and sailing as slow as I can….
on the new Flatfish and other recent pics:
Plank by plank, screw by screw, a boat is built.
The pile of cedar is shrinking. The offcuts feed the shop stove (along with Sjogin’s.
Sunny morning last Sunday.
Julia, Gracie and Mary; three generations on Mothers Day.
a dry Northeaster and a Saturday morning sail. Around here when there’s a Low over the Great Lakes we occasionally get a clear day with the wind at 8 to 12 out of the ENE. Great sailing, a steady breeze off the still cool (50’s) ocean. Plenty cool enough for a fire and brewing up a cuppa.
Here are some pics along with a Flatfish progess report.
Reaching back to Beaton’s where I was able to Shanghi some crew.
And here he is, my good friend Kent who made a pier head leap to join me for a lap around the harbor.
Here are a couple of locals tuning up for the coming season.
And here’s Sjogin, ready for tomorrow.
Planking progress on the new Flatfish. The stock is in the foreground; Atlantic white cedar from the South.
Russ
accompanied by a fire in the woodstove and a cup of tea. Was out for an hour or so, cool enough on the water to have a small fire and brew some tea.
Jib backed to Starboard, ready to ease the topping lift and cast off.
Port tack, Swan Point ahead.
Ain’t it the truth… The book is Voyage of the Damn Foole, a hand lettered and illustrated collection of stories about cruising in a Town Class sloop in southern New England. The stories originally appeared in Messing About in Boats.
The new Mantoloking bridge, just to the north of Beaton’s.
Drifting up to the dock at a half knot or so. Classic dying sea breeze.
End of a fine sail. More pics at my Flickr site
Russ
and I haven’t gone for a sail since returning. Usual Saturday and Sunday morning visits and still cool enough for a fire and cup of tea. Also started on the perennial beds in earnest. Garden pics next week.
Here are some recent pics:
Nothing like shop dried Jersey White Cedar to start a fire.
Progress on the new Flatfish. Here the pattern for the sheer strake is being fitted. Note the glued on batten that mimics the shape of the molded Herreshoff sheer strake. This is done so the pattern bends in the same fashion as the actual sheer strake.
The Ospreys have returned. You can just make out one on the platform Tom Beaton, myself and other erected about 20 years ago. Although not a high as they prefer, good nesting sites are at a premium so we’ve had nesting pairs for the past few years.
Spring has sprung. Julia collecting Daffodils.
after a week plus sailing in the BVI. Julia and I went on a charter with our friends, Dave and Cheryl. We sailed a 47′ Beneteau out of Horizon Charters in Nany Cay, Tortola. This was our first experience with them and we were generally pleased.
Here are some pics from the trip as well as some shots of Sjogin and progress on the new Flatfish. More BVI pics can be found at our Flickr site.
Driving with my feet. Peter Island under our lee.
Sandy Spit, a classic desert Island. Just off Little Jost van Dyke. We went over in the dinghy from our mooring at Foxy’s Taboo.
Reading Tilman on the beach in Cane Garden Bay. The closest I was to ice was in my Painkiller.
Julia driving
Bubbly Bath on the North shore of Jost van Dyke. The gap in the cliffs allows the surf to surge through and create a whirl pool. Truly bubbly. Best followed with a cheesburger at Foxy’s Taboo.
Tea and Tilman last Sunday. We returned from the BVI at 4:30am.
Sunset at Beaton’s on the first day of Spring.
Floors being fitted on the new Flatfish.
as evidenced by a new set of white oak frames, rabbated stem and steamed keel. Pictures below.
Breezy again today, 18 to 22 NNW, about 30 degrees. Low water as you can see below. Note Sjogin’s shadow on the bottom. Had a fire, hot sausage bread and tea as usual, finishing another chapter in my current Tilman book.
The frames are attached to the molds when hot by using wire ties. The ties are cut off as the planking progresses.
The stem is laminated Mahogany.
The mahogany keel is steamed fore and aft before fitting.
Clear late Winter water. There’s about a foot of water under Sjogin’s keel.
but warm below. Continued with Tilman’s Mostly Mischief, covering his voyage to Bylot Island from Upernivik, Greenland. It’s a significant chunk of rock and ice next to Baffin Island, at about 74 degrees North. It’s Tilman’s desire to cross the glacier covering most of Bylot. A map of the island and Tilman’s camps follows along with other recent pics:
A map of Bylot Island showing (trust me) Tilman’s camps across the island.
Tea this morning.
Herreshoff like straping on Lotus’s refinished mast.
Dawn at our house last week.
Russ
but cool enough for a fire and tea both Saturday and today. Wind today SSE, 12 to 15kts. Pics follow but first a link to something new and probably inevitable, Blog TV . Yes, now you can watch noted Bloggers debate on your computer.
Lotus has a new boom. Note the outhaul sheeve and box. The working end of the outhaul is led internally and exits near the gooseneck.
One of the “moaning chairs” in the wood shop at Beatons.
Todays tea and the usual healthy splash of Pussers.
Truly! The quote visible next to the cup reads as follows:
“I will tell you naught for your comfort,
Yes, naught for your desire,
Save, that the sky grows darker yet
And the seas rise higher.”
This is from the concluding part of Mischiel in Patagonia which describes the leg home from Bermuda. The weather became very nasty, eventually resulting in the boom breaking. In classic Tilman fashion, after the broken boom was secured on deck, he sawed off about a foot or so from each end to save the fittings. The rest was tossed overboard as they were only a week or so from home.
…brisk breezes from the NNE about 8 to 10 kts, about 45. Water too low to consider going for a sail.
Also today is my first born’s Birthday. Happy B-day Jeff!
Finished another chapter in Mischief in Patagonia with Tilman and crew sailing from Valpariso to Panama. A soldiers breeze after a refit from the abuses suffered in the channels. Had a fire and tea as usual.
More progress on Lotus with work on her new boom. Pics follow:
Here is the aft end of the boom showing the solid plug with a slot for the outhaul sheeve. This boom will rectangular in section with walls of 3/4″ Sitka spruce. Note the tapered ends facing forward. This is done to avoid a hard spot.
Here is the center plug where the forward end of the sheet block bridle is attached.
And here are the three other sides, ready to be fit. They are scarfed to make up the 29′ length of the A-Cat boom.
..but more Winter like tomorrow. About 45 degrees today, wind 8 to 10 SSW, building later. Had a quick fire and tea after restocking the wood basket with shop scraps. (Nothing like shop dried cedar and white oak for a quick fire.) Pics from today and last weekend follow:
Today’s fire. The note paper has plans for a galley box to be located on the bulkhead.
First significant snow of the year last weekend.
The form for the next Flatfish is now in the woodshop and the patterns are being sorted out. Charlotte will soon have a sister. In the foreground is the bench seat for Lotus
Varnish build-up on Lotus.
Sjogin’s chain plates. Note the letters stamped into each one; AP is aft port, PF is port forward. This was done by the builder.
Julia in front of the fire last weekend.