Volunteer Kalev Kruuk sends Greetings from Portugal and their own Replica Sailing Ship

 

Here's some news always welcome from our Volunteer Shipmates.  Kalev sent this photo almost 3 weeks ago, and I'm just now realizing the value. 

Kalev Kruuk, who has volunteered on Spirit of South Carolina with his son, passed on this photo of himself in front of a serious sailing vessel from the 16th Century... in Portugal. This vessel is docked at the port for which she is named:  "Vila do Conde". 

Think Ferdinand Magellan. 

Volunteer Kalev Kruuk checking a replica
 of one of the first serious ocean-going vessels
 to challenge "The World is Flat" theory. 

This from Wikepedia:

In its most developed form, the carrack was a carvel-built ocean-going ship: large enough to be stable in heavy seas, and capacious enough to carry a large cargo and the provisions needed for very long voyages. The later carracks were square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast and lateen-rigged on the mizzenmast. They had a high rounded stern with aftcastle, forecastle and bowsprit at the stem. As the predecessor of the galleon, the carrack was one of the most influential ship designs in history; while ships became more specialized in the following centuries, the basic design remained unchanged throughout this period.^[1]

One and a half Milestones Surpassed this Week. And One Mast starts its road back to wellness.

 For the past three weeks, Capt Hacketts's crew from Captain's Choice Yacht Management Services have been laboring-seriously scraping, cleaning, sanding, varnishing and painting large swaths of Spirit of South Carolina's deck, furnishings, and brightwork from midships- aft to the cockpit, . As of this past Friday, when our Investors/Board Members met on deck for a look-over and lunch, she has not looked this good since she was launched. And they're not done yet. The crew has been gradually advancing forward, the saloon butterfly hatch glazing (windows) suffering from delamination, have been lifted out, and new ones ordered as replacements. The bulwarks below the cap rail is being scraped and prepped for new coats of Sandtone paint. 

 Below decks, a Diesel engine expert has been steadily restoring the engines and generator to peak operability, and a Marine electronics specialist has been rewiring and testing the navionics, VHF, and radar.  

Word has it that her suit of four sails are on schedule for restoration, cleaning, and repairing. They may leave for volunteers the final task of patching the smaller areas.

Neither have Volunteers been idle. As the past few weeks since returning from Thunderbolt Shipyard, volunteers have beaten out three straight weekends of poor weather to make strides in getting all the sails rolled and swung over onto the dock for transport. All 27 mast hoops removed, sanded, linseed-oiled and remounted on the masts. As rainy weekends disrupted plans for going aloft, volunteers mustered below with lengths of line, and learned to whip ends, secure strands with constrictor knots and splice eyes in both ends; all to replace the worn rope sections of lifelines at the shrouds. 

Bryan introducing his Master Class
 in crafting the Excellent Eye Splice

This past Saturday, a rainy morning continued to force volunteers below for other projects.  While Tony Marchesani, and Jim Leonard, dropped down into the forecastle to string up hang all the berth curtains, Bryan Oliver gathered Danny Johnson, David Lazar, Mikell Evatt,and Ken Fonville around the Saloon table for lessons and practice in turning an eye splice into the end of a line, with aid of whipping or constrictor knots to control the rapidly unraveling strands and yarns of newly cut "Vintage" 1/2' rope. Meanwhile, Hunter hiked off to Harris Teeter to provision for a crew hot lunch. 

By noon, a clearing sky was helping dry off the deck and rigging, so while Tony and Jim finished up in the forecastle and started troubleshooting the frozen trash pump, the rest began installing their newly eye-spliced rope lifelines at the shrouds. Some looked better than others, but for first attempts they all met the standard for functionality and durability.  so there., and just in time for a robust lunch of Chicken Teriyaki over rice with fresh steamed green beans. 

Ken and Bryan assessing the bosun's chair
 soon to haul one of them aloft.

After lunch, with weather clearing, Bryan Oliver looked around for volunteers willing to go aloft up the foremast in a bosun's chair with a power sander to start in on the first stages of restoring our UV-damaged wood surface.

  

Seeing none he promptly strapped on a harness and with help of Ken Fonville, Mikell Evatt, and David Lazar, climbed into an already rigged up bosun's chair and started up the mast. 

Bryan with his trusty Makita Orbital
 slung low, starts up the mast.

Dragging up 100 feet of extension cord, David and Mikell hauled him up to the copper sheathing, where Bryan powered up the orbital and began a series of swipes as far around the mast as possible, and downward about two feet, before Mikell and David lowered him three more feet, and the process repeated. After about 40 minutes in the chair, Bryan had used up two sanding disks, and sanded down most of the top third of the mast, leaving a ragged stretch down the front of the mast where he couldn't reach.

 

Tony, Mike, Ken, and David
on the throat halyard
 pulling Bryan up the mast.

It was time to come down.   With a proven process tested, and hopefully consistently better weather, and of course, additional volunteers for the adventure, the goal is to return both masts to operation in next three weekends. 

The Milestones- almost forgot.

Friday morning, Spirit of South Carolina received two crucial visitors;  a Marine Surveyor, commissioned by the Insurance Underwriters, and Cdr John Loughlin, USCG.  Their purpose was to officially inspect the vessel and assess the progress in resolving issues discovered during Shipyard in Thunderbolt. 

After conducting their joint inspection and concurring, they informed Capt Hackett that they would complete a satisfactory report for the Insurance underwriters, and the Coast Guard would clear the vessel for her final milestone which would be to sail for her COI.  

He's up there somewhere. 

 

One milestone ; attaining a satisfactory Marine Survey Report; and half-way to the next big milestone of sailing for her Certificate of Inspection.   All great news, since the failure in any of these areas would be too dismal to contemplate. 

Enough with the Mast Hoops!

There are probably three maintenance projects on board, that, by their duration and tedium tend to draw a groan from deckhands when the time comes to take them on. To discourage more colorful sailor-pejorative descriptions, we will agree to label them, "The Triple Challenge."   In no particular order;

•  Refinishing the Cap Rail, 
• Scraping, oiling, and slushing the masts, and 
• restoring mast hoops. 

