Category: Beaton’s

It looks like I’m running out of things to do. Not really but the end is in sight. Sealing, priming, filling all the thousand imperfections and then two coats of finish on the hull and installing the deck gear should take another month or so even at my glacial pace.

So for those who would like to share the return of Sjogin to the waters of Barnegat Bay (hopefully more benign that last time she was afloat), Saturday, September 20th is the date.

We’ll have drinks and snacks from three to six at David Beaton and Sons in Brick, New Jersey. The launching will be at four. If you’re near (or far) come by to share in Sjogin’s launching.

Here are a few pics from the last few weeks:

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Two coats of finish on the toe rails.

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Seattle Gray deck color by Kirby. It was like painting sand paper and not easy under the rails. Don’t look too close.

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The view aft. It will never look better than this.

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Starting the swelling process. Sjogin’s in a slightly bow down position which allows water to sit and soak in all along the garboard. She’s been out of the water for almost two years and will need time in the slings to return to normal. We hope the new normal will be dry bilges eventually.

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As if I didn’t need more boat work. Speedwells deck is ready for a fresh coat of finish. The Duckboat Worlds are on August 22nd, a few short weeks away.

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Duckboat Frenzy at Beaton’s.

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Meanwhile, the new ones are being completed in the wood shop. A fine tradition going back almost sixty years.

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Interesting neighbors for Sjogin. Looks like a museum exhibit. The lapstrake skiff is the Herreshoff Columbia Model Dinghy that I helped Tom Beaton built about 30 years ago.

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Irene Tasay and Serena dancing in a nice six knot Easterly.

Let me know if you can join us on September 20th.

Paul’s work is done for now and the pace will slacken as production is transferred to yours truly. She’s in the middle shed next to the old lift. Dry, covered storage with a sand floor and nearby access to a bucket of bay water now and then will start the rehydration process. I plan to work on the new cockpit, seats and such when weather permits. When Spring returns, the painting (and sanding) will begin.

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Safely tucked away in the Middle Shed at Beaton’s. As I was ready to leave, the sun came out and it looked like the section lines were traced on the hull. Click on the photo for a larger size.

The classic iPhone photo contrast problem works great here. Consider it a homage to Benjamin Mendlowitz, whose calendar photos have delighted us through the years.

Now that the weather has turned, work will turn to making cockpit, seat and cabin bits. When warm enough a bit of sanding will take place. (Though probably on the sunny side.)

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Another classic shot. Remind anyone of a certain magazine logo? The reason for all the room is the still un-repaired Sandy damages to the north wall of this shed. The 1940’s cedar pilings gave way so thus the need for access to the wall. Usually the shed is packed solid with boats. It’ll be good for Sjogin when the wall’s open and the damp northeasters blow in.

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New “jewelry”. Paul Smith kindly dug these gems out of his stash. Perfect size for Sjogin.

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Here the coaming’s been installed and awaits a final fairing. After living a while with the two coats of sealer on the rub rails, it was decided by all asked that they will be varnished for now and when they get ratty they can always be painted. The coaming’s not set up for varnishing so it will be primed and painted after sealing.

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New bulkhead in place with a hole for a Wiley window. That’s an angled frame that allows the glass to lean back and allow airflow without water (rain and spray, not solid water Neptune forbid) getting below. It will also allow a lot of light below into what was otherwise a dark place. It’ll be nice to lay below in the new bunk with the window providing light and ventilation.

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The Boatwright’s skill at its highest. Half inch (plus) white oak, probably local, soaked in the Bay for a month and steamed till just pliable enough. A high art indeed.

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Apart from shaping the top of the toe rail, most of the remaining work will be painting and sanding. Lots of sanding.

I hope to get to a Beaton’s only Post soon. There may be some interesting items from the past few months.

Hope to speak to you all before the end of the year, but if not, do enjoy Christmas and such.

Russ

It’s time for another burst of productivity. Paul’s completed the cockpit carlin repairs and now that the deck plywood is here he has started to figure out the deck job. I managed to get the bulkhead out, again dealing with nails. The bottom was punky as expected and had to come off to make repairs to the main beam. All of the old, below waterline butt blocks have been replaced and some of the adjoining rivets have been tightened up. I think a lot more of the rivets will need to be set up again. Blistering progress.

In addition to all of the above, Paul found a prime 13′ by 4/4+ white oak board and made the new rub rails. The old ones had two joints. These will have just one.

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Back in the wood shop, looking much like she did last winter. At least she’s ready for the next round.

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Within two days of being back in the shop, Paul had cleaned out the punky bits and fit this yellow pine piece. I sat in the boat the day before trying to figure out how to make the repair. Experience wins.

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The rotten end of the carlin and the main beam have been removed and are ready for new bits.

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New bits epoxied in place.

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All faired and ready for new deck wood. Note the rivets backing up the epoxied joint. There’s also a bolt that runs from the inside of the beam into the carlin. There’s a pocket cut into the bottom of the carlin that allows a nut to be placed on the bolt. Classic yacht construction.

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New white cedar tongue and groove deck planks.

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All of the old nail holes, new planks and old deck have been faired and sanded. You can see the first piece of plywood being fitted forward.

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Prime Okume plywood will yield a bullet proof deck. Here it’s in place to layout the cuts needed to fit to the mooring bit, stem and house.

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Missing bulkhead! Note the new butt blocks on the garboard strake.

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Here’s a close up of Sjogin’s new garboard butt blocks. With all of this renewal the prospects of leaks has gone down. What a treat that would be.

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Here’s the first of the floors to come out. It’s astonishing how Sjogin has held together all these years with such dodgy bits. I think the fact that her planks are riveted has allowed her to live so long. Had she been carvel planked she’d be compost by now.

Here are the new rub rails soaking in the Bay. They’ll need to be steamed to make the curves at each end.

Sorry again for the delay between posts but busy with work and such. It seems my key strokes at work are just barely keeping up with Paul Smiths labors. (I hope.)