A Quiet Month, but still active

 Happy New Year!

I know!  There's been more than a month of silence on this blog, but blame that on this annual confluence of holidays, aggravated by the birth of my grandson.  Not my fault. 

But notably, lack of blog activity did not equate to absence of activity aboard ship.  Thanks to a number of volunteers who signed up to stand dock watch aboard, Christian Lawyer, who'd volunteered to stand in for Hunter on his vacation home, was able to take some days off and leave the ship in their hands.  It wasn't just idle time either.  While on dock watch, many took the unpressured time to further educate themselves about the ship, explore all the spaces, lockers, chests, and berths, familiarize with the rig, and read up on the ship's literature, not to mention-enjoying the scenery.

Other volunteers, like Lexi Fine, and John Hart, came aboard on their own, and laid into a few projects on the ship's Maintenance Punchlist.  

Volunteers who had supported the schooner with 50 or more volunteer hours,  "Old Salts", and other select supporters gathered on deck 10 December for Volunteer Appreciation Night, sponsored by Mr. Baker, and watched the annual Charleston Harbor Holiday Parade of Boats.

Harvey Gamage docked nearby on 16 December, spent the holidays here, and will cast off on January 6th with students under sponsorship of the Proctor Academy of Andover NH, bound for warmer ports and 2 months of adventure.   Something we'll be doing too, eventually.

Just this past week, Capt Heath Hackett, our Project Manager for restoring Spirit of South Carolina to service, hosted   Air and Sea Safety to inspect our Fire Control Systems in prep for the ABS and USCG inspections.  Good thing too.   The inspection uncovered a number of discrepancies to be resolved, also presenting some lessons for us volunteers and other crew in conducting our regular safety inspections. 

The next Saturday, January 8th, will resume our regular Volunteer Days for the New Year.  And we'll try to adapt some resolutions too, such as  smoothing the way to enable volunteers with free weekdays to come aboard and advance their own deckhand skills or lay into some Punchlist projects.  We'll identify volunteers who've achieved competence in deckhand skills who are willing to help train other volunteers and sign off on their skills proficiency.  

Meanwhile, Capt Hackett is working on hiring a Captain and guiding our overall efforts to move us to the start line for the Coast Guard Inspection, and eventual delivery to a haul out location;  all milestones to pass in restarting our Educational and Revenue-generating programs that will sustain the ship.

Looking forward to it.

We're creating, something that will last, more than oak and bronze.

 

Last week, Danny Johnson lay in
with David Brennan on his task
 to rebuild the hinge on the paint locker.

You  wouldn't notice it unless you had been spending time aboard Spirit of South Carolina on it's Volunteer days  for a year or more. But I've noticed it.  And its a grand thing! 

It's pretty subtle but  there's a definite evolution taking shape on deck. Over time, long standing volunteers, who have boarded as never-evers, or with baseline knowledge of tall ships or sailing skillsets. have been with regularity, mustering aboard- taking on maintenance projects, learning shipboard skills. They've been steadily building deckhand competence and gradually internalizing an esoteric thing some have called "the way of the ship -" her idiosyncrasies.  Most significant, a deckhand culture is slowly taking root, on deck where currently, there are no professional deckhands;  Idle hands lay in with others to help advance a project. Standard methods and procedures are being repeated and internalized.  As individuals naturally coalesce into teams on a project, they also share skills.  New Volunteers coming on deck  are assimilated more quickly, and can start being a part of something much bigger than themselves. And we, together, create something self-sustaining.

The photos taken this week interspersed thru-out this Blog entry illustrate whats  been going on.

Ya, see where I'm going with this?  If we nurture,  continue to feed the process, we are rebuilding a human culture  that built and operated our schooner successfully years ago.  Volunteers. 

Calvin Milam points to where he
 and shipmate Nate Mack  reefed out
 a seam, identified a significant deck
 leak over the Genset, and recaulked
the seam.

Just below right in the photo, Newer Volunteer Doug Hartley  holds in his hand, "remains of the brain of the GENSET; the disreputable control PCB-the fruits of a two-week troubleshooting ride that began with Craig Scott, a multimeter, some deep dives into the vessels storage for a manuel, and additional hours on the internet. Last week he handed his findings off to New Volunteer Doug Hartley who advanced the troubleshoot over the past two weekends. Between the two they identified the problem, researced solutions, recommending a board replacement, compared cost, and passed on findings/recommendations to the ship's project manager for action.  

They saved she ship weeks, and hundreds and hundreds of dollars, in professional mechanics fees.   Volunteers.

Above, John Whitsett advances a project begun 3 weeks prior by Mikell Evatt; fabricating protective "thump" coverings over the transom knees from salvaged fenders; Joe Gorman and David Brennon  backing up, with some blade sharpening, and tool searching.

Of Course, the prime motivator:  Hunter's Lunch creations! Hot and plentiful.

At left, as the Volunteer day closes, all hands lay out on the head rig to help out John Hart, who had spent the day riding the jibboom and hanking on the jib luff to the jib stay.  Together they tucked in the best harbor furl the jib had enjoyed in months.

Making the most of a Warm November Saturday morning.

Six of us mustered at 0900, including newcomer, Doug Hartley, and almost immediately laid into four separate projects Bryan Oliver had annotated on the Punch List as prority targets. But before breaking the huddle, Volunteer Coordinator Bryan shared some small news. 

 This coming Wednesday or Thursday, the Boston Schooner Roseway, enroute from Boston to St. Croix, will be docking overnight at the fuel dock. Enroute, her Chief Mate, Kevin Wells, contacted Bryan requesting help in identifying volunteers who might be interested in joining Roseway as volunteer, to take her the rest of the way to St. Croix. By Saturday five volunteers had expressed interested and responded to Capt Wells - a great indication that Charleston can boast some passionate tall ship sailors, regardless of experience. As of this date, Capt Wells has settled on one of us who will embark and sail the rest of the way to St. Croix.

  Bryan announced that he would be taking a leave of absence for the remainderof the year, starting 23 November, headed to St. Louis in order to get ready to become a granddad. Therefore this coming Saturday, the 20th would be the last organized Volunteer Day for the year. HOWEVER, that should not discourage Volunteers from coming aboard, checking out the Punch List, and taking charge of a project or two on their own. 

 On 5 December, our Sea Cook, and head of ship's security, Hunter will also depart for the rest of the year, to go home and visit family in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In his stead, Christian Lawyer, the assistant Dock Master of the Maritime Center will move aboard to provide security for the vessel. He will be assisted by Volunteers who will sign up for a 15-hour overnight Dock Watch, from 1700 hours to the following morning at 0800. While the watch officially runs during those times, Volunteers can arrive early, or depart late if they choose, in order to take on some maintenance chores. 