We have Capt Hackett's team to thank for taking the cap rail off our hands. They've been hard at work, sanding down and refinishing all the bright work on deck as well as repainting the aft cabin trunk, and other superstructures.  

Mikell Evatt and Laura Johnson stoked for
the last step;  getting the freshly oiled mast hoops
 back onto the masts.

This past weekend, five volunteers, Danny Johnson, Laura Johnson, Mikell Evatt, Jim Leonard, and David Lazar wrapped up another of Triple Challenge; the reinstallation of freshly restored mast hoops.  Three Saturdays past, was the de-installing of 27 steamed oak mast hoops from both masts. Two Saturdays ago- the sanding, oiling,  and now the reinstalling of 24 .  

Why the odd number?  The Mainmast had always been short three since that squall on the Bermuda passage back in '17. During deinstallation we discovered three to be "sprung", that is, stretched to a point of cracking, thereby compromised and unusable.  

Each hoop consists of two six-foot oak bands, steamed and coiled within each other like a laminated wood hoop, held together by six copper bolts.   

Close-up of restored Mainmast Hoops
 reinstalled; note the bolts
protruding from each hoop.

To be properly maintained, each hoop must be removed from the mast by first, unscrewing each of the six copper bolts, bagging them and their nuts, carefully, without springing them, twist the tightly coiled strips off the mast, as you would removing a key from a split ring. Next step; sand the black grime off the outside, inside, and sides of each.  Finally, using clean rags, slosh two liberal coats of linseed oil onto all surfaces of the mast hoops, inside and out ensuring a good soak in for preserving and protecting.  

Finally, each hoop must be re-sprung/threaded around the mast, then tightened to align all six bolt holes.  Given number of volunteers available these past three Saturdays, (approx 5), this component of the Triple Challenge consumed about 40 labor hours.  

We're not yet whole. In the next six weeks, we hope to have delivered from Massachusetts, eight new mast hoops, that will be sprung onto the masts, enough for 15, plus a spare on each mast.            

 It's not that we've saved the best for last, it's just that winter weather has done it's share of creating unsafe conditions for going aloft for the remainder of the Triple Challenge.  We're hoping this coming Saturday will promise some tolerable weather that will enable volunteer deckhands to go aloft in bosun's chairs. 

 Project Manager Preps Ship for First Visit by Board of Directors- and the Marine Survey.

While Volunteers, and his own crew take on the Triple Challenge and beyond, Capt Hackett has been looking to preparations for the Ship's upcoming Marine Survey.  It's been three years, with a significant portion of that, spent out of the water.  Marine Insurance underwriters don't view those circumstances favorably in a traditional wooden vessel, and therefore are insisting on a comprehensive survey, before granting dockside or go-to-sea insurance coverage.  That date has been set, but not yet shared. All that of course is prerequisite to Spirit of South Carolina's preparation for regaining her USCG Certificate of Inspection. 

One step at a time.

Mast Hoop Maintenance and Advancing Marlinspike Skills

 

Horrid foggy windy raining absolutely disgusting weather. Yeah? So?  What sort of person would turn-to in those conditions, and muster together just for maintenance, and some time on the water? 

Sailors,, in this case traditional wooden ship sailors, the type that recognizes there's things that must be done to preserve, and keep their ship well-found, and that weather conditions are just another variable in Mother Nature's tool bag challenging our ship's crew  to look to the best in themselves.  

And so, six of us,, Danny Johnson, Laura Johnson, Tony Marchesani, and new volunteers, Scott  and Jim Leonard, along with myself, mustered together in the forecastle to take on projects aimed add advancing our readiness for sea. Last weekend Volunteers down rigged a total of 27 mast hoops off both masts.  Three of those were condemned for salvage due to being "sprung" (distended and cracked). The rest needed to be sanded down to wood then coated with two applications of boiled linseed oil.

With the weather in a total mess on deck, our only feasible workspace would be below decks.  Earlier in the week, Bryan had set up hoop oiling station in the forecastle, spreading out  a large ground cloth over everything, and staging cups, rags, and a gallon of boiled linseed oil. Somebody went aft to bring back one of Capt Heath's power sanders to complete sanding of the remaining seven hoops on deck if the weather window cleared for a 1/2 hour. 

Bryan explaining the mast hoop issues
 to Scott, Tony, and Laura

The workspace in the forecastle wasn't conducive to more than 3 people, so Bryan split the group in two, leaving Tony,  and Laura, to work in the mast hoops in the forecastle.  He led the other group of three to the Saloon around the table to practice some graduate-level marlinspike skills.  After two hours, just before lunch, the groups would switch stations, so that all would get the chance to practice learn and practice some skills, as well as advance the mast hoop maintenance project.

In the saloon, Bryan positioned Scott, Danny, and Jim around the table and described the situation, passing out diagram's copied from Garrett's book "Arts of the Sailor" in the ships library.  The ship was in need of some additional "lizards" (short length's; 3-feet) of line, with eye splice on one end and either a toggle, or double wall and eye knot made into the other end.
It would require the exercise of three new skills;  a common whipping, a constrictor knot, turning an eye splice, and making a double wall-and-crown end knot. 

Bryan laid out a long length of 3/8" three strand rope, and demonstrated where and how to whip the rope at the ends, or to-be ends.  Once everyone had actually whipped their ends, the rope was cut into three three-foot lengths.  

Next, Bryan explained the purpose, and circumstances for making a constrictor knot as a quick temporary substitute for a whipping, particularly at the point where a rope's strands would be unlaid, and to seize up the end of each strand. 

With each rope length properly whipped, Bryan demonstrated the making of a double wall and crown knot (or Man Knot), on one end of each rope length. It would would serve as a "stopper" ball when slipped through the spliced eye on the other end.  Uses aboard this ship or any other are plentiful.  The photo at right illustrates its use in securing coils of line.  Using the demonstrator knot, Bryan used it to mark out the size eye on the other end of the rope. Now the last skill was introduced, the five tucks of strand into the standing end of the rope, in another half-hour, with an occasional untangling and restarting, the group had produced two satisfactory "lizards". 

