docIn this Issue: • The JGSCW Returns! • Philadelphia Wooden Boat
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In this Issue: • The JGSCW Returns! • Philadelphia Wooden Boat
B sh reeze A The In this Issue: • The JGSCW Returns! • Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival • Michigan Classic Boat Festival • Journeyman: Community Boat Building • Florida Boats • Petaluma River Row • Boys Float the Bay • John Bridges: 65 Years Building Boats • More About New Jersey Beach Skiffs • Southern Waters, English Boats Journal of the Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. Volume 30, Number 3 • Fall 2009 • $4.00 The Ash Breeze The Ash Breeze (ISSN 1554-5016) is the quarterly journal of the Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. It is published at 134 E Main St., Moorestown, NJ 08057. Communications concerning membership or mailings should be addressed to: PO Box 350, Mystic, CT 06355. www.tsca.net Volume 30, Number 3 Co-Editors: Mike Wick mikewick55@yahoo.com Ned Asplundh nasplundh@yahoo.com Advertising Editor: Mike Wick Editors Emeriti: Richard S. Kolin Sam & Marty King David & Katherine Cockey Ralph Notaristefano Ken Steinmetz John Stratton Dan Drath The Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization that works to preserve and continue the living traditions, skills, lore, and legends surrounding working and pleasure watercraft with origins that predate the marine gasoline engine. It encourages the design, construction, and use of these boats, and it embraces contemporary variants and adaptations of traditional designs. TSCA is an enjoyable yet practical link among users, designers, builders, restorers, historians, government, and maritime institutions. ©2009 by The Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. 2 Editor’s Column It is now the fourth of July, and I have had a very good Spring. Using The Ash Breeze as my excuse, I have been able to attend more of this year’s festivals than usual, and I am pleased to report that there are many people and organizations working hard to keep the small boat movement going strong. April brought Doug Oeller, his Marsh Cat, Comfort, and me, to the fourth Florida Gulf Comfort Coast Festival in Cortez, Florida. It was a long trailer-haul south from New Jersey, but worth every mile. We had a lively gathering of racing, parties, and general messing about. Roger Allen planned a special bonus; a three-day gunkhole expedition of as many as ten boats. The weather was fine and quickly made us forget about our long cold winter. And, that was just the first.... In May, John and Vera England held their unique regatta – the 29th – at Urbanna, Virginia. We trailered and camped, and sailed and rowed, in an ideal setting on the Piankatank River. It was planned to be a twoday festival, but a perfect Saturday was followed by a windy, rainy Sunday. We hauled our boats early and drove home. Everybody was anxious about the status of the John Gardner Small Craft Workshop, after a painful, one-year hiatus. Thanks to the hard work of Ben Fuller, Sharon Brown, and Peter Vermilya, the weekend at Mystic Seaport was a condensed, but definite, success with about 60 boating attendees. to the basin, where John scooped them up with his fork lift and launched them delicately into the Delaware River. We had intermittent rain, but the wind was perfect. It is a special joy to have traditional boats sailing again on that historic river. This year, the Festival and Museum were hosts for the TSCA Annual membership and Council Meetings. The meetings were timed for periods when it was too rainy to go sailing. Council VP Pete Mathews and co-editor Ned Asplundh report that the Michigan Maritime Museum held its 28th Classic Boat Show, concurrently with South Haven’s Harborfest. There were a lively series of exhibits and seminars to attract visitors. Right before the deadline, we had the Wooden Boat Show at Mystic. Rick Carrion’s Elf (see the Winter 2008 issue; volume 29, number 4) sailed offshore straight from the Philadelphia Festival to be the star of the show at Mystic. I just heard from Doug Oeller that it was a great success. But what is significant is that, in each event, in each location, it was volunteers and docents who shouldered a heavier role in the event’s planning and execution. Museums’ staffs are all strapped and depend on our help. They need us to step up. In all our monthly meetings across the country, let’s show them how important we feel the preservation and usage of traditional small craft are, and volunteer a helping hand. For the second consecutive year, Laurie Reich, John Brady, and the staff and volunteers at Independence Seaport Museum worked hard to bring off the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival. We trailered our boats On the Front Cover: As wooden boat enthusiasts, we sometimes have the chance to admire fine hand craftsmanship in three dimensions. On the cover, and on pages 16-17 of this issue, however, we bring you the fine hand craftsmanship – in two dimensions, and on paper – of Irwin Schuster, a digital designer and TSCA-member in Florida. This issue’s cover shows his meticulous rendering of L .F. Herreshoff’s R ozinante ozinante. Design No. 98 is a classic light displacement canoe yawl-cruiser, drawn in 1954 to emulate the sea-keeping abilities of double-ended rowing vessels of the previous century. The feminine term does not seem appropriate for many craft. It is perfect, here. The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 From the President by John Weiss The 2009 Annual Meetings and the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival were fun, productive, and informative for all who attended (see pages 9-11). While the weather wasn’t perfect, I discovered that it doesn’t matter if it’s raining while you’re sailing a Tuckup! Sunday was much more conducive to comfortable sailing, though, after we finished all our business on Saturday night. First, I want to thank the outgoing Council members who finished three years of service on June 30: Clifford Cain, David Cockey, and Chuck Meyer. Replacing them on the Council is the “Class of 2009,” which will serve through June 2012: Bill Doll (Sacramento Chapter), Tom Haglund (Michigan Maritime Museum Chapter), and Andy Wolfe (Buena Vista, VA; at large). The new Council has elected to retain the same Officers for the next year: President John Weiss, Vice -President Pete Mathews, Treasurer Chuck Meyer, and Secretary Cricket Evans. Also, the proposed Bylaws amendments passed unanimously on the general ballot, and took effect immediately as of the Annual Meeting. Meeting Minutes, Officers’ reports, and the new Bylaws are posted on the web site for all to review. I am happy to report that TSCA is stable in membership and financially healthy. We had a modest $1200 increase in net assets over the past year, and a 1.5% increase in membership. At the meeting, South Jersey Chapter President George Loos asked the Council to develop a position on local anchoring rights in navigable waters, which has become a hot-button topic in the Cape May, NJ area, as well as in the state of Florida. This position paper could be used by TSCA representatives when addressing local hearings on new and proposed legislation. So far we have been in contact with Boat/US to gather information on recent legislation, as well as some legislative history on the topic. Roger Allen is the point man for TSCA. We’ll report progress via the web site and e-mail to Chapter Representatives. Council member Andy Wolfe, who owns a publishing company, has proposed to publish a book consisting of members’ favorite Ash Breeze articles, representing as wide a range of TSCA’s history as possible. By the time you read this, more information will have been published on the web site, but for those of you who have not yet contributed, send your nominations to andy@marinermedia.com. With any luck, we will have a viable stocking-stuffer available before Christmas, with all proceeds going to TSCA and/or the John Gardner Fund. Next year’s annual meeting will be hosted by the Michigan Maritime Museum and Pine Lake chapters coincident with the MMM’s June Harborfest. Further details, including firm dates, will be posted as we get them. SIRI 18' canoe yawl for glued lapstrake, traditional, or cold molded construction • Designs for power, sail, oars, and electric drive • Custom designs for amateur or professional builders • Kits and bare hulls available for COQUINA and BEACH PEA D. N. Hylan & Associates 53 Benjamin River Drive Brooklin, ME 04616 207-359-9807 web site: www.dhylanboats.com email: doug@dhylanboats.com IT ’S A GOOD TIME TTO O DO IT Y O URSELF ...WE C AN HELP YO URSELF...WE CAN MIKE WICK Address Changes: If you notify ONL ONLYY the US Postal that will not be enough to Service of an address change, keep your copies of The Ash Breeze, and any other second-, third- or fourth-class mail, arriving at the right place at the right time. To help us reduce postage costs and ensure that you don’t miss an issue, please send your new or forwarding address — 90 days in advance of your move — to the TSCA Secretary, PO Box 