MLK Holiday provides a weekday opportunity to join the crew.

Chief Mate, Charlie, demonstrates his dry brushing
technique to Danny Johnson and Carter Edwards during
 their Master Class in Marine Varnishing

Given the great progress made on winter maintenance projects on Saturday, due to the extra 8 sets of Volunteer hands, the crew saw some momentum there.  So, given a good weather window and to keep it going,  the crew decided to make Monday a work day. Two Volunteers, Danny Johnson and Carter Edwards, fresh from Saturday's progress returned to join the crew,, ostensibly to pickup some high-quality varnishing techniques in a Master Class hosted by Chief Mate Charlie.  The lessons must have taken well, the result being obvious in the perfect sheen of 1st Varnish coat on all four spars (Booms and gaffs), by end of the day.  

Bryan and Daniel stroking on the Varnish
 over the Main boom while Mate, Charlie
 and Danny Johnson in the background,
 tackle the Main sail gaff .

The next Volunteer Day, Saturday the 1st of February hints at opportunities for more Volunteers to join the Exalted Guild of Marine Varnishers.. But you'll have to put in the time to earn it.  Hope to see you on deck in February, and we'll work to make some beauty. And if you start with the crew, stick around, since Chef, Hunter will be cooking up some lunch.

Crew enjoys a lunch break over some hand crafted
 heartiest-ever Schooner Beef Stew and Rice.

Saturday Volunteer Turn-out Sets a Record

Earlier in the week, as this Saturday approached, Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver, kept the Ship's crew informed of respondents to his call for volunteer help. By Thursday afternoon, slightly over five volunteers had responded that they would show up.  Reassured by the response, the crew shifted their normal Saturday day-off so they could join the volunteers on Saturday to work together on the projects facing them.  Hunter, the Ship's cook, just returned from his holiday vacation, volunteered to cook lunch.
On Saturday morning, the day started out chilly with a breeze, but promising to warm into the 6o's.  Hunter already had breakfast waiting, and coffee standing by as crew arrived for Muster. This time, they were even more gratified to meet a total of eight volunteers on deck waiting for instructions- the best showing since 2015!

Alexa Edwards and hubby, Carter
lay in on a pair of disheveled mast hoops.

In addition to regulars, Ken Fonville and Bryan Oliver, Danny Johnson had brought along his daughter, Danielle.  Wayne Burdick returned after an absence taken up with his own sailing adventures. Newcomer's Carter and Alexa Edwards, had been looking over the schooner from the Aquarium, and decided to jump in. Rick Washington had spent several afternoons on the dock over the months, observing the crew work, and finding time off from the road and his trucking business, found time to pitch in.

Danny Johnson shows off a collection
 of white paint dust, while daughter
 Danielle tries to keep her distance.

Chief Mate, Charlie Porzelt wasted no time in organizing the projects. First priority was sorting out, then preparing over 40 mast hoops, that had been uninstalled from the masts for a new coat of linseed oil. Preparation required, first, separating out damaged hoops, then scraping and sanding down the surfaces so they would properly absorb several coats of linseed oil.    As hoops were completed, Volunteers would finish finish prepping the spars (gaffs and booms) by sanding and scuffing, the white jaws and ends. By the time the last prepped hoop had dropped on the completion pile, Hunter called for Lunch. Volunteers  beat their clothes to knock off saw and paint dust and filed back down the gangway into the Salon for a spaghetti and meatballs lunch, with garlic toast.

Volunteers and crew muster amidships after lunch
for the Mate's next priorities

Following lunch, Charlie mustered the ships company midships for instructions on the next priority.. Tacking down the spars, and the mast hoops - wiping all their surfaces down with mineral spirits to remove last vestiges of sawdust, paint dust and grime, that would compromise the application of linseed oil, or paint.  As that work was completed, so was the day.  As others put away tools and departed the dock, a few volunteers stayed behind to refresh on basic deckhand line handling skills.

