The mailman brought joy

Here she is:

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Sjogin's lines plan
Click for a larger image.

This is Paul Gartside’s first draft of the Lines Plans for Sjogin. It all starts with this two dimensional representation of the hull, shown in three views. From this the Table of Offsets is created that will allow a builder to begin construction.

Paul took the measurements that Steve Martinsen and I recorded this Summer and worked his magic. Here’s a link to the Post where we picked up the offsets. Seems we weren’t too far off.

Paul asked for some missing measurements and other detail which I picked up yesterday. He’ll then produce plans for traditional lap strake construction and also for glued-lap plywood. Looks like there’s hope for sister-ships someday. Maybe even a gaff yaw version.

What joy.

Waiting for mail from Canada

I heard from Paul Gartside last week. He’s one of the designers working on building plans for Sjogin. A set of initial drawings are on there way here from Nova Scotia along with questions about cabin, deck and spar measurements. Can’t wait.

Back in the off-Season routine. A few more visits per week to “check on the boat” and work in a sail and/or fire if appropriate. She’s still leaking a bit but there’s time before the first ice for her to tighten sufficiently.

Here are some pics from the past few weeks:

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Summer position
Sjogin in her Summer position in the slip. This makes it easy to drop back and sail off the dock in the prevailing Southerlies.

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Winter position
Back in her Winter position. This keeps the cockpit in the sun, keeping the bilge warmer. It’s also nice to open the hatch and let the low Winter sun into the cabin.

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Ready
Ready to go. Week before last on a beautiful October morning. The topping lift holds up the boom, taking the drive out of the mainsail. It’s eased just before casting off.

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Nice breeze
Pleasant breeze; sunny and cool enough for a fire.

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Sizzle!
Speaking of which. Back to the same breakfast diet. The crew at Beaton’s are happy with my semi-retirement as it means Joe Leone’s Hot Sausage and Provolone Bread at least once a week.

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Quest
Quest is a Watch Hill 15 restored, actually completely rebuilt, at Beaton’s a few years ago. Here she’s getting ready for a well deserved rest.

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Wow!
Great Fall color from our Staghorn Sumac. We never had such a display.

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Glowing Spartina
Salt marsh with Fall colors. My favorite Season.

Finally a word of thanks and gratitude on this most solemn day for all who served and continue to serve. And a special thanks to my Dad, a WWII veteran. I miss his stories.

She sails!

Finally got out for a sail on Sunday. For a change I had a crowd on board. Julia joined me along with Thomas Armstrong and his friend Liz. Thomas writes the always interesting Blog, 70.8%. You’ve seen him mentioned here before.

This has been the longest without a sail in years. She still seems to be making up as the usual suspects provided an interior gurgle when heeled. I suppose I’ll need to sail her more to keep those seams above water tight.

Most of the following pics were taken by either Thomas or Liz and lifted from Facebook.

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Hove to again
Hove to once more off Swan Point. We had a light breeze to start, varying from calm to 3 kts or so. I like to have as little stress as practical on the hull for the first few sails so the conditions were suitable. (Except for the calm bits rolling in the still present motorboat chop.

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One man power
At one point we were a little too close to the marsh with no wind so it was time to start the auxiliary.

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Good crew
Julia and Liz during one of the quiet spots. Thinking about rigging the sculling oar with a soft lee shore approaching.

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Thomas and your host
Thomas and I discussing something boaty. I think we’re actually sailing here.

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Red sails return
Finally! After sculling away from the marsh we entered the Sea Breeze Zone. SSE about 6 and much cooler. We rode it home and managed a one try docking.

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End of the Season
Here’s the Silent Maid getting unrigged. What a great season for this race proven Queen of the Bay. Here’s a link to John Brady’s Blog where you can read about her Summer cruise. She got as far as Brooklin, ME for the Eggomoggin Reach Regatta.

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Ahhhhh....
One of the reasons I just had my first sail. (Along too much of the semi in semi-retirement). I spent a few days on Boss Lady in the Chesapeake a week or so past. And spent as much time as I could on the settee above. A fine place to watch the day go by.

I’ll try to catch up with some other items this week.

She swims!

Sjogin was finally launched today. It’s been a longer than usual haul out as the lines project and getting Speedwell ready took time away from the regular 5 week fit out. Needless to say having her out since late July has dried out the planking and she filled up with Barnegat Bay’s offerings in minutes. She’ll hang in the straps for a few days and then with pumps. By this time next week Sjogin will have hopefully swelled sufficiently for her own bilge pump to manage the usual weeps.

While she swells I’ll tend to the spars and other varnishing. Maybe even varnish the hatch.

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In she goes
Finally. The Beaton’s crew lowers Sjogin back in to her element. She’ll stay in the pit till it’s time to rig.

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She sort of floats
Her “suspenders” are keeping her afloat. The water level inside is the same as outside. Everything but the stove has been removed.

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Fresh!
They never look better then on launching day.

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Progress
Just finished painting the topsides. Don’t look too close; the hull sorely needs to be taken down to bare wood. Planning on keeping her out the Winter of 2011 – 2012 when the rub rails get replaced. I’ll wood the hull then.

Sorry for the delay between posts. Between my new business, Sjogin and garden work the time just slipped away. See you next week.