350, Mystic, CT 06355. Volume 30, Number 3 BASEMENT BOATYARD 134 E Main St. Moorestown, NJ 08057 856-222-1216 E-mail: mikewick55@yahoo.com 3 Active TSCA Chapters Florida Gulf Coast TSCA Roger B. Allen, Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St W, PO Box 100, Cortez, FL 34215, 941-708-4935 or 941-704-8598 (cell), Roger.Allen@ManateeClerk.com Adirondack Chapter TSCA Mary Brown, 18 Hemlock L ane, Saranac Lake, New York 12983, 518-891-2709, mabrown214@hotmail.com F riends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum TSCA Brent Creelman, 315 Front Street, Beaufort, NC 28516, 252-728-7317, maritime@ncmail.com Annapolis Chapter TSCA Sigrid Trumpy, P.O. Box 2054, Annapolis, MD 21404, hollace@crosslink.net Barnegat Bay TSCA Patricia H. Burke, Director, Toms River Seaport Society, PO Box 1111, Toms River, NJ 08754, 732-349-9209, www.tomsriverseaport.com Cleveland Amateur Boatbuilding and Boating Society (CABBS) Hank Vincenti, 7562 Brinmore Rd, Sagamore Hills, OH 44067, 330-4676601, quest85@windstream.net, www.cabbs.org Connecticut River Oar and PPaddle addle Club Jon Persson, 17 Industrial Park Road, Suite 5, Centerbrook, CT 06409, 860767-3303, jon.persson@snet.net Delaware River TSCA Tom Shephard, 482 Almond Rd, Pittsgrove, NJ 08318, tsshep41556 @aol.com, www.tsca.net/delriver Down East Chapter John Silverio, 105 P roctor Rd, Lincolnville, ME 04849, work 207-7633885, home 207-763-4652, camp: 207-763-4671, jsarch@midcoast.com Floating the Apple 1225 Park Ave., #10C, New York, NY 10036, 212-564-5412, floapple@aol.com John Gardner Chapter Russ Smith, U of Connecticut, Avery Point Campus, 1084 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, 860-536-1113, fruzzy@hotmail.com Puget Sound TSCA Gary Powell, 15805 140th Ct. SE, Renton, WA 98058, 425-255-5067, powellg@amazon.com Sacramento TSCA Todd Bloch, 122 Bemis Street, San Francisco, CA 94131, 415-971-2844, todd.sb@comcast.net Scajaquada TSCA Charles H. Meyer, 5405 East River, Grand Island, NY 14072, 716-7732515, chmsails@aol.com South Jersey TSCA George Loos, 53 Beaver Dam Rd, Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08210, 609-8610018, georgeowlman@aol.com L one Star Chapter Howard Gmelch, The Scow Schooner Project, PO Box 1509, Anahuac, TX 77514, 409-267-4402, scowschooner@earthlink.net South Street Seaport Museum John B. Putnam, 207 Front Street, New York, NY 10038, 212-748-8600, Ext. 663 days, www.southstseaport.org L ong Island TSCA Myron Young, PO Box 635, Laurel, NY 11948, 631-298-4512 TSCA of Wisconsin James R. Kowall, c/o Door County Maritime Museum, 120 N Madison Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, 920-743-4631 L ost Coast Chapter—Mendocino Stan Halvorsen, 31051 Gibney Lane, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 707-964-8342, Krish@mcn.org, www.tsca.net/LostCoast Chapters Organizing Michigan Maritime Museum Chapter Pete Mathews, Sec’y, PO Box 100, Gobles, MI 49055, 269-628-4396, canoenut@bciwildblue.com North Shore TSCA Dave Morrow, 63 Lynnfield St, Lynn, MA 01904, 781-598-6163 Oregon Coots John Kohnen, PO Box 24341, Eugene, OR 97402, 541-688-2826, jkohnen@boat-links.com Cape Cod Don Chapin, PO Box 634, Pocasset, MA 02559, 774-392-1833, Don@Coastalrower.com North Idaho Joe Cathey, 15922 W. Hollister Hills Drive, Hauser, ID 83854, caadnil@roadrunner.com St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Chapter Maury Keiser, 329 Valverde L ane, St. Augustine, FL 32086, 904-797-1508, maurykeiser@bellsouth.net P atuxent Small Craft Guild William Lake, 11740 Asbury Circle, Apt 1301, Solomons, MD 20688, 410-3943382, wlake@comcast.net Pine LLake ake Small Craft Association Sandy Bryson, Sec’y., 333 Whitehills Dr, East Lansing, MI 48823, 517-351-5976, sbryson@msu.edu 4 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 John Gardner Grant “To preserve, continue, and expand the achievements, vision and goals of John Gardner by enriching and disseminating our traditional small craft heritage.” In 1999, TSCA created the John Gardner Grant program to support projects for which sufficient funding would otherwise be unavailable. Eligible projects are those which research, document, preserve, and replicate traditional small craft, associated skills (including their construction and uses) and the skills of those who built and used them. Youth involvement is encouraged. Proposals for projects ranging from $200 to $2000 are invited for consideration. Grants are awarded competitively and reviewed Life Members Dan & Eileen Drath Jean Gardner Bob Hicks Paul Reagan Sidney S. Whelan, Jr. Generous Patrons Ned & Neva Asplundh Howard Benedict Kim Bottles Willard A. Bradley Lee Caldwell Richard S. Kolin Richard B. Weir Capt C. S. Wetherell Sponsor Members Rodney & Julie Agar Captain James Alderman Roger Allen C. Joseph Barnette Ellen & Gary Barrett Charles Benedict Gary Blackman Robert C. Briscoe Richard A . Butz Capt John S. Calhoun Charles Canniff Dick Christie Steve & Gladys Clancy David Cockey Volume 30, Number 3 Lloyd Crocket Stanley R. Dickstein Frank C. Durham David Epner Tom Etherington Huw Goronwy Evans Richard & Susan Geiger John M. Gerty Gerald W. Gibbs Larrick Glendenning Max Greenwood Mr. & Mrs. R. Bruce Hammatt, Jr. Peter Healey Colin O. Hermans Dana Hewson Steve Hirsch Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA Peter A. Jay Michael Jones & Judith Powers Samuel E. Johnson Phillip Kasten Stephen Kessler Thomas E. King Paul R. LaBrie Arthur B. Lawrence, III Peter M. leenhouts Chelcie Liu Jon Lovell The Mariners Museum, Newport News, VA Pete & Susan Mathews semiannually by the John Gardner Memorial Fund Committee of TSCA, typically in May and October. The source of funding is the John Gardner Memorial Endowment Fund. Funding availability is determined annually. Eligible applicants include anyone who can demonstrate serious interest in, and knowledge of, traditional small craft. Affiliation with a museum or academic organization is not required. Projects must have tangible, enduring results which are published, exhibited, or otherwise made available to the interested public. Projects must be reported in the Ash Breeze. Program details, applications and additional information: www.tsca.net/gardner.html D. Turner Matthews Michael McClure Charles H. Meyer, Jr. Alfred P. Minervini Howard Mittleman John S. Montague King Mud & Queen Tule Mason C. Myers Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Port Hadlock, WA Michael Porter Ron Render Don Rich & Sheryl Speck Richard Schubert Paul A. Schwartz Karen Seo Austin Shiels Gary & Diane Shirley Leslie Smith John P. Stratton, III Zach Stewart & Annie Somerville Robert E. (Bub) Sullivan James Thorington Peter T. Vermilya Dick Wagner John & Ellen Weiss Stephen M. Weld Robert & Judith Yorke J. Myron Young Joel Zackin Bob Zolli 5 while friends took advantage of open access to the Watercraft Collection facility. One One Woman’s Woman’s Opinion: Opinion: The The 2009 2009 John John Gardner Gardner Small Small Craft Craft Workshop Workshop at at Mystic Mystic Seaport Seaport 7:00 am: Sunday morning’s haze begins to lift from the Mystic River. by Sharon Brown, Boathouse Volunteer A newcomer, I attended my first Small Craft Workshop at Mystic Seaport in 1982 and haven’t missed one since. Falling on the first weekend in June, it heralds the start of the summer season in New England waters. From a transcontinental distance, I felt anguish at news of the cancellation of the 2008 workshop and empathy with those upset at the loss of the premier annual event for traditional small craft enthusiasts. The return of the workshop this year, in stripped-down, affordable format, was welcomed by all. I didn’t hear any complaints. Individual responsibility for sustenance was not a hardship, and with fewer programmed activities, participants had more opportunity to use boats and enjoy the camaraderie while learning from each other. I didn’t attend every organized session, but got a personal demonstration by Mark Starr who was electronically taking off the lines of Roger Allen’s Bahamian Dinghy, listened to Ben Fuller’s instructive account of small boat safety gear to pack aboard, and opted to row It was with great anticipation that I set off pre-dawn Sunday, walking in to join the sleepy-headed gathering on the beach and The Boathouse benches, for the downriver excursion to Ram Point on Masons Island. In the company of six Boathouse colleagues, I rowed a donated Whitehall built by students of Maine’s Washington County Technical School (The Boat School at Eastport) and was thoughtfully herded by Merrill Dunn, who was alongside in the peapod built by John Gardner and Syl Costelloe in the first recreational Boatbuilding Classes offered at Mystic Seaport in 1971. Despite a lack of calluses, I made the excursion without incident. A fringe of hulls drawn up on the littoral of the sandy outcropping provided opportunity for serious contemplation, study and exchange by a small group who enjoyed the stunning view of Noank. The schooner Amistad powered up the channel making for the bridge openings and osprey screeched overhead. As the mist cleared, oystercatchers called from Six Penny Island, and the wind began to stir the river. Memories of earlier workshops and the cast of giants, now gone, flooded back. This event is like a long visit to the reference section of a library with open stacks. And for that alone it is valuable. If we put John’s name to it, we owe it to him to carry on in proper fashion, to adhere to his standards and honor his commitment. Left and above: Fewer organized activities in 2009 provided more time for messing about on the water. 