 On 13 December, (Saturday), in conjunction with the Charleston Annual Holiday Parade of Boats, Volunteers will resurrect their annual Volunteer Appreciation Night; Due to space limitations it is a by-invitation-only casual evening recognizing volunteers who've demonstrated exceptional commitment by devoting 50 or more hours over the past year. Laura Johnson will be organizing the event. Invitees will be contacted this week to save the date. 

An then it was on to work.  At the same time peeling off jackets and even long sleeve shirts as the warm sunny weather took over. Danny Johnson and Daved Brennan took charge of rebuilding and restoring the piano hinged lid of the paint locker, which had finally pulled completely off. By end of morning, we once again had a sturdy covered paint-locker.  Victory #1

 Calvin Milam and John Hart went ashore to replace the just-arrived drain plug back into the still kaput trash pump. Within 20 minutes he had the machine up and running, and pumping seawater out of the harbor. Victory # 2.

Doug Hartley joined Bryan for a tour of the ship and an orientation before Bryan made immediate use of Doug's mechanical engineering by leading him down into the engine room to take a shot at isolating the non-starting problem with the GENSET.  By end of morning he had isolated the issue to a bad Controller board in the electronic control panel, and was starting to look up replacement estimates.  Edging closer to a crucial Victory.

Mid morning, Laura Johnson came on deck, on her way to her crew job on "Double Fun". She jumped in with Bryan in cutting, and gluing in new round neoprene gasket seals around the Aft cabin and saloon head butterfly hatch covers. 

All that accomplished in time for lunch, when Hunter handed up an amazing ethicity-transcending  more than Curry-Chicken in a Rich sauce over rice, oh, and Laura Johnson's Blueberry pie. 

We weren't done yet. After securing all the tools we'd pulled out for the morning projects, and with one hour left to go before our agreed upon mustering off time, We went for two more projects.  Dividing into 3 teams of two;  one team each, set up paint stations and laid on a third coat of white to each of the two Mast boots.  Doug and Bryan poured out a dose of D2 Varnish and laid it down for a fourth coat on the portside cap rail scarf just forward the main shrouds. 

  

Now THAT was a good day!

Saturday's Non-Volunteer Day Still Productive.

The gangway had just been lowered
 from an angle two feet higher

 It was cold messy weather, Saturday morning;  driving rain, heaving decks and gusting gale-force winds on deck and  dark below deck. Topping that, a  super King tide at raised the ship, and it's gangway to awkwardly high levels.  To keep the gangway off the lifeline stanchions and away from the mainmast, the Mystic Whaler crew hauled the inboard end of the gangway higher.

 In spite of it, six volunteers climbed(yes, literally) the  swinging gangway, to drop down onto the deck Saturday morning. Questions of sanity aside, Danny Johnson, Tony Marchesani, John Hart, Calvin Milam, and Nate Mack, joined Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver in the Saloon to check the Punch list for projects to work below deck.  Four of us settled on building a Thump mat for the Foresail sheet traveler that when installed, would dampen the shock of the large foresail sheet block as it would slacken.  Bryan and Calvin, climbed out and descended into the engine room to review the current status of troubleshooting on the unoperative Genset. 

While Calvin gathered tools brushes and solvent to start cleaning battery terminals and solenoid connections, Bryan returned to the saloon where the others had already retrieved a large coil of manila from the lazarette and starting to measure out the dimensions for roughly 4' by 2' oval thump mat.  Danny ran one end of the coil back up on deck and aft to straighten the rope and twist out the hockles. 

John Harter, Calvin Milam, Tony Marchesani
(in the dark) and Bryan Oliver
 set last stitches into the thump mat.

John and  Tony pulled out the Canvas repair bag, selected some choice large needles and twine, then started laying out a tight flat coil, stitching at four different points as each turn was laid down.   Nate climbed up on deck to examine his work from last week installing the new Main Mast boot, and isolate the small leak that seemed to be developing around the mast wedges.  Seeing where water seemed to be pooling around the base where excess canvas remained to be trimmed, Nate acquired a box cutter from the tool locker and trimmed the excess canvas off around the mast base collar, and free the pooling water, joined  the crew in the saloon for the thump mat sewing bee. 

Morale was maintained with half-dozen donuts Bryan had brought down,  Danny had procured a usual selection a pie and baked goods for the ship, but, given the donuts, he brought the bagful up on deck, handing it across the rail to Mystic Whaler's crew standing anchor watch, who gratefully accepted the donation.

As noon approached, Calvin finished his work cleaning contacts and battery terminals around the Genset starter solonoid. Charlie Porzelt  came aboard and received a briefing from Calvin about what had been trouble-shot so far, then disappeared into the engine room for another half-hour while volunteers finished sewing the thump mat, then turned to whipping loose ends of manila.  John turned in a large eye splice at the end, then brought the mat up to install under the foresail sheet traveler.. Perfect fit. 

Three Schooners in the Harbor riding out a gale together.

King tides combined with a low pressure system sweeping the coast has made for a rollicking wet weekend.  The standard Volunteer day for yesterday was cancelled  in anticipation of a cold raining, rocking day aboard Spirit of South Carolina, pretty much kaboshing any on deck projects, leaving only things to be accomplished below decks,, and in the dark.  

Did I mention that?  The Maritime Center docks were without power since Wednesday morning, in order to get the Museum into the grid. The power only returned yesterday (Saturday) evening.   Worse, the genset, aboard refused to start-starting a whole other urgent troubleshooting process, extending thru this weekend.(We think its narrowed down to the starter, or electronic brain that's governing it.)  So our man Hunter was forced to go primitive; no lights no space heater, stove, nothin.  Well not wholly.  He was lent a tabletop gas stove for heating up anything, and the Dock master gave him access to their microwave, and kitchenette.

Mystic Whaler, of out of Mystic CT
 pulling away from the fuel dock
 to raft up with Spirit.

To make things interesting. Mystic Whaler, a steel-hulled passenger schooner on delivery from Mystic to California, was hunkering down in Charleston to wait out this predicted weather mess, asked permission to raft up with us, while the Maine schooner, Harvey Gamage, full of Procter Academy students, took her reservation at the fuel dock.  After short consult and review of the wind and wave forecasts, we readily agreed. They would raft up with us bow-to stern. 

