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.