6 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 In its 39 years, the John Gardner Workshop has always enjoyed a broad diversity of small sailing, rowing, paddling, and even power craft to admire and to use. We’re sure that John would approve! Coverage continues on the next page. Volume 30, Number 3 7 Small Craft Workshop, cont’d. Returning to the museum mid-morning, there was still ample time to use boats and kibitz. Mason’s Island: A Sunday Morning Pictorial My only suggestion for “improvement” is that some activity specifically tailored for children should be returned to the format. Building and launching an “experimental propulsion” boat from the White Boat Shop was a magnet, as was the traditional inclusion of model building in The Boathouse, which has been free to participants and all who entered on the Saturday workshop afternoon for many years. We forget children and teenagers at risk of peril to our small craft culture, as John Gardner so strongly warned. He was an advocate for youth and their participation in all things small craft. Hopefully, the John Gardner Small Craft Workshop will continue for decades to come. While it is especially important that the venue remain at Mystic Seaport Museum, it is clear that there are now options, particularly that offered by the UCONN Avery Point John Gardner Chapter of TSCA. Clockwise from above: a Mystic mist; rowers make their way downriver; Cooper’s treasure trove; Ben Fuller holds court on the beach at Ram Point. One hopes that the inclination to make things bigger can be resisted. Photos courtesy of John Stratton. One Man’s Observations by John Stratton A reunion... after two years. Like most reunions you don’t have to be there every time. But when you can’t be there, it’s important to know that it happened; that the old gang of miscreants or cynics or pals are still around to joke and offer sage opinion. Through reunions we trace our progress, like it or not. The peculiar world of “innovation” in a “traditional” setting – a perfect oxymoron – is particularly like that. Variations on a theme, but the themes are subtle, and they encourage and delight in 8 variation. Yet seldom in the small-craft universe do we see variation for its own sake, parlor tricks of the woodshop. Craft are put to the test of the water and time... and, perhaps, even some inexperienced operators who are likely to put the accent on the wrong syllable, so to speak. Pretty is as pretty does. So it is a particular delight to have a returning flock of connoisseurs, squawking and feeding at Mystic Seaport’s Boathouse beach and docks last June 6-7. Regardless of specific interest or expertise, these are People Who Know: professionals, semiprofessionals, and true amateurs, who deserve the word. And no rain. None. A bit of a burning-off deep fog at dawn, Sunday morning, and satisfying steady light winds to fill sails of ruddy-dyed canvas, or blue polytarp, or Tyvek, propelling hulls, the ancestors of which saw water three centuries ago as playmates, or, much more likely, working companions. Sheets, rigging, paddle, loom are our companions, as is the flex and shiver of the hull. They speak to you and to each passenger aboard and they question: Did I really fasten that chainplate? Is epoxy really as strong as they say? Why did I leave that knot in there? Should I not have trimmed that blade a bit more? And am I keeping a sharp enough eye out? Look at all those boats, small boats everywhere! Again next year? We’ll see! The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 A Newcomer’s Perspective: The 2009 Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival A view of the Delaware River, then and now: much as its ancestors did, more than a century ago, the replica Tuckup, Marion V. Brewington Brewington, skims across the water against the modern backdrop of industrial and commercial Philadelphia. Photo by John Guidera. by Thomas Armstrong The Indepedence Seaport Museum held its second Wooden Boat Festival (WBF) last weekend. The Traditional Small Craft Association held their annual meeting here, and brought lots of beautiful small boats. In its second year, the Philly festival is still a nascent affair, with lots of potential for growth. It has a beautiful hosting facility, is centrally located in the mid Atlantic region with many great classic wooden boats, both large and small, within striking distance. There was Elf Elf, up from its Chesapeake home; and the recently launched [B-cat], Silent Maid Maid; Gwylan Gwylan, a Herreshoff 28; and numerous smaller traditional and not- quitetraditional craft. It rained. But the spirits of the participants and the visitors were undampened. Good wind for part of the day made for some exciting sailing on the Delaware River. My brother John had his first-ever sail! This event has all the elements in place to become a major event. Let’s make it so. About the Author: Thomas Armstrong is a new member of the Delaware River Chapter of TSCA and first-time attendee of the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival. His account of the fest, as well as the photographs on these pages, in color, can be seen online: http://70point8percent.blogspot.com. Volume 30, Number 3 Above, boats tied up in the Seaport Museum basin. At left is an Ed Monk Curlew design, built and owned by Phil Maynard; at right is Mike Wick’s Melonseed, built by Carl Weissinger. Photo by John Weiss. Above, Barbara Monson rows Ted Kilsdonk’s Asphodel, built by Ted to Jim Michalak’s Asphodel Oracle stitch-and-glue design for light plywood. Photo by Thomas Armstrong. At right, more pretty boats in the basin. bottomepita; an Ed Monk to-top: the Melonseed, Pepita Curlew; a Delaware Ducker; a Celbrity onedesign, Mud Hen Hen; Urchin , a Lowell-built semi-dory; and Asphodel Asphodel. Photo courtesy of Wendy Byar. Above, John Brady takes Vida out for a row around the basin. Vida is a new sassafrassplanked tender for Rick Carrion’s Elf Elf, and was splashed for the first time at the Festival. Photo courtesy of Wendy Byar. continued on next page 9 Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival, cont’d. A number of not-so -small craft were on display at the WBF. Clockwise from left: Elf and Silent Maid at the dock, a railbird skiff and Marion Brewington in the foreground (John Weiss photo); from aboard her Gwylan, skiff, Wendy Byar takes a closer look at the Herreshoff H-28, Gwylan with John Brady and Andy Wolfe on the dock; stern-quarter views of Elf and Gwylan (Thomas Armstrong photos). WBF participants ready their boats for an afternoon’s soggy sailing in between rainshowers. Clockwise from left, leftto-right: Roger Allen in the Abaco dinghy, Mighty Sparrow Sparrow, Chuck Pritchard in his Delaware Ducker, Phil Maynard in his Ed Monk-designed Curlew, Wendy Byar, in Urchin , epita and Mike Wick in PPepita epita. Ron Gibbs aboard Mudhen Mudhen, a 1963 Celebrity one-design from Holland. Phil takes Mike in tow under the shadow of Admiral Dewey’s flagship, Olympia Olympia. Photos by Thomas Armstrong. 10 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 Above left, Wendy likes to stand up when sailing her 1989 Lowellbuilt Salisbury Point Skiff semi-dory. Urchin was originally owned by Wendy’s uncle. Above right, Roger Allen shows off his sculling skills in Mighty Sparrow Sparrow. The Abaco dinghy was built in 1957 by Thomas Winer Malone, one of the premier boatbuilders in the Bahamas, with over 200 of these dinghies to his credit. Roger trailered the boat all the way from Cortez, FL, for a homecoming of sorts. He was formerly director of the Philadelphia Maritime Museum, now the Independence Seaport Museum, and had initiated the Musuem’s Workshop on the Water. Clockwise from left: Wendy takes John Armstrong (at the helm) on his first-ever trip aboard a sailboat; Mighty Sparrow was built of madiera and horseflesh (yes, those are woods, not wine and animal skin), as well as Bahamian cedar and other traditional woods (you can better appreciate her traditional paint scheme on Thomas’s blog site: http:// 70point8percent.blogspot.com); under Roger ’s watchful eye, Mike brings Pepita into the basin under scandalized main. Phil Maynard dodges commercial barge traffic in the river. Volume 30, Number 3 11 28th Annual Classic Boat Festival at the Michigan Maritime Museum This show is timed to coincide with and compliment South Haven’s Harborfest. On Friday night, several folks took part in a boat parade along the harborfront, in an attempt to “class” up this municipal event with some classic boats. Forecasted thunderstorms held off long enough to complete the parade, get the boats off the water and under cover before high winds and rain set in. The weather gods cooperated the next day as well. The day turned out to be perfect for a show. The thunderstorms were gone, the sun was out and the temperature just about perfect for viewing and using small boats. After several years of declining participation and attendance, this year was a marked improvement. By utilizing the resources of the Chapter, we were able to reach out to more prospective participants, private and commercial, and include some new features that hadn’t been done before. Everybody loves a launch! Ken Krayer of Saugatuck, MI, and his steamboat, Willie , were lastminute additions to the festival. The crowds loved this sight-and-sound spectacular. by Pete Mathews On June 20, 2009, the Michigan Maritime Museum held its Classic Boat Festival. This show, now 28 years old, is one of the largest public events held by the Museum. This year, the Museum’s TSCA Chapter assumed management of the show for the first time. This was necessitated by a shortage of staff at the museum, and an interest by the Chapter in keeping the show alive and Paddles of all sizes, shapes and descriptions were on display at the Mackinaw Watercraft booth. Neva Asplundh photo. 