At this point Bryan called for the station switch;  Tony and Laura in the forecastle, were relieved  by Scott, Jim, and Danny of their Mast Hoop finishing tasks and sent aft to the saloon to learn how to create the last lizard.

Our finished product; a "Lizard" secured
to the starboard foremast shroud's shear pole
 holding up  the coiled jibsheet

Activity ceased around 1230 just long enough to push the projects to one end of the saloon table so that all could sit around it with a big bowl of hot New Orleans Gumbo and french bread, frozen left over from the previous week-a perfect antidote to the wet mess howling above us on deck. Over lunch, new volunteers Scott and Jim listened as Bryan provided an orientation, introducing the Volunteer Log, skills checklist, and typical volunteer roles.

Once lunch was completed, some of the group cleaned up the mess area from lunch. And began putting away tools  and other hardware. Tony and Scott assisted Bryan in screwing the paint locker's heavy lid back onto the Locker.   Following a triumphal group photo with their work, volunteer crew stood down, and hurried thru the rain back to the parking lot and home.

The crew Jim, Scott, Bryan dripping wet,
Tony, and  Laura with their product; 
 three functional "lizards"

 

Mast Hoops; Consider the lowly but frustrating Split Key Rings-

 Split Key Rings! Those frustrating little fingernail torture tools- Who out there really enjoys engaging with those  things?   We're forced to it with the acquisition of an new key, or disposing of one and the distasteful to dreaded experience of prying, pinching,  and coaxing open just enough space to slip the key eye into it, and force it twice around the circumference of that sinister circle before finally freeing it? Sometimes, there's even a little blood spilt.

Stay with me here,, I"m actually going somewhere with this.. 

Now, what if you found yourself having to slip that key ring, not thru the  little eye of a key, but around a dowel almost the same size as the diameter of that cursed split key ring?!  Impossible you say?  Tell that to Mikell Evatt, or Tony Marchesani, Todd Cole, Dave Brennan, or any number of other schooner sailors. They can show you exactly how it's done.  

That's exactly what Volunteers took on last Saturday, and continued this past Saturday, when they stretched and twisted off a total twenty-seven 23-inch diameter wooden mast hoops from both fore and main masts.  Think humongous split key rings that need to slip off and back onto a mast-something nearly as large as their ring circumference.

What for, you ask?  Those mast hoops serve a critical purpose as an early version of a sail track on a mast, lashed to the luff edge of a sail and sliding up and down along the mast. They take on the sun's UV and an enormous amount of strain , being constructed of 8 feet of thin oak batten stripping, steamed and coiled into four-ply hoops, held together with screws around its circumference. Being wood, subject to wear, they require maintenance, the application of boiled linseed oil to seal and preserve the wood from moisture.  

So, periodically, Schooner sailors must  down rig all the mast-hoops to rejuvenate them by first, scraping off grime and UV damage to bare wood, then applying two liberal coats of boiled linseed oil . That's the bragging point for any schooner sailor's "rite of passage" their experienceing

Mikell Evatt (left) and Tony Marchesani
teaming on removing the six bronze bolts
holding together the tightly wound mast hoops.

 the classical mundane-but essential - along with the exciting. 

Saturday morning, Dave Brennen, and Tony Marchesani, mustered loosely in the darkness of the Saloon (skylight covered with tarp due to windows removed for replacement.) Tony organized  around the primary task of taking off the remaining fifteen mast hoops from the foremast, then sanding to wood, all 27 hoops(fore and mainmast), preparing for taking on two coats of boiled linseed oil before being sprung back onto the mast and made fast with bronze thru bolts.  

While David searched for tools and sandpaper,  Danny Johnson, Mikell Evatt, and Wayne Burdick  came onboard.  Danny brought with him a new volunteer, Jim Leonard, who pitched in on sanding hoops as they came off the foremast. 

Wayne Burdick, back to us, and Jim,
studying the
 remnants of the old awning

Wayne Burdick split off from the rest with his own project; creating a technical drawing of a new midship's awning to replace the massive frayed, ripped and torn sunbrella fabric that has shaded the midship's deck for the past six years, surviving two hurricanes and countless tropical storms and and rain squalls. It's poor state, drew Capt Heath to rule that a replacement was needed rather than an attempt at Repair-by-Volunteer.

Mikell Evatt extracting
a tight fitting bolt while
 Tony steadies the hoop.

It was a pretty cold morning with an onshore breeze of course, temperature's in low 50's. Work was initially slow in momentum searching for the right sockets drives  and other tools to remove each of the six long bronze bolts fastening each hoop together.   Tony took up a collection from five volunteers  for lunch, and passed on to Hunter who hiked up to Harris Teeter to provision for what would be a big Mack and Cheese Lunch, prepared largely in the dark using the ship's generator since shore power was apparently inadequate to handle both power tool operation on deck and the ship's electrically powered galley stove/oven. Having taken all the measurements and dimensions from the old awning, Wayne departed to finish up his rendering in the more appropriate environs of a work-study.  

Jim trying to reshape an "unstrung" hoop
 in preparation for sanding it.

By early afternoon the remaining volunteers secured tools and materials, after having dismantled all 15 mast hoops from the foremast, and sanded 2/3 of the total of 24 serviceable mast hoops in preparation for applying two coats of boiled linseed oil before re-installing on the masts.  

Volunteers Back on Board, setting an ambitious tempo and sending a powerful message.

 With giving only four day's of advance notice for a Volunteer Saturday,  an email blast went out, on Monday the 23rd January to the entire 151 member contact list.  

I'm not sure what it was, maybe the enticement of donuts at muster, and a bowl of Seafood Gumbo for Lunch, or a break from mid-winter, Saturday morning boredom, or a chance after more than 10 months, to be back on the deck of our Schooner and renew the camaraderie of shipmates focused on a worthy mission.  

Whatever it was, I was grateful to see sixteen! stalwart Volunteers muster in the Salon, Saturday morning for an erstwhile reunion, an opportunity to hear latest news and near-term plans, and then lean into some urgent projects.  All the more notable in that many were already juggling commitments to Race weekend or other community activities, yet managed to fit this meeting in to their schedules.

