Shipwright's Proposal is in execution.

 This past week felt fairly quiet around the shipyard, and onboard Spirit of South Carolina. The shipwright delivered his proposal and  reportedly has arranged for materials and labor to come on sight.  This past Monday was to be the construction of a scaffolding around port bow to start on the planking in that area, but it hasn't yet happened at this writing.  

 Last weekend, the 16-17th April, Easter weekend, would drive a lack of activity.  Nevertheless, the schooner benefitted from two Volunteers who came aboard for the day on Saturday.  Richard Behling, and Layne Carver came aboard to advance the clean-out of the forecastle.  Together with Hunter, they stripped and brought on deck remaining mattresses and covers for transport to the storage trailer, and then continued to vacuum out, and wiped down all the berths and surfaces in the forecastle, except the four that are hosting the mainsail and  main boomlift tackles.

This coming weekend,  hoping to continue that progress into the Saloon, and aft cabin. Additionally, a looming priority will be to unfold, repair, and rig up the foresail boom awning, to provide some  on-deck shade over the waist.  That's  partly a juki sewing machine job. And then there will be clearing out the cockpit and  returning of the contents of the lazarette. 

Anyone who can drive down for a day or more, any day of the week is most welcome.. Please text or email the Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver.  His contact info is under his email signature block; or use the contact form at bottom right corner of our Blog page.

Meanwhile the scenery around the shipyard has become more interesting.  The pilot schooner Virginia has been hauled out and is sitting behind us. An enormous modern performance ketch, I estimate 123 feet,  now sits next door. 

Meanwhile, back in Mount Pleasant, there's an interesting diversion project for those of you who can't get down to Thunderbolt, but would like to do some hands-on with traditional wooden boat work. The Low Country Maritime School has a number of open restoration projects going on that will welcome some volunteer help.  That comes on every Wednesday afternoon from 1630-1830.  just two hours. The most recent project is the Herreschoff design Gaff-rigged sloop Golden Eagle, 

Bring along a beverage, and lay in with Rachel Berquist, Sam Gervais and a few of us other regulars for some socializing, and  constructive restoration work.

It seems the Long Haul is Here

 It's 3 weeks since Spirit of South Carolina arrived at  Thunderbolt Marine, and was hauled out.   Since then, she's had her hull power washed and sanded, to rid the surface of all marine growth, and knock off most of the loose bottom paint that's no longer doing it's job.  

The Coast Guard's six inspectors inspected her hull, at he end of the month; all her bilges at every access point, and her thru-hull ball valves for operation.   Tony and Bryan completely emptied the lazerette compartment  and opened EVERY access plate to the bilges for their inspection. 

Meanwhile, earlier in the week,
 the replica pilot schooner, Virginia, out of Norfolk,
arrives for her her Haulout  and scheduled
maintennance.

The following Saturday, Richard Behling drove down with his pick up, which we quickly put to work with the cargo net, lowering down and transporting bags of linen, hardware and mattresses from the forecastle, for stowing while we cleaned out the interior. Before Richard and Bryan departed they walked over to talk with the delivery crew of the pilot schooner, Virginia just arrived from Norfolk.  It's in interesting comparison in the hulls and rigs between Virginia and Spirit of South Caroline; both replicas, of period pilot schooners, built about 30 years apart.

One morning, midweek, Hunter recognized the same Shipwright we employed 3 years ago in Thunderbolt;  standing under the Spirit of South Carolina, closely examining the hull.He was here to inspect the hull, review the USCG inspection, and write up a bill of materials for the shipwright work to be done.

This last Saturday,  Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan seemed to be last man standing. Over three days, Bryan repaired the cargo net, then descended into the Lazarette over two days. first brushing and wet-wiping out all surfaces in the lazarette. 

Grimy frame timbers in the lazarette,
just before Bryan went to work on them.

Then,  with 3 pints of White topside paint, a roller and tipping brush recoated all the lazarette timbers. It wasn't exactly a professional job, with masked areas taped off.  There would be some white drips and drabs all over, but the frame timbers all received a new coat of white polyurathane enamel.  