12 perhaps growing it as well. A combined committee was headed by Sandy Bryson, and included David Ludwig, director of the Museum’s Padnos Boat Shop and MMM-TSCA President, and Mary Stephens, Volunteer and Docent Coordinator at the Museum. They put the event together with the help of Museum volunteers and Chapter members. Traditional and very small craft were on display at the festival. Above is a radiocontrolled model of a Friendship Sloop, built by John Hansen in 1998, from WoodenBoat magazine plans. The 43”x14”x10” boat was built in pine by the lift method. PaulC photo. Of these new additions, seminars proved to be popular with attendees, as did the children’s table where the kids could build small boats to take home with them. Chapter members made up the kits to a design used by the CABBS Chapter, who generously shared their design with us. The seminars covered such topics as boat building (real boats) with children, working with composites, restoring canoes, building half hulls and painting and varnishing. The exhibits, as the accompanying photos show, covered a wide spectrum of boats from ice boats, to very early aluminum boats, to restored classic boats, to modern glued Very traditional, 1928 Kennebec “Maine Guides” model canoe, with an equallytraditional Maine Pack Basket. Neva Asplundh photo. The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 Above, Russ Hicks showing how we bring ‘em back to life. He is working on a wood-and-canvas Chestnut canoe, originally built in the 1930s in Canada, as Allen Deming looks on. At right, Hanns Heil shows off the Shellback Dinghy that he built in an industrial arts class with his middle school students. lapstrake and traditionally-built wooden boats and canoes. Visitors seemed genuinely glad to be able to see our boats, ask questions about them, receive good answers and experience the passion so many of the exhibitors have for these boats. The most telling comment I heard from an attendee was “you folks routinely do things I didn’t believe were being done anymore.” That’s not a bad impression to leave with our visitors and show-goers. While we haven’t had our wrapup meeting yet, the general sense is that the Chapter is enthused by the success this year. There is now some experience doing this, some momentum generated and we look forward to doing it again next year, perhaps to also “Now, where is that pesky possum?” Bobcat Bobcat, above, is reminiscent of an old punt from the Pogo comic strip. Owned by Jack Lawrence, his grandfather built it in 1940, of wood planks. It’s been in the family for 59 years and had served many generations on Mullett Lake. Volume 30, Number 3 host the TSCA Annual Meeting. It helps us to support our host Museum organization, causes us to focus our thinking as a group, and keeps us active and involved. How can we go wrong? About the Author: Pete Mathews is a volunteer at the Michigan Maritime Museum, in South Haven, MI, as well as Secretary of the Museum’s TSCA Chapter and VicePresident of TSCA National Council. He can be reached by e-mail at canoenut@ bciwildblue.com The oldest boat in the show, a 1903 (or older?) Racine canoe. Unless indicated otherwise, photos are by Ned Asplundh. continued on next page At right: John Wetterholt, left, of the USCG Auxiliary, put on a display, and audience participation game, of “Talking Trash:” how long do various kinds of waste last in the water? 13 Michigan Classic Boat Festival, cont’d. Future TSCA member? We hope so! Above, intense scrutiny. Left-to-right: John Hansen, Meri Dodsen, Dick Dodsen, Mary Gleason, David Green and David Ludwig admire the workmanship of Bill Briggs’ St. Lawrence Skiff. At right, a detail of the custom bronze-cast bow eye of the St. Lawrence. “They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.” At left, Bruce Miller demonstrates the rowing techniques of his 19’ sandolo, Maureen . Sandolos were used for fishing and hunting waterfowl in the Lagoon and wetlands of Venice. Bruce built the boat in 2002. Clockwise from left: Frank James’ 12’ cedar/ canvas Penn Yan cartopper; Jim Neal’s 1951 13’ Thompson runabout, built of cedar-strip; a couple of “hard-water” boats, brought by Jon Lofgren; it wasn’t all work as Larry Hollenbeck takes a break from serving hot dogs. Larry and his wife, Margaret, gracioulsy donated a portion of their lunch profits back to the MMM Chapter. Two dories: Phil Nager’s 1986 Lowell-built, planked Surf Dory, and a 2001 ply-lap Swampscott Dory, built by Ilene and Ken Filipiak. Ken’s boat is fitted with beautiful sassafras and cherry trim. 14 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 Journeyman: A Community Boat Building Project by Kendra Seaman On May 28th, students of the “Voyaging” boat building class, and community members, launched the 24’ wooden longboat Journeyman in Mystery Bay. The boat was built at the Northwest School of Wooden BoatBuilding (NWSWB) by high school students enrolled in the Chimacum PI and Port Townsend ICE programs, both alternative learning programs for students in Jefferson County. with barely a disturbance and had excellent stability and freeboard, a true credit to her designers and builders.” The boat also sailed well on her first sail, showing off the Quimper Dragon that students painted on her square sail. Ashore, supporters and participants celebrated with a BBQ during the festivities. Voyaging was designed to give students an opportunity to experience various marine trades and to help them build partnerships with the Jefferson County maritime community. Beginning this past Fall, the pilot class was taught by Wayne Chimenti of Force 10 Sails, Jeff Hammond of NWSWB, and Marcy VanCleeve of the Puget Sound Explorers. Journeyman is a Photography by Mikail modified Jim Franken/Kit Africa design. The original 28’ boat was designed for singer/songwriter Mick Bird to be single-handedly rowed around the world. Chimenti wrote: “All agreed the vessel was ‘fast and able.’ She slipped through the water Journeyman has been shortened to about 24’. Large, decked-over living/storage areas Bosold. have been replaced by much smaller and more conventional-looking decks. The boat has eight rowing stations. A sailing rig has been added; none was designed for the original vessel. The boat’s construction is hard chine/ plywood-epoxy and would be called a modified dory. It has been outfitted with a centerboard case and half-inch-thick steel centerboard. It was built almost exclusively from donations from many local vendors like Edensaw Woods and Townsend Bay Marine of Port Townsend. Journeyman will be used extensively by many groups in the community, including high school marine science students, middle school rowing students, seamanship training for NWSWB students, the Puget Sound Explorers, Sea Scouts, and other youth and education organizations. Journeyman was officially christened on Sunday, June 28th. 360-385-4948 Volume 30, Number 3 About the Author: Kendra Seaman is Special Projects Administrator at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, 42 N. Water Street, Port Hadlock, WA 98339. 