masterpiece!

Coastal Enterprises, manufacturers of Precision Board HDU, is proud to announce a series of guest blogs written by Dan Sawatzky of Imagination Corporation, which will be posted on the Precision Board Blog each month. In this month’s entry, Dan Sawatzky tells us about the long journey from start to finish of the fantastical Skallywag Bay theme park, which his team built from top to bottom using a variety of materials, including PBLT-30 Precision Board HDU.

Skallywag Bay

We’ve been blessed with some amazing projects through the years. One of the most challenging and fun is now just wrapping up after five years of work. It actually began two years before that when a fellow from Trinidad came calling. He had been searching for many years for someone to build him a theme park on the most southerly Caribbean island. He looked over our projects, toured our shop and declared us to be the builders. But things don’t move quickly in the Caribbean for it is a laid back and beautiful place.

Skallywag Bay

In 2013 I did my first site visit and we began the planning. Over the next year that master plan was reworked many times as ideas changed. The site grew as did the scope of the project. After a dozen master plans everyone finally agreed. Skallywag Bay Adventure Park was ready to be started. It was now a 2.5 acre theme park. There would be an adventure golf, a train, climbing walls, bumper boats, a drop tower ride, swing ride and a small spinning roller coaster. There would also be a kid’s play park, picnic area and a concession. All would be themed to a pirate theme. But not ordinary pirates…

Imagine a place — a special place that isn’t anything like our world. It’s a place where imagination rules the day, where everyday concerns melt away and those who come here simply have fun with family and friends. This is a place where lifetime memories are created.

Everyone has heard the stories of pirates, the Kraken and other maritime legends. Are they true? Did it all really happen? We believe! But we know it didn’t happen quite like everyone thinks or remembers. It actually happened much differently…

Back in the day, a long, long time ago there were indeed swashbuckling pirates. While mere men might have crewed the lesser pirate vessels, the true pirates were a unique band of creatures called Gruffles. Neither human nor animal, the Gruffles lived in a secret hideaway called Skallywag Bay. When not out pillaging and gathering treasure they lived peaceably in their tropical paradise. They were the Robin Hood of pirates (with a twist of course) stealing gold from other pirates and keeping it for all for themselves! They were industrious folk, building their homes and other wonders from salvaged ships and locally found materials. They were ingenious inventors with mechanical minds, far ahead of
their time.

The legend of the Kraken was in fact founded on truth, but it was not based on a living beast as you may have heard. It’s origin is found in the Gruffle’s giant mechanical squid, crafted from forged metal and heavy wood timbers. The wooden pirate ships of old were no match for this fearsome, mechanical wonder. Few mariners survived to tell of this terror of the seas.

These legends live on to this very day. Rumour has it that bountiful treasure is buried in these parts.

This is the TRUE legend of Skallywag Bay.

I made seventeen trips to Trinidad in all, most for a duration of three or four days, plus two travel days. It took about twenty-one hours of travel one way. There were also more than five thousand emails and countless phone calls and Skype conferences to get everything right, It was very fun but also extremely challenging!

Skallywag Bay

Since we were building all of our features and signs in our shop and I would be making only occasional trips to Trinidad, we needed detailed drawings for the local contractors to build all of the infrastructure for the park. There were many pages of formal drawings. We regularly communicated with Skype calls, emails and by phone. Hundreds of quick drawings were done on the fly to make sure everyone understood what was required. This was the very first theme park on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

Skallywag Bay

The concept art I drew for the things we would build in our shop was much simpler and much fewer in number for this is what we do every day.

Skallywag Bay

Many of the sign components for Skallywag Bay were routed from 30 lb Precision Board. We knew it would stand up to the harsh weather it would endure. Rather than our usual cold and ice we were concerned with heat, humidity and the salty sea blast.

Skallywag Bay

The sign details were hand sculpted using sculpting epoxy and then hand painted using acrylic paints.

Skallywag Bay

While we were building the signs with miniature replicas we were also building full size versions of the features for the park. They were built using fibreglass reinforced concrete over welded steel armatures. As we completed each piece we loaded them into shipping containers – eighteen in all. Each time we had three containers full we sent them on their way down the coast and through the Panama Canal to Trinidad. The trip took six – eight weeks.