So, Friday morning, Mystic Whaler was standing off Spirit's portside. 'll tell ya, as a volunteer, and after not having professional crew on our deck for over a year, it was an education to anyone  to watch a professional bunch of schooner sailors do their work. It would have been a great opportunity for us volunteers to have been aboard working with this crew. Directed by their mate, Capt Nick Alley, they volunteered crew to board and take lines,  roll up and spiral lash our large awning, as well as lower and safely pilot our small boat inside the marina to a protected slip.  As they ghosted up parallel 50 yards off  Mystic let go her starboard anchor, set it deep, and eased back on it till she was parallel to our port side only 15 yards off. Her line handlers tossed coiled big manila dock lines directly over to us, and slowly warped up to our side, cushioned by several large fenders, a few big balls, they purchased ashore specifically for this docking.  The set anchor deep off Mystic Whaler's port bow was taut, doing it's job keeping pressure off Spirit's hull.   Mystic's boarding crew didn't stop there,  with Capt Alley's advice, they storm-secured Everything on deck, lower our canvas hatch awnings, extra tie-downs on the binnacle and wheel covers, stowing what could be carried, below deck. 

Mystic Whaler, off our port quarter,
preparing to let go her anchor
before backing down to tie up
 on our port side.

Once  both ship's secured for the oncoming weather, and anchor watch set on board Mystic, the crew asked one favor.  They had been admiring our schooner from a distance for a few days now, and getting to see her up close  heightened their admiration, and the Capt Alley asked on their behalf if they could get a tour. Well, the least we could do. So we led 14 Mystic Whaler's  thru the ship, not dismayed by the darkness, or the "shipyard" mode, they were all quite impressed, at standing on the deck of an authentic replica of a 19th century wooden schooner, with a great story. 

At the same time,  Harvey Gamage was tying up at the fuel dock.  It didn't take long for their cook, Tyler Calderwood, and their 2d mate Anna Spring to walk over for a reunion with Hunter, and to arrange for their crew and students to get a tour of Spirit. 

Rafted up and all secure for the coming gales.

On a personal note, but to convey a sense of the close knit community of Tall Ship sailors:  Capt Nick Alley, acting as chief Mate aboard Mystic Whaler, was my Captain during my first ever schooner passage as guest crew on Virginia in 2007, 14 years ago, and we reunited as if old friends.  Anna Spring, aboard Harvey Gamage, and I were shipmates  on Spirit for a month in 2017 on the Tall Ship Festival-race to Bermuda and Boston to Canada. Harvey Gamage's educator-on-board, now the significant other to another shipmate back in New England, sought me out personally to just say hi and convey regards from my shipmate and his father.  We all recounted stories, storms, caught up on whereabouts of others, all of these 'kids" younger than me by at least a generation.     Just sayin'   If you can take the opportunity to dip an oar into this world, it's the people in it as well as the ships that will give you joy.

Advancing to ABS is picking up speed.

Spirit of South Carolina's readiness for her ABS Survey is measurably firming up.  Within these past two Volunteer Saturday's, all the known areas of inspection have been addressed.  Discrepancies noted, and if not yet resolved, (that being hatch gasket seals) are identified with a clear path to resolution. Life Line condition may be the only inspection item not clearly addressed, but will be this Saturday. 

In the meantime Volunteers cleared the Maintenance punch list of several issues, from simple to complex.  

Nate, and Stepdad, Tim adjust
the boot top into it's top lacing
 before folding it down for final
 adjustment.

Bryan demonstrates a flat stitch to
Nate Mack on the freshly cut
boot canvas. 

Nate Mack and stepdad Tim Brown stepped up for the most complex project:  taking off the old worn Mainmast boot, and using it as a pattern, cutting out, shaping, and reinstalling a new Mainmast boot. The project, along with some coaching from Bryan Oliver took from 0900,  thru 1500 when the second coat of white paint was applied to the finished boot.  Next week, will add a third coat, seal the top, set the turks-head, and trim off the bottom.

Calvin coaxes life back
 into the trash pump engine.

On the dock, Calvin Milam returned to his project with the seized up Trash pump, hoping the week's soak will loosen and clean out the residual scale.  Another hour later, volunteers on deck below heard that reassuring sound of a trash pump running under load, looking up at Calvin with a big grin and thumbs up. While Calvin successfully resurrected the pump, he discovered it's drain valve had sheered off, preventing the pump's ability to prime itself.. So now, a new drain plug is being asked for Christmas.

Tony Marchesani, and visiting volunteer, Alphonso, disappeared into the aft cabin bilge to further troubleshoot the aft head macerator. Unfortunately the hoped-for access to a shaft end that would allow manual rotation of the pump didn't materialize.

John Hart laid forward to complete stalling of the jumbo boom outhaul tackle, and seek out a temporary replacement block for the deteriorating/ rusting out turning block.  

Danny Johnson advanced the project of re-oiling/ preserving all the buffalo hide berth settee cushions,, completing the six in the main salon.

As most of those projects were wrapping up, Chef Hunter handed up the galley hatch a lunch of Shrimp and Grits,, you read it right.  His version for  open seas sailing on watch, that is, something that can be carried up a ladder in a bowl and consumed with one utensil. And, as usual,, with the surfeit of helpings he prepared, seconds were all gone.  Not to mention a pumpkin pie dessert, donated by Danny.

After securing from lunch, with insufficient crew to down-rig the foremast awning and set the foresail, Volunteer and recent Bosun's School graduate, John Hart proposed handing up the jib sail and rigging her head/halyard, tack, and clew tackles, furling, and leaving the luff hanks to next week.  To this suggestion volunteers readily endorsed and so it was handed up, worked forward and hoisted up.  The exercise took longer than expected with the inevitable twisting and re-running of sheets and downhaul and a disruptive onshore wind wanting to blow the whole thing into the water.  By 1700, canvas was tamed, furled and secured in the head rig netting.    

Volunteer Coordinator Bryan, happily handing
 over the Jibsail Volunteer rating to Tony Marchesani.

And finally, ending on a higher note, returning Volunteer Tony Marchesani  finished up the long day, accumulating over 59 hours,  qualifying for the Jibsail Volunteer Award. 

This is a nice pin by the way, and if you want one,, 50 hours of  volunteer time goes pretty  fast,, just ask, and another 50 hours will get you the rating:  "Foremast Volunteer" and all the added prestige that deservedly comes with it.

Another good day on the water!

 

A new Volunteer Role is Looming in near Future: Dock Watch

 WHEREAS:  With the winter approaching and the Christmas Holidays,, our onboard Security Chief, and Chef, Hunter, who has sustained our  Volunteer Days for the past year, will need to go home for an annual leave.  

THEREFORE: It's currently falling to us Volunteers to take up the slack to ensure a physical presence on board sufficient to deter the more adventurous tourist or dock wanderer to come aboard and explore, or worse. It has happened before.