Ken Fonville, Wayne Burdick, Nate Mack, John Whitsett, Danny Johnson and Laura Johnson. and their recruited friend, and his young son Nate, Dave Brennan, Doug Hartley, Charlie Malone, Tony Marchesani, Todd Cole, Mikell Evatt, along with Hunter, and myself, mustered in the Salon, grabbed a donut and drew from the big coffee thermos Hunter had prepared, and gathered around the salon table.  Bryan recapped the passage north to Charleston, then transitioned to conveying news from Capt Hackett, and his intent for the ship and our participation over the next few months.  Capt Hackett, I learned, will remain as Project Manager for Tommy Baker and the Board for the next few months, seeing Spirit of South Carolina's return to total operational capability. That means carrying students and passengers; with a Full-time Captain.

The news recapped in something like this:  

During the passage northward, Capt Hackett used his time in extensive conversations with Capt Andy Hudak, our Delivery Captain, to formulate a plan of priority projects aimed at making the schooner ready to accept a visit of the Board of Directors. Given a goal of two-three weeks from now, the ship's deck areas, on deck and below would be ready for visitors.  Her mainmast will be up-rigged. Bright work(shiny stuff-varnished, etc) on deck will be refinished. Below decks will be ready for occupation. He has committed three-to-four of his employees full time to concentrating on the brightwork and cleaning areas.  He asked of the volunteers to attack the spars, and rigging. Yeah, its a tall order, and he appreciated what he was asking.

With that guidance, he asked me to develop my idea of project plan/Punch list of projects and tasks that needed completing to meet the Ship-ready objective, along with a Bill of materials to support it.  I shared that plan Saturday morning with Volunteers, particularly the important and urgent projects that Capt Heath was depending on Volunteers to complete first.  Of immediate importance;  

1. Down-rig all sail, bundle and hoist over onto the dock, to be picked up by Heath, Monday, and transported to North Sails for refurbishment/restoration.
2. Hoist and swing over the two life raft canisters onto the dock for transport for  annual inspection, restoration.
3. Disassemble all mast hoops to be sanded, restored with boiled linseed oil and remounted.
4. Send hands aloft (bosun chairs) to sand down, then linseed oil, and finally grease both masts, equivalent of 4 trips up each mast, to restore their preservation capabilities and lubrication for raising and lowering sail.

Lauren controls the Halyard tagline
 while Bryan hauls the bottom
 of the mainsail roll over
 the dock for lowering. 

After a breaking down the first project into tasks, and assigning responsibilities, our crew turned-to midships on deck. Some climbed below into the forecastle to unleash and prepare to push the huge mainsail up thru the hatch. Others lined up on deck to pull, and stretch it's 48-foot length aft on the deck and cinch it into a tight roll. Nick climbed onto the foresail gaff to unshackle the foremast throat halyard and rig it for hoisting the rolled-up foresail. Danny, Laura and Doug returned to the dock to take control of the tag line being rigged from the halyard shackle, to be used to pull the hanging sail over onto the dock.  Once the sail had been lowered onto the dock, four more volunteers joined those on the dock to push, shape, and force the pile of canvas into a folded pile that could be lashed together for loading onto a truck.

Bryan watches Wayne
unlash the foresail clew.
 Tony, and Nate examine
their next task removing
the spiraled sail lashings. 

 Bryan and Todd tie together the
two ends of the foresail before
swinging it across to the dock.

Meanwhile remaining volunteers began down rigging the foresail, taking off her spiraled lacings, unshackling the clew and tack, and carefully lowering her harbor-furled shape down from the boom onto the deck to be rigged, hoisted and swung over to the dock, just like the mainsail.

 

Laura, Danny, and Doug lash
the foresail together for transport

Todd, Nate, Ken, and Tony downrig
 the Jumbo

The remaining two sails, Jib and Jumbo, once separated from their halyards, downhauls, luff hanks and downhaul rigging,  were much smaller and easier to manage.  By Lunch time, all four sails had been hoisted over onto the dock, rolled and lashed together.

Volunteers; Tony, Laura, Mikell, back row
Todd, Doug, Bryan, Wayne, Danny

It was unfortunate that previous plans forced about five volunteers to depart, at noon, without getting their hard work's reward,  leaving six of us to pile down into the salon where Hunter had just laid out about four gallons of Bryan's serious New Orleans-style seafood gumbo and rice for lunch (yes, there are styles).  Even with seconds, we made work of only half of it.

After clearing the table, our remaining crew turned-to on deck again to take on the next -project, hoisting and swinging across, the two life raft canisters.  Using the same foresail throat halyard for lift, Wayne Burkan quickly rigged a bridle around the first life raft canister, then tended the lifting halyard while two of us with the tag line crossed the gangway over to the. dock and hauled her across.  Wayne took charge of the lift sequence for the second canister, which was sent over in short order.

Mission accomplished for today, ready for transport.

By 1430, Volunteers had accomplished quite a lot, All mustered off except for Tony and Todd, who stayed around to start on disassembling the mainmast mast hoops, getting a head start on the next volunteer project.

Saturday was a great day for our corps of Volunteers; It sends an example to those who might wonder, that we are still here and staying an effective force for the benefit of our schooner;  prepared to take up where we left-off ten months ago.  

For the next few weeks,, a turn-out like today's will make short work of what we have to do.  

I'll be sending out requests for anyone who can spare a few hours during the week, in addition to our again, regularly scheduled Saturday Volunteer Days. Hope to see you on deck then.

Big Thanks to Danny Johnson, and Nate Mack for all the great photo's. 

She's Home

 After almost 10 months in shipyard at Thunderbolt Marina, GA, Spirit of South Carolina cast off  Friday morning, 20 February, at 0730,, following a TowBoat US tug, down the Wilmington River  to Wassabaw Sound. 

Captain Andy Hudak was in command. An experienced schooner Mariner, Capt Andy was on board for a second try after the aborted attempt the previous week for insurance issues.  This time he brought along his daughter, Gray, on a high school  break, who immediately laid in with the Volunteer crew.  