15 Florida Boats by Irwin Schuster These digital illustrations are part of a series being drawn for the Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez, to document samples of the many types, and some specific vessels, used in the state. In many cases hull lines exist apart from rigs, and the plan is to create complete, visually friendly images for educating the general public. The series is also intended as a fund raiser for the Museum. Four of these illustrations have been professionally printed as notecards and postcards. Notecards are 4.25"x5.5", postcards are 5x7" suitable for framing. Contact me at Ahoy@YourBoatArt.com for details. Sharpie “Egret”: 28’2” x 7’2” Commodore Ralph Munroe designed the prototype Egret (above) in 1886, had her built on Staten Island and delivered to Key West. The design features high, flaring sides and is double-ended – tending to have greater stability when loaded and running more safely before following seas. Bahamas Smack/Abaco Dinghy: 18’ x 6’6” Migrating from the islands, the design (above) is heavily built with raked ends and shapely transom. They are usually open in smaller sizes and decked in larger versions. Typically rigged with a large solid headboard and very generous roach on the foot. Sculling is preferred to rowing. Used for shell- and fin-fishing by net, line and diving. Spritsail Skiff “Sallie Adams”: about 21’ x 5’ A narrow, V-bottom, hard chine type of the early 1900s (at right), imported from the Carolinas. Often rigged with loose-footed main and carrying a topsail on a hoisted yard when raced or in particularly light airs. This particular boat was built in 2005 at the Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez. 16 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 K ey W est Smackee: usually 25’ to 35’ West Sharpie “P ompano”: 47’3” x 12’7” “Pompano”: This “buy/carryaway/market” boat was built at Cedar Key in 1884, and carried fish to markets in the Tampa Bay area. Features: odd structure with knuckle in the bottom profile, unusual rig, and a huge centerboard, which effectively divides the hull. Beached in a storm and abandoned in 1921, her lines were taken from a WPA HAMMS survey. A general type of heavily-built smack (above) with well hold. Used for hand-line fishing for mackerel, bottom fish and turtles in the late 1800s. Simple rig was needed for a small crew, usually two men or a man and a boy. The undocumented rig shown is reconstructed from other local vessels. West PPalm alm Beach Sharpie: 53’2” x 11’11” This boat (below left) was built at West Palm Beach, FL in 1899, for the mackerel fishing industry on the local reefs. Howard I. Chapelle took lines off the vessel in 1927. The rig is reconstructed from documentation on similar Florida schooners. About the Author: Irwin Schuster is a professional graphic designer and illustrator. He operates his own business at 8503 Portage Ave., Tampa, FL 33647-1707. www.YourBoatArt.com Volume 30, Number 3 17 2009 2009 Petaluma Petaluma River River Row Row Rowers make their way past the historic livery stable at Steamer Landing Park . Photo by David Yearsley. by David Yearsley On April 5, 2009, over 200 people converged on Petaluma’s Steamer Landing Park, some by land and some by water. They were attracted to this scenic peninsula by two events: the Friends of the Petaluma River (FPR) was hosting the Sacramento/SF Bay TSCA Chapter’s annual Petaluma River Row and inviting the participants to stop at Steamer Landing Park; FPR also invited the public to an open house in the Park ’s historic Livery Stable, which is being converted into a River Heritage Center. Over 20 traditional boats launched at the Petaluma Marina, then rowed upstream, arriving at the park’s riverside docks around 11:00 am to the delight of land-based visitors. Everyone enjoyed viewing the handcrafted boats on both land and water. A colorful steam launch, with legendary boat builder Simon Watts onboard, arrived a short time later, after chugging all the way up from Black Point, near the river mouth. There were a variety of displays set up in the old stable, including a large-scale model of the historic scow schooner Alma Alma, still a regular visitor to Petaluma. Activities for kids included kite flying, story telling, and rope bracelet making; but one of the most popular attractions for youngsters was a simple 12’ flatiron skiff placed on the lawn outside. It was never without a young person at the oars and several crew were preparing to be future mariners. Folks of all ages enjoyed the ambience of the setting while munching on chili dogs and appreciating the wonderful Clockwise from above: rowers launch and ready their boats for departure. At right, John DeLapp and his Golden Bear Bear; lower right, Bill and Wendy Doll aboard Jitterbug Jitterbug; Pete Evans is on the dock . Photos by David Luckhardt. 18 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 spring sunshine. Around 1:00 pm, the rowers decided it was time to head downriver. tasty food and cool drinks. All who participated agreed it had been a wonderful day. The boats departed Steamer Landing Park, some to return to the marina and others to head to Papa’s Taverna at Lakeville Landing, six miles away. Photo galleries of the day ’s activities can be viewed at: The afternoon featured a fresh southerly breeze, unusual for Petaluma, which precluded the use of sail for the run downriver although the outgoing tide was in their favor. It turned out to be quite a bit of work rowing into a 15+ knot headwind. In fact many who arrived at Papa’s later that afternoon for post-rowing refreshments complained of sore arms. Everyone who gathered there enjoyed sharing stories over www.flickr.com/photos/ friendsofthepetalumariver/ www.flickr.com/photos/ricks_boats/sets/ 72157616402459226/ and www.petaluma360.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ gallery?Site=SR&Date=20090403&Category= COMMUNITY&ArtNo=403009993 &Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1 Dressing for nautical success. John Carlson, along with his sons, Hugh and Owen (left-toright) were outfitted for the day in replica Royal Navy kit. Photo by David Luckhardt. Above, rowers arrive at Steamer Landing Park . Photo by David Luckhardt. At right, food and festivities outside the historic livery stable. Photo by Rick Thompson. Above, a large-scale model of the scowschooner, Alma Alma, was on display inside the historic livery stable. At right, a land-based flatiron skiff was very popular with families. Both photos by Rick Thompson. Volume 30, Number 3 19 The Boys Float the Bay Obadiah has a sister ship, Comfort Comfort, captained by Doug Oeller, a veterinarian. He is a man with an anchor tattoo, who laughs easily and contagiously at his own jokes. Doug plays a baby Taylor guitar; his first mate Neil Battaler plays an English recorder. Together they played melodies from Erin’s shore. The singalongs included “Spanish Ladies” and the “Derby Ram;” Doug’s favorites. We all joined in; put-on Irish accents included. They are joined by Ned Asplundh on the bodhrán drum. He sails a 1983 cat-ketch Sea Pearl. Its leeboards allow for a large sleeping area, as well as storage and head facilities. The Pearl is based on L. Francis Herreshoff ’s Carpenter Carpenter, and is designed for the shallows of the Florida Keys. The Pearl is very much at home anchored in three feet of sandy bottom. Rafting-up for the evening’s meal, left-to-right: Ned Asplundh, Jim Luton (partially hidden behind mast), Pete Peters, Mike Wick, Ron Gibbs, Neal Battaler, Doug Oeller, and Kevin Brennan. Photo by Pete Digel. by Pete Peters “Look, there goes a green heron,” quipped soft-spoken Kevin, as the bird flew past the stern of our raft-up. The heron, a seldomseen bird with a long green shining neck, roosted in a loblolly pine, not far from us. Unexpectedly, the loud blast of a conch horn sounded. A deafening echo returned from the maritime forest, fifty yards from us. It signals that the captain has declared the sun is over the yardarm and rations of Guinness and grog will commence. It is a fine old custom, continued by these modern day explorers. Later, many novice-but-hopeful conch blowers will have a try, with varied success and enthusiasm. Two-thousand-nine marks the fifteenth annual “male bonding float.” This year, the Float consisted of seven small, traditional boats, most of them from the mid-Atlantic region. The day started at Tilghman Island and ended in Broad Creek, a tributary of the Choptank River. Seven sailing craft made quite a sight, beamreaching up the creek. All the way in we were watched by diamondback terrapins, 20 peeking up for a look at what was coming their way. Terrapins are particularly busy this time of year, looking for sandy shores to lay their eggs. We rafted up just south of Chalk Cove, in a quiet, unnamed bight. There is always room for us; no one’s boat draws more than twelve inches. Later, there was a gathering on Obadiah Obadiah, a 15’ Joel White-designed Marsh Cat, skippered by “Cap’n Pete.” The catboat is coldmolded of mahogany veneers. Nine men, with an assortment of pennywhistles, recorders, guitars, and bodhrán entertained from the cockpit, with sea shanties, stories and jokes galore. Pepita is a 16’ Melonseed, designed by John Brady, built by Carl Weissinger, and sailed by Mike Wick. Mike is president of the Delaware River chapter of TSCA. He is a retired English teacher, who used this second Chesapeake float as a warm-up. Later this summer, he plans to circumnavigate Newfoundland aboard his brother’s 42’ cutter. Mike is renowned for his ability to craft birdsmouth hollow spars. Doc, as cooks aboard tall ships were called, fired up the butane-powered, one burner stove. Others returned to their boats to begin dinner. Each vessel was self sufficient, with head facilities, cooking stoves, and makeshift tents for sleeping. Ron Gibbs is an engineer by profession and boat designer by hobby. He has a new 19foot camp cruiser under construction. She Fleet floaters cruise in company. Left-toright: Jim