Category: Beaton’s

Running out of excuses not to go sailing.  Installed the new jib sheet fittings today along with the quarter cleats and the out haul cleat on the boom.

Tomorrow the sails get bent on and I’ll see if I remember how to heave to.

The new jib sheets will go through the fairlead at the forward corner on top of the house and then to cam cleats on the aft corner.  This way there will not be any blocks  or sheets on the deck.

Sandy survivor. This is the simple little block I use to keep the wire halyard off the mast.  It was right where I left it when Sjogin was recovered.

Paul Smith fashioning a Duckboat rudder.  Nice breeze blowing in the window.  Ahhh…..

Sjogin’s mast was stepped yesterday after far too long.  I forgot the customary 1985 Bahamian quarter with a local sloop on one face.  A quarter was used yesterday with her traditional coin to be slipped under the mast today.  That should please Poseidon.

Looks like I managed to label the shrouds and stays correctly as everything seems to fit.  The rigging will settle down over time and especially after a few sails.  (Sailing, what a concept.)

Here are a few pics from yesterday:


 

Remember you can click on the photos for a larger image.

Thanks all for your patience over the years with my slow posting pace.  These new tools will hopefully shorten the publishing schedule.  We’ll see.

The long Winter and early Spring of our discontent has passed. The ice is gone from the Bay and sailing season beckons.

The mast is in the shop and almost ready to go. The sheave and a few bolts are among the missing but should not prove to be too big a problem. The cockpit sole work is coming along with some of the old cockpit sole teak reused. I had a recent consultation with Paul Smith about cockpit seat options. Looks like the seat slats will be made of Jersey cedar with oak framing, just like Sjogin’s hull.

If all goes according to plan, we should be sailing in May. (The operative word being should.)

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Ice free and mares tails on a brisk spring day a few weeks ago. Sailing soon.

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The mast work is almost done. When I have the rest of the screws the mast track will be done. Then it’s on to the gooseneck and mast head fittings. Also a new topping lift is called for. And then the same process with the boom.

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Fitting supports for the end of the cockpit sole. The teak came from one of the original floor boards.

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Who says things never change at Beaton’s. New flag pole repurposed from an old mast. Nice SW breeze.

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Shadow , a classic Blackjack,almost ready for her close-up.

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Myth, looking Beaton fresh.

That’s it for now. Perhaps a bit of more frequent posting now that heaving to off Swan Point gets closer.

with precious little to show for progress on Sjogin absent a perfectly varnished mast and boom courtesy of Paul Smith.

The mast is now stored in the spar shed, accessible when it’s time to rig. Jeff’s working on the rigging, serving the eyes with nylon seine twine. They may get a coat of varnish or “boat soup” before using.

Little progress down below but for the fitting of the bulkhead extension down into the bilge. One of my perennial problems with Sjogin’s stove was the puff backs on starboard tack in a good breeze. The original bulkhead was open at the bottom allowing the free passage of air. It also allowed air to leave the cabin, thus sucking smoke and occasionally flame out the stove vent. Quite exciting. By closing this off (mostly, there are still limber holes), the stove should draw better.

Sjogin’s still in the pit in the South Shed. Stop by and say hi to her.

Here are a few pics from the last month.

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Looks like she’ll be here for the Winter. I expect the basin will freeze soon due to the cold November we’ve had. The rig’s still being worked on and will not be ready for a while. We’ve waited this long to go sailing so a bit more won’t hurt.

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The bulkhead extension is fitted. The gap below the original one allowed air to get sucked out of the cabin encouraging puffbacks, sometimes with spectacular results. Fitting this extension should keep the excitement to a minimum.

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Here are the spars with their fifth coat of varnish. Paul Smith has put on the final (for now) coat. Very shiny. The mast and boom are now in storage awaiting rigging.

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Sjogin’s fame continues to grow. This is from Paul Gartside’s just published book Plans and Dreams, available here. The plans are from a series of how-to-build articles for Water Craft, a british publications. The design shown is of Sjogin III, a 19′ version of the plans made by Mr. Gartside a few years ago. You can build these boats from the plans in the book. Very generous.

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Paul included this photo taken by my son Jeff during Christmas years ago.

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Here’s Paul Smith doing a bit of very small boat work. That’s a model of the Emma C. Berry with her later Schooner rig. The models getting a little TLC before she’s returned to the Bay Head Yacht Club.

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Some of Jeff Reid’s handiwork. He’s becoming quite the carver. We have a Bufflehead in flight he carved for us last year. The cabinet is the one I made when working at Beaton’s those many years ago.

Comments?

Sjogin was returned to her home waters last Saturday at 4:30 surrounded by a gathering of about 30 folks. It was a spectacular day filled with very late Summer light. Good food, good drinks and a verrrrry happy Skipper.

I was shocked at how little she leaked. After 23 months out of the water, I expected her to fill readily as the keel and stems have dried out. An hour after launch she had an inch of water over the keel. Almost a week on and what leaking there is noticeably less. The prospects for a dusty bilge look good.

Next up is refinishing and re-rigging the spars; building the new cockpit sole (mostly done); cockpit seats; reinstalling the cabin sole and most importantly, setting up the Sardine for my first sizzle.

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Suitably decorated for the Launching Party. She’ll never look better. (Though maybe better when she’s hove to off Swan Point.)

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Jeff reid, Paul’s helper is on the left. Paul Smith, Master Boatwright, is right. Without Paul’s decades long experience, unfailing good cheer and love of wooden boats, Sjogin would be in the back field at Beaton’s, suffering my attempts to bring her back from the grave.

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Thanking all for their help making this day possible. Especially Julia.

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Julia doing the honors. It’s not a new boat so the usual bottle breaking was replaced with a generous drizzle. Plus the rest of the very good Champagne will not go undrunk.

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Floating on her own with the straps ready to catch her if she settles. Beautiful light, beautiful boat.

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Sjogin’s youngest fans. Their Mom Kathy took some of the above photos. Thanks.

Thanks all for a wonderful day. Other pics on the Flickr Sjogin Album, Instagram (search for Sjogin) and Facebook (Russ Manheimer).

Today’s the day. If you’re near Beaton’s this afternoon, come by and celebrate Sjogin’s return to her home waters. It’s been almost two years since she sank under Sandy’s waves.

She would not be ready (ready enough) for this day without the time honed skills of the Boatwrights at David Beaton and Sons. Particularly Paul Smith who used his long experience caring for tired old boats to bring about Sjogin’s renewal and second life. Also helping were Jeff Reid, Paul’s able assistant, John, Pete, Jim and the rest of the crew. Pete and Jim were the ones who patched the hole in her bow and recovered her from where she sank.

I want to particularly thank Tom Beaton, whose indulgence of passionate wooden boat owners is legendary.

And thanks to my dear readers whose comments and words of good cheer sustained me through this journey.

The final and deepest thanks go to my dear wife Julia for her unflagging enthusiasm and shared vision.

Before:

My first view of Sjogin after she was raised from the Barnegat Bay.

After:

Ready for her not too close-up.

More later.