Vol. 32, No. 4 -- Winter - Traditional Small Craft Association

The
Ash
Breeze
Journal of the
Traditional Small Craft Association
Volume 32, Number 4
Winter 2011 • $4.00
In This Issue:
Size Doesn’t Matter
“The Apostle of Boats”
Another Snotter
The Sailing Scow Takes Shape
Worth a Thousand Words
Fourth Annual Philadelphia
Wooden Boat Festival
2012 Sailmaking and Rigging Class
On the Cover:
‘Tis Himself: Barry Long, and ???, take their
first sail in one of a pair of Barry-built Barto
Melonseeds, Cæsura, at this year’s MASCF.
More about the Festival, starting on page 14.
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 32, Number 4
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.
Editor’s
Column
(Mike: you wanna do
an editorial on this
side of the page?)
Seasons turn; winds shift; tides ebb and
flow; and yet our lives, both on the water
and on land, move steadily onward.
After three satisfying and rewarding
years, serving the TSCA and you, our
members, as co-editor for The Ash Breeze,
I am stepping down after this current issue is completed. It’s been a tremendous
experience: not only telling the stories of
traditional small craft in words, but also
in numerous pictures.
I won’t be swallowing the anchor; quite
the opposite. I plan to use my time to volunteer support in the boat shops of local
museums—Independence Seaport and
Michigan Maritime—as well as spending
more time on the water, instead of at the
keyboard.
For the time being, Andy Wolfe will be
coming onboard to handle the graphics
and printing. Mike Wick will be continuing, for now, as advertising co-editor.
Thank you all for what you’ve done to
help make this a great magazine and a
great organization.
Ned Asplundh
TSCA is an enjoyable yet practical link
among users, designers, builders, restorers, historians, government, and
maritime institutions.
©2011 by The Traditional Small Craft
Association, Inc.
2
(Graphic by Barry Long)
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
From the President:
Size Doesn’t Matter
by Andy Wolfe
Of course, I’m referring to the little boats that we all love so
well. This past summer I went to the WoodenBoat show at Mystic Seaport. In between my scheduled times at the TSCA table I
wandered the exhibits, old and new, in search of the familiar...
that perfect little boat. There was a lot for me to see and savor.
As always, the exhibition of exceptional craftsmanship, what
my wife calls “marine art,” populated the show. There is no
shortage of good boat building in America .
Boating for me has always been a family affair. Strolling the
Mystic grounds with my brother and father, we stopped for a
bite and a beer. Across the lawn from our table were a delight-
“The Apostle of Boats:”
Jim Thayer,
1931 - 2011
Jim Thayer, one of the greats, passed
over the bar on October 23. He is
survived by his wife, Janis, as well
as his children Susan, Maria, Sharon
and Steve, and four grandchildren.
He will be sorely missed by everybody who sailed with him, or knew
him from the many events that he
sponsored and promoted. He was at
Mystic in the early days with John
Gardner, and was a founder of the
Mid-Atlantic Small Boat Festival
in 1983. He was a founder of the
Urbanna Meet on the Piankatank
and Rappahanock Rivers. Jim
started the “Cuban Bandiera” prize
for the rowing races. (If you don’t
know what that is, read back issues
Volume 32, Number 4
ful Acorn Skiff and Peapod. The builders were the students of
The Landing School, Kennebunkport, ME. I looked the boats
over with my professional keel-kicking skill, and decided that
the Acorn had potential.
We devised a plan to ply the aficionado’s with beer, after hours
of course, and then go for the deal. It worked! And, on Sunday
afternoon the little Acorn skiff, now named Harmony, was
slipped into the Mystic River .
But this comment isn’t really about the new boat at my father’s
dock. It’s about the quality and craftsmanship of handmade
American boats. We have exceptional builders in this cottage
industry. We have training schools around the country teaching the skills required for a future and the future of the small
craft industry. And we have backyard boat builders, taking
their time to create their perfect small craft. It’s a great time for
those who messabout.
of Messing About in Boats; he has always
been a regular contributor). In later years,
he moved to Colorado and began the
annual Kokopelli adventures on Lake
Powell (photo at left, and below, courtesy
of duckworksmagazine.com).
