The Project begins its early Stages for Spirit of South Carolina' Her Home Dock gets organized. Celebration in plans.

 Last Wednesday, two of us volunteers, Dan Maurin and myself, joined up with the crew at the Lowcountry Maritime School, Boatyard to continue the build of the Penobscot 13. Dan was in a steep learning curve since we were in the midst of shaping one of the lapstrakes; each one individually sized shaped, planed, and beveled over several iterations to complete a perfectly aligned fit over the lower plank. In that one exercise Shipwright, Rachel patiently coached us in several techniques, tools, and PATIENCE, in flat-planing out a perfectly faired curve, with a constantly adjusting edge bevel along a 13 foot (earlier scarfed) 1/8" marine plywood plank. 

Dan is running a straight edge along the stringer
 and the plank above it to identify high edges
 that he'll return to plane down, ensuring a
 flat contact of the new plank with the stringer
 and the plank above. 

Next session we'll proof up our handiwork one last time, then taper out the bow-end over about 10 inches to make the plank fit into the stem, the overlap on the lower plank disappearing  so that it lies flush with the plank under it. An astounding appearance when you look at it.   But you had to be there.. Actually you can be there!  Wednesdays at 4:30 pm for a couple of hours.  A few sessions with Rachel will up your fine carpentry game significantly.

Saturday, 20 September saw the lightest Volunteer Turn-out in almost a year, just Bryan and Ken Fonville mustered together to finish the reorganization and clean-up of our dock. I'm hoping it was the out-of-character shift to 2pm -to-4pm, or the 13 knot breezes that would've discouraged our latest attempt to launch Dory.   As it was, Ken and I made the last loads to the dumpster, secured our remaining hardware behind the bicycle fence, and then turned to the planning of this coming Saturday's final resolution of the Yokohama Fender arrangement. As a last thing, Bryan and Ken laid out a 100 ft length of the 1.5 in diameter dual braid donated by Ryan Smith, then seized an eye into one end while Ken whipped the opposite end. That line would be used to temporarily, or maybe permanently secure the yokohama string in place while setting up the more permanent chains.

Last week, Capt Heath Hackett alerted Bryan that a Shipwright from the Mystic Seaport Museum would be coming aboard on Tuesday to assess/evaluate and draw up an estimate of the work needed. Bryan met them, around 11 am, where they were already engaged in poking, and marking up worm-damage areas at the stem. This time, the work/rot damage was more pronounced than 3 years ago, and oddly enough limited mostly to the port side-the side predominantly exposed to wave action from the harbor side. 

Spirit of South Carolina with her Scaffolding/gangway
 for getting aboard.

We spent approximately 3 hours exploring all aspects of the hull exterior, before climbing the scaffold to the deck and climbing down into the lazarette, the forecastle and chain locker, and finally rudder, to assess any level of penetration. 

Many questions were asked.. Capt Heath and Bryan had learned many lessons from the shipyard experience 2 years ago.  Scott, the shipwright offered several scenarios, and possible approaches, depending on the recommendations of the shipwright (TBD) who would be taking on the project. 

Shipwright, Scott and Capt Heath
assessing situation at the Rudder Post

As we dispersed,  it became obvious as to the length of time our schooner would likely be facing in this shipyard.  Capt Heath was promised his estimate by end of the week, which he would use to start searching the wharfs and old shipyards for an available, competent Shipwright,  and start sourcing timber, planking mostly, which could take several weeks or months, due to the special specs for viable ship planking.. not as simple as you might assume.  

Not yet firm, the Schooner's rig, including the un-stepping of her masts, repair/replacement of components, assessing conditions of sails, plumbing, electrical components of power plant, navionics...,all separate skill sets. 

Some of those projects can benefit from skills at deckhand level, i.e. Volunteers.   

We will be standing by as all this unfolds

Comments  and responses are welcome.. 

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