Spirit of South Carolina's Project Manager Sends a Status

Yesterday, I received an informative update on Spirit of South Carolina's status, from Mike Adams who is acting as the the schooner's Project Manager representing the owners(as opposed to the Shipyard). He had just returned from an onsite inspection with the shipwright and Coast Guard inspectors. He included several photos- examples of the work being done by the shipwright. Here's a summary of his recap.
Mike expects the Spirit to remain on the hard mount for about two months. Four planks have been removed at waterline, port bow, marked for replacement. New planks are currently curing in the kiln, to be going on next week. Other items in progress on the hull repair should finish up as well. It's been a lot of small stuff, nothing much of consequence; opened seams, isolated worm damage, particularly on the worm shoe, and some small rot sections. Just bout all repairable with reefing out, acetone cleaning, and filling or graving. Seams reefed and filled with cotton caulk and tar.

Joe Ramsey, the Shipyard Project Manager and his crew will clean and sand the hull for probably close to three more weeks. Bottom paint is expected to take about two weeks. Mike asked for a quote to do the top paint as well. He expect that to result in two weeks and as well. Adding it up it just about two months.


There are some repairs to the wood structurally internally. These are likely some of the cross beams that have experienced some checking, and USCG inspectors made a point of it.. We believe it is best served once in the water to achieve the best stress levels.


For the other systems, Mike is competitively quoting two companies for the sea water cooling system changes. The genset controller has a very long lead-time we are waiting on. (we knew that). Mike is hoping to get a colleague down with him in the next couple weeks to formulate a plan for resolving the battery issues and electricals.