Luton and his crabbing skiff, Doug Oeller and Neal Battaler aboard Comfort, Mike Wick and his Pepita Melonseed. Photo by Pete Digel. The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 Above, trying to capture light winds, the fleet spreads out over the Bay. Photo by Pete Digel. Below right, Pete Peters and Ned Asplundh play “tacking tag.” Photo by Ron Gibbs. will have bilge boards and narrow beam. He expects her to be faster and more nimble than his Celebrity one-design. She’ll be a sloop, and is expected to be part of next year’s flotilla. With chopsticks and pot stickers, “Cap’n Ron” boarded Obadiah to eat. “Cap’n Pete” is a pediatrician and knot-tying, fender-making sailor. Their main course was salmon, rice and vegetable stir-fry, bought at a local deli. Pepperidge Farm Chesapeake cookies are for dessert. Jim Luton looked on, frying a homemade crab cake on a white gas camping stove. A few minutes before, flames rose to singe the boom and threaten the sail. Fire aboard wooden ships, during the Golden Age of Sail, was a major source of anxiety, when vessels carried tarred rope, coal and saltpeter. The anxiety continues today. “Cap’n Jim” is a master cabinetmaker from Brooklyn, and his crabbing skiff is a beauty. She is Marconi-rigged with a raked mast. Sixteen feet, two inches is her length. She is the longest boat Jim could get into the elevator from his third floor shop. His home port is Jamaica Bay, NY. We remind him that we’re not near Coney Island any more. He’ll be back next year. It was a full moon that night, on this first weekend in June, and the boys migrated to the John Welsford-designed Navigator, skippered and built by Kevin Brennan. Her name is Slip Jig and is properly yawl-rigged. His first mate and photo historian for the trip is Pete Digel, an old and dear friend from Bradford, PA. “Cap’n Kevin” is the naturalist of the group, and project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, stationed in Baltimore. He actively supervises the Poplar Island Ecosystem Restoration Project. He is a wealth of stories about successes and failures at rejuvenating the Chesapeake. The stories faded as mosquitoe buzzing increased; they found us in the cove. It’s a true test of sobriety, successfully navigating a trip back to Obadiah across decks of the rafting flotilla. We made it without incident. At left, Kevin prepares an Irish traditional breakfast: oatmeal topped with a splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream; below, Jim defines “laid-back” sailing. Spring lines, bow and stern lines were cast off. The fleet separated to individual anchorages. Each captain raised boom tents and settled in for the night. The fleet awaited a conch shell wake-up in the morning. It was red skies at night and all’s well. About the author: Pete is a former president of the Delaware River Chapter TSCA. In addition to his catboat, he owns a plywood lapstrake Delaware Ducker. Thoughts from Cap ’n Doug Cap’n One thing that strikes me about this event is that we all leave home as individuals, but as soon as each of us arrives at the ramp we become part of the family. We share what we brought, help without being asked, and keep each other safe. I also think the diversity of boats and people blend together to create a wonderful “Mulligan’s Stew” of experience, that has a familiar but slightly different flavor each year and leaves those who partake looking forward to another helping. Volume 30, Number 3 21 John Bridges: Sixty Five Years of Building Wooden Boats careful where one beached; the creatures could easily step on and destroy a boat. In Trinidad, John took on his most ambitious effort, creating a Chinese junk for the Disney studios. He worked with sketches by Disney artists to design a sailing junk built over the hull of another boat. The 90 ft. boat, carvel planked from pitch pine, was featured in the 1960 movie version of Swiss Family Robinson. John built two longboats to complete the package, using plans from those boats shipped aboard Captain Bligh’s Bounty Bounty.. by Ed Neal John Bridges’ resumé of boatbuilding tallies twenty-five boats, quite a performance for an amateur builder. His interest in boating started as a young boy living on the Isle of Wight, off the coast of England. Brightlyvarnished tenders of magnificent yachts would pull up on the beach, and John, like other boys his age, would earn a few coins by tending the boats, keeping them from getting damaged while the owners performed shoreside duties. John’s professional carreer as a forestry products technologist took him to different parts of the world and “he left a trail of Optimist dinghies wherever he went.” In Kenya, he sailed on a lake that featured three hippopotami. One had to be very John met his wife, Sheila, through their mutual interest in sailing. They spent time cruising the Caribbean from their home base in Trinidad. Over the years John has accumulated a vast store of boatbuilding anecdotes and insight as he has built a variety of designs: catamaran, daysailer, punt, dory, skiff, and Flying Dutchman class one-design. He does not shy away from taking on a challenge and building an unusual boat. His latest boat, Swiftsure Swiftsure, completed in 2007, is a replica of a 1750s English revenue cutter. But there is a bit of a hidden motive at work in his choice of design. As John stated, John takes George Ricketts through his boatbuilding scrapbook. getting crew out for a sail can be difficult. If you call someone and ask them to come out for a sail on a 16’ daysailer you may get a polite, “sorry… busy.” If you call and ask them to sail in your 1750s English revenue cutter, you find you get far fewer turn downs. As John said, “it is easy to get crew for unusual boats.” Editor’s Note: John made a presentation at the March 2009 meeting of the Cleveland Amateur Boat Building Society (CABBS). This article comes to us through the courtesy of CABBS and their monthly publication, CClamp. Ed Neal is webmaster of the group. “Boatiest” Schools In America: Online Database Helps Pick Schools for College-Bound Boaters For young scholars with a passion for the water, heading off to college often means a four-year hiatus from boating. But not anymore with a new online resource – www.BoatUS.com/colleges – which helps students find the top marine programs and extracurricular boating activities offered by four-year schools. The one-of-a-kind Guide premieres in the July 2009 issue of the BoatUS online magazine – www.BoatUS.com/magazine – along with a list of “The 25 Boatiest Schools in America” – those that offer at least three different accredited marine-related programs, both academic and extracurricular. Students can search the database by state or by program, such as Fisheries, Marine Engineering, Oceanography, Marine Biology, Sailing or Waterskiing. John showed a number of extended-reach, shop-built boatbuilding clamps. 22 The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 More About New Jersey Beach Skiffs Editor’s Note: In our last issue, Damian Siekonic profiled his experiences in finding and restoring Sea Bright Skiffs. One of our readers, Andy Anderson, sent a very interesting follow-up letter; we’d like to share it and Damian’s response with you. Andy writes: As a Jerseyman and an owner of a Sea Bright skiff (albeit constructed of fiberglass), I especially enjoyed Damian Siekonic’s article in the Summer 2009 Ash Breeze. I’d like to clarify and elaborate on the point in the article where he describes the differences between the Hankins boats and the Van Sant boat. The former is rightly called a Sea Bright Skiff, whereas the Van Sant boat would be more accurately called a South Jersey Beach Skiff. In his classic volume American Small Sailing Craft, Howard Chapelle categorizes boats by building method. The Sea Bright Skiff (named for [the town of] Sea Bright, at the northern end of the New Jersey coast) is presented in the chapter on the scow and bateau, since it is constructed dory-fashion, with a flat bottom plank. In fact, it is much like the round-sided Swampscott dory, except for the garboards, which are twisted nearly vertical at their after ends. Chapelle presents the South Jersey Beach Skiff in his chapter on the skiff and yawl-boat, since it is a round-bottom boat with a plank keel. According to Chapelle, building of this model centered around Atlantic City, which is on the southern portion of the New Jersey coast. whether the similarities between the northern and southern boats are due to parallel evolution or a common heritage. Through experience with my boat, I can vouch for the performance of the Sea Bright Skiff, in the surf and in sea conditions where 16-foot boats don’t usually venture. Fair winds, Andy Anderson Damian responds: The Van Sant is the first “South Jersey” skiff that I came across, and Andy’s observations seem spot on. I measured the Van Sant to the first Hankins I bought, and the measurements are nearly identical in LOA, beam and freeboard, right down to the inch. Even the shape of the sheer strake is close, as is the rake of the transom. The only difference, as Andy pointed out, is the use of a keel on the Van