Volunteers, Bryan Oliver, Eli Bundy, Nate Mack, ,  already a veterans of the previous attempt, and Gray formed the  Volunteer Contingent.  Todd Cole, who was onboard for the first attempt, couldn't quite make it this trip, driving in from Atlanta, given the short notice

Capt Heath Hackett, the Project Manager, joined by three large motor yacht captains/systems specialists, and, of course, Hunter, made up the rest of the crew of 10.

Crew all drove in late the previous evening, in time to find a berth, throw in their gear and themselves with it. Muster would be at 0700, about the same time that the Towboat US would pick us up and guide over the bar. The ship herself was already sea-stowed and ready for sea, from the previous attempt, only needing to disconnect shore power, and cast off dock lines. 

And we did just that, after a breakfast Hunter put together of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, muffin selections.  All hands piled on deck, pulled shore power.  Bryan assigned volunteers to dock lines who took them in with help of the tow-boat captain waiting on the dock.  Capt Andy did a tight 180 degree maneuver in middle of the ICW channel to point her southward, and we were off.  

Weather was predicted to be fair, with a less 10 knot NW breeze on our beam as we headed up the coast. It would stay that way until our left (NW) turn into the Charleston Channel, when the wind would be on our beam

Excitement was already in us, since Andy announced his attention to set sail-all of it (Foresail, Jumbo, and Jib), once we made the outer mark of  Wassabaw sound.  He might have had second thoughts given our small crew, had he realized that Spirit of South Carolina carried another 500 Square feet more of foresail, than Harvey Gamage or most other schooners of similar rig.   

 As we motored down the river towards the Sound and open sea, Heath lead his team of Engineers on a tour of the ship, and her systems, particularly bilge pump operation. After wards, Bryan oriented the hands on the standard disciplines of boat checks, managing the rough log, and disciplines of standing watch.  

Bryan demonstrating a flat coil
on the foresail sheet.

Immediately following boat checks orientation, the crew  rehearsed the drill of "dressing the Foresail"-preparing the sail for raising by casting off gaskets, running aft the halyards,  coiling down the gaff vangs, downhaul, and foresail sheet.

As Spirit of South Carolina approachedd the turn around the outer marker, Capt Andy directed Bryan to "Dress the Foresail".  At approximately 0930, we rounded the outer marker and set a course of 060 degrees up the coast.   Bryan shouted down the deck, "Hands to set the Foresail".. Capt Andy walked forward and divided crew across the throat and peak halyards, while he "called sail" and managed the weather gaff vang.  Next he quickly explained the sequence of the sail set evolution and the commands they would likely hear.  Bryan had mentioned to him the additional weight of 500 more square feet of canvas the foresail was carrying, heavier than the typical schooner foresail. With that in mind, Andy explained his tactic for belaying the peak halyard at some point and sending all hands to the throat halyard to sweat it the rest of the way up the mast.  Once made fast, all hands would then line up on the peak halyard and sweat it up the rest of the way. 

Once the Foresail was fully set, sheeted in and drawing nicely on a beam reach, I pointed up, and shouted out what they'd just accomplished. I won't lie to you-for a second there, I enjoyed the amusement of our motor yacht sailors, hands on their knees, gasping, and exclaiming. It took a bit for them to gaze up at the sail.

   Once they saw their result, to their credit, together, they readily jumped into the next tasks.  We set the jumbo, and the jib, in quick succession, they learned to sweat the line, take the line to a pin, coil and hang, then looking for other tasks. We were quickly forming a crew.

Eli and Gray leading the way to lunch

With all sail up, trimmed for a beam reach we shut down the engines and experienced for the first time for many of us, no sounds except creaking of the boom and gaff jaws around the mast, some rigging stretching, and blocks clacking.  With seas less than a foot, there was no additional background music was waves breaking, but it was cool enough.   

Hunter announced a lunch buffet of sandwich makings in the salon, Capt Andy organized the crew into 3 watches, six hours on and six off, beginning after dinner at 2100. 

Eli not quite ready to
 relinquish the helm

Crew members voluntarily relieved each other on the helm, or went forward on lookout.  Others left idle walked thru the ships checklist on a boat-checks tour, and started filling in the Rough Log.

As dusk approached and Hunter called Supper was ready, I was slightly surprised, that Capt Andy hadn't yet called to take in sail.  Conditions, had remained nicely consistent, and forecast to remain so, but on our previous attempt he explained is plan to take in sail at night and resume motoring out of an abundance of caution.

Hunter performed his usual magic on his shoestring budget, laying out a Chicken Teriyaki, rice and green beans dinner.  The watch was officially set at 2100, and we were still under sail.  The night would've been perfect if not for hazy highy cirrus starting to obscure the otherwise well-defined star constellations.  It remained that way all night as we sailed on thru all three watches until approx 5:30 AM as we approached the Charleston Sea Buoy. Being off watch, I decided to dress up, hearing muffled clomps of feet across the deck, scraping of a block along its horse.  

Capt Heath easing the Foresail
 Peak Halyard

On deck, most of the crew was already on deck, just to help, and were standing by to take in the Foresail.   All sail came down in sequence, interrupted by occasional fouling of a line that required clearing before the lowering could resume..

 All this executed, in pitch black night, of course except for occasional headlamp with a volunteer/motor yacht  pick-up crew, of widely divergent levels of experience.  Youngest crew members, Eli, ands Grey, in harnesses  and gaskets draped over their shoulders, scampered out into the head rig disappearing in the darkness, to lash down the flogging jib, way out on the pointiest end of the ship.  

Capt Andy at Sullivan's Island Light off starboard
-final approach into the harbor

At 0700, all sail securely lashed down and under power, we'd made the left turn into the channel. Captain Andy was coordinating on VHF with two massive container vessels wanting to pass us in the channel on opposing courses. 

 Dawn, and 0730 we approached Sullivan's Light.  Bryan was point out to anyone who would listen, the spot 3/4 mile NNW of "red 14 buoy", the site of the Hunley sinking. 