Piles of gear and spare hardware lie about the cockpit,
 waiting the next volunteers to return them in an orderly fashion
 back into the lazerette.

Now, the lazarette was ready to be re-populated in receipt of all of its contents still piled around the cockpit. The forecastle has most berths emptied out, now waiting to be wet-wiped clean; as is several berths in the salon.  And, of course, the repaired cargo net is standing by to send over other piles of gear bedding, and hardware, down to the dock for transporting to temporary storage.

 

Our second story living arrangement in Shipyard

 Hunter waiting at the bottom for his provisioning

 run to Krogers' downtown.

 This week, hopefully, we will learn of the plan resulting from the shipwright's inspection. That is most likely to be the high priority work being done due to it's  being directly addressed by USCG. Hunter has already provisioned in anticipation of volunteers coming down for a day this week or weekend(16-17 April).  Other systems; electronics and plumbing, are awaiting the same detailed inspection.

In addition to making the forecastle liveable again, Volunteers who come down over the next couple of weeks will get a chance to look over the schooner Virginia.  As work starts on her damaged planking, and other hull areas, there might be opportunities to swing a caulking mallet.  

Berths are available for those willing to stay overnight.  The crew lounge of course offers some surprisingly nice comforts. 

 

Shipyard is Providing Plethora of Potential Projects

 Completing this blog entry after finishing a nice Sunday brunch of chorizo tacos with Hunter in the Saloon.

 With  Wednesday's Coast Guard Inspection and Delivery Crew's own diagnosis and recommendations in hand, we have a pretty good picture of what needs to be done. Some of it requires the competence of Shipwrights and traditional sailing vessel riggers.  Most of it requires  sorting, organizing, cleaning, repairing, painting; all are in the Volunteer wheelhouse.

The immediate project before us started last week, which was basically to "Empty out the ship".  Not literally, but basically all the gear hardware that could be transferred off the ship into a storage container.  The act of doing so forced us to make decisions about what to keep and what should go, identify stuff needing extra attention/repair, consider alternate more efficient storage organizing.  Where moving hardware off the ship seemed impracticable, we're prepared to shift it onto a clear spot on deck temporarily to clean out it's "repository"  likely repaint it, while sorting/inventorying restoring its contents. 

Hunter stands by to push the loaded cargo net
 out over the rail for lowering down onto the dock.

 

This Saturday, Richard Behler drove down from his home up in St. George to help out on board for the day. With the aid of his pick-up truck bed, and  Hunter, the three of us rigged up our cargo net, and hoisted out of the forecastle all the bagged linens, pillows, PFD's, gumby suits,  settee  cushions, and foam mattresses that were reachable.  By 2 pm we had taken off all we could that was ready to move, and filled 20% of the storage trailer. 

Richard  on the dock controlling the tag line
 to swing the descending cargo net
clear of the hull.

 

Richard making last check
of our stacking before securing
the trailer storage unit.

Facing the reality and associated costs of long drives to Thunderbolt, we're not expecting the regular weekend surges of 5 or more Volunteers mustering on Saturdays.  Nevertheless, the ship need's lots of care, and there's plenty of projects that can be accomplished while she's still in shipyard state.  Here's an extract of Projects to be finished.  Any day of the Week.  There's plenty more where these came from.

• Neatsfoot Oil all the leathers on spars and other timbers (2 gals of NF Oil were found in the foward bilge locker)
• Clean out, reorganize and streamline the tool  and paint lockers (already consolidating socket sets and drives into tool rolls dedicated to engine room and general use, to eliminate the space-wasting plastic cases. )
• Wiping down all the emptied berths of dust and grime accumulated over past 7 years. 
• Replace aft cabin macerator with the operational spare.
• Scrape and varnish the worst caprail section (starboard forward of shrouds).
• Tool cleaning and lubricating
• Learning to clap  racking, then round seizing onto shroud lanyards

All of these can be worked and completed in small groups or single-handed.   Any day of the week.  Contact the Volunteer Coordinator when you'd like to come down.  If you can offer a lift to a fellow volunteer, please sing out.  We'll try to facilitate a rideshare arrangement, where it fits.

