Hove to off Swan Point – Page 19 – and sailing as slow as I can….

Silent Maid

Went down for a morning sail on Memorial Day. On the ride to Beaton’s I wondered when the Silent Maid would show up. I’ve been following John Brady’s Blog and expected her any day as she starts her Summer cruise this week.

I got to Beaton’s, walked down the dock and there she was; tied up on the T Dock, across from Sjogin.

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How convenient!
Right there for my viewing pleasure. Almost as good as seeing her coming up the Bay under sail.

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Varnish galore
Acres (seemingly) of varnish. Damn near perfect. Nice Job John and crew.

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Glowing
Tacking out of the basin. The original Maid had a varnished hull in her early years.

Just checked John’s Blog and they are in New York harbor today, with a circumnavigation of the Statue of Liberty planned.

Garden pics

Once again my benign neglect has allowed our perennials to flourish. As always there was a list of plants to move and divide and prune but they remain pretty much untouched. I did do a little pruning around the edges but the center of the beach roses are six foot tall.

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Chaos
Self sown chaos. This started with a few of this and a half dozen that and time has done the rest.

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Just enough color
Once cleared of volunteers the beds will hold summer herbs, vegetables and such.

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Blocks of color
Eventually it all fills in. Coreopsis in front of the Barberry.

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Rosa rugosa
Let there be roses. I remember when they were a grid of six inch plants.

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That common Bayberry on the left. There’s square yards of Onethera, a kind of semi-wild primrose, ready to bloom in a week or so. Bright yellow, here for a month or so.

Here’s a bit of boat stuff:
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Spyder
Spyder tacking out of Jones Tide Pond, fresh from Beaton’s and ready for a new season.

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Maid Service awaits
The Beaton’s built tender to the Silent Maid. I hope to see her under sail this weekend. The photo is from John de Rouville’s shop on Toms River.

Her Summer Cruise to Maine starts soon. John Brady has started a Blog. Follow along here.

Out again and Paul Gartside news

Took advantage of the light air Monday before last week’s Northeaster set in and after it left for a pair of quick sails. Monday had a strong current from the north with a light ENE breeze allowed little speed over the ground. Thursday had a 5kt ENE breeze fill in just after I rigged the sculling lock. Good reading conditions both days.

On the Sjogin plans front, Paul Gartside has been receiving deposits and I had a nice note from him yesterday. Next step is The Measurement of Sjogin. I spoke with Tom and I’ll be able to put Sjogin in the Paint Shop this Summer to take off her lines. It will make it easier with painted plywood on the floor for the grid. I’ve had a few offers of help so I’ll try to set up a weekend in July for a version of Tom Sawyer and the fence.

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Beating up to Manyploking
Beating up the Mantoloking shore last Monday. Lite, dry northeaster.

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Ready to go
With the breeze in the ENE I can raise sail in the slip. The temporary spring line holds her just so. Cast off the bow line, pull her forward with the spring and away you go. With the wind out of the NE to E I need to make downwind landings. More on that later.

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Drive by wire
No boat traffic makes for nice light air sailing.

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Hove to by the Mantoloking Bridge
The warm stove felt good below with a chilly Northeaster blowing over the barrier beach. Carried the Starboard tack up to the Mantoloking Bridge.
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Thursday’s sail provided a good reading breeze.

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A-Cat racing is getting nearer
This is Spyder, the Seaside Park YC A-Cat ready for a new season.

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Glowing
The latest Beaton’s rowboat glowing in the Duckboat room.

Sailed on an empty Bay yesterday

Went out for a bit in the morning; nice NE breeze about 6 to 10 kts, bright sun but chilly as the wind off the ocean is blowing across mid 50’s water. Went down to Sloop Point and hove to on the Port tack for a good draw on the stove. A cup of tea and another chapter in Seven Sisters took care of the tack back to Mantoloking.

Semi-retirement has arrived so I hope you’ll look forward to more sailing pics, checking up on the Osprey families, reports on what’s new at Beaton’s, yet more garden pics and such.