I'm calling on Volunteers to find a few individual days on their calendar, notionally, from mid December thru mid January, who can devote  a day to come on board, overnight.  Exact time window TBA, as will be the start and end hours. General responsibilities will be to:

• remain on board during your watch.    
• Retrieve and raise the national colors if flying.
• Discourage uninvited onboard visitors (Welcome to bring aboard one or two friends to help )
• Perform a boat check at least twice during the 12 hour overnight period, to include
• pumping a bilge as necessary.'
• Check Dock lines and fenders 
• Adjust gangway height at high tide to keep clear above adjacent lifelines stanchions.
• Maintaining orderliness and stowage on the deck and below. 

If you can help staff our schooner anytime during this period please contact me with the Days available, and # of watches you are willing/able to devote, or schedule. 

Text Bryan Oliver at: 314-409-0433

or email:  bryan@spiritofsc.org

Thanks in advance for your help in keeping Spirit of South Carolina safe and operational.

Good weather abets tackling a wide variety of projects and exercising a sail set.

A lot of different issues were tackled Saturday morning; almost all of them successfully - topped off with a chance to practice real sailor stuff,, like setting a sail.  Here's what went down.

Calvin Milam started in the Forecastle Bilge under the table, separating out old leaking containers, scrubbing out the grime before hosing then drying it out. Next he hauled out the seized up trash pump to disassemble and diagnose its salvage-ability. 

Danny Johnson  hauled the forecastle settee leather cushions on deck for rubbing in some mink oil. 

Tony Marchesani grabbed another mink oil jar and fresh rags and tracked down all the spar and tackle with leather chafing gear to give them a good soaking. 

Danny works mink oil into the leather
 of a forecastle settee cushion.

John Hart, fresh from Picton Castle's Bosun School, set up a station to train a couple of volunteers to turn in an eyesplice and rigging up the two deck buckets with their tie-off ropes

David Brennen started the first and last coats, respectively, of D2 Varnish on the port and starboard side caprail scarves at the main shrouds,, then joined Frank Thigpen at John's eyesplice station to try their hands. 

Frank Thigpen confronted the last two recalcitrant thru-hull ball valves in the engine room that refused to budge. After experimenting with extenders and wrenches, we rediscovered the utility of the long bar/hook normally employed to set the Fire Main/overboard ball valve.  Problem solved.  All thru-hull valves accounted for and exercised. 

John measures out whipping twine
 to secure the strands before
 starting a splice.

Mickell Evatt took on the task of replacing the stretched and torn/ deteriorating leather chafing strips on the transom knees under the Mainsheet. He started a hunt thru the bosun's lockers for sufficient lengths of bull hide, which turned out to be futile. He then came up with the idea of repurposing an old black fender by cutting out of it two long and wide strips to tack down over the old bullhide, effectively doubling its shock/noise dampening capability. 

Meanwhile, Bryan Oliver, armed with a pump valve and diaphram replacement kit, and wide assortment of drivers, sockets, vice-grips, and silicone sealant, disassembled, for the second time the aft cabin head's manual pump, to diagnose its persistent air leak and failure to fill the bowl. It was a small win, but mostly in vain as , while the leaks stopped the pump would still not draw in fill water, in spite of a strong vacuum.   Oh well, better days ahead.

After Hunter's great spaghetti and giant meatball lunch, deckhands secured from all their morning work and  mustered at the foremast.  Taking advantage of a very light breeze, and good weather, we lay forward to raise the Jumbo staysail.  While set, we overhauled the downhaul to run it correctly  thru its turning block back to the cleat, then started rigging up the boon outhaul.  Discovering the pendant to the horse had apparently been cut or separated,  we set it aside for repair, then doused and harbor-furled the sail.

Charleston, African American Mariners, and our Maritime Heritage Closely Intertwined

With the soon-to-open International African-American Museum as a neighbor, Spirit of South Carolina is in prime position to play a significant role in helping raise awareness of, and telling the stories  of African Americans shaping the development of Charleston's Maritime heritage. Dr Bolster's book is a rich resource covering the African American experience in the Atlantic World, and devotes, not just paragraph's, but pages to that history shaped here in the Carolina's. Names like Vesey, and Smalls, are already well known here, but others, not so well known but depicted in these chapters add significant depth to the richness of  a heritage that has been largely ignored in the low country, but worthy more attention given the recent decades of rebirth in her maritime industry and even tourism.  

I could see a time, in the near future, when Spirit of South Carolina will be taking aboard both students, and adults, for weekend, even longer themed cruises, hosted by the Museum or sponsors.  Educators or crew members  aboard would create an immersive educational experience relating stories and lessons on the deck of a 19th century wooden sailing ship, representative  of what many "Black Jacks" would've crewed and even officered.  

 My copy of Black Jacks will soon be stuffed into the book rack in Spirit's Saloon, for interested readers.     In the meantime, You're invited to join in a Zoom presentation by Dr Bolster.  He's a past tall-ship sailor himself, having crewed aboard Harvey Gamage, and Pride of Baltimore II, and sure to add that added color to the event.  Weather, and technology dependent, we'll try to set up a projection Zoom onscreen of this session, on deck.   Lemme know if you're interested:  bryan@spiritofsc.org

 

Closer Focus on preparing for ABS Survey, and Search for Professional crew begins

 Earlier this week, across two early mornings, Capt Heath, the Project Manager,  met with Volunteer Coordinator Bryan Oliver, and Laura Johnson (on her days off from "Double Fun"), where he laid out some guidance to focus our priority of work towards preparation for the ABS Survey visit.  The effort would focus on a deep cleaning (she needed that anyway), but specifically in the areas that ABS would be inspecting.  

With that guidance, Laura and Bryan  set to work cleaning out the grime and stains around the compartments housing the thru hull ball valves in the Salon and Forecastle.  At the same time Capt Heath shared that he was beginning a search for a new Captain for Spirit of South Carolina, who would, in turn, take responsibility for hiring a Mate and another four paid crew.   Those accomplishments will put us all on solid track for up-rigging the Main mast, executing a couple of shake down cruises, and recapturing our COI.

Frank apparently enjoying his project
 in the engine room.

As last Saturday arrived, volunteers continued down the route set by Capt Heath.  David Brennan and Calvin Milam grabbed fresh rags and cleaning bottles to tackle the aft cabin Head thru hull compartments and surrounding surfaces.  Frank Thigpen continued his work in the engine room, wire brushing down areas of rust, and coating them with 'Rustoleum' primer. 

Nate Mack with scrapers and heat gun started on the portside midships caprail where it was showing severe UV damage.  Craig Scott, with his souped-up multi-meter, set upon the saloon and aft cabin head macerators that were not operating. Danny Johnson dropped in and volunteered to coordinate a lunch "take-out" from Ted's Deli, on East Bay, giving Hunter a break from his typical lunch preparation for volunteers. 