By 0830 we approached the Maritime Center and bore off onto wide circle that would slowly takes us within 200 yards  where Capt Andy, assisted, coached by two of the motor yacht Captains would slowwwly drift down onto the dock, alternately burping the starboard, then port engines to maintain her optimum stern-first angle of to the dock as we edged closer. I could overhear Capt Dave standing next to Andy, coaching on finessing each engine, tweaking here and there to slowly push her closer. Now our Volunteers on dock were identifiable.  Ken Follett, Doug Hartley, Christian Lawyer, and Dave Brennen, had already responded to Nate's Texts the previous night, that they would  be available to take lines.  

Nate Mack directing
securing of his #4 dock line

20 yards off, Nate Mack heaved the # 4 line over, as Christian hauled the dock line in and took it over a cleat, Gray,  made a perfect toss of  the # 2 messenger line across the water where Dave grabbed it and dragged aft to secure initially on a piling.  Next, Bryan tossed #1 over the dock, nearly hitting the boat on the other side. Ken grabbed it and dragged it towards the south end to get it onto a piling, 

 Finally, Trey, one of Heath's Captains, tossed over # 3.  For the next five minutes, Andy played throttles, warping back and forth to gradually line up midships with the gangway opening.  All lines adjusted off pilings to cleats, fenders stuffed in between the hull and the huge rubber "yokohama" blivets; crew turned to rigging up and running out the gangway. Nine months in shipyard work had thoroughly discombobulated the pinrail arrangements, creating minor confusion looking for boat falls to hoist the gangway.  

That completed, dockside volunteers joined crew onboard to help harbor furl the foresail and jumbo.  

As the last few bits of deck tidying up, Bryan went below and returned with an object.  There's a story behind it.  

It seems, that  once a few weeks back when the schooner Harvey Gamage was still here, Heath was on board conferring with her Captain.  He had related this conversation to me, about how he was for two hours, standing  on this guy's "pirate ship" working out some details.. "Pirate Ship?" I respond  feigning horror, and sadness at, once again, the impression of these beautiful vessels reduced to the stereotype of a Disney movie prop.  Well, I couldn't just let that go.

Captains, Dave and Trey, look on as
Bryan awards Capt Heath his
"Pirate Ship Operators Manual"

So, On behalf of the Ship's Volunteers, in appreciation for the time and effort that Capt Hackett has so far, invested in this "Pirate Ship", we presented to him before departure something useful for someone in his position;   a copy of "The Pirate Ship Operator's Manual and Standard Operating Procedures", along with a Certificate of Appreciation, granted by His Majesty Neptune, Ruler of the Raging Main,, and so forth.

  .

Board of Directors Meets Twice this week. This News is from the latter.

 This past Thursday afternoon, 12 January, our Board of Directors met twice, once behind closed doors, where they heard from Captain Heath Hackett, the ship's Project Manager for Shipyard and beyond, pending onboarding of a Captain. I was not invited to participate in that meeting and cannot comment on discussions or decisions made if any.  

A second meeting immediately followed with representatives of the State Aquarium.  This was the meeting to which I was invited, as it turns out, primarily as an observer. Volunteers were not part of the agenda.  The discussions in this meeting appeared to be a continuation of ideas exchanged during the last meeting in August, around the possible leveraging of the Aquarium's marketing and fundraising expertise, as well as bringing revenue generating dockside educational programs to Spirit of South Carolina.   

•  The Board declared its support in funding the dockside ongoing maintenance of the schooner.  
• The Board's agenda did not include discussion of any other programs, revenue-generating or otherwise.    
• The Aquarium representatives agreed to consult with their Marketing assets, and educational coordinators, to determine what sort of fit could, at this point, be brought to bear with the Spirit of South Carolina.

That is all I know. There remain many open questions:   I hope you're still reading- there's a hook - a pretty important one, where you can end up making a difference.. read on.

1. Is there an intent to hire someone in an Executive Director position? who would:

• In addition to the Aquarium's programs, produce, maybe with Volunteer help, revenue-generating programs such as:
• historical educational experiences on deck folded into guided tours, and included with on-deck receptions, weddings, etc, 

• themed cruises-harbor, or coastal, or larger with, International African American Museum, and educational institutions [Ashley Hall, Porter Gaud, Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Citadel, CofC, even out-of-state.
• Offer the schooner as a training platform for Marine license training schools, or other apprenticeship programs.

•  Sell Guest Crew adventures for adults to participate as crew while on passage. 

• Generate and direct a Development Strategy to cover non-revenue generating programs, such as low-country youth aboard. 
• Builds relationships that result in Donor subscriptions at various levels [Bar Pilots Society, Francis Elizabeth Club, Robert Smalls Group, Honorary Plank Owners ] 

• Find Sponsors to underwrite other fundraising events; Trivia Nights, Annual Fundraising Events, or Educational Programs [ Cof C's Charleston and the Atlantic World,]  

• Organize a Volunteer School Liaison Group that builds and maintains relationships with School Districts to publicize and build school and student interest in a Tall Ship Experience. 

• Direct and execute a Marketing Strategy that promotes all the above and pushes our "Brand" (worthy of discussing what that means): 
•         Directs the content-building of our soon to be published website, as well as other social media platforms [Facebook, that other one, etc] 

•      Identify opportunities to generate Publicity-Visibility -[Post and Courier, Garden and Gun Magazine, Charleston Race Week, Out-lying communities such as Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Georgetown; Upstate even; visits to civic organizations and give a talk.

The Hook.

 I counted at least six different hats this "Executive Director" job has to juggle. Probably almost impossible to juggle all of these balls with competence. Unless they have help.  Not more hired staff; It's just too expensive.  Tall Ship's organizations who have employed paid staff to handle all this work, could not sustain themselves.  Our own history proves it.  The South Carolina Maritime Foundation, owner of Spirit of South Carolina, employed a couple dozen people for 7 years, and went bankrupt, primarily due to labor costs.

So, who ya gonna call?

Look in the Mirror.  

Volunteers have filled similar roles and managed significant roles in all these above responsibilities in some form or another, South Street Seaport, NY. Pride of Baltimore II, in Baltimore, Flagship Niagara, Erie, PA, and a ton of other tall ship syndicates. 

Being a Volunteer Deckhand, may not be your forte... But I'll bet that somewhere in that litany above, is a role that needs being filled, and it's in your wheelhouse. 