We went through plenty of 30 lb Precision Board on this project for there were more than a hundred signs in all. Some, like the small ships for the signs, were routed in layers and then laminated together.

Skallywag Bay

Like our bigger pieces, the small ships were carefully detailed by hand and then painted using acrylic paints and glazes.

These signs were like many of the others and involved using a variety of materials including Precision Board and sculpted fibreglass reinforced concrete over a welded steel frame.

Skallywag Bay

 

We also built a full-sized version of the sailing ship for the project. It ‘floats’ in the bumper boat pool and mini golfers play over it as part of the fun.

The Skallywag Bay project was far too large for our team to do alone. We partnered with two rock work teams. One would do skull rock which was a climbing wall. The other team would do a variety of rock work through the park. To guide them we built a series of study models for them to use as a reference and guide. We used Precision Board HDU as a rough shape. The final detail was put on with a thin layer of sculpting epoxy.

Skallywag Bay

Each attraction got its own sign made from PBLT-30 Precision Board. We made the signs with multiple layers of Precision Board and laminated a steel structure inside for durability.

We routed the 30 lb Precision Board on our MultiCam and then laminated all of the pieces together. The fine detail was quicker and easier to sculpt by hand using sculpting epoxy.

Skallywag Bay

Each sign visually told the story of the truffles and Skallywag Bay. All with an over-the-top sense of humour, of course. This was a place to have fun after all!

The Treasure Quest sign points the way to the kid’s play park. It is mounted to a tree which is sculpted from fibreglass reinforced concrete. This sign, like most, features a character who ‘lives’ in the park. The parrot’s name is Parlay.

Skallywag Bay

We certainly stretched the bounds of tongue in cheek humour with many ridiculous visual puns. The keeper of Skull Rock, the climbing wall, is none other than Webster – a turtle like creature. He also happens to be great at climbing and is featured on the attraction sign.

Skallywag Bay

Our crew had a blast building and finishing the many signs. Here Angie is putting the finishing touches on the Bountiful Booty sign for the souvenir shop.

There were scores of smaller signs as well. All were dimensional and finished on all sides. Once routed and laminated with some steel they were welded into a larger assembly and then the ‘bamboo’ fibreglass reinforced concrete post was sculpted.

Skallywag Bay

We partnered with other vendors from around the world for this project. Three of the rides were made in Italy. I did up the concept design for the car bodies and we also did a physical prototype of the medallion that would be fastened to the side of each vehicle. The ride manufacturer then pulled a mold off of our sample and made many more. The prototype was routed from Precision Board, of course!

Skallywag Bay

One of the rides we did for the park was especially close to my heart, for I love trains. Pike is the mascot for this ride and his likeness is featured on the sign. Like most of the others, the sign is a combination of routed Precision Board, sculpted epoxy and hand sculpted fibreglass reinforced concrete.

We built the body for the train in our shop while the fully powered and functioning chassis was fabricated in California by a renowned park train builder there. To guide their efforts and show how it would all fit together we constructed two detailed models. One we kept for our permanent display. The other we sent to California.

Skallywag Bay

The Skallywag Bay Adventure Golf sign was one of the most complex and featured many components. All of the sign pieces were routed from Precision Board.

Each time we filled three containers we would call the trucks and bring in a giant crane. They would be lifted onto the trailer frames and then transported to the ports for the journey to Trinidad. As construction in Trinidad took much longer than we were used to (island time) the eighteen containers full of our features and many others from the other vendors as well sat for more than a year before we opened them to start taking out the features and setting them in their permanent homes. Everything made the 7000 mile journey in perfect shape.

Skallywag Bay is still not officially open… but I’m told it will happen soon… on island time, I’m sure.

Sawatzky’s Imagination Corporation is a small family company that specializes in the design and creation of dimensional signs and environments. They tackle projects of any size from small signs to entire theme parks. Their work has garnered numerous national and international awards.

Dan Sawatzky is best described as a creative force and visual storyteller extraordinaire. His art career spans almost fifty years of magic. Dan’s passion is to design and create imaginative places that take people from the normal world to a setting of delight and wonder.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane sign material that is particularly effective for making professional-looking indoor and outdoor dimensional signs.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.