Without doubt, Volunteers had accomplished likely the most productive workday in months,  putting the Winter Maintenance project ahead of schedule.  All the more satisfying, since the Mate announced that the Ship had already booked two day sails for the Spring. Additional Volunteer Maintenance days will follow into the spring, accompanied by opportunity for deckhand skills training and shake-down sailing.  Continued volunteer involvement will remain crucial to getting her ready to take to sea.  Looking forward to seeing you on deck.

Rick Washington, Danny and Danielle Johnson
working on the pile of mast hoops

    

Wayne Burdick and Ken Fonville 
focusing their tools on the inside surfaces.

Spars Refinishing Project is under way. 

With this past weekend full of rain forecasts, the Volunteer Day was cancelled, and Spirit of South Carolina wouldn't see any hoped for weekend volunteer help in advancing the preparation of her gaffs and booms for varnishing.  Nevertheless, thanks to Tim Geoghegan and Bryan Oliver who showed up at the dock on the previous Friday, the crew could boast of getting ahead of schedule in prepping all that wood to a state ready for weathering  a weekend of rain.

Volunteer, Tim Geoghegan, on left starts
 sanding on the foresail gaff.   Capt Dan Cleveland, on right, works
on the surface of the Foresail boom.

Friday morning, Tim and Bryan joined crew members, Capt Dan, First Mate, Charlie and  Deckhand Matt with power sanders, scrapers, heat guns, and sanding blocks to complete the removal of all varnish, sand out stains and weathering, and fine sand the surfaces in preparation for oil sealing.  By early afternoon, all four spars had been stripped and sanded.  With rain forecast thru the weekend into the following week, that status would remain until dryer weather will permit wiping on the first of several coats of D.1 oil sealant.  

Monday, with fog and high humidity settling over the harbor, delayed for a day, starting the D.1 treatment. Instead, the crew set to uninstalling all the mast hoops on the fore and mainmasts, piling them on the dock, for sorting salvageable hoops from disreputable ones. 

Matt checks tension on his serving tool before
 adding a turn.

Today, the the warm dryer weather set the stage for next steps on the spars.  Crew first tacked down the four spars with  swipes of  mineral spirits, going over each spar repeatedly until the white rags finally came up clean without discoloration of residual sawdust.  As the spirits dried out of the wood surface, Matt and Bryan used the time to  team up to touch-up paint the hull topsides under the gangway, and continue serving with tarred seine twine, the spreader topping lifts stretched out on the dock.  After some training and coaching from Charlie, Matt and Bryan completed the service, and could boast of another marlinespike skill added to their repertoire.

Oiling of the spars will continue in the week, and transition to initial coats of varnish, likely by the weekend.  Volunteers will be needed Saturday to keep the project progressing on schedule.

Bryan taking tight turns of tarred seine twine
 around the wormed and parceled wire cable of a spreader lift.

Recommended Books, and Internet Sources

Are you interested in learning more about The Tall Ship's world, building your own skills as a traditional sailing deckhand, or just knowledge, or even a good story in the genre?

Below is a list of Books, video's, websites, other blogs that you will find useful.  Titles are hot-linked to a retailer, or website for more information.  Contributions to this list are welcome:  contact bryan@spiritofsc.org

Hand, Reef, and Steer;  Traditional Sailing Skills for Classic Boats
 Tom Cunliffe   (Hot link to a copy for sale on Amazon)

Last time I checked, a copy of this book was stowed in Spirit of South Carolina's Salon Bookcase.  Check it out, and decide if you'd like your own copy.  I did. It's recognized by most tall-ship sailors as a one of the best go-to references for all-round knowledge and basic skills in sailing traditional gaff-rigged vessels.. Although focused on small vessels, the principles, tips and techniques for sailing and deck-hand skills are 100% applicable to Spirit of South Carolina's deck and sail operations.

The Arts of the Sailor: Knotting, Splicing and Ropework (Dover Maritime)

Hervey Garret Smith

A copy of this book has also been sighted aboard in the salon bookcase.  Along with it's companion, by the same author (below), they are the reference for all things having to do with rope, it's structure, maintenance, knots, splicing, both utilitarian and decorative, as well as other deckhand skills, such as canvas mending and sail repair and fabrication of objects from canvas buckets, ditty bags, to mast boots. 

