Seven Volunteers Battle Headsails and Summer Heat and Raise their Seamanship Awareness

 Ken Fonville signed on Saturday morning, at 9 AM,  as likely did a few others of the seven, with intent to participate in a discussion of the extensive lessons learned from our Youth cruise, two weeks ago.  What he didn't figure on was Bos'un Bryan's (that would be me) penchant for whimsy and improvisation. 

Now, in my defense, the audible call I made to shift the agenda was in recognizing the opportunity to define Seamanship, thru real-life example.  Stay with me.. I promise you'll like this..really.

Seamanship is a big deal aboard vessels like Spirit of South Carolina, referring not only on skills, but insight and attitude. Based partly in the Principles of 'Ship, Shipmate, and Self', sailors bear responsibility for recognizing situations, minor or major, that could affect the operation of the ship, or safety of shipmates, and taking initiative to resolve them.

 An hour before volunteers came aboard, I was walking the deck, partly searching for my misplaced coffee mug when my face collided with a length of black dual braid rope swinging freely from the mainmast head, 80 feet over my head. The other end of the rope, after turning thru a block way up to the mainmast head, then downward to a belaying pin on the Mainmast Fife rail.  Worse, on its way down to the pin, the line had been run inside two Mast hoops, creating a chafe risk, and a certain snarl and jam if the mainsail were to be raised without realizing a line was caught in the mast hoops.  The loose swinging line was maybe a few hours away from receding back thru the turning block until it could only be retrieved by climbing the mast.

Searching for a place on the Pin rail to make the black line fast, I noticed an adjacent line on the Main mast portside Belaying pinrail, poorly coiled, it's bottom lengths, dragging on the deck, a "Fail" well known by most of the crew. 

Above the oversized-coil on the belaying pin, a loose rope drooped down onto the deck. Following it back, where it twice wrapped around the main shroud chain plate, it led down to the small boat..it was the Small Boat's stern line. Two wraps of the line around the chain plate might hold John Wayne's horse to the "hitch'in rail, but it would not stand the pull of the 800 lb small boat bobbing on the water.

Moving on to a dock line neatly coiled on the lifejacket locker, I intended to re-purpose it for a later training exercise in dockline handling.  I started to untie the seine-twine "nipper" looped around one part of the coil in order to keep the coil.. 'coiled'.   The standard is for a dockline coil to be "nippered" by tying the twine around the coil with a "slippery overhand knot", which would be released by one jerk of the bitter end of the twine.   This knot was tight and unrecognizable.

Bryan with his now uncoiled and re-purposed dockline
demonstrates the standard for making it fast. Jim, and Martin critiquing.

 I was seconds from just drawing my rigger's knife and slicing off the twine, ruining it for re use when I was distracted by the fenders hanging on the starboard the rail. Leaving the dock line coil I walked the length of the starboard caprail where hung five ball fenders over the side.  Each one had been made fast to a stanchion on the caprail, with a different knot. They ranged from slippery clove hitches, the Davis Slippery PawPaw, something unrecognizable, to just two half-hitches. In the turbulence of changing Captains with their personal preferences, seasoned crew turbulence, the "Standard knot" for making fenders fast to the rail, had become cloudy.   

Each situation posed a risk at some level to the operation of the ship, and/or the safety of  her crew.  I sensed a teachable moment, so re-prioritized the Agenda. 

It being only 9 AM, the temperature was still tolerable, so, Dave Brennan, Nate Mack, Jim Morrisette, Walter Barton, Martin Bull, and Nick Swarts, mustered around the saloon hatch while I explained the tour we were about to take. From there we  moved from site-to-site, allowing each to identify the issue on their own or with help, a quick discussion on what the standard is, and remedial action taken.. All along, ran the thread of continuity of personal responsibility, regardless of your crew role, for "Ship, Shipmate, Self".  

Marty Bull New Volunteer
 lays aloft to rig the awning

View from Aloft (Nate Mack)
as Awning takes shape.
Dave in red hat stands by
 to pass the outboard strap

Once the walk-thru was completed, the temperature and brilliant sunshine on the deck increased into the nineties, so the crew set to unfurling the Main Deck Awning, stretching it out on the port side. 

