Sjogin – Page 9 – Hove to off Swan Point

More from Maine

along with recent pics of Speedwell and Sjogin.

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Quite calm
Typical morning conditions on the Reach. Julia rowed me around the cove that morning but no pics.

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John Brooks and one of his Sommes Sound 12 1/2 designs.

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Neat old Lobster boat in Center Harbor. We were returning on Malabar II, a beautiful boat in a harbor full of them. (Mostly.)

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Jett and Bob enjoying a Martini.

More Maine pics on Flickr.

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Happy Skipper
Running home today in Speedwell. Rising breeze, several gybes and still dry! Duckboat Worlds on Friday.

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Rudderless
Without direction. Â Sjogin awaits the passing of Irene and several months in the shed.

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More this weekend….

Paul Gartside plans for Sjogin

Here’s the link to Paul Gartside’s plans for Sjogin. Looks like a new website too. Be sure to check out some of his other designs.

Gaff yawl version

Nice to have a design for a new rudder!

For the want of a nut…

the rudder was lost. A somewhat minor disaster befell Sjogin yesterday.

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I don't need no stinkin' rudder
Your decidedly Unhappy Skipper.

Julia and I had friends out for sail Sunday, puttering around the Bay south of Swan Point. It was blowing about 6 to 10, gusting higher, out of the SSW. On the eastern side a bit of fresh sea breeze was filling in, fighting the gradient wind. It was like sailing in and out of air conditioning.

We tacked up to Hankin’s Island (a repeat visit this year!) on the shifting breeze and then ran down to the marsh by Reedy Creek. Once there, we hove to on Starboard, slowly fore-reaching towards Swan Point. In between are the oyster boxes, floating in anchored sets. Each set of a dozen or so floats are about 100′ long.

As we neared the floats, I swapped jib sheets to go on Port tack till we could lay Swan Point and head for home. Usually, Sjogin will come up into the wind after the sheets change and go over on the other tack.

Well she didn’t. We were in irons, eventually making stern way. I tried to get her to fall off on Port but to no avail. Sjogin gathered way and ran over the line of oyster boxes. As she slid over the gear it lifted the rudder off the pintles and it disappeared from view.

I’m sure some of you are wondering why the rudder wasn’t secured to prevent it becoming un-shipped. Here’s a clue:

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The missing nut

This hefty Monel nut is supposed to be threaded on the upper pintel and backed up with a cotter pin. If I had taken a few minutes last fall before launching this wouldn’t have happened. My fault entirely.

After rigging the sweep as a steering oar we made it back to Beaton’s. Not before the crisis of losing the oar, running down and anchoring close to the marsh and a walk on the marsh by Joe Foster to recover the oar. What a day!

On Monday weekend guest Phil Heffernan and I went out on Beaton’s garvey with Fred to search the marsh and Bay for the missing rudder. No luck. I’m bringing the double paddle canoe to aid in the search. Once Speedwell’s in commission I’ll use her as well.

Here’s a flyer I’m posting to let folks know of the lost rudder. If any of you find yourself in the area between Swan and Sloop Point’s and come across this curious bit of floatsam, please let me know.

Thanks,

Russ

Silver Penny

That’s the name John Brooks of Brooks Boat Designs has come up with for his version of Sjogin. He was among the designers contacted to produce building plans. His is a 19′ centerboard version, suitable for trailering. Here’s the link to the page on his Blog.

He’s a very talanted designer as you can see from his Somes Sound design, modeled on Herreshoff’s Buzzard Bay 12 1/2. The construction would be glued lap.

The name comes from a Norse coin found in Brooklin in 1978. John tells the story in his Blog post. Nice link between a Norse coin and a Swedish boat coming to America.

Here are a few preliminary sketches John was kind enough to send me:

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This is the sloop rig, similar to the original.

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And here’s the gaff rig. Nice and low with plenty of power to drive her. It may be my imagination but it looks like John drew both sail plans with the boat hove to.