Sant where the Hankins is mostly flat-bottomed. I was not aware that the Van Sant went by the distinction of a “South Jersey” skiff and am happy to have learned about it. Looking at the map one sees that Sea Bright and Atlantic City are only 80 miles apart. Charles Darwin would certainly be interested in this example of evolution!!! The Launch of Persephone On a chilly, grey day in early April, family and friends gathered at Lake Nockamixon State Park, in southeastern Pennsylvania, to help Damian Siekonic launch Persephone ersephone, his newly-restored Hankins Skiff. Your editors, Mike Wick and Ned Asplundh, were on hand to record and celebrate the occasion. Above: Her first splash in at least 20 years and she leaked nary a drop! Persephone hits the water under the guiding hands of Jim Rockwell and Joe Chrome, as Don Becker and Damian handle winch duty on the trailer. Phil Maynard and Mike Wick look on from the dock. Below: Without sail rig, but fully-loaded and making good headway under oars. From left, Amy Siekonic steers, as Jim, Don and Phil admire the smooth riding hull form. Damian and Joe put their backs into it. The two do share some characteristics that are common among beach boats, including a size suitable for handling on the beach, a marked sheer, and raked ends. Both types also have transom sterns, which are much less common among beach boats, most being double-ended. Chapelle suggests that there may have been a transition from a flatbottomed model to a round-bottomed one within New Jersey, but we are left to wonder Volume 30, Number 3 23 Southern Waters, English Boats by Curt Bowman The wind had freshened in the past hour and the sun was dropping lower in the west. I turn to beat into a rising chop. I need to make port before dark. Annie spins to and pulls ahead. Thoughts from the past mix with this moment. I am looking at 60 years soon, still singlehanding and just as drawn to sail as I was 30 years ago. Here’s my sailing story: I grew up in the foothills of North Carolina and found my way to Nags Head on the Outer Banks in 1978. A friend fresh from Puget Sound taught me to sail in his 10’ open boat on the sound side of Bodie Island. He removed the rudder in a small cove and I learned to struggle through points of sail by shifting my weight and backing the small jib. When I returned to my job at the North Carolina Aquarium, I kept thinking about that day. Then “you-know-what” happened. At lunch break one day, I noticed a small wooden cruiser swinging at anchor in the basin at the Manteo waterfront. I watched a fellow rowing his lapstrake dinghy out with a case of Heineken in the bilge. I started looking for a wooden boat. I found her in an ad in a Norfolk paper. She was an English-built, Alan Buchanan- Annie at anchor 24 The Buchanan Spartan: Quelle Canard designed Spartan that had recently brought a young family down from NYC to find a slower Southern life. She was a small (24’) deepkeeled beauty, with African mahogany planks, copper-riveted on black oak. I didn’t have a clue what to do, but started in scraping, studying, sorting out gear and sailing with some trepidation. A lost winch handle, crushed dock boards and the classic “boom up-side the head” all made for an interesting education. After a couple of months of nothing else I finally felt confident enough to set a course for what would become a year-long adventure along the Southeast coast. I quickly became a part of the itinerant family of young boat people that populated the waters and docks along the coasts in those days. I remember diving to free anchors in freezing water, repairing a dock for a bag of groceries, a 16-hour nor’easter overnight run offshore of Beaufort, NC, running buoy lights through Georgia Sea Islands at midnight, and many days with friends who are I hope still somewhere sailing. After a couple of years in the unrelenting and damaging St. Augustine, FL sun, we parted ways. My then-new wife Eleanor and I bought a small wooded lot in town with the modest proceeds. Time passed, about 20 years, and we built a house; later selling it for a bit of profit. Since it was seeded with boat money, we decided to commission the building of Annie. She is a wooden Drascombe Coaster built by Ted Perry of East West Custom Boats at Eliot, Maine in 2006-2007. Ted is the only builder licensed to build Drascombes in the US and possibly the only shop building them in wood. Drascombes, designed in wood by John Watkinson, are very popular in England, Ireland, France and the Netherlands. Most are built in GRP. I had owned and sailed Drascombes: Maggie Mae Mae, a Lugger, and still maintain and sail Becky Thatcher Thatcher, a Scaffie. The Annie project started with research into wooden Longboats and their cabin version, the Longboat Cruiser. For the most part they are stretched Luggers, 21’ 9” compared to 18’9”. I preferred the cabin profile and accommodations of the GRP Coaster, an adaptation of the Longboat Cruiser. After taking measured drawings off a friend’s Coaster, I started developing CAD drawings for the cabin and cockpit. Design modifications were made for ply construction and my personal aesthetic. The Ash Breeze, Fall 2009 Ted Perry, an excellent builder, was very amenable to my ideas and had plenty of constructive advice. With a contract in hand, he and his crew started setting up the stations, some of which would become bulkheads and frames. Annie is planked with Sapele marine ply and lap-glued with WEST epoxy. Laps were initially bolted together at short intervals, and later pegged with glued dowels. All surfaces inside and out were flow-coated with WEST prior to finishing. Cabin space was preserved by the use of a laminated beam under the cabin top tabernacle (see photo at left). There is plenty of storage under bunks, bridge deck, and foredeck, and around the large cockpit. Rails, tiller and trim are teak recycled from pews out of a Maine church. The centerboard is stainless steel plate, as is the kick-up rudder. I have modified the centerboard, replacing the wire that retracted the board with a heavy nylon dog leash. It is working much more smoothly. I was fortunate to observe the construction on a few occasions and assist with the rigging. We launched in early spring at Kittery Point on the Piscataqua River and after a brief shakedown I was convinced that we would have a lot of adventures together in the years to come. After delivery, I continued to add equipment: a dodger, cushions and recently a custom tent that encloses the cockpit. I have sailed around Florida – along the St. Johns River, inland lakes, and the Gulf Coast. Plans for a trip to the sounds of North Carolina are in the works – a return to my sailing roots. Before you read this, we may be going to windward again, adding to memories and clawing toward a new story to share. About the Author: Curt Bowman is a designer and owner of Hughes Bowman Design Group, St. Augustine, FL. The firm has developed exhibits for museums and park visitor centers throughout Florida and Coastal Georgia. He previously worked in several museums and aquariums as a curator and designer, as well as coordinating folklife programs for the Smithsonian Institution. For Sale: Ducktrap Wherry, $5900 14’ LOA x 48" beam, approx. 135 lbs. Occume (6mm) epoxied lapstrake. White oak stem, keel, transom knee; hackmatack thwart knees; African mahogany breasthook and transom knees; mahogany curved transom, thwarts, inwale, outwale, and bottom guard rail. Tom Walz Machinery Co., Inc One Roundabout Lane Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 tomw@whsawmills.com 207-741-2519 Volume 30, Number 3 Annie’s custom cockpit tent and canvas dodger make a cozy anchorage. 25 drathmarine http://drathmarine.com 1557 Cattle Point Road Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Mole got it right... ALBERT’S WOODEN BOATS INC. • Double ended lapstrake • Marine ply potted in Epoxy • Rowboats – 15' & fast 17' • Electric Launches – 15' & 18' A. Eatock, 211 Bonnell Rd. Bracebridge, ONT. CANADA P1L 1W9 705-645-7494 alsboats@sympatico.ca Museum Quality Wherries, Canoes and Cabin Cruisers 54442 Pinetree L ane, North Fork, CA 93643 559-877-8879 trapskifjim@netptc.net Sponsor Member Ads: We thank our Sponsor Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. SPECIALIZING IN Fine Traditional Rowing & Sailing Craft SMALL-CRAFT SAILS www .dabblersails.com www.dabblersails.com NORTH RIVER BO ATWORKS OA REST ORA TIONS RESTORA ORATIONS 741 Hampton Ave. Schenectady, NY 12309 518-377-9882 dab@crosslink.net Ph/fax 804-580-8723 PO Box 235, Wicomico Church, VA 22579 Stuart K. Hopkins, Sole Prop. GACO oarlock snaps onto the oar for semi-permanent capture. Made from hardened 316 stainless and UV proof polypropylene. Kind to oars, its carefully angled shape cuts out friction and wear. Cost: $35 for two oarlocks, two sockets and sleeves from Jamestown Distributors. Richard Kolin Custom wooden traditional small craft designed and built Boatbuilding and maritime skills instruction Oars and marine carving 360-659-5591 4107-77th Place NW Marysville, WA 98271 kolin1@tulalipbroadband.net Sponsor Member Ads: We thank our