Jim loved boats. He may have started
attending those early events, because
he wanted to sell boats that he built, but
there was much more to it than that.
Vera England calls him “The Apostle of
Boats.” He inspired many boaters he met,
many later became his friends, and they
came back for more. He once said to Vera,
“Let’s make people fall in love with boats
and maybe they’ll want to buy, or better
yet, build their own.”
Jim built many boats. But, more
often, he would mold fiberglass
hulls and deliver them to owners, or other builders who would
finish them off. He built beautiful
Whitehall hulls, which became the
“Urbanna Rockets.” Jim loved the
Delaware Ducker hull, but he cut his
mold in half and stretched it three
feet, to make an 18’ by 4’ hull: the
“A-DUCKAH!” Another favorite was
the 10’, half-decked “Wee Pumpkin,”
a favorite small sailboat. His own
boat was painted green, so he called
it Lil’ Pickle.
Jim had property on the Corrotoman
River, where he built a plywood and
stud cabin with a Franklin Stove
for heating, and brought friends
and their families there in the fall.
He would take groups of children
out with him on his new boats. He
would have them all chewing gum
so he could squeeze it in any gaps
that were leaking water. It gave them
a sense of participating.
3
4
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Active
TSCA
Chapters
Adirondack Chapter
Mary Brown, 18 Hemlock Lane, Saranac
Lake, New York 12983, 518-891-2709,
mabrown214@hotmail.com
Annapolis Chapter
Sigrid Trumpy, P.O. Box 2054, Annapolis,
MD 21404, hollace@crosslink.net
Buffalo Maritime Center
Charles H. Meyer, 5405 East River, Grand
Island, NY 14072, 716-773-2515,
chmsails@aol.com
Cleveland Amateur Boatbuilding
and Boating Society (CABBS)
Hank Vincenti, 7562 Brinmore Rd.,
Sagamore Hills, OH 44067, 330-467-6601,
quest85@windstream.net, www.cabbs.org
Connecticut River Oar
and Paddle Club (CROPC)
Jon Persson, 17 Industrial Park Road,
Suite 5, Centerbrook, CT 06409, 860-7673303, jon.persson@snet.net
Florida Gulf Coast TSCA
Doug Calhoun, PO Box 237, Cortez FL,
34215, 941-795-4363, calbooks@yahoo.com
Friends of the North Carolina
Maritime Museum TSCA
Brent Creelman, 315 Front Street,
Beaufort, NC 28516, 252-728-7317
maritime@ncmail.com
John Gardner Chapter
Russ Smith, U of Connecticut, Avery
Point Campus, 1084 Shennecossett Road,
Groton, CT 06340, 860-536-1113, fruzzy@
hotmail.com
Long Island TSCA
Myron Young, PO Box 635, Laurel, NY
11948, 631-298-4512
Lost Coast Chapter—Mendocino
Stan Halvorsen, 31051 Gibney Lane,
Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 707-964-8342,
Krish@mcn.org, www.tsca.net/LostCoast
Michigan Maritime Museum Chapter
Pete Mathews, Sec’y, PO Box 100,
Gobles, MI 49055, 269-628-4396,
canoenut@bciwildblue.com
North Shore TSCA
Richard Koolish, 212 Park Ave, Arlington, MA 02476, koolish@dickkoolish.com
Crystal River Boat Builders (CRBB)
Bill Whalen, 4539 N Grass Island Ter.,
Hernando, FL 34442, 352-344-5482,
wfxw1@embarqmail.com
Oregon Coots
John Kohnen, PO Box 24341, Eugene, OR
97402, 541-688-2826,
jkohnen@boat-links.com
Delaware River TSCA
Tom Shephard, 482 Almond Rd., Pittsgrove, NJ 08318, tsshep41556 @aol.com,
www.tsca.net/delriver
Palmetto Chapter
John Merritt, 4612 Marlboro Pl., North
Charleston, SC 29405, 843-345-5126,
johnstonmerritt@yahoo.com
Down East Chapter
John Silverio, 105 Proctor Rd., Lincolnville, ME 04849, work 207-763-3885, home
207-763-4652, camp: 207-763-4671, jsarch@
midcoast.com
Patuxent Small Craft Guild
William Lake, 11740 Asbury Circle, Apt.