Bryan, good only at supervising,
 enjoys the shade

That was sufficient to warrant a hydration break in the shade.  Martin had procured from the freezer a mixing bowl full of solid ice to dump into our on-deck igloo cooler.  So, Water bottles out, then set aside, as Volunteers laid out onto the headrig for the last major teambuilding exercise;   harbor furling the Jumbo sail, and the Jib.

All Hands layed out along
 the Jumbo to tighten the furl.

Ostensibly a simple job of flaking a huge jib, while still rigged on it's luff, it quickly becomes complicated by attempting it suspended by footropes over the water. Crews often work together over weeks of sailing  ports of call to master a smooth "burrito" furl, leaving nothing  to the onlookers eye but a smooth stretch of canvas like a noodle, unbroken by wrinkled flake folds.  It wasn't quite perfect this time, but the effort and resulting visual effect, communicated a shipshape look and evidence of a professional crew aboard. 

I did pass on to Ken, a revised copy of the Volunteer's Lessons Learned. Its available on demand.

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MAJOR MILESTONE Number TWO: Private Charter Harbor Cruise-CHECK!

 Yesterday, Saturday afternoon, Spirit of South Carolina successfully executed her first Private Charter Harbor Cruise since 2018. For the first time, ever, the event was crewed by Volunteers, with Captain's Bobby Nobles and Will Ventress at the helm and throttles.  

Up until the previous Thursday the event appeared to be iffy, primarily by the weather gauge, and it wasn't until Thursday that Volunteers actually had a firm time to muster.  That made for a particular challenge in recruiting Volunteers available at that notice to provide crew. Furthering the difficulty was that The volunteer program was now managing a "Disabled Roster", several veteran volunteers out with injuries, or prior family vacation commitments,, real-life stuff).  Thanks to Ryan Smith, Nick Swarts, Walter Barton, Calvin Milam and Danny Johnson, at the last minute, who responded as able, and ready. 

We all mustered on the dock at 3:30 pm, an hour before a caterer, plus A DJ with serious equipment were scheduled to come aboard. At 5:00PM the Wedding party of 35 was scheduled to come aboard.  Our crew used the time to:

• Single up the four dock lines, 
• lower the small boat, with Calvin as Coxwain, to practice some pushes, 
• Re-rig the Yokohama fender set which had been temporarily tied off to the ship, back to the dock.
• Top off the fresh water tanks
• Stage the gangway jacks and tools. 
• Hand up all the new bench cushions and deck chairs from the forecastle and arrange them throughout the deck.
• Rehearse boarding procedure, safety briefings,  and undocking assignments.

Precisely at 4:30 EVERYBODY appeared at the gangway at the same time. The crew shifted immediately into a welcome-aboard mode, simultaneously carrying aboard and stowing all the catering provisions for the wedding and reception following, then stuffing our Yeti with champagne's, wines, and other beverages I didn't recognize. 

Up to this point, it was ambiguous as to whether we might raise a sail, mostly for show, depending on the desires of the guest party.  As the crowd spread out along the deck, and eyeing the alchoholic beverage stash, Capt Bobby agreed that we would not be setting any sails.

Just as well, if any more than headsails, the guests would need to pitch in, and they were dressed for a wedding, aboard a yacht, not an educational sail on a working schooner. 

Vows on the Fore Deck

From 5 PM on, the event went like clockwork.  All the wedding party except bride and groom gathered on the dock, where Bos'un Bryan took the mike to administer the mandatory safety briefing. Then all on the dock looked down on the happy couple take their vows at the bow, officiated by the groom's brother.  

Now the DJ cranked it up.  From that point on, spoken commands were practically useless, and all reverted to hand and arm signals, and sign language. After guests re-boarded, and a quick session of wedding photo's, Walter, Danny Johnson, and Calvin teamed up to disconnect the gangway at the bench, while Ryan, Nick and Jay, a friend of Wil's worked the falls. 