Ps: I sent the offset table to Paul Gartside and Francois Vivier today. I’ll let you know when there’s progress on the new plans.

Work resumes on Sjogin

After a few weeks of Duckboat Worlds mania, I started woking again on Sjogin.

First up was fitting a dutchman into the rub rail where a bit of punkiness was removed. I think there are at least a half dozed similar repairs on the rails. She sorely needs new ones.

I’m planning to pull her in December 2011 and work with Beaton’s to replace the rails and fix whatever evil lurks behind. It would be a good opportunity to tackle one of those “one of these years” tasks and remove all of the paint from the topsides. I pray this will not involve heading up rivets.

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Rot!
The excavation involved chiseling back to sound? wood. It was tricky working around the fastenings.

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Fitting dutchman
The dutchman was cut out of very aged cedar. The wood shop crew are cleaning up years of offcuts and a nicely grained piece of Atlantic Cedar presented itself to the pattern.

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Fixed!
All glued up. This is more of a cosmetic repair as I fully expect to replace the rail next Winter. (He says with fingers crossed.)

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Progress
Progress in copying the offsets into a spreadsheet. After checking, and double checking the data I’ll send it off to Paul Gartside and Francois Vivier for their use. We’ll see how close Steve Martinsen and I got to taking off a fair set of lines.

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Semi storage
Speedwell’s available for a final coat and get ready for a bit of Fall sailing. All her sisters are done till next year.

I’m planning to replace the fixed gooseneck with a sliding one. A bit of 5/8″ bronze track and the boom will be able to be raised to a height suitable for the less flexible.

When looking at the photos from the recent Worlds, I was struck by the amount of hoist left on the luff and foot. It looks like the sail and boom could be raised at least six inches. Tom Beaton said the original spar design accommodated cotton sails and the need to accommodate the stretching over time. So I’ll take advantage of the extra room make the boat more useable.

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ex - Caroline
Caroline returns. I owned this Bullseye in 1985, just before Jon and I bought Sjogin. She’s now in the care of our good friends Valerie and Paul. I was pleased to learn that she’ll be based at Beatons after years on the Navesink.

2010 Duckboat Worlds

Edited to add: Here’s a link to the article by Joshua Moore in the March/April 2009 issue of WoodenBoat.
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Speedwell made the starting line on Friday and sailed in the three morning races. Despite having the oldest, and probably heaviest boat, I did, in fact, beat a few boats in the first two races. I had a reasonable start in the third one but got hit with a puff soon after and wasn’t quick enough to avoid a knock down. Once these boats get the rail in the water there’s precious little reserve stability and they slide under. Thanks to a tow from a safety boat, I was able to bail her out while standing in two feet of water just inside Swan Point and sail her home.

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He's smiling!
Julia was on board the Beaton boat watching the races and heard the rescue. She knew I was alright when she heard on the radio, “he’s OK, he’s smiling”.

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Leading!
Here’s proof that I actually was in front of several boats. Even managed a couple of crowded gybes.

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Air on!
Very shifty conditions with a gusty westerly weakening before the sea breeze set in.

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Not the only one
I wasn’t the only one to go over. That’s Erin Beaton and her friend Allison.

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Downwind action
With 65 boats starting there was plenty of opportunity to mix it up. Somewhere in there is Gary Jobson, President of US Sailing and local legend.

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Hove to
Hove to, chatting with Julia between races. (IPhone pic by Julia.)

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Happy couple
Photo taken by Charlie Best at the party at Mantoloking the evening before the Worlds. The sun is setting over Beaton’s.

Almost ready

The 2010 Duckboat Worlds are this Friday at Mantoloking. Details here. Speedwell lacks a coat of Maynard Bray White on her bottom, a bit of soaking and rigging to be ready. Found out most folks now lash the stays rather than using turnbuckles. I think it has something to do with causing less damage in collisions. Duckboat racing IS a contact sport.

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White!
White for now. I had planned to paint the bottom the same as the green trim on Sjogin but ran out. I have an order in with Kirby but it won’t be here on time. I’ll use the MB White for now.

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My so called Bench
The usual found plank workbench full of this seasons work.

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Sulking Sjogin
Sjogin waiting for her work to resume. I’m shooting for the week after Labor Day to put her back in commission.

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Tendress
One more from Maine. This fine pic of Tendress was taken by Dick Wynne from Sea Harmony on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon a few weeks ago.

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Lamb's Ears
What time is it? Time to trim the Lamb’s Ears.

Speedwell progress as well

With the 2010 Duckboat Worlds set for the 27th, I’m sharing my boat work time between Sjogin and Speedwell. Our 1950? Phil Clarke Duckboat had a new keel, centerboard case and mast step renewed this past winter. Prior posts here and here. Of course Speedwell’s been sitting in a shed waiting to be painted and rigged since April. Must be something in the water at Beaton’s.

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The Work increases
Doubling my fun. The bottom needs a lot of attention after her surgery and general tightening up.

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Same color scheme
When done she’ll be painted Malachy Green on the bottom and coamings, Seattle Grey decks and Slate Grey inside the hull. All paints will be low gloss Kirby paints. And all are Sjogin colors.

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Inspection tour
We had Phil Heffernan, one of our imaginary friends, down last weekend for a visit. An inspection tour of Beaton’s is always on the list. He’s starting a Blog that should be photo rich as Phil’s a Professional.