Added Bonus:  While you're here, walk over  next door and visit the pilot schooner Virginia, due to be hauled out on April 8. 

She's also a replica of an original Pilot Schooner, launched in 1906, 27 years after Spirit's original "Francis Elizabeth"  Rigging and hull all exhibit some notable features in the evolution of sailing vessel design; an interesting contrasts with SSV Spirit of South Carolina.

    

Coast Guard Inspection; Better than Expected Outcome; Good Picture of What Needs to Be Done.

 We were expecting worse.  But, after  a week on the hard in Thunderbolt Shipyard, we had ample opportunity to go over Spirit of South Carolina's bottom. We had easily identified a few small areas of rot below the water line, and numerous isolated small voids in seams between planks, indicating possible issues, or simply a spot requiring some reefing our, caulking, maybe a foot-long seam here and there.

The USCG Inspection team arrived en masse promptly at 0900 Wednesday morning the 30th.  Six of them,  a big group, three each from Savannah and Charleston. The Charleston contingent was already well known to this schooner; Both teams led by a USCG Commander. Volunteer Tony Marchesani had been aboard for 3 days already and volunteered to extend a day.  Good thing he did. More on that in a minute. Team Savannah went directly to work around the underside, while Team Charleston climbed up on deck to inspect spars rigging,  below decks, bilges, and thru-hull operation.

Capt Hackett, as Owner's Rep and Project Manager was represented by his colleague, Mike, an ex Cumin's Diesel Engineer-good to have on board. He shadowed the Savannah team, while I stuck to the Charleston Team topside.

 Capt Hackett had earlier informed me of the inspectors' requirement to see empty bilges, and thru-hulls exercised. Therefore, over the weekend, we concentrated on emptying as much water as possible using the trash pump, and emergency sump pump. We emptied forecastle bilge areas of all  extraneous items stored below. In the Lazarette, I had cleared the immediate area around the keel and bilge pump for viewing.

During their initial walk thru below decks, the team pointed out a number of additional deck plates that needed to be opened up for viewing, which Tony and I immediately followed through.  Next Inspector looked into the lazarette and casually stated.  "You're gonna have to get all this outta here, in order for us to inspect it.... or we could come back at another time.  Coming back another time, was not an option.   Tony and I l looked at each other for a second.. I dove into the lazarette, and started handing stuff up to Tony in the cockpit.  

Tony Marchesani takes a deep breath and rests his back
 after pulling everything out of the lazarette.
The pile is only partially visible.

I think we broke a record.  Everything in the lazarette was piled around the cockpit, done in less than four minutes. 

All sixteen thru hull ball valves were exercised while an inspector outside under the hull visually observed thru the thru hull opening.   

The team noted several instances of checking in the deck beams over the saloon, but no noticeable hogging, sagging, or wood fiber breakage indicating structural deterioration.

All bilge areas closely examined, and were found sound. 

Outside below the water line numerous small voids  in seams were identified and marked.  The worm shoe along the bottom of the keel suffered  three spots of damage., most all resolvable with graves,  and caulk or other appropriate filler. The four planks replaced last shipyard 2.5 years ago, exhibited early rot at the stem rabbet; likely to be replaced. 

  We were prepared for the inspection to last all day.  But by noon, the team had relayed their findings to Capt Heath's colleague, Mike, and departed.  The final Powerpoint report to Capt Heath was as much notable in what they did not find, such as large scale instances of work damage over the hull planking, accompanying rot.  deterioration of any kind in her interior bilge timbers and frames. tell-tale discoloration/softness around fasteners, (except one possible instance at waterline). 

Complementing this report with the "A Team" Delivery crew's in-depth report on Spirit of South Carolina's mechanical systems and rigging, we have  a pretty good picture of her state, and the effort necessary to bring her back to operation.  She'll need Shipwright expertise, and Rigging expertise.   And a lot of hours into a long Punchlist that Volunteers can tackle. That's coming next.