Party Getting Started

 

Once the gangway was set off, crew went to dock line stations and stood by.  Calvin in pushboat took up station on starboard bow. Capt Bobby called docklines off in succession leaving only #3 as a springline to back off, forcing the bow further off the dock.. Pretty much text book. Due to the short duration of the cruise, dockline bowline knots were left in place hanging on the lifelines, and  fenders stayed hanging overside, normally a most un-seamanship-like lapse of discipline. However, the size of the crowd, took up space otherwise allocated for the large ball fenders' stowage.

The next two hours was a slow steady course of two laps up the Wando, and back towards Castle Pinckney. A nice sea breeze made the deck comfortable, and the awning over the port side of the  deck midships ameliorated much of the suns last attempts to bake us all. The deck was the scene of a crowded classic good-time wedding reception. hors d'oeuvres, and Chick- filet spicy sandwiches laid out on the saloon butterfly hatch.

Wedding Cake coming out soon.

The DJ's energetic dance music,, throbbing thru the deck effectively drowned out the the ship's otherwise annoyingly loud generator  powering her rig. Nick and Walter helped the caterer fill, and hand up monogrammed plastic cups of sparkling wine for the toasts. The contents of the Yeti steadily depleted. 

By 7:30, Capt Bobby aimed the bow back to the dock, and crew transitioned to setting up heaving lines for the dock lines, and launching Calvin in the Small boat. The last approach to the dock exposed the hull to a really ripping flood current, so Capt Bobby directed to stand off and approach from another angle. This time the combination of current driven drift, countered by Capt Will's throttles, inched her at just the right angle enabling Ryan to make his throw across to Danny Johnson and get #3 over and cleated, to act as our warping line. Next, Nick sent over #1, and rest of the maneuver went like clockwork again, Spirit of South Carolina's midships settling in perfect alignment to the gangway. Nailed it.  Textbook...

 Did I say that again? well, it was on purpose. Looking back the whole cruise seemed to go pretty much that way, even small hiccups' were recovered from expeditiously.  By 8:40, Happy, well-watered guests were safely ashore, the DJ and caterer assisted with their gear back to the dock, and crew left to secure the vessel.  That meant doubling up a couple of lines, adjusting the gangway for the tides, wiping off and sending below all the 12 seat cushions, and eight deck chairs. Moving garbage bags ashore. Wiping down the saloon table and galley areas.

And finally, a quiet gathering by remaining crew off the port engine vent box, and offering a rum toast to Francis Elizabeth, Spirit of of South Carolina, and her crew. 

Saturday's Volunteer Day Turnout.. well, just wasn't.

 Simple truth is, choices must be made.  Probably to be  expected, when a major volunteer activity subsumes all free time just the day before.  Still it was a disappointment that the muster on Saturday was just Bryan Oliver, and Ryan Davis.  The disappointment swiftly morphed into a mental lessons learned exercise. Y'know, the one where you categorize lessons learned  into columns headed by the phrases :"Stop doing this",, "Do this Better.",, Start doing this"  In this case the lesson was:  "Plan into the schedule, a realistic time frame for properly "Putting the ship to bed".  And since over 90% of work place issues are "Management", (yes, really,). This is the Bos'un's problem. So...

 The two us faced several tasks that needed attention from the previous day's harbor cruise.     

Ryan astride the foresail gaff
starting a lashing for the awning.

Between the two of us, we set priorities for what we could accomplish, agreeing to make this a half-day effort, to avoid the afternoon heat.  Ryan took on the project of removing the stripped out screws and lifting off the headsail downhaul fairlead bar, then filling in the holes with wood shims and epoxy.  

Bryan pulled out the awning from it's stowage in the forecastle, rummaged for a scrap leather, and with the schooner's canvas repair bag on deck spread everything out and patched over a 10 square inch area where the Sunbrella had chafed thru.  By 1300 the awning was ready to rig up.  Motivation was strong for success of this task,  for the life saving shade we would soon enjoy. 
We certainly made quick work of it, and so secured from projects. 

Bryan's lasso-ing job snagging the pole
and securing it to the foremast shrouds.