Sponsor Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. Duck Soup Inn 50 Duck Soup Lane Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360-378-4878 Fine Dining for Sailors Les Gunther ROB BARKER W ooden Boat Building and Repair 615 MOYERS LANE EASTON, PA 18042 Redd’s Pond Boatworks Thad Danielson 1 Norman Street Marblehead, MA 01945 thaddanielson@comcast.net 781-631-3443—888-686-3443 www.reddspondboatworks.com The Design Works 9101 Eton Road, Silver Spring MD 20901 301-589-9391 or toll free 877-637-7464 www.messingabout.com JAN NIELSEN 361-8547C PO Box 2250, Sidney 656-0848/1-800-667-2275P BC, Canada V8L 3S8 Sponsor Member Ads: We thank our Sponsor Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. John Burgess Linda Burgess 1315 Atlantic Highway Northport, ME 04849 Tel: 207-338-0009 Fax: 207-338-9603 burgess@camdenhillsrealty.com www.camdenhillsrealty.com Sponsor Member Ads: We thank our Sponsor Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. Now in Our 26th Year! Monthly we arrive in your mail with interesting articles from our readers about dreaming of, designing, building or restoring, sailing, rowing, paddling and adventuring in small boats. Plus readers’ letters, Bolger on Design, featured columnists, advertising from boatbuilders, restorers, and suppliers of plans and material for small boating, and free subscriber classified ads. 68 PPages ages — 12 Issues/Y ear Issues/Year $8 Trial Subscription (3 Issues) — $32 Subscription (12 Issues) SEND FOR FREE SAMPLE COPY Messing About in Boats, 29 Burley St., Wenham, MA 01984 Seaworthy Small Ships Dept A A,, POBox 2863 P rince FFrederick, rederick, MD 20678 800-533-9030 Catalog Available $1.00 www .seaworthysmallships.com www.seaworthysmallships.com Damaged Copy? If your Ash Breeze is missing pages or gets beaten up in the mail, let the editors know. E-mail: mikewick55@yahoo.com or nasplundh@yahoo.com PINE ISLAND CAMP Founded in 1902, Pine Island is a boys’ camp that focuses on worthwhile outdoor activities. We have 13 wooden boats in use daily. No electricity on our island in Belgrade Lakes, Maine. Contact Ben Swan: benswan@pineisland.org 260 Dyckman Avenue South Haven, MI 49090 269.637.8078 800.747.3810 michiganmaritimemuseum.org Ad sponsored by Ned & Neva Asplundh Sponsor Member Ads: We thank our Sponsor Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. TSCA MEMBERSHIP FORM New Membership Membership Renewal/Upgrade Change of Address Individual/Family: $20 annually Sponsor: $50 annually Sponsor with ad: $60 annually Corporate Sponsor with ad: see above Patron: $100 annually Canada or Mexico: Airmail, $25 annually Other Foreign: Airmail, $30 annually Enclosed is my check for $ ______________________ made payable to TSCA. Chapter member? Yes No Which Chapter? __________________________________________________________________________ Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________ State/Prov. _________ Zip/Postal Code _____________ Country ___________________________ E-mail ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mail to: Secretary, Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc., P. O. Box 350, Mystic, CT 06355. Note: Individual and Family Memberships qualify for one vote and one copy of each TSCA mailing. Family Memberships qualify all members of the immediate family to participate in all other TSCA activities. The Ash Breeze Winter 2009, volume 30, number 4 Deadline: October 1, 2009 Articles: The Ash Breeze is a member-supported publication; members are welcome to contribute. We strongly encourage you to send material electronically. Send text in an e-mail message, or as an MSWord attachment. Send photos as e-mail attachments, in TIFF or JPG formats, as large or as highresolution as you have available. Please give captions naming people, places, and to whom photo credit should be given. You may also submit photographic prints, clean line drawings or typewritten material by US Mail. Please contact us in advance if you must submit handwritten text or material in another word processing or image format. E-mail to: mikewick55@yahoo.com or nasplundh@yahoo.com Advertising Rates: Effective March 1, 2006 2006: The following are yearly rates, four issues per year: Sponsor - No Ad $50 Sponsor with ad - 1/8 page $60 Corporate Sponsor - 1/4 page $125 Corporate Sponsor - 1/2 page $250 Corporate Sponsor - full page $350 Corporate Sponsors with full page ads will be named as sponsors of a TSCA-related event and will be mentioned in the ad for that event. Members’ Exchange: Text only: 50 words or less, free to members. $10 additional, per photo. TSCA Wares Back Issues Original or duplicated back issues are available for $4 each plus postage. V olume Year Issue Newsletter .......... 1975-77 .......... 1,2,3,4 1 ........................ 1978 ............... 1,2,3,4 2 ........................ 1979 ............... 1 3 ........................ 1979,0,1 ......... 1-9 4 ........................ 1982 ............... 1,2,3,4 5 ........................ 1983 ............... 1,2,3,4 6 ........................ 1984 ............... 1,2,4 7 ........................ 1985 ............... 1,2,3,4 8 ........................ 1986 ............... 1,2,3,4 9 ........................ 1987 ............... 1,2,3,4 10 ...................... 1988 ............... 1,2,3,4 11 ...................... 1989 ............... 1,2,3,4 12 ...................... 1990 ............... 1,2,3,4 13 ...................... 1991 ............... 1,2,3,4 14 ...................... 1992 ............... 1,2,3,4 15 ...................... 1993 ............... 1,2,3,4 16 ...................... 1994 ............... 1,2,3,4 17 ...................... 1995 ............... 1,2,3,4 18 ...................... 1996 ............... 1,2,3,4 19 ...................... 1997 ............... 1,2,3,4 20 ...................... 1998/99 .......... 1,2,3 21 ...................... 1999/00 .......... 1,2,3,4 22 ...................... 2001 ............... 1,2,3 23 ...................... 2002 ............... 1,2,3 24 ...................... 2003 ............... 1,2,3,4 25 ...................... 2004 ............... 1,2,3,4 26 ...................... 2005 ............... 1,2,3,4 27 ...................... 2006 ............... 1,2,3,4 28 ...................... 2007 ............... 1,2,3,4 29 ...................... 2008 ............... 1,2,3,4 30 ...................... 2009 ................ 1,2 Contact Flat Hammock Press for backissue ordering details. Flat Hammock Press 5 Church Street, Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-2722 steve@flathammockpress.com Caps Pre-washed 100% cotton, slate blue with TSCA logo in yellow and white. Adjustable leather strap and snap/buckle. $20. ($18 to members if purchased at TSCA meets.) T-shirts 100% cotton, light gray with the TSCA logo. $15.00 postpaid for sizes M, L, and XL and $16.00 for XXL. Patches 3 inches in diameter featuring our logo with a white sail and a golden spar and oar on a light-blue background. Black lettering and a dark-blue border. $3.00 Please send a SASE with your order. Decals Mylar-surfaced weatherproof decals similar to the patches except the border is black. Self-sticking back. $1. Please send a SASE with your order. Burgees 12" x 18" pennant with royal blue field and TSCA logo sewn in white and gold. Finest construction. $25 postpaid. Visit: www .tsca.net/wares.html www.tsca.net/wares.html for ordering information. Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Providence, RI Permit No. 1899 The Ash Breeze The Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. PO Box 350, Mystic, CT 06355 Address Service Requested Time to Renew? Help us save time and postage by updating your membership before we send you a renewal request. Cut out or photocopy the membership form at the top of the inside back cover cover, complete it and return it with your renewal payment to the Secretary, PO Box 350, Mystic, CT 06355. Or, you may send the address portion of the back cover (above) with your payment. Philip C. Bolger December 3, 1927 – May 24, 2009 A guiding light in the world of small craft was recently extinguished: Phil Bolger died on May 24 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is an understatement to say that Phil was a prolific boat designer. He began work full time as a draftsman for boat designers Lindsay Lord and John Hacker in early 1950s. Bolger also cited the influences of L.F. Herreshoff, Nicholas Montgomery, Howard Chapelle and his brother Bill Bolger. Bolger’s first boat design was a 32' sportfisherman, published in the January 1952 issue of Yachting. Since then, he designed more than 668 different boats, making him one of the most productive boat designers of the 20th Century. His work ranged from the solidly conventional to extremely innovative, from a 114’ 10” replica of an eighteenth-century Rose naval frigate, Surprise (ex-Rose Rose), to the 6’ 5” box-like plywood dinghy, Tortoise ortoise. Since the 1990s, Phil teamed with his wife, Susanne Altenburger, designing boats under the name Phil Bolger & Friends, Inc. Susanne Altenburger photo. We are planning an expanded tribute to this man’s legacy for a near-future issue of The Ash Breeze.