Ornate Railing – Andreozzi Architecture (Part 2)

Andreozzi Architects in Rhode Island used Precision Board HDU to recreate an ornate railing for a home that was originally a Calvert Vaux house design, but had fallen into disrepair. The railing had to hold up to the harsh beachfront environment and New England weather while also replicating the original style of the home from the 1920s. In part two of our two-part series, Sr. Associate and Project Manager Dave Rizzolo takes us through how they made an ornate railing out of mahogany and 30 lb. Precision Board HDU.

ornate railing

“During some extensive historical research at the beginning of the project we were able to find some historical photos of what the house looked like long ago.  There was a distinctive railing design at the front door that we wanted to bring back.  None of that original railing design remained and there were no drawings to work from – just the photo,” says Rizzolo.  “We used the photo to interpret the spirit of the original design and specified the construction in Precision Board PBLT-30 so that it would be immune from rot and insect damage for years into the house’s new future,” he added.

You can see one of the original photos below from the 20s, what the house looked like when Andreozzi Architecture started (painted white with the red roof) and final photos of the house and ornate railing taken by their office.

The house itself, in Middletown, RI, and just around the corner from Newport Third Beach, is of notoriety. It was designed for the daughter of Edwin Booth who was considered by some to be the greatest American actor of the 19th century (and brother of John Wilkes Booth). His daughter, Edwina, was marrying Downing Vaux (the son of Calvert Vaux).  Also of note – in 1929 the house was used for a flim-flam scam that was the basis for the 1973 movie “The Sting”.

Dave says, “we come up with the design concept, bring the owners into the conversation so they can see what we’re thinking and give feedback.  Then it goes to the general contractor.”

Andreozzi Architects were familiar with Precision Board HDU from using it over the years in a variety of applications, including gables, mailbox posts, etc.  They used PBLT-30 for the interior green parts and put them between mahogany rails.

“We were concerned with rot and insect damage and harsh coastal weather and knew Precision Board could withstand it all,” Rizzolo adds.

“For a hand-railing, you need to provide rigidity and strength, so we looked at what kind of materials we could use to substitute for wood,” Dave says.  “Wood these days seems less long-lasting, so materials like Precision Board HDU that have more durability are better suited for something like this.”

“If something looks wobbly, if sports balls can dent it, that will have an impact on what material we use and what density,” adds Dave Andreozzi, Andreozzi Architecture founder.  “We don’t want people to look at something and think it’s fake.  A lot of man-made materials out there look fake, don’t look like wood.”

From design to install, the ornate railing took several months.  In this case, Kirby-Perkins, the general contractor, had their own mill workshop and did it all in house and then installed on-site.

In addition to restoring the railing, Andreozzi Architects renovated the whole house, ripping out 50% of what was there because it wasn’t original.  They kept some of the original stuff and built off of it.  They moved the entire house off the original foundation.  After completely rebuilding the foundation, they put part of the house back on it.

“We did a renovation that doubled the size of the house while capturing the spirit of the original,” Rizzolo adds.

ornate railing

Above photo courtesy professional photographer Aaron Usher.

You can read Part 1 here of our two-part series where Dave talks about using Precision Board HDU to create a scalloped window panel.

Founded in 1988, Andreozzi Architecture specializes in historically based residential architecture expressive of its sense of place, attentive to its detail and proportion, and timeless in its beauty. A regional architecture: historically mastered, meticulously preserved, respectfully honored, and artistically reinterpreted; from city, to mountain, to ocean. Commissions exist from Commonwealth Avenue, to the shores of New England, to the Bahamian Islands.

They are a unique team of design-oriented architects driven by a passion for creating elegant architectural solutions that address their client’s needs and desires in ways that are innovative, respectful of tradition and craft, yet respective of budget. The size of a project or cost per square foot is irrelevant in their quest to produce successful projects and happy clients.  You can give them a call at (401) 245-6800 or visit their website.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly high-density urethane material that has achieved a certified “Carbon Balance” of 3 to 1 and a “Rapidly Renewable Resource Content” of 23.9%.  Precision Board also assists in meeting LEED requirements for obtaining USGBC and ICC 700-2008 building credits.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.

