Spirit of South Carolina, so far, is on track according to Project Manager.

Area of removed planks-port side below waterline.

 It's been almost two weeks since the last post regarding the status of "Spirit of South Carolina" in Shipyard at Thunderbolt Marine. Shipwrights have made some progress in that time.  Four planks on port side at the waterline, which showed teredo (shipworm) worm damage, and some rot, were pulled. 

Four Yellow pine planks fastened into openings.
Now awaiting caulking with cotton and oakum. 

 New yellow pine planks were shaped and fastened. As of this writing, tar had been applied prior to fastening, but nothing had yet been caulked with cotton and oakum.    

Most open seams  through out the hull under the water line appear to be filled using he shipwright's mixture of epoxy and teak dust, and a modern sealant.

Lane and his arts and crafts
 project for the month.
 Lane has refinished the dory scantlings,
rudder, and repaired the ship's 50 amp
 power cable.

Meanwhile, Bryan Oliver, Volunteer Coordinator and blog poster, having just returned from two straight weeks out of town, stopped by the schooner enroute back home. 

Coincidently, Volunteer Layne Carver drove from Hilton Head.  Supervised by his wife, Mary, he climbed on board carrying his project.   Lane took on the project of replacing/fabricating a new lid for the deck Tool Locker.  In the previous two weeks we had discovered progressing rot in one corner, of the lid, exposing the contents of the tool locker to the elements.  Layne brought aboard his work in progress to make a final fitting.   Just another 3/8" change will make it perfect, and ready to paint and install. 

Hunter inspects the tie-downs of the
 just-rigged midship's awning.

With Hunter's help, we pulled the massive midship's sun awning out of the forecastle to mark and mend a significant number of frays and rips around the edges tears, and replace grommets.   The Juke sewing machine performed admirably again.  

We just had time before heading out to provision for the week, to rig up the awnings under the fore boom between the fore and main shrouds.  That shade is going to make everything on deck and below much more bearable in the coming two months before she returns to the water and sea stowing begins.

Speaking of which.  Earlier in the project, we hauled out most of the bedding, linens of the forecastle and some from the salong berths to enable a good cleaning, and laundering.   The cleaning has been done.  The laundering is still a to-do. Next comes returning all that bedding, and a small pile of paint cans to their proper stowage aboard.  Look for a Save-the-date Volunteer Day in early June for gathering a critical mass of us in Thunderbolt to knock that out.  Volunteers stepping forth and willing to stay overnight can take advantage of some grilled dinner, an afternoon/evening under air conditioning in the crew lounge and a dip in their oversized jacuzzi,, maybe even challenge Hunter at the pool table.  We'll reward ourselves with a pleasant evening.

A number of mechanical issues remain to be addressed prior to her being ready for a COI inspection. Whether the resolution will be resolved in shipyard or back in Charleston is to be determined.  Information on that phase will be coming.