Calvin surveys the paint deterioration
on port side while Bryan works
 to maintain station.

As the work reached stopping places towards noon, Danny disappeared up the docks to procure lunch. Nate, Frank, and David launched the Dory with two banks of oars, and rowed the marina and out around the schooner to inspect the hull paint wear.  After lunch, Calvin and Bryan took over the Dory for their own exercise, while Volunteers cleared away lunch,  their own work areas as secured all.

As the Day closed out, Calvin was presented his 50-Hour Jibsail Volunteer Pin, actually accomplished back in July, and, then immediately following, was presented his 100-hour Foremast Volunteer pin, having earned the last 4 hours required just that morning.

First the American Bureau of Shipping Survey, Then the USCG Certificate of Inspection

 That's the path to Spirit of South Carolina regaining everything needed to resume sailing. According to Capt Heath Hackett who has been project managing the process.  He has submitted to ABS the needed documentation that is the prerequisite to their conducting an Annual Survey of the Vessel. We're now waiting on them to schedule a survey visit.  This is the first unknown. 

They will be concentrating on the following areas: 

 Watertightness- Thru-hull operation, watertight doors, and seals around hatches.

Waterline - Plimsole Mark presence and orientation.

Pumps- Bilge and Firemains

With that survey completed, USCG will schedule a COI visit. Somewhere in that timeline will be scheduled a haul-out, required every two years by USCG. This will be a critical time for Spirit of South Carolina given the time she has been spending sitting still in southern waters. Hopefully her hull planking will be found to be sound.

And so, 8 Volunteers mustered this morning to focus on the work of advancing her towards a successful ABS Survey. John Whitsitt inspected the seals around the three butterfly hatches, and repaired loose sections  around the saloon butterfly.  Nate Mack found the remaining latch hardware and installed them on the saloon hatches to make the six of them operational. Nate teamed with Bryan Oliver to test the seal on the Engine Room Watertight door. 

Craig Scott hoisted the kaput 50-pound inverter out of a berth in the forecastle and commenced an electronic autopsy on the saloon table, with intent to arrive at decision to repair or replace.  Dan Maurin, David Brennan,  and Bryan began the process of emptying out on deck all the gear and debris piled into berths in the forecastle, for a sorting into "Keep and store elsewhere in the ship," " keep but move to the dock for storage elsewhere," or "dispose of". An impressive pile of stuff grew on the deck.  Meanwhile, Danny Johnson and daughter Laura, on her break from deckhanding on the Catamaran Double Fun, came aboard and sat down with sailors palm and twine to repair the dory's thumpmat.   

At lunch time, Hunter with usual panache handed up a lunch of burritos al verde with spanish rice.  Laura donated a freshly made pumpkin pie for dessert.  During Lunch, Bryan Oliver recognized Nate Mack for surpassing 50 Volunteer Hours last July, presenting him his Jib Sheet Volunteer lapel pin.

Bryan demonstrates some line handling
 discipline to Volunteer Craig Scott.

After a short muster to secure from lunch and clear the deck of earlier piles and hardware,  Dan continued his project started earlier of cutting material out of the large section of yellow rubberized canvas for fashioning into "dry" dity bags and hardware totebags.  He succeeded in cutting out four and finished one. Remaining volunteers crowded around the Engine hatch and below to train on pumping ot the bilges.  By 1600, the decks had been cleared, Saloon and forecastle bilges pumped dry, and three bags had been cut out and in various stages of construction. 

Next weekend will fill with more concentration of deck hand skills and drills in prep for the COI. 

Progress coming in different packages

 It's been 3 weeks since you've last seen a blog entry and I thank you for looking one more time.  Progress aboard our schooner is continuing  even in bits and pieces, and largely due to her Volunteers.  

John(one-armed Johnny)Crane handing off
 his handiwork for delivery to the Schooner 

Example:  Just this week, John (One-armed Johnny we now call him; sounds like the name of a sea shanty) Crane, risked popping a few sutures in his shoulder to finish a project he'd taken on earlier; to fashion a protective case to house the ship's sewing machine, heretofore  stuffed into a berth with other gear incurring constant risk of damage.  Thanks to John, the ship is likely to keep her Canvas Repair Power Tool (Sewing Machine) productive for quite a while.

  The three-week hiatus didn't stop some volunteers with coming aboard during that time for specific projects;  Frank Thigpen, Calvin Milam, Nate Mack, and David Brennan came aboard, for separate projects.  As part of the Monthly Safety Inspection, David took charge of troubleshooting then replacing the emergency lighting in the forecastle. Frank and Nate progressed some work in the engine room. 

Calvin examines the 3 inch deep
 void under the deck planking

Today marked the return of  Volunteer Day. With this day came a renewed emphasis on activity to advance our readiness towards a COI renewal balanced with critical maintenance priorities. 

One of those priorities was resolving a significant leak of rainwater into the salon.  With caulking supplies arriving, and the hope of dry weather. Calvin Milam immediately set to work excavating into the inch-deep seams of teak decking around the Mainmast fife rail. Meanwhile, Nate Mack laid on the 10th coat of varnish over a section of caprail. Frank Thigpen descended into the engine room to finish sanding and rust-scraping then painting of the starboard engine components. David Brennan completed the installation of the forecastle emergency lighting. Meanwhile, Bryan Oliver and new volunteer, Craig Scott retreated to the foremast pin rails to work thru basic line handling skills. 

By mid morning, while the varnish and engine room paint was drying, Nate and Frank closed around Calvin to assist in the removal, scraping, sanding, and cleaning of the empty seams.  In doing so they discovered the likely source of the water leak into the salon.   By lunch time, the team had pressed one and 1/2 tubes of caulk into the voids and deck seams, then covering with sheets of plastic to guard against the oncoming 8% projection of rain(which suddenly changed to 70%!).  

While rain threatened and occasionally delivered, crew enjoyed a Pot of Shrimp Jambalaya ala Hunter.  While securing from Lunch, conversation transitioned to questions about timelines, near term future of the schooner.  Bryan had no new news to deliver other than the promise from Capt Heath of intent to regain her COI.  The ramifications being that competent crew would be required; likely taken from volunteers.  To meet that requirement Bryan explained the strategy to getting to that level of crew competence and delivered a rendition of a day in the life of a competent deckhand from casting off to raising sail and returning to dock. 

Following lunch, David, Craig, Nate, and returning Volunteer, Charles Malone-fresh from Alaska, joined Bryan for a concentrated refresher in line-handling and knot skills from the deckhand checklist. 

By late afternoon all had disembarked with the promise to see future volunteer days concentrate on preparations for the forecast.