Progress on the Sjogin sister-ship program. Paul Gartside has agreed to produce a set of plans for a Sjogin replica; both for traditional construction and for the modern glued lap method. Perhaps there’ll be a plan for a gaff yawl. I’ve mentioned here and on the Forum that Sjogin would look good with such a rig. And here’s a vote for jack yard topsail!

I sent my deposit in yesterday. I’ll let you know how you can buy a set. Suitable for framing and dreaming.

New garden pics as well. Happy Almost Summer.

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Nice breeze
Nice classic dry Northeaster.

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Reach
Reaching back to Beaton’s. Had a successful downwind landing; it’s easier with Sjogin in her Summer position.

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All done
Put away for the day. Her battery went flat so a bit of exercise with the hand pump was needed.

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Myth getting rigged
Jim rigging Myth. Nice to see her back in the water.

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All full
The Oak Leaf Hydrangea is ready to pop; upper left. Roses too.

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Full up
Pretty full. Pay no attention to the shabby shingles.

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Rose walk
Beach roses ready to put on a show. Do stop and smell the roses.

Man on the River

Meet Giacomo De Stefano, a Venetian on an improbable voyage from London to Istanbul to promote sustainable tourism and low carbon traveling. He and his crew Jacopo are now in Whitstable in the Thames estuary waiting for favorable weather to cross the Channel. They built an Ian Oughtred Ness Yawl in Venice in an art gallery. His Blog can be found here. He’s had a few other adventures, the last being a voyage up the Po to draw attention to how abused that river has become.

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He’s a delightful host with a serious message; follow along on this grand adventure.

No sailing this weekend. Huge pressure gradient with Westerlies a steady 20 gusting to the 30’s. Here a few recent pics from Beaton’s:

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Myth
Myth, just launched after an extensive refit. She’s a reproduction of the original Myth, a long time Bay Head native.

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Marilda
Marilda, a classic Jersey skiff.

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In progress
A project interrupted. Nice dory skiff; an Amesbury I think.

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Who is that masked man
Paul Smith prepping for varnish work on this pulling boat from Canada.

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Abaco skiff
A long way from the Abacos. This little jewel has been around Beaton’s for years. Hope to see her restored one of these days.

Yet another sail

And another designer signs on board. Paul Gartside of Nova Scotia has expressed interest in doing a version of Sjogin. Rod Brink has been in touch with him and it seems he may be able to have a design done by the Fall. Here’s a bit from Rod’s post on the WoodenBoat Thread:

“I talked with Paul Gartside just this morning and he agreed to develop plans for a close version of Sjogin for $2000. His plans would also include a couple of extra sheets for building an original Sjogin traditionally. Sailplan â€¦ gaff sloop most likely. Obviously the quality of Mr Gartside’s plans are well known along with the superb detail he provides.”

Here’s an example of Mr. Gartside’s work; a day boat with lots of strings to pull:

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Paul Garside cutter
He will certainly do justice to Sjogin. I can see a copy of his sail plan framed on our wall next to the one from Francios Vivier. What joy. Let a thousand Sjogin’s bloom.

Here’s a link to a delightful announcement of Mr. Gartside’s 2009 wedding and how he met his wife at WoodenBoat.

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Ghosting home. Took off Friday to practice non-weekend sails. Nice, fairly empty Bay.

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SASAIC
Sailing as slow……. Could have used a bit more breeze.

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Coffee time
Just cool enough for a fire and a cup of coffee. Read another chapter of The Voyage of the Seven Sisters. A book about a 1950’s raft voyage from Peru to Samoa by William Willis. Grueling to say the least but a good read.

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I changed Sjogin to her Summer position today. Tempted to go out, but it’s porch season and we need to get the screens up. No bugs on us now.

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I'm back!
The Barn Swallows have returned. They love Beaton’s with many many nesting spots. This one seems to be saying “You looking at me”?

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Perfect blue
Speaking of birds, I found this perfect nest with three pending Robins while taking down some winter damaged limbs from our soon to be gone Dogwood.

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Money!
Money plants in all their glory.

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Varigated Solomon's seal
Variegated Solomon’s seal. Very happy in our shade garden. More garden pics to follow.

Odds and Ends

Here are some pics from the last few weeks. No sailing since Easter weekend but maybe tomorrow if the wind lays down. I also hope to take some initial measurements for Sjogin’s re-designers if it’s calm enough.