Using Multiple Router Bits to Achieve Greater Lettering Detail

Going back and forth on the design of a sign to get it just right is fairly common.  What made the Twin Peaks monument sign different was the fact that the director (and pastor) of the conference center was a former carpenter and had very specific ideas for what he wanted.  When Adam Campos with Graphics MFG was brought in to make the design a reality, he not only got it done on time, but also added some stylistic touches.  Adam talks us through routing the Precision Board HDU, creating the powder-coated metal frame and using multiple router bits to embellish the lettering on the sign.

router bits

Adam used five sheets of 15 lb. Precision Board (4′x8’x2”) to fabricate 6 signs. He used ArtCAM for programming the cutting on his own custom-made CNC router. Campos then used Rhino 3D to render a highly detailed set of drawings, including bevels and all the small details on the signs for approval prior to the actual cut process. “I had to use a 1/4” diameter boxcore bit to give the letters and art a 1/8” radius at the base, so I carved all the letters and art out using a series of different router bits to speed up production and achieve the desired result” he says.

He started with a 1′′ Flycutter (#RC-2443) router bit to rough out all the areas. Then he moved down to a 1/4′′ Flat Mill (#51646) to do the light detail work. Finally, a Core Box (#45904) bit to make the bevels at the base of the letters and the art. All router bits were from Tools of Today.

Adam prefers to use Precision Board HDU. “It’s easy to get a smooth finish, even if you need to sand it. It’s effortless. You spend extra money up front, but you save it in the labor. Once it comes off the router, it’s almost like a finished piece,” he says. “As long as your speeds and feeds are right, you get finished edges, leaving the focus on prime, paint and assembly.”

The HDU signs were coated with Killz Multi-Purpose Primer and Sherwin Williams exterior acrylic enamel.

Campos drew up custom brackets that bolted to the sidewalls of the stone columns. The sidewalls and cross-sections were made from 2 x 2 x 1/8″ angled iron and were secured to the stone using Tapcon Anchors. All 24 custom-produced brackets & 16 pieces of 10 foot iron were powder-coated grey to help with the aesthetics and to prevent rust. For extra support he put 3/8′′ carriage bolts on the four corners of the signs, 4′′ long with locking nuts on the back.

So, how long did it take to complete the project from start to finish?

Adam says “it only took about 3-4 hours on the CNC for each of the six HDU boards for a total of about 17 hours of routing time or two solid days.”  He adds, “the longest part of the project was the back and forth with the client over several weeks to get the designs just right.”

router bits

Graphics MFG is an abbreviation for Graphics Manufacturing and specializes in just that. They turn concepts into reality, whether it be custom signage, a physical build out, print, graphic design, CAD, 3D or installation. They handle it all. Graphics MFG has the experience and machinery in- house to deal with the unique aspects of your project with an emphasis on project management. Selecting the right approach towards a job is crucial to a successful end result. Because of this ideology they can handle a wide variety of work that spans beyond just signage. You can contact Adam Campos at (760) 261-4358 or visit his website for more information.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane sign material that is particularly effective for making professional-looking indoor and outdoor dimensional signs.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.

Scalloped Panel – Andreozzi Architecture (Part 1)

Andreozzi Architects in Rhode Island used Precision Board HDU to create a historically influenced scalloped panel that is the “base” to a window composition for a beachfront house in Narragansett, RI built by Suburban Renewal. They chose Precision Board because they knew from past projects that it carves well and paints up just like wood so it would tie into the adjacent wood trim without a visible difference. They also liked that it would hold up in the harsh beachfront environment.  In part-one of our two-part series, Sr. Associate and Project Manager Dave Rizzolo takes us through one of the many architectural applications for Precision Board- a scalloped panel.

scalloped panel

The team at Andreozzi Architecture designed this house from top to bottom and used PBLT-20 Precision Board HDU to create a scalloped window panel.  “This was a first for us in terms of doing something ornate for a window panel,” says Dave.

Rizzolo was concerned about how they were going to keep water out of the wall systems.  Given the extreme weather of the area and its impact on the house over time, having one piece was key- no joints.