Safety Inspection Documentation getting attention- Teak Deck Repair

 This Labor Day Saturday brought measurable progress in  preparing for the ship's eventual Coast Guard COI inspection.  Frank Thigpen, along with Calvin Milam have been methodically working the Monthly Safety Inspection document, which had been allowed to lapse for 16 months, due to lack of crew. On Saturday with Hunter, our Ship's cook coaching, Frank and Nate Mack walked thru the sequence of testing the five bilge alarms. Following that step they activated the pump and pumped the salon bilges overboard.   

In the course of the bilge testing/pumping exercise, Frank and Nate learned the mechanics of the dual purposed electric pump system;  bilge and fire control.   And so, they naturally segued to the next item on the Inspection Checklist:  Test the Fire mains.  

Dan Maurin and Mikell Evatt finish greasing
 the nozzle and stowing the forward fire main.

Nate started by rolling out the Aft Fire hose, and stood by the port anchor with the nozzle while Frank threw the valve lever to the Fire main position and activated the pump.  Meanwhile, Calvin did the same with the forward fire hose. With both hoses blasting, Frank experimented with water pressure at the Valve. Once satisfied with the fire main operation,  hoses were collapsed and flaked back into their cages; nozzles were greased, worked, and reinstalled. 

David Brennan sets up the last two mast hoops
 on the main mast for sanding and oiling. 

As the Frank, Nate, and Calvin advanced the Safety Checklist, David Brennan and Dan Maurin were pulling out sanding materials to clean up all 26 mast hoops on both fore and main masts, and wipe down with boiled linseed oil.

We weren't finished yet.  Armed with copious notes taken from Capt Ben Hall, and Heath Hackett, Bryan Oliver and Volunteers began marking out, details for repairing the growing deck leak into the salon from the Main mast fife rail posts.   By the time lunch of Chicken salad sandwiches came out, the crew  was set to begin; All that was missing was caulking materials. Hopefully, all that will be here next week.  Stay tuned.

Small but Significant Ceremony Aboard Marks Return to our Mission

 Today on deck, Spirit of South Carolina hosted a small ceremony that marked a return, after almost two years hiatus, to her mission (stated in whole, further below).  

Over the past five months, two graduating high school seniors, Jonathan Bautista from Berkeley High School and Keshaun Holmes from Stratford High School, each completed 120 hours of service as Apprentice deckhands.  They were sponsored by the Harbor Freight Company's Apprentice Fellow's Program, whose aim is to enable youth to deepen their interest in and commitment to a trade, and deepen their practical skills and self-discipline as reliable-trusted members of the workforce.  The road to those goals was documented in a comprehensive development plan mutually agreed upon and guided by a mentor, in this case, Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver.  

And so, Jonathan and Keshaun laid in with other volunteers on Saturdays and occasional weekdays, learning basic deckhand skills, and working the the same maintenance projects, as other volunteers, but with the added dimensions of practicing the self-disciplines of the workforce that would make them attractive hires. In the course of that time on board Keshaun and Jonathan worked side by side with other volunteers as deckhands, picking up, as well as marlinspike skills, the lore and heritage  of Charleston's maritime history, and hopefully building a new perspective of the maritime industry, and its contribution  to the low country. While they never quite got to sailing, they did participate as deckhands for Spirit's engine Sea Trials in July.

This Saturday, they stood on deck among their families, their school educators, and fellow volunteer shipmates to receive their rewards for successful completion of their apprenticeship;  a check from Harbor Freight for $1500.  In addition.. Spirit of South Carolina benefited thru the gift of $500 from Harbor Freight for providing the platform for their successful apprenticeship experience.

The upshot of their experience should be a boost for Spirit of South Carolina. It raised her visibility significantly within a major School District (Berkeley County), generating interest in future collaboration to benefit their their students.  With the right marketing, and attendant publicity, it could further grow relationships with other districts and organizations. 

Thanks to the Volunteers present, Calvin Milam, Mikell Evatt, David Brennan, Danny Johnson and daughter Laura, Frank Thigpen, and John Whitsitt, who autographed a unique Certificate awarded to the apprentices by Bryan Oliver, attesting to their acceptance by their shipmates, and  by His Majesty King Neptune, as "Deckhand".

From the crew manual:  Mission of the Schooner SSV Spirit of South Carolina:

SSV Spirit of South Carolina is dedicated to honoring and curating the  Seafaring History and diverse Maritime Heritage of South Carolina by offering a unique educational platform for the people of the Palmetto State, in particular her youth.  Participants will experience programs designed around an interdisciplinary hands-on curriculum integrated with the history and literature of South Carolina and our relationship to the sea.  Just as important, Spirit of South Carolina will challenge and engage students with a unique Tall Ship experience which:

·       Builds Pride and a sense of achievement

·       Increases self-confidence and belief in one’s self

·       Encourages Self-reliance/independence

·       Develops Resilience

·       Exercises Self-control/personal discipline

·       Appreciates values of teamwork and cooperation

·       Respects and understands perspectives of others resulting in their own broadened perspective

·       Increases knowledge/awareness of different social groups and increased ability to bridge social differences

·       Fosters Organizational skills and time management

 

There is little that Man has made that approaches anything in nature, but a sailing ship does.  There is not much that Man has made that calls to all the best in him, but a sailing ship does.                                                                                           

 -Alan Villiers

 

USCG Certificate of Inspection Quest Reenergizes Volunteers and sharpens Focus on Priorities

Good News, of a sort, came from the offices of Tommy Baker this past week-the message being an intent to pursue the reissuance of a USCG Certificate of Inspection for Spirit of South Carolina. 

 This weekend, volunteers wasted no time in sharply refocusing on the priorities that will bring Spirit of South Carolina closer to the state of readiness for the day when Coast Guard Inspectors will board her. 

As a First Step; Monthly and Weekly Safety Inspection Checklists were resurrected after 18 months hiatus. These documents are regularly examined by Coast Guard inspectors. For the first time in as many months, Volunteers began an in-depth inspection of the vessels systems  documenting issues, and transcribing then to the ship's "Punchlist" for prioritizing and resolution.   Joe Gorman accompanied by Dave Brennan and new volunteer, Michael Huhns, started that project. The inspection process provided double value, as a sort of mariner's scavenger hunt; forcing volunteers into search for and mechanically test things in remote corners, that they had never thought of before, or otherwise took for granted.  13 different thru-hull ball valves were hunted down and exercised;  Fire Control Systems- likewise.   

The Bosun's Rigging Inspection Checklist; about 9 pages worth, led another team of volunteers thru similar challenges on deck in up into the rigging.   Calvin Milam and Frank Thigpen more than tripled their nautical rigging and fittings vocabulary in less than two hours while matching the checklist with look-ups in the crew manual for diagrams and glossary terms, and asking lots of questions.  

