Author: Russ

Finally started to do some work on Sjogin. Nothing more than removing the rub rail on the Starboard side but it’s a beginning. I’ll discuss options with Paul first before doing anything else. Not sure if I should start removing planks yet. The entire Starboard sheer strake and six others forward will need to be replaced. A lot will depend on when Beaton’s can get back up to speed and bring her into the shop.

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Removed the temporary patch. Seven out of her eleven planks forward will have to be replaced. Assume all will be removed back to their current butt blocks. I spoke to Tom about the process and he said all will need to be steamed to fit properly. It may be a good idea to replace the Port sheer strake as well. We’ll see.

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After removing the rub rails I was surprised to find little evidence of any rot. As far as I can tell they were never removed since she was built. Not too bad after fifty years. The toe rails will be removed as well as the deck edge has to be renewed in spots.

Also thinking about removing the fiberglass on the deck. Once the deck edges are fixed it may be wise to fair the deck and add a layer of plywood followed by a layer of polyester cloth set in epoxy. Of course that leads to a slippery slope as the coamings should be replaced as well.

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Found enough hose to reach Sjogin and hose her out. I think I’ll be finding bits of grass and such for years. It got everywhere.

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The tradition continues of having a Christmas Wreath on Sjogin’s mast. She’s usually floating when this is done but allowances need to be made.

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You all know what you should be seeing in this photo. Next year perhaps.

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The parted line was the spring. The intact line and eye was the stern line. It seems the stern line held and allowed Sjogin to swing to leeward and bang against the piling between her and the next slip.

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Here’s the piling to leeward of Sjogin’s slip. You can see how worn it is near the top. I suspect I’ll find bit’s of planking and paint stuck in the top.

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New addition to the driveway fleet. One of the few fiberglass Duckboats around. I like the name.

Sorry for the delay between posts. Not much Sjogin activity and busy with returning to relatively normal life. More Beaton pics soon.

She was greviously wounded but survived Sandy by hiding under the waves. It seems she parted some of her dock lines early in the storm and laid against the pilings to the west. When the surge was at the highest, Sjogin crashed on to the piling, holing her forward and causing her sinking. We were lucky that she went down and didn’t float into the wreckage and possibly break up. An astonishing result. What joy when Suzanne Beaton sent me a cell photo of her getting hauled last Saturday.

Sjogin will require a lot of work and may not make the water next year. It will be a while before Beaton’s can resume operations. I plan to do as much as I can but the planking I’ll leave to the art of Paul Smith.

Beaton’s was severely damaged with five feet or more of storm surge over the ground. The buildings still stand but the tools, patterns and wood were scattered by the storm. There are boats off their stands, ending up here and there. The A-Cats had a bit of a dance in the big shed but had no major damage.

I was able to get into Beaton’s Wednesday and took the following pics:

The pics below have been fixed. This was written originally on the iPad which is a bit cumbersome. More Sjogin pics (and others) on the Flickr page.

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A nasty hole but between the unharmed frames. The only structural damage was to the sheer clamp which should be an easy repair. Already I can imagine sitting below by the fire and looking at the new wood,  marveling at what a lucky little ship she is.

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You can see the busted sheer clamp at the top. It’s a wonder that the piling didn’t pierce the deck. That would have been far more serious with Sjogin pinned by the piling and thrashing about in the surge. Ouch!

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It’ll be a while before there’s a sizzle down below. We’ll push on and keep trying to bring a bit of beauty to the waterfront.

We made out relatively fine at home. The height of the surge was just a bit above our first floor. The floors which had been refinished during the Summer’s renovation had enough water on them the get well soaked. We hope when we have heat again (all utilities ruined) that the floors will lay down and not have to be replaced. We were very lucky. Neighbors a block away have their lives on the curb.

Best wishes to all in this most trying time,

Russ

Here’s a clip from the local NBC feed showing Sjogin and Suzanne Beaton getting ready for Sandy. I’m going down in the morning and make sure she has enough slack for the expected storm surge.

Here’s the Link. Sjogin appears at 1:56 or so.

Here are a few pics of Summer at Beaton’s. More to follow.

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George and his Martha Jane down for Wally’s memorial. The boat is Phil Bolger’s update of Black Skimmer (which George recently adopted). Had a good sail in her up to Bay Head the following day. Quite an agile boat and not as tender as expected. Black Skimmer would be my first choice to go Bolgering on Barnegat Bay. Hmmmm…..

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Clearing; for now. Another storm in a Summer full of them.

One of the items to be accomplished this Winter is adding weight to the rudder to get it to lay vertical.

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I always wanted a nice big Hankin’s for race watching and such. I’m sure we could work in a WC for Julia.

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Here’s Myth at the start of the Season looking Beaton Fresh. Paul Smith crafted a fine deck with no sticky bits.

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More than boats get painted at Beaton’s. Here’s Fred pimping his ride.

And finally a pic of your Happy Skipper yesterday. Renovations at Ourhouse are almost done and the shingle folk are gone. Had a day long computer issue so I went for a sail. Over the years these late August light breezes beckoned while I was working on Sjogin in the South shed. Now that she’s committed to a winter ashore, and when we’re blessed with these days the temptation’s too great.

Sail slow my friends.