The Marlinespike Sailor

Hervey Garrett Smith

A copy of this,, barely holding together from years of use, is also in the salon.  Some of it's content overlaps with Arts of the Sailor but the two books complement each other well. This book is your how-to do-it-yourself when you're ready to create your own ditty bag.

The Complete Rigger's Apprentice - 1996 edition
Brion Toss
There is a new, updated 2016 edition of this book for around 35 bucks, but this edition (used condition for $18 at the linked site) will more than suffice your needs relating to traditional rigging knowledge, tips, and techniques.  It's as complete a resource as you'll find.

Knot-Tying Apps for your mobile device.

Useful Knots 3D   for Iphone/IpadApple Store

Knots 3D    for Android Google Play

Over 135 knots demonstrated. There are several apps of this category available, but this, by far is the most complete, covering all the knots you are authorized to use onboard, both utilitarian and decorative.. Using animation, and 3-dimensional views which you can stop-action.. They are the next best thing to watching an expert in demonstrating front of you.  Unfortunately.. You get what you pay for.  The free version only offers a few knots, with plenty of ads.  I've found the price to access the full collection to be well worth it.  Ask me.. I'll show you mine.

Tall Ships America  Web Site
This is the National umbrella organization whose mission is to support and promote the ships, people, and programs of sail training through scholarships for youth, professional services and advocacy.  Spirit of South Carolina is a member.

Volunteers Take on the Spars Refinishing Project

Gaffs and Booms down-rigged and swayed over onto the dock for total overhaul

..And they sorely needed it. 

Foresail gaff showing 6000
sea miles worth of  wear and
tear.

 This is what faced volunteers, Ken Fonville, Bryan Oliver, and Dan Maurin when they arrived Sunday morning to start the next phase of the Spars Refinishing Project; taking the Gaff's down to bare wood, in preparation for sealing and revarnishing.  It had been four years since these spars had seen serious varnish.  Over 6000 sea miles later, they were showing lots of wear and weather damage.  And now, crew members and volunteers face the task of restoring them to like-new condition in time to be rigged, sails bent on and ready to sail in two months.

The weather started fairly nippy as the group, fortified with a dose of strong galley coffee and a few donuts, broke out scrapers, power sanders, and extension cords, and started to work.

Bryan taking a wrench to break free
 the bolts securing the foresail
gaff throat iron collar

During the previous week, the crew, with volunteer, Bryan Oliver completed the first phase, down-rigging all four spars (gaffs and booms).  Re-purposing the throat halyard and peak tackles as lifts, they separated the spars from the masts, hoisted them up and over the rails,  and swayed them onto the dock.  Once secure on the dock the team finished up by un-installing and removing all iron and brass fittings, irons, collars, leather chafing strips.

Bryan and  Ken, taking the last
 sanding strokes on the foresail gaff. 
Dan, in background, inspects the
Mainsail boom

Throughout the morning, Ken and Bryan scraped and sanded the top-half of the foresail gaff, then flipped it over on it's cradle and started again on the bottom half.  Warming temperatures, and disappearing clouds helped morale, and jackets came off. During a break for a spaghetti lunch in the galley, Dan arrived from Summerville to reinforce the effort, starting in on the mainsail gaff. By quitting time, the team had the foresail gaff completely stripped to new wood, and ready to take on first steps of varnishing.  Dan had completed  half of the mainsail gaff. After securing the tools and cordage, it was time for some refreshment, and reflection.

The Volunteer team advanced the refinishing project by 12% to completion. 2 and 1/2 spars will require stripping and prepping before the next major phase can begin, applying several coats of sealing oil followed by 12 coats of Varnish.  The three professional crew, Capt Dan, Mate, Charlie, and deckhand, Matt, will advance the work as they can during the week days, with help from any volunteers that can lend a hand during the week.  Next Sunday, 12 January provides the next opportunity for Volunteers to fill in and make a big difference.