While a number of questions remain unanswered regarding mid and longer-term milestones or programs, the ramifications of regaining her COI opens up all kinds of possibilities.  It's a prerequisite for taking on any passengers, for dockside attractions to harbor cruises to longer off-shore programs. It requires new investments to return  the schooner to total operational capability; restoration of her liferafts and fire/safety inspections, with requisite issues resolved after two years of stagnation.

With iffy weather looming in the afternoon, the Inspection work cut-off after two hours, and Volunteers transitioned to addressing a critical component of the COI inspection; the Ship's critical Safety Drills;  Fire Fighting,  Man-overboard, and Abandon Ship.  This morning the crew started with Man

Coxwain Dennis lines up on the port bow,
 while bowman Nate steadies the smallboat's
 "pudding"(woven rope padding) against the hull. 

Overboard, and basic skills of launching, operating, and recovering the rescue boat.  Coxwain-for-the-Week, Nate Mack and bowman, David Brennen  were lowered over the side by rest of volunteers manning the boatfalls.  For the next half-hour the crew practiced push-boat techniques against the ship's hull, then transitioned to victim recovery practice with a basketball tossed over the side.  Practice was cut short by Hunter's announcement for lunch.  Volunteers manned the falls again, recovered and hipped the smallboat, then set up the hotdog picnic lunch across the salon butterfly hatch.   

That would cap the day, as the northwestern sky began darkening, so tools, checklists, and lines were all secured and stowed.  Both, Safety, and Rigging inspections, yet unfinished, were set aside for completion on the next Volunteer Saturday. 

Volunteers Keeping up with routine maintenance while planning for hurricanes and asking, " What's Next for our Schooner.?"

 Earlier this week, Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver put out the call for Volunteers who would be flexible to commit on a day's notice to muster on deck and cast off for our predesignated hurricane hole, should a named storm threaten the harbor. So far, nine have responded.  Hoping more may be able to join up as these situations start to materialize.  With no professional crew aboard, Spirit of South Carolina will rely totally on volunteers to see her to safety.  The task would be expected to consume most of a day, with select Volunteers remaining on board for  Anchor Watch, unless weather conditions dictate evacuation of the ship.  Old Salt's Chris Sosnowski and Reg Brown are standing by with transportation to get volunteer deckhands off the ship and back to Charleston, and return.  Board Member Hank Hofford  is standing by to offer chase-boat/tender support, and maybe a volunteer or two.    Many BIG Thanks to all who've stood up so far.  Here's hoping we dodge the bullet again and never have to get the phone call going.

Meanwhile, on deck, Several mustered aboard this morning.  Danny Johnson, and two, Dan Maurin, and Dave Brennan gathered up tools and headed down to the floating dock where Dory was sitting on her almost finished cradles.  Danny also returned with his celebrated Two-horned Alien-looking Turbo Fan to get air circulating around the deck in multiple directions.  

s

He wouldn't say where it came from, but here's hoping the inventor has applied for a patent on the thing.  I want one.

Calvin Milam volunteered to take on the least popular project;  troubleshooting the aft cabin head that was unable to build vacuum for replenishing flush water. After a morning of cleaning, parts and seals switch-outs, plumbing pipe scraping, and operating manual reviewing, the problem persisted. Only one angle remains to be tried. Save for next week. But at least several months of stagnation,  the Aft Cabin Head is pristine.

Nate Mack started on the starboard Cap rail section that Keshaun had earlier sanded and scraped down to fresh wood, and prep it to receive multiple coats of D1.   Bryan, however,  diverted him for an hour to work with Mikell Evatt, and learn how to splice an eye into a couple of  two-fathom lengths of 3-strand that would be securing the two new, huge ball fenders brought down by Capt Hackett to reinforce our existing inventory for heavy weather.

With Danny Johnson's Dory cradles now complete and secured to the dock, Dan Maurin and Dave Brennan launched the dory and got in a little rowing exercise  inside the marina before stroking out of the marina to Spirit's port side to take some photos of  wear damage on her white topsides-candidates for spot painting.  The completed cradles provide a more secure, permanent, user-friendly stowage capability for the dory and her oars/spars, and fittings.  The new arrangement will allow a team of 2-3 deckhands to prep and launch the dory for rowing, or sailing. She will provide an excellent venue for practicing with students or other participants in the most basic aspects of seamanship and navigation.

And finally, over lunch, Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver briefed others on his efforts to date to get information flowing from the Board of Directors regarding the schooner's direction and priorities for the remainder of the year.

Deckhands enjoy a cold pasta, chicken and
 vegetable salad handed up by Chef Hunter,
 and a blueberry pie from Danny J.,
 while enjoying the turbo fan breeze blowing
 both port and starboard.

Dory Cradles, Hurricane Plans, and Gangway improvements bring Volunteers together on a Hot Saturday

 Is this the dog days of summer?  I should look it up. Maybe the "slog" days of summer. yeah, that's more like it. High temps/high humidity,, even the sea breeze feels a bit anemic. Best thing about the spotty squalls isn't so much the rain but the shade they bring.  

We happy few, we band of brothers,* who mustered Saturday  defied all that, and moved some things forward.  Danny Johnson, and later in the morning, daughter Laura, grabbed some help from Nate Mack and tackled his Dory cradle project which, when finished, will do lots for better care of the dory on the floating dock.  Mikell Evatt,  fresh from his Saturday morning shift across town, dropped by to help out.  Photo's of the finished product are coming forthwith.

Danny, in keeping with is usual remarkable volunteer recruiting streak, brought aboard a couple from Arizona, for a tour, and an offer to pitch in on a belaying pin oiling project, in return for picking various people's brains  for mariner advice regarding their recent purchase of a Lagoon 40 catamaran.  Later on, another blast from the past,  Tom Dignam just retired from his sailmaking business,  came aboard to look things over.  He'd been aboard years before with Danny Johnson as guest crew and was interested in reconnecting with the schooner.

 

Bryan Oliver awarding Keshaun
 his "Foremast Volunteer Pin
for 100 Volunteer hours.

Keshaun Holmes has been surging on volunteer hours lately, closing in on his 120, needed to complete his Apprentice Deckhand fellowship, put the final touches on the foremast boot, trimming off around the collar and setting the biggest turk's head knot ever, around fellow Apprentice Jonathan Bautista's sealing work at the boot's top. In doing so, Keshaun racked up over 100 volunteer hours,  rating him his "Foremast Volunteer Pin" only a few weeks after earning his "50-volunteer hours Jibsail Volunteer" award.  

Keshaun, installing the last letters
 on the gangway steps.