1301, Solomons, MD 20688, 410-394-3382,
wlake@comcast.net
Floating the Apple
Adina Taylor, Pres., 1225 Park Ave., Ste.
C 10, New York, NY 10128, 212-564-5412,
floapple@aol.com
Volume 32, Number 4
Puget Sound TSCA
Lyndon Greene, Sec’y., 1905 10th St.,
Anacortes, WA 98221, 360-299-9075,
anacomaritimectr@msn.com or tsca-puget@
yahoogroups.com
Sacramento TSCA
Todd Bloch, 122 Bemis Street, San
Francisco, CA 94131, 415-971-2844,
todd.sb@comcast.net
South Jersey TSCA
George Loos, 53 Beaver Dam Rd., Cape
May Courthouse, NJ 08210, 609-861-0018,
georgeowlman@aol.com
Southern California Small Boat
Messabout Society (Scuzbums)
Annie Holmes, San Diego, CA
annieholmes@mac.com
St. Augustine Lighthouse Chapter
Brendan Burke, 81 Lighthouse Ave., St.
Augustine, FL 32080, 904-838-8813,
bburke@staugustinelighthouse.org
TSCA of Wisconsin
James R. Kowall, c/o Door County
Maritime Museum, 120 N Madison Ave.,
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, 920-743-4631
Chapters Organizing
Green Mountain Chapter
William Edwards, 220 Upper Turnpike
Rd., Norwich, VT 05055, 802-649-2923,
wedwards@me.com
Bayfront Maritime Center TSCA
Richard Eisenberg, 40 Holland St., Erie,
PA 16507, 814-456-4077,
rich.eisenberg@bayfrontcenter.org, www.
bayfrontcenter.org
Pine Lake Small Craft Association
Sandy Bryson, Sec’y., 333 Whitehills Dr.,
East Lansing, MI 48823, 517-351-5976,
sbryson@msu.edu
5
6
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
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 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 demon-
strate 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
Life Members
Dan & Eileen Drath • Jean Gardner • Bob Hicks • Paul Reagan • Peter T. Vermilya • Sidney S. Whelan, Jr.
Benefactors
Samuel E. Johnson
Generous Patrons
Ned & Neva Asplundh • Howard Benedict • Willard A. Bradley • Lee Caldwell • John S. Montague • Zach Stewart &
Anne Somerville • Richard B. Weir • John Weiss • Joel Zackin
Sponsor Members *
Rodney & Julie Agar • Douglas Aikins • Capt. James Alderman • Roger B. Allen • C. Joseph Barnette • Ellen & Gary
Barrett • Ken Bassett • Bruce Beglin • Dr. Llewellyn Bigelow • Michael C. Bill • Kent & Barbara Bleakley • Todd Bloch
Robert C. Briscoe • Sandy Bryson • Capt. John Calhoun • Charles Canniff • Dick Christie • David & Katherine Cockey
James & Lloyd Crocket • Stanley R. Dickstein • Dusty & Linda Dillion • William Dodge • Dick Dodson • Bill Doll • Rob
Dunlap • William Edwards • Tom Etherington • Huw Goronwy Evans • Ben Fuller • Dr. Lawrence O. Garber • Gerald
W. Gibbs • Mr. & Mrs. R. Bruce Hammatt, Jr. • John A. Hawkinson • Peter Healey • Colin O. Hermans • Kevin W.
Holmes • Michael Jones & Judith Powers • Peter A. Jay • Phillip Kasten • David Kavner • Thomas E. King • Penny A.
Lavin • Arthur (Sandy) Lawrence III • Chelcie Liu • Jon & Ellen Lovell • Capt. John Lubbehusen • The Mariners
Museum, Newport News, VA • Pete & Susan Mathews • Michael McClure • Ian McNeill • Charles H. Meyer, Jr.