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Layout
Here’s the general layout. The cabin/cuddy is still being moved around to get it just right.

Seem’s this design might work as a Raid boat. With a couple of sweeps you could make good progress to weather. Hmmmm.

Julia and I are off to the Silent Maid Commissioning Party at Beaton’s. Pics soon.

The Charm of It

Ain't it the truth!

Works for me. Taken from the new read, Vagabonding under Sail by William Crealock. Always enjoy reading about heaving to in a gale and such while snug below at the dock in Sjogin with a cold rain on deck and a fire at my elbow.

Sjogin plans are almost done

Paul Gartside has sent me the latest set of his building plans for a new Sjogin. I couldn’t be more pleased. Paul is one of the finest small boat designers around and at the height of his craft. The plans are technically clear and hand drawn with an artist’s touch.

There are a few folks here and abroad that are planning to start building now that the plans are almost done. It’s all very amazing that this humble little craft should attract such attention. Paul’s work now makes her available to anyone with a sufficient amount of boat-lust.

Paul is still working on the plans for traditional construction in cedar, oak copper and bronze, similar to Sjogin. They should be done this Spring.

If anyone is interested in purchasing plans, please visit Paul Gartside’s web page for further details. The plans will look great framed while the desire to build grows. Obvious prejudice aside, this is a beautiful small boat design.

Click on the images for a larger version.

Enjoy:

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Here are the completed Lines Plans. Paul has taken the numbers Steve Martinsen and I gathered last summer and refined them to this perfect state.

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She’s drawn here with a small inboard diesel. Very useful if you need to get in and out of tight spots, through bridges and such. (And get home in time for dinner.) Note the traditional bucket hiding under the cockpit seat. Very clever.

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Here’s the Deck Plan and Layout. This is for the Bermudan Yawl rig. The plans come with drawings for three types of construction (glued ply, cold molded and traditional).

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This is the Gaff Yawl version and one of my favorites. Paul has drawn the above rig along with an original Bermudan sloop, Gaff sloop and Bermudan Yawl. He’s moved the rig a bit forward in these designs, thus the need for the bowsprit which is becoming more attractive the more I look at it. He’s also added running backstays which are something I’m glad not to have on board. Oh well, progress.

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Here’s the original Sjogin last Friday about to go out for a bit in a nice light NNE breeze.

Let a thousand Sjogins bloom.

First sail!

Last Friday saw the first sail of 2011. Disappointed that the Winter didn’t allow a single sail but ice, persistent strong westerlies, low water and the leaking split plank conspired to keep me dockbound. I did have many watches below thanks to my semi-retired status so don’t feel too bad for me.

There was a moderate breeze out of the NNW, bright sun, about 40 degrees. Couldn’t resist so I did my usual circuit, heaving to off Swan Point for breakfast. Of course the wind picked up, gusting to 15kts with one blast just off Beaton’s that put the deck under up to the coaming. So far so good with no increase in Sjogin’s normal weeping.

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Nice breeze; ready to go. No one on the Bay but Buffleheads and Ospreys.

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First sail!
Running out of Beaton’s with the stove doing it’s work as the smoke streams to leeward. Unlike most times when there’s a long time between sails, it felt like I had been sailing just the day before.

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Sail covers off!
Left the sail covers off in hopes of another sail but this interminable cold Spring put paid to that hope.

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Your very Happy Skipper enjoying the first sail of 2011.

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Rearranged books
When I got back to the dock and looked below I found the ships library had been shifted to leeward when hit by the gust off Beaton’s. The white and green book on the shelf ended up directly opposite the place where it started. I imagine there was a bit of bouncing to have ended up where it did as Sjogin was certainly not knocked down 90 degrees.

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The Maid emerges
Silent Maid out of the shop after an off-season makeover looking Beaton Fresh. Oh how she glows. Word is that she’ll stay on the Bay this summer and compete for the Toms River Challenge Cup against the A-Cat fleet. This will be the first time a boat other than the 28′ Mower/Sweisguth designs have competed since 1906.