For his closing performance, Keshaun's last project was installing the new indigo-blue Ship's name letters onto the Gangway steps.  No simple task, you'll have to ask him all the angles he had to attack to get it right.

Jonathan had just completed his 120 hours, and is now focusing on starting a new working life with one of the Shipyards up  the Cooper River.  But he's not done with us yet. Possibly next Saturday, the 21st, we'll shoot for that date to have a little ceremony aboard, celebrating Keshaun's and Jonathan's completing of their Apprentice Fellowship, and award of their Grant from Harbor Freight, with their families, friends, and of course shipmates (all us volunteers).  

Hurricane Plan.  So far this summer, Charleston Harbor has dodged it.  Odds are only increasing when that named storm is going to blow up our coast.   Currently, our plan for the schooner is to have a decision made to cast off from the docks, and motor  16 miles up the Cooper River to  vic Brushy Creek landing to drop anchor.     Making that passage will require at least five deckhands aboard,  eight if we will be launching/retrieving the dory (likely).   

If you think you could commit to a 1/2 day or so, on a day's notice, to muster on board to deliver our schooner up river to a safer anchorage, Please text or email me, and I'll get you on our call-roster. 

Thanks in advance.

*William Shakespeare, from his play "Henry the V".  attribution.   I  just don't want to happen to me, what happened to Bob Caslen,  late President of USC.

Hot Summer Days aren't discouraging Volunteers from a day on the water.

Well, it's been a quiet two weeks around Spirit of South Carolina.. The 25 July Volunteer Day was cancelled due to your Coordinator's skying out to Newport Folk Festival for some father-daughter time - returning just in time to welcome a few stalwarts back on deck on a particularly soaking-humid, sticky roast-your burger on the dock-hot  Saturday. 

Danny Johnson brought along an ingenious contraption for moving air in opposite directions.. a portable fan with opposing exhaust stacks which he set up on deck. You 've got to see this thing. I shoulda' taken pictures. (actually I did,, caught part of it in the photo below )Hope he brings it back.  

The previous Volunteer Day,  in mid July, Danny Johnson initiated his own project to improve the stowage of the rowing/sailing dory, by designing and constructing a pair of cradles to rest permanently on the floating dock, and allow the hull to rest right side up, or upside down, AND enable the spars  and oars to be stowed horizontally underneath, on a rack. It's almost done, and will also make the launching and recovery easier. This past weekend, he, along with Calvin Milam, John Whitsitt, and Mikell Evatt advanced this dory cradle project thru the final trim and painting phase, customizing it in some ways.   Meanwhile, Jonathan Bautista, painted the third coat of white epoxy paint to the foremast boot, and sealed it to the mast.  

Bryan Oliver handing over to Mikell Evatt
 his Foremast Volunteer Pin

Over a welcome lunch, by Ship's Cook, Hunter, of some cold shrimp noodle salad,  Mikell Evatt was awarded his Foremast Volunteer Pin for surpassing 100 volunteer service hours.. only the eighth volunteer to hit that mark since the Program's resurgence in 2019.

Volunteer Apprentice Deckhands, Jonathan Bautiste, and Keshaun Holmes, recently graduated from Berkeley High School,  are finishing up their 120-hour apprenticeships this coming week. Their on-the-job training will net each a $1,000 grant, and $500 for the ship. We're hoping they'll return regularly. 

And, on a bittersweet note, our Volunteer, John Hart will be leaving us for Nova Scotia later in August for a six month stint aboard the barque Picton Castle, attending it's Bosun's School.  This is a unique curriculum aboard a unique traditional tall ship, known for the authenticity of its rig, and sailing culture. There's an earlier blog entry: Picton Castle- Tall Ship Chronicles Reality Show this  about Picton Castle, a reality series built around a crew member, and her several circumnavigations.  Quite a story.   John, I hope you'll keep us posted regularly on what you're getting out of that course.  Link to Picton Castle Bosun School

Post-Sea Trials-- Maintenance Continues and Renewed focus on deckhanding

Jonathan, aloft bends a messenger line
 onto the errant halyard 

 In the ten days since Spirit of South Carolina's Sea Trials, various volunteers have come aboard on four separate occasions to advance existing projects or start new ones. 

Starting as early as the following Thursday,  Apprentice Volunteers came aboard.  Jonathan Bautista went aloft to the foremast top to retrieve the loose throat halyard that had come loose from it's pin. 

 He joined fellow Apprentice Keshaun Holmes and Bryan Oliver back on deck working out some sticky geometry problems to cut the pattern out for a new Foremast boot, to replace the torn and leaking one.

The following Saturday, on the 11th, Volunteers mustered aboard and started with up rigging the Jumbo boom which had been secured on deck. Nate and John Hart laid out forward on the bowsprit to complete the jumbo luff hanks. 

Meanwhile,  Old Salt Shipwright, Kenny Blythe borrowed a couple of belaying pins as patterns. 

Kenny Blythe delivers the long-anticipated
 belaying pins 

With some stock supplied by Joe Gorman he milled out five new Purpleheart belaying pins to fill out the mainmast fife rail and six smaller pins of white oak, to be positioned on the main boom jaws. He delivered them just in time for this last Saturday's group of Volunteers to fine-tune and fit them to the rail, and finish them with several coats of Deks olje D1 sealant/preservative. 

 This past Volunteer Day, on July 11th, Volunteers picked up the pace. With days getting only hotter, the intent was to get the bulk of projects advanced by lunchtime so that afterwards would be devoted to securing from from all work, cleaning up, and may be a practice of some individual deckhand skills. 

Immediately after the 0900 Muster, Danny Johnson split off with John Hart to the floating dock  to start constructing a pair of cradles to better secure the dory, with flexibility of the hull being stored upright, or overturned.

Nate's sawdust-encrusted forearms
would confirm he'd been working 
with purpleheart.

Calvin Milam, John Hart and Nate Mack started in finish-sanding, then oiling the 11 belaying pins Kenny had delivered earlier.

 Jonathan Bautiste, having recently achieved the milestone of 100 Volunteer hours, was now closing in on his 120 Apprentice hours target, by getting the last coat of white paint on the newly installed Foremast boot.

Jonathan Bautista checks his work
 after the last coat of paint on the Foremast boot.

Lexi Fine and John Whitsett, laid out the recently well-patched dory mainsail over a salvaged C25 main sail to see if it's lower part could be repurposed  to be sewn up  to replace the old patched up mainsail.  

To close out the work day by lunchtime, the entire volunteer crew lined up on a line to stretch out the Jumbo staysail foot and shackle the clew to her boom end, then lay out on the bowsprit to harbor furl. 

With the next Saturday being effectively a "lay-day" for Volunteers, there would still be a few projects to advance over the coming week.