Howard Mittleman • King Mud & Queen Tule • Mason Myers • Michael Porter • Ron Render • Don Rich & Sheryl Speck
Bill & Karen Rutherford • Richard Schubert • Paul A. Schwartz • Karen Seo • Austin Shiels • Gary & Diane Shirley
John Silverio • Leslie Smith • F. Russell Smith II • John R. Stilgoe • John P. Stratton, III • Robert E. (Bub) Sullivan
Tom Walz • Stephen M. Weld • Capt. C. S. Wetherell • Andrew P. (Andy) Wolfe • Robert & Judith Yorke • J. Myron
Young • Bob Zolli
* Please join these and other Sponsor Members and Advertisers (shown throughout this issue) in supporting TSCA! Details, pg. 35.
Volume 32, Number 4
7
Another Snotter
by Bill Perkins
Here’s a short article on a snotter design
I like. I patterned it on the whaleboat
lanyard in Ashley’s (#3300), but I use
a commonly-available metal thimble,
which works well.
Many people simply seize a thimble into
the crotch of a large spliced eye, forming
a perfectly good snotter with a single line
and a single splice. I’m not against this;
just like the whaler’s detail a little better.
The snotter is composed of two pieces
of three-strand Dacron, or Sta-Set X: a
standing part from the thimble to the
mast and a lanyard, from the thimble to
the sprit, deployed as is typical.
The lanyard is first chain-spliced to the
standing part; the standing part is then
tightly spliced to the thimble (five tucks),
with the chain-splice slid to the very
bottom of the splice. It will self-adjust
as there is stretch over time, remaining
centered. (Because of line stretch, Bill
has added seizing, in the photo above, to
keep the splice tight against the thimble).
The large eye, which engages the mast, is
spliced in the other end of the standing
part and arranged so that five tucks on
this splice bring it up tight against the
splice around the thimble. The ends are
trimmed short. That’s it!
I used a stainless thimble, but have since
found a source of small bronze ones:
www.knotstuff.com. The Size 7 is eight
millemeter, about 5/16”; the smallest you
might want to get.
(Editor’s Note: It would have be nice to
compare Bill’s handiwork to Ashley’s original
drawing—some might want to reproduce
the interesting whalebone bullseye he shows
in wood—however, we are unable to do so
because the Book of Knots is still under copyright. Check it out in a Google search, or in
your local library, bookstore or chandlery.)
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 TO DO IT YOURSELF...WE CAN HELP
8
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
www.traditionalsmallcraft.com
For information on all things melonseed, sneakbox, sharpie,
railbird skiff, South Jersey beach skiff, catboat and other traditional
small boats. (Andy Slavinskas photo).
Geoff Kerr
2211 Route 128, Westford, VT 05494
tdbotwks@sover.net
802-849-6579
Now in
Our 29th
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.
60 Pages — 12 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
www.messingaboutinboats.com
Bob Hicks, Editor & Publisher
Volume 32, Number 4
9
Wartappo: Part II
The Sailing Scow
Takes Shape
by Bill Whalen
Editor’s Note: In our Spring 2011 Issue, we
introduced the latest project now underway
at the Crystal River Boat Builders’ (CRBB)
Chapter—a 36x12-foot replica of the sailing
scow Wartappo. In this installment of an
ongoing series, we’ll take a look at their progress. (Photos courtesy of the CRBB Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CrystalRiver-Boat-Builders/111492652253961).
CRBB’s main activity is building replicas
of boats that traditionally sailed in the
waters of the Florida Gulf and the coast:
reviving lost arts and skills of boatbuilding, ship rigging, and woodworking.
We take a hull design from a table of
At left, an artist’s
imagining of a sailing
scow attempting to run
the Union blockade.
offsets, expanding
those numbers to
full-size drawings
(lofting) and then
start actual framing and building
of a hull.
The members of
the CRBB—about
two dozen are
now onboard—are
deep into a much
grander scale project than ever before.
Sailing scows had design characteristics
that provided stability in open waters,
and shallow draft which made them
excellent boats for sailing into the thin
waters of Florida’s bays and rivers.