“If it was going to be built out of wood, it would be fairly big pieces and be more vulnerable to water. You don’t want to get water behind your trim work,” Dave says.  “With the Precision Board HDU we were able to create one solid piece,” he adds.

scalloped panel

The scalloped panel wasn’t the only part of the home that they built using Precision Board high-density urethane.  The three raised panels on the dormer as well as the triangular gable over the front door were made using Precision Board.  Andreozzi Architecture founder David Andreozzi adds, “We used true Roman proportioned numbers for the address panel to make it look like they had been hand-chiseled or made out of wood.”

Dave worked with a local millwork shop on the design of the scalloped panel.

“The shop created submittals of the carving, done on their CNC, for our review and feedback. After the first submittal we made a few tweaks and changes and clarified the design intention which were further clarified in the second round of shop drawings,” Rizzolo adds. “The panel was installed along with the adjacent wood trim and painted with Benjamin Moore Exterior paint – you can’t see a difference between the materials.”

Andreozzi Architecture is a unique team of design-oriented architects driven by a passion for creating elegant architectural solutions that address their client’s needs and desires in ways that are innovative, respectful of tradition and craft, yet respective of budget. The size of a project or cost per square foot is irrelevant in their quest to produce successful projects and happy clients.  Founded in 1988, they specialize in historically based residential architecture expressive of its sense of place, attentive to its detail and proportion, and timeless in its beauty. A regional architecture: historically mastered, meticulously preserved, respectfully honored, and artistically reinterpreted; from city, to mountain, to ocean. Commissions exist from Commonwealth Avenue, to the shores of New England, to the Bahamian Islands.  You can give them a call at (401) 245-6800 or visit their website.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly high-density urethane material that has achieved a certified “Carbon Balance” of 3 to 1 and a “Rapidly Renewable Resource Content” of 23.9%.  Precision Board also assists in meeting LEED requirements for obtaining USGBC and ICC 700-2008 building credits.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.

Using HDU to Restore the Union Station Sign

Built in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States and is widely regarded as “the last of the great train stations.” The station’s signature Mission Moderne style makes it one of L.A.’s architectural gems, so when the people responsible for maintaining it needed to repair one of the iconic signs, they got in touch with Dave Dethloff with Kutting Edge Design. They were familiar with the work of Kutting Edge Design through The Irvine Company. They wanted to use HDU and when Dave looked into it, he discovered that Precision Board was the perfect fit for this historic restoration project.

hdu

“When I was looking into HDU, I talked with an artist friend of mine in Santa Ana named Paul Courtney.  He told us about Coastal Enterprises,” says Dethloff.

Dave needed to match the dimensions and color of the broken sign pieces, so he got in touch with Coastal Enterprises President, Chuck Miller, who provided him with some PBLT-18 Precision Board custom cut to the dimensions he needed, which was 8′ by 1.5″ by almost 2”.

Dave used FSC-88 primer to prime the Precision Board rods. He then sanded them and put a layer of Vista Paint black primer over that.  He completed the painting with a finishing layer of Rustoleum Satin Black Spray Paint to match the existing colors on the sign.

He says the job took about two days in total because it was his first time working with Precision Board high-density polyurethane.

“HDU’s consistency is really nice.  When you buy plywood there are voids from the laminations of different layers.  Precision Board is consistent all the way through,” says Dave.

The whole project went pretty smooth and Dave says the best part was that he didn’t have to install it- they used bucket lifts to put everything up there.

He adds, “When we need HDU again, we’ll definitely use Precision Board.”

Kutting Edge Design LLC is a Professional Signage Service founded in 2011 by Co-Owners Kirsten Sketch and Kirk Meese.  The company is committed to providing timely, quality design and signs for the graphic industry and for small to large, manufacturing, corporate, retail, and property managing customers. Concepts and ideas turn into quality products that ensure the image of their customer is kept to the highest standards. Located in Santa Ana, California, they are a preferred vendor for The Irvine CompanyArnel Commercial Management, Simon Group Properties, Donahue Schriber, and more.  They specialize in quick response to inquiries and they specialize in matching existing specifications. You can call them at (714) 721-8795 or visit their website.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane sign material that is particularly effective for making professional-looking indoor and outdoor dimensional signs.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samplesget a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.