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.