You can make a difference. Even, if you're not sure what could work, but you just want to help, Get in touch with me via this blogsite in the column at right, or at:

 bryan@spiritofsc.org 

We need to talk. 

We Did Everything Right-We even threw overboard the bananas

All ship-shape, Spirit of South Carolina's crew
departs Thunderbolt Shipyard and bears off
 southward down the Wilmington River.

 Spirit of South Carolina departed this morning, on time  at 0830 from Thunderbolt Shipyard, with a crew of 8, Capt Andy Hudak-the Tall Ship Captain for the delivery, Capt Heath Hackett-Project Manager, his two Engineers; Captains in their own right, three deckhand volunteers- Bryan Oliver, Todd Cole, and Nate Mack, and our Cook, Hunter. New volunteer deckhand, Eli Bundy, after spending time aloft clearing the fouled peak halyard and laying in on other sea-stow tasks the day before, cast off all our four lines, then drove one of our cars back to the Maritime Center, in anticipation of our later arrival on Tuesday. 

 It was an extraordinarily successful sea trial. All her systems were exercised and worked. The crew rehearsed sail evolutions, and anchor-setting drills, prepared to set the watch,  and even prepared to set her foresail and jumbo for an easy reach up the coast for the rest of the day.  A Towboat US tug guided us toward the bar at entrance to Wassaw Sound. 

Deckhand Todd Cole voluntarily sends
 his just -purchased supply of fresh banana's
 overboard

We basically did everything right; we even threw overboard a small bunch of bananas one of the crew had innocently brought aboard the night before; honoring the mariner's age-old superstition of their bringing bad-luck. 

The whole atmosphere on deck was growing ebullience, Hunter was feeding it with a great pork-steak dinner the night before, followed by a hot breakfast , and soup and sandwich lunch for the crew. We had so far overcome all the anticipated variable so far for a successful delivery.  Morale was high, a sea chantey was hummed here and there. We were approaching  Cabbage Island Spit Light #16 just at slack High tide and began a slow circling.

And yet, 

Hunter and Bryan when still outbound,
waiting on the Insurance call.

Somewhere, overseas, a new marine insurance technicality popped up. It was as if a goal post had been moved on us.  Capt Hackett had been on the phone since departure, pushing every button he could find for an overdue Insurance letter assured delivery earlier this morning, but inexplicably late.   The reason, after several phone calls to different agencies;  Our Marine survey, conducted by the Coast Guard and submitted six months ago during shipyard, was determined insufficient, but was not communicated until we were already underway.   To continue the passage would be technically illegal, and risk forfeiture of the professional licenses on board.  There was no choice but to turn the ship around and motor back to Thunderbolt.  

The mood aboard turned somber, but not sour. It had been a short, but enormously successful cruise; professionals and volunteers, diverse on technical and professional levels bonded into an effective, motivated crew. 

Immediately after docking, doubling the lines and securing the deck, Capt Heath mustered our crew and explained the facts as he knew them and laid out a path forward. The delay in obtaining a separate survey, though not extensive, would force the break-up of our crew, pending a new cast-off date. A separate survey would be executed as soon as possible.

If you're reading this, please note, that the crew, professionals and volunteer alike felt a deep disappointment at not being able to complete their journey. They also felt a deep pride in their shipmates, and our shared experience, as short as it was. The sharing of experience and cross-learning was astonishing.

It also came with a concrete optimism that "We'll be back", and Spirit of South Carolina will come home.

Back at Thunderbolt, doubled-up
and put to bed, til the next call.

It's On! Her Delivery Home is about to Happen

Only Days ago from this posting, the remaining Moving Parts apparently crunched into place and Spirit of South Carolina received the signals to get a crew on board and cast off for home. Capt Hackett called  Bryan the Volunteer Coordinator notifying him of the short time window within which the schooner was expected to be delivered home to Charleston; possibly as early as Jan 8, only days away, but not later than the weekend of the 15th of January.

It required the quick intensive search effort for an available delivery Captain and Crew.  At Bryan's suggestions, Capt Hackett allowed for the crew augmentation of two or three Volunteers.  Deliveries of this sort are not normally staffed with volunteers because of the nature of the operation, a cheap no-frills passage best executed by an efficient highly proficient crew.  Volunteers would be expected to perform alongside the "pro's" with no time for close supervision, coaching, or demonstrating as normally carried on when volunteers come along.  Capt Hackett's earlier observations of volunteers on deck, and during her year-ago sea trial, apparently influenced his acquiescence.

As Capt Heath passed that decision onto Bryan, he'd been studying weather forecasts, and concluded the vessel needed to be docked in Charleston not later than Tuesday, meaning she would have to cast-off from Thunderbolt Shipyard Monday for the expected 20-hour passage. Bryan selected from his logs, five names of volunteers who best met his criteria of tall-ship experience, most recent time on deck, demonstrated skills-and time onboard Spirit of South Carolina. Of those five, three, responded with availability.  As of this posting, Bryan and the three will be departing Charleston Maritime Center Sunday afternoon, by car for Thunderbolt where they will meet the rest of the crew, and Hunter, and immediately begin the sea-stowing, provisioning, standard drill rehearsing in preparation for a Monday morning departure. With weather holding, mechanical systems running to expectations, and our intrepid mixed bag of crew, Spirit of South Carolina should reach the Charleston Maritime Center sometime Monday Morning.  

Stay Tuned, I will ask, if we'll have AIS for shipfinding.

Harvey Gamage? We're here for ya!

 Volunteers join Harvey Gamage Crew to speed their Shipyard work to completion.

Volunteer Charlie Malone takes a break
with Ships Officers, Captain Andy Hudak, left,
 and 2d Mate, Josh, right

Previously, you've no-doubt read of the deeds of four of us who pitched in on the Schooner, Harvey Gamage with her crew to attack a lengthy punch list of projects intended to ready her for onboarding a significant contingent of New Hampshire High School  students for their 10-week, once-in-a-lifetime education experience onboard a tall ship. This past week,  Charlie Malone, just off his own assignment aboard a commercial container ship, took his time off to join Harvey Gamage's crew on a number of maintenance projects.