Bryan stayed behind to secure the deck and  pump the forecastle bilge, and in doing so, discovered the Yokohama log had frayed it's south end and was drifting north between the ships hull and the dock. Grabbing a coil of old rope out of the lazarette, Bryan threw a loop around the loose telephone pole end, hooking a thru bolt, then hauled the pole and it's two Yokohama's back into position, this time tying off to the fore shroud chain plates pending the next opportunity to make it fast to the dock. 

And now, on to a better plan for the next Volunteer gathering. 

 

Major Milestone for Spirit of South Carolina is made this last Friday

 Friday, the 14th at 1047 hrs, Spirit of South Carolina cast off with Captain(s) Bobby Nobles, and Will Ventress, a crew of 11 Volunteers, and 16 North Charleston teenagers for  a two-hour Team-building Harbor Cruise- her first Mission-oriented program since 2019. The cruise was sponsored by Board Member Tommy Baker. 

A Major Milestone for Spirit of South Carolina, eclipsing the Volunteer Crewed COI Inspection Milestone.

I'm sure, for most of us on board that morning, the scene must've felt like barely controlled chaos.  By all accounts, it was judged a success.  Not only did we conduct casting off-docking operations twice, we set and later doused the headsails and Foresail..all the while engaging 15 teenagers who had not seen this harbor before coming aboard to pitch in ..everywhere.   Capt Heath has asked to pass on his thanks to all the crew for making that happen.

The cruise was a relatively short-noticed proposal, surfaced only 10 days prior. Nevertheless, 11 Volunteers, signed up to crew for the event, many, some with less than 20 hours of Volunteer, skill-building time.  Bos'n Bryan Oliver selected stalwarts Doug Hartley and Dave Brennan to lead the two "watches".  In turn they organized guests and volunteers under them for ease in executing the different tasks;  dock line handling, gangway operations, sail raising and trimming, and deckhand  work such as coiling, line handling, sail setting and furling.  Walter Barton, Nick Swarts, Jim Morrisette, and Steve Folwell filled out the Starboard Watch under Dave Brennan.  Doug Hartley took the Port Watch with Dallas Spencer, Wayne Burdick, Scott Cross, and Carin Bloom.

Nick Swarts gets some help nippering
 up a dock line for stowing

Watch Captain Dave Brennan coaches two students
 in raising the Jib.

After a swinging on board the gangway,
and a box lunch, Bos'un Bryan lines up crew
 along the foresail for a harbor furling.

Carin Bloom sets up the flake
 for the foresail furl.

Check out Spirit of South Carolina's Instagram Account, "spiritofsc" for more photos of the day's cruise. Yes, it's up and running again, thanks to Volunteer Nick Swarts, who will be administering it.

With this first one under our belt, we're also taking notes of what went well, and what could be improved.  Look for some words on that, when you muster with us, on next Volunteer Days.

 

Catching Up: Thanks to Dave Brennan for Covering Volunteer Day, 7 June,

Bryan trimming main with Charlie
 on the helm while Danny, in background
 confers with daughter Danielle on the course.

Dave Brennan covered for three of us other volunteers, on Volunteer Day 7 June who were out supporting another Volunteer, Danny Johnson, skippering his own racer/cruiser Dehler 42 "Trinity" in the Salute to Veterans Regatta.  Bryan Oliver, Mark Held, and Dallas Spencer showed the flags of the Army, and Navy, along with four other veterans. We started two races, and finished in the middle of the pack, a respectable showing more credited to the boat, and friend, pilot, Charlie, at the helm than the pick-up crew, mostly never-evers.

Meanwhile, Dave Brennan, back on Spirit of South Carolina took Volunteers, Dave Lazar, Nick Swarts, and a couple of others thru some deckhand skills practicums in prep for their anticipated participation in upcoming harbor cruises. 

Danny Johnson on helm of "Trinity"
with daughter Danielle, Tactician

Happy crew after putting Trinity to bed, following the Regatta. Now off to some barbeque!
Dallas at left, Mark Held, center,
and Bryan Oliver holding up the piling.

 

Sun comes out, The Awning goes up. It's summer time dockside.