Happy Retirement Jake!

Signs of Spring

The change of the coming season is visible at Beaton’s: the bubbler system has been put away, signs of owners can be seen around the yard and the Ospreys are back. The Silent Maid and the A-Cats are being prepped for the coming battles with lots of varnishing in evidence. Here are a few pics from the last few weeks:

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John Haas and Spyder
Here’s John Haas, up from SP for a visit and Spyder’s freshly varnished transom. Even the wood shop’s being used for paint work.

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Glowing!
Here’s the Silent Maid’s freshly varnished transom and newly painted and gold leafed name. The painter is a gentleman who’s been painting names at Beaton’s for decades. Fine hand.

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The Shadow knows
Speaking of transoms, here’s Shadow, looking Beaton’s Fresh.

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Ingrid Ann getting ready for the dock building season.

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And we have signs of Spring at Ourhouse. Everything seems to have survived the Winter with the bulbs thriving. Bring it on.

Sjogin Plans progress

I’ve learned that Paul Gartside will have three other sail arrangements available in his set of building plans for Sjogin in addition to the gaff yawl previously mentioned. More details on the WoodenBoat Forum thread here. It’s likely that building plans for Sjogin will be available this year, for both traditional and glued lap plywood. I’ll keep you posted of course.

Mr. Gartside’s drafting style make them suitable for framing as well. You know you’ll see at least the sail plan hanging in our house.

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Here is my favorite for now. A classic gaff sloop with a reasonable bowsprit and room for a staysail and jib. And a topsail. Lot’s of strings to fuss with but taking away a bit of Sjogin’s current ease of use. Paul has moved the sail area a bit forward to improve performance.

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This is a simpler Bermuda sloop rig, similar to the current one. Note again the bowsprit to move the sail area forward. Also note the running backstays to help support the larger jib. Hmmmm.
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Here’s the Bermuda Yawl rig. Fairly simple and snug; easy to reef the main or heave to with the mizzen strapped in and a bit of the jib to weather.

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Gaff yawl
My second favorite. She might look even better with a lug or gaff mizzen. She’d look great poking around the Thames estuary.
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Here’s a bit of video from yesterday’s storm. It was blowing about 30, gusting higher from the SSW with chunky waves in the basin. No fire on board needless to say.

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Sjogin’s back to her normal weeping with an ice free bilge. There shouldn’t (touch wood) be any more ice problems this season. Hope to have my first sail of 2011 fairly soon.

Back from a week in paradise

at our great friends Dave and Cheryl McDaniel’s new home on Fish Bay in St John. They just completed building this classic West Indies villa on the south shore. It was a welcome break from this Winter of our discontent.

Last Saturday was the Annual Friends of Virgin Islands National Park Gala held at their new home. There’s a pic of Julia and I with Dave and Cheryl and others on the beach here. Flicker album here with lots of pics that show just how beautiful Butterfly Beach Villa is. Photos courtesy of Tropical Focus Photography. What a treat to meet scores of local folks for a night of dining, drinking and dancing for a good cause. All shared a passion for this particular slice of Paradise.

No sailing last week but a lot of exploring, beach and pool time. What a vacation. Thanks again and again Dave and Cheryl. We’ll be back as soon as we can.

During our absence Winter decided to loosen it’s grip at home. It’s supposed to be in the 60’s tomorrow. (Though cooler at the shore!)

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Our rooms were upstairs in the Pool Cottage. Very comfortable, always a breeze and a view of Fish Bay through the mangroves.

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The view from our room the day of the Gala. One of the several bars can be seen on the veranda. Wow.

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Inviting
The pool was hard to beat; nice shade in the afternoon.

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Spa time
Of couse the late afternoon Spa sessions were easy to get used to. What a life!

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We managed to tear ourselves away form the pleasures of Butterfly Beach Villa to sample some of the local beaches. This is at Cinnamon Bay, one of the National Park Beaches.