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On the Flounder grounds
Paul and your Happy Skipper on the Winter Flounder grounds Easter Saturday. It was as raw as it looks.

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Early april sunrise
Sunrise earlier this month on my daily visit to make sure the tide’s on schedule.

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Happy bulbs
The Narcissus and Scillia are filling in nicely. The latter are showing up all over.

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Spring!!!
March showers have worked their magic. The lavender bits are the biannual Lunaria (Money plant). They are very happy.

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Rowboat progress
Quiet Saturday morning at Beaton’s.

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Old friend
Son David’s former Claire, ready for a season of club racing.

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Foggy
Hove to off Swan Point in the fog on Easter Sunday. It’s fun to sail in the fog in your backyard.

Yet more news from France, he finally goes for a sail and more…

Three sails actually; and no coincidence suggested, but went out on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter. Good karma in any event.

The Saturday sail involved heading out to the Winter Flounder grounds with friend Paul. Arduous conditions with a two knot northerly current and a 6kt SSE breeze. Poor Sjogin was sitting over the anchor line and fouling our chum pot and rigs. Still, Paul was able to boat a 15″ beauty. Just enough for appy’s. Sorry, but no pics.

We are getting closer to having Francois Vivier commit to a full design of his Sjogin version, the Norzh 22. He is willing to proceed if a group of people agree to purchase a set of plans and a kit. And an unstated commitment to build a sister-ship for Sjogin. When I determine the final details I’ll let anyone know who’s interested. I’ve heard from a few of you and you’re on the top of the list.

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Hove to off Manyploking
Hove to off a foggy Mantoloking. This was from Easter Sunday. The northerly current and dry NE breeze allowed me to stay pretty much in one place.

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Ready for fog
One of Sjogin’s high tech devices at the ready.

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Knees
Down below on Sunday. Shows some of the construction details for those interested. All this would be replaced by plywood in most modern designs, resulting in more space below.

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Osprey tryouts
Full house at Osprey central.

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Ready to go on a perfect Sunday morning. Ended with a missed landing but no harm done.

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Prime rowboat
Another season of rowboat building at Beaton’s is almost done. Prime cedar put to good use.

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Paul Smith spiling a frame.

Norzh 22 developments

I’ve heard from one of my readers in New South Wales, Australia expressing interest in contributing to a syndicate to fund the completion of Francois Vivier’s interpretation of Sjogin. There have also been a few positive responses on the WoodenBoat Forum Thread. Anyone else interested?

Per the numbers on his website it appears that it will take about $4,000 to fund the full set of plans to build the Norzh 22 in glued ply. I’ll write to Francois to see if a Syndicate approach is a possibility.

As mentioned in an earlier Post, I intent to take off Sjogin’s lines this Summer and try to develop a set of plans so she can be built as is.

Back from vacation

We spent a great 10 days in the Virgins with our cruising pals, Dave and Cheryl. We spent most of the time in waters around St John and in Fish Bay, the site of their new home. We managed to get up to North Sound again in Virgin Gorda, staying in Leverick Bay. For the first time in ten years we slipped through the narrow (and shallow) passage between Virgin Gorda and Mosquito island, saving a few miles off the trip. A wonderful time with great friends. We are indeed blessed.

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Cheryl and Julia at Cinnamon Bay on the north side of St. John.

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At Butterfly Beach, Dave and Cheryl’s slice of paradise on Fish bay. We’re standing on a bridge through the mangroves. They expect to be done this summer.

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Wow
Dave amid the final bits. Our future room is on the upper left. All very amazing.

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Sonny
Sonny, waiting for a crew. Julia and I sailed on her last Summer in Maine. She’s moored in Soper’s Hole on Tortola.

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Motoring to windward
Dave and I driving up to Coral Bay. We spent two days there, going to the St. John Blues Festival last Saturday night. Cool tunes under the stars. And Dancing!

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Soper's Hole sunset
Classic sunset view at Soper’s Hole. one of our favorite stops. More pics on Flickr.

And more Sjogin news this weekend. One of my readers has expressed an interest in Sjogin plans. I hope to take some measurements this weekend for Mr. Vivier.