This past Saturday, the 23d was another light Volunteer Day, not unexpected, due to the uncertainty in many minds regarding the immediate future of the Schooner. Absence of Ship's officers [ Capt Bobby off-cycle, and our new Mate, now departed likely not to return in favor of pursuing her academic goals] added to the uncertainty.
So it was refreshing, and encouraging as five Volunteers nevertheless mustered aboard Saturday morning on schedule. Focusing not so much on the questions, but what they could do to move the ball forward, Ken Fonville, Walter Barton, Lance Halderman, John Hart, and Mikell Evatt, gathered around Bryan Oliver who explained what he knew of the ship's situation, which wasn't much other than the schooner was in a "Pre-Shipyard" mode. He then pulled out the Mate's punch list she had left in the Saloon. Belaying Pins were all sanded, oiled and replaced in the rails last week. A neatly piled stack of blocks, all sizes lay on the forecastle PFD deck box, waited to be sanded and scuffed-prepped for repainting.
While Bryan frowned at the Punch list looking to prioritize it's remaining bits and pieces, the crew didn't wait but marched back up the gangway and gathered around "Dory", now cradled bottom-up in her own "limbo" status. Dory was waiting for hands to lay on a number of fixes to make her ready for launching again. Unfortunately, she had lain neglected for weeks after Volunteer Dallas Spencer had to step away from his initial successes using his skilled woodworking talents.
As Bryan looked up, the group on the dock-minus Ken who needed to transition to another project back home, were already at work, with scrapers and personal knives, scraping off month's old blue masking tape around the gunwales, once used to mask off the hull for rail varnishing.
Blue masking tape, several months old is notoriously super-adhesive, and brittle. A slow process for scraping off in bits and pieces. By now it was noon, yet the crew showed no signs of slowing down. Bryan offered to fly to Harris Teeter bringing along a sandwich order for those interested. He returned a 1/2 hour later with custom sandwiches and a jug of cold lemonade.
By 1500, the gunwale was clean and ready to accept a new coat of varnish. All mustered off with Brya's promise to relay any news as soon as Capt Bobby arrived.
And Here it is!
Capt Bobby returned Monday, and on Tuesday met with Bryan who had returned to begin fitting and installing the Dory's aft thwart and two oarlock mounting brackets. Acknowledging that our new Mate Eva was decidedly off the roster and on her way to Iceland, Capt Bobby announced that our intended Shipyard agreement had been reached with Stephens Towing Inc. on Yonges Island.
https://www.stevens-towing.com/
The shipyard was making ready to receive Spirit of South Carolina after the Thanksgiving Weekend.
The long pole in the tent now would be the acquisition of sufficient crew(4-5 full-time) and contractors( shipwrights and riggers) to perform the needed work for this "Ten-Year Shipyard" project. The "Ten-Year" suffix refers to the USCG requirement that on traditionally rigged wooden ships, not more than every 10 years, the ship be totally down-rigged; spars(meaning "Masts") be un-stepped for close inspection of the spars, their mountings and framing.
The Stephen's Yard is located on the Wadmalaw River south of Hollywood, approximately 17 mile drive from the Charleston Maritime Center. Captain Bobby and the Organization are actively working out the logistics, room and board for crew in the area, as well as hiring the skilled trades. It's expected that Volunteers will be invited to fill in where able to augment full time crew in what promises to be a pretty busy Shipyard.
As hiring details become known, if interested, you are welcome to contact Capt Bobby Nobles directly as well as volunteer opportunities on SignUp Genius
email: bobby_nobles@yahoo.com
mobile: 619-549-9045
No comments:
Post a Comment