 It wasn't hard to set priorities of work for this Volunteer Day.  Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver came on board early Saturday morning to start his ritual pot of coffee, enough to share, even though no other volunteers have ever shown an interest. A walk around the deck looking at dock lines and fenders, coils, or gear out of place, then back into the saloon to pencil out the day's punch list.  The anticipated Private Charter cruise in 3 weeks is driving everything. Capt Bobby has been up to his waist in plumbing of the heads, but he's out on a delivery this weekend. That leaves his last known priorities which is clearing out the saloon of hardware and gear that's been loosely piled in berths.  

While Bryan stares into a couple of saloon berths, already mentally triaging contents into "move-to- stowage elsewhere, or carting off to the dumpster, Dallas Spencer climbs down the Saloon ladder. He's brought the finished hardware with him that automatically puts a project at top of the punchlist;  Re-rigging the aft boat falls, port side, with "Spencer blocks," Dallas' s hand crafted double becket block set which will double the purchase on those falls.  It will effectively reduce the manpower required to lift the small boat's stern from three to just two-and no sweating the falls. That's good news to everyone. 

 Dallas pulls out the spool of 1/2" from the lazarette, to start running lines thru the new Spencer blocks spaced out on the deck.   Steve Folwell arrives, more measuredly steps down the ever-steepening gangway followed by Ryan Smith and Son, Brody. Their welcome appearance sets up the next item on the punchlist-the uprig of the Mid-ship's Awning, or the port side-half of it anyway. Walter Barton comes aboard at the exact moment to be directed down into the deep dark recesses of Forecastle berth #4, to hand up Big khaki bag with a red tag on it. Brody wrangles the water hose onto the deck and fills the ice-filled water jug. Another summer routine renewed.

Work stops on the awning so that all hands can now set to lowering the small boat by its bow and stern falls into the water.  Dallas , having rigged the new falls rig with his Spencer blocks on the deck, has laid aloft, halfway up the Main mast port shrouds. With the stern falls now slack, he's unshackling the old single becket block and sending it down, then calling for Ryan on deck to sent up by tag line the new, fully rove double becket block, to be shackled to it's  pendant.  Once the double becket block is secured, Bryan directs the lower Spencer double block with it's new hook, be set in the small boat's stern lifting bridle.  With hands standing by on both falls, Bryan initiates what will be an unequal contest.  2 Hands on the bow falls, with another tailing,  using the standard 2:1 purchase must sweat the line getting at best six inches at a time.  On the stern falls, with the double blocks and 4:1 purchase, just two hands haul down the falls smoothly with little effort. 

For anyone who's spent a summer dockside aboard Spirit of South Carolina, the annual late-spring up- rig of the massive shade-producing awning over the Foresail boom, has always been a welcome event. This time was special, since Capt Heath had replaced the old, tattered, patched and shredded awning, with a stronger, two-part, custom awning. The rig included a more complex arrangement of tensioners, guys and lifts. Bryan, having suffered previous summers of frustration rigging the old awning with shipmates unfamiliar with any standard, learned his lesson and composed a set of steps with photos's, sketches, arrows, and definitions,, laminated.  Too much?  You didn't live thru the previous awning rig-nightmares.  Ryan, Steve, and Brody, with Walter standing by, examine the the laminated page, reversing to the other side for pictures and descriptions of the awning's components.  Steve begins reading off the instructions.. the rest of the team starts executing.  .. and it works.. in about ten minutes the port side of the deck between fore and main masts has a stretched canopy over it, with plenty of headroom and little vertical surface to catch the wind.  

Now that we had shade, the work, illogically enough, shifted below decks into the saloon. Stephen hiked over to East Bay Deli to pick up our lunch, while the remainder, begin sifting thru the saloon berths, separating out contents and handing up stuff destined for the dumpster, separating from other contents to be restowed more appropriately below decks elsewhere.

By 1300 most volunteers have found stopping places, returning tools, coiling and hanging what had been thrown off, and began to depart for other obligations. Bryan remained on deck, under the awning, of course, for another hour or so, contemplating his blog entry and periodically watching the awning as gusts blew by and raised, or stretched the awning. It was doing fine, enough to leave it up for awhile.  It will come down soon enough in time for the first training sail.  The instruction card has it covered, after all.