Captain Hudak and Mate, Josh, welcomed Charlie aboard and immediately put him to work on a number of projects. Charlies efforts, with those of the four of us the previous week, helped put a significant dent in that list of to-do's the Captain was hoping to complete.  It didn't slow down. Just today, Volunteer, Todd Cole, drove from his home in Atlanta all the way down to keep the momentum going.  He came on board to find the new Captain and Mate. Todd found himself on the closing out end of the punch list.  With volunteer help the list had dwindled earlier than expected. As a result, Todd helped the crew tighten up, clean-up, and even drove the mate around town on a few errands. Todd's previous experience volunteering aboard the Sailing square-rigger Oliver Hazard Perry in Newport, served well in accelerating the finishing up of the work,

Meanwhile, waiting in the wings, two more Volunteers, Andrew Brumby, and Derek Astorino were poised to come aboard this Monday morning for two days to help Harvey Gamager's finish off their list.  It seems Volunteers had been too effective. As Andrew and Derek prepared on Sunday for their planned two day period on board, the Mate,  notified me that all the work had ben effectively completed; No additional Volunteer help was needed. the arriving Harvey Gamage Crew would be transitioning immediately into crew training. 

So, what's the upshot of all this? Well,,

One one level, Harvey Gamage enjoyed the value of about 40 hours of labor, free, courtesy of their sister ship, Spirit of South Carolina-enabling their crew to complete their projects early, get some time off, and focus more effectively for the professional onboarding process of their incoming students. 

On another level, Spirit of South Carolina volunteers got a chance to work with another schooner crew, benefiting from a cross-fertilization of practices, helpful tips/techniques, with intent of advancing new/better.

And on the third-higher level, both crews came to appreciate the other, and see them as shipmates, a part of the larger community of Tall Ship Sailors. Names will be remembered, paths will cross again, whether in this port or another, and stories shared.

Volunteers scratch their Schooner itch with a day aboard schooner Harvey Gamage

A little over a year ago, in February 2021, 10 deckhands from the Schooner Harvey Gamage, led by their mate Rachel Young, came aboard Spirit of South Carolina and mustered with 12 volunteers to take on a worth of ship's maintenance. [Blog entry 28 February 2021].  Today, four Spirit Volunteers returned the favor,  mustering with the shortened crew of the Schooner Harvey Gamage to knock out a significant portion of their maintenance punchlist.

Harvey Gamage has been tied to the fuel dock at Charleston Maritime Center for two weeks, undergoing a month's worth of dockside shipyard maintenance projects before taking on a group of Proctor Academy Students for a 10-week semester-at-sea southward. HG has been able maintain an extraordinarily active schedule for the past year. That has meant little time for normal ship's maintenance. So the crew had accumulated a large punch list of projects. 

 Spirit Volunteers, David Brennan, Nate Mack, Bryan Oliver, and Doug Hartley came aboard at breakfast time and mustered with the remaining crew of Harvey Gamage to take on some projects. After a quick round-robin introductions, 2d Mate, Josh divided up the day's worth of punch list projects.  I'm sure it was a bit of relief among Spirit Volunteers, that Harvey Gamage sports virtually no brightwork(varnished surfaces) except for the steering box. In keeping with her personae as a typical Maine working vessel, everything is simply  painted in one of two colors.

Nate Mack and Dave Brennan
start in on scraping and sanding
 the deck box lids

Three of us, Bryan, Dave, and Nate,  teamed up to hand up onto the dock six long dock box lids to be scraped, scuffed and repainted.  Josh came up with 3 rotary sanders to speed along the work.  

Doug Hartley measuring out dimensions
 for his stencil of the ship's
radio call signs on the aft cabin.

 Doug drove 3d Mate Anna Marie to Lowes hardware for paint  brushes and rollers.  Once back on deck, Doug took on a more  intricate project to recreate the ship's radio call-sign letters in a  large stencil on top of the aft cabin-starboard side. 

2d Mate, Josh demonstrating to
Nate and Dave the application
 of thickened epoxy

In the course of all that scraping and sanding, Nate discovered and pointed out to Josh,, some wood deterioration and separation around the corner of a lid.  A short 3-way discussion led to a consensus on a solution involving West Systems epoxy-which led to an on-the-job tutorial by Josh with Nick and Dave on the methods for mixing thickener into resin and hardener to fill and seal the gaps and strengthen the corner.  

With a fresh coat of gray Pettit epoxy over all six dock box lids, and Doug's stencil completed and painted in, the crew all went below for a hearty hot lunch of a souped-up Tomato soup and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.  HG's crew was rotating cooking duties, since departure of their hired cook. Based on what was coming out of the Galley, they were holding up pretty well. 

Dave Brennan helps Doug
 peel the tape off the new
call sign numbers

After lunch Josh checked the punch list, and redirected us to a couple of additional painting projects; this time the trim around the aft cabin's skylight hatches and companionway combings. Nate got in under the mainmast fife rail to lay down a coat of white around the mast boot.  

Doug warily eyes Bryan at work on the
aft cabin skylight hoping his feet
don't scrape his freshly painted stencil.

With these additional projects completed there was just enough time to touch up our missed spots, clean up the dock, stow tools, and wipe down our hands.  Plenty of additional projects awaited but they could wait for the next day.  

The day had turned unexpectedly mild, a great day for on deck work. Volunteers enjoyed a chance to work beside other regular schooner sailors, learn and appreciate our differences, and similarities across crews, and even take away a few new tips and techniques.  We felt good about returning the generosity of HG a year ago, and we burnished a reputation as a dedicated serious schooner volunteer crew.  Stories were exchanged all day long.  

The Gamagers were genuinely appreciative of our help.  Spirit of South Carolina Volunteers have an open invitation to come down and step aboard.  They could use more of our help in getting ready for their next cruise.    Their shipyard period extends to close of business 5 January when a new fresh crew takes the deck and preps to take on the next class from Proctor Academy  on the 6th. 

If you can donate a 1/2 day or more laying in with HG crew members, you're guaranteed to come away with more than you gave, and if you're serious about wanting to deckhand on one of these schooners, you could do worse than receiving an invitation to ship aboard Harvey Gamage for a passage.