Records of the Union naval blockade
document the capture of at least two sailing scows in the eastern Gulf of Mexico,
during the War Between the States. First
was a capture by the USS Fort Henry
(a converted ferryboat from New York
City) in Wacasassa Bay. The scow reportedly carried 56 bales of cotton (each bale
weighed 500 pounds and was approxi-
mately 56x48x30”; the 56 bales totalled
roughly 14 tons).
A second sailing scow was captured by
the USS Restless. Lt. Browne, Restless’
commander, called the vessel a barge, but
described it as a sloop rigged scow designed for shallow water work. Browne
said she was “36 feet long, 3 feet deep,
and 11 feet beam, built of 2-inch yellowpine plank, and is perfectly tight, sloop
rigged, and has an open hatch amidships
19 feet long, in which I have built a platform and laid a circle for our 12-pounder
howitzer, which can be fired from almost
any point of the compass. She has new
lug mainsail, which I have altered to a
boom mainsail, and have made a new
mast and bowsprit and given her a jib. I
have also built lee boards 4 feet wide and
5 feet deep.”
Our CRBB builders have taken this limited information and combined it with
several complete plans for scows from
other regions. We think we’ve developed
a replica most likely to represent the
configuration of a Civil War-era sailing
scow. All aspects of the boat will be constructed by hand—masts, rigging, and
hull. Some items such as sails, blocks and
anchors will be purchased and installed.
Below left, lofting the scow’s lines, Below right, trenches are prepped for placement of the strongback sleepers.
10
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Above left, measuring the old-fashioned way; that’s 5’. Above right, trying on the midship frame pattern pattern for size. Below right, as the initial set-up and
framing progress, Mike and Nick work on a full-sized ship’s wheel for the scow.
As we progress, our boatshed will serve
as an ongoing interpretive exhibit. In
partnership with the Florida Public Archaeology Network and the Florida Park
Service, we will use the boat construction
to educate people about the history of
boatbuilding in the region, and the types
of tools that were used during the period. This project will include hands-on
opportunities for visitors to participate in
the construction.
CRBB officially began working on the
scow at last year’s Second Annual Boat
Bash at Crystal River Preserve. We hope
to have the hull turned over during the
April 2012 Bash. The Crystal River Boat
Builders are all volunteers, but they need
financial support to purchase wood, and
other items, such as sails and anchors.
If you are interested in supporting this
project contact us through www.tsca.net/
CRBB.
Once the scow is completed, it will be a
mobile interactive museum which will
continue to support education and outreach in Citrus County and other areas
of Florida.
Below left, the midship frame is set in place, squared and braced. Below right, Nina works a crook with an
adze. (Notice the use of hand-powered tools!)
(continued on the next page)
Volume 32, Number 4
11
Wartappo, Part II: cont’d.
At left, five frames are set up and the scow is taking shape. Above, she’s got
curves! Below, L-R: John starts a 9’ ripcut; Pete in the middle (the fan is a
modern concession to the 100+ degree heat index); Mike finishes the cut.
Above, Nina sets drift pin positions for one of the leeboards. At right,
squaring up the bow transom. Notice the brace and bit; no power tools!
12
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Above left, the last frame goes in; 11 total, plus two transoms. Above right, the first layer of the keelson is introduced to the forward transom. The keelson will
be sistered (doubled) and a plank will cover the joint. Below left, Jack and Steve sister the keelson. Below right, Kevin bevels a stringer notch with his drawknife.
At left, Nina fits a mortise and tenon joint. on one of the leeboards, as Park
Manager Rick keeps a close eye on the effort. Above, Tom, Jack, and an
unidentified builder are working on the “chine gang.”
To be continued....
Volume 32, Number 4
13
Worth a Thousand Words:
Photo Highlights
In recent years, the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival (MASCF)
has been attended by a growing number of talented photographers, in addition to the crowds of boatbuilders, sailors, rowers,
paddlers, and other small boat enthusiasts. On the next four
pages, we’ll bring you their highlights—in pictures and just a
few words—of the 2011 Festival.
Clockwise from left: “headline”
photo by Tracey Munson. Barry
Long poles his brand-new
Melonseed, Cæsura, during one of
the Festival’s less-windy moments;
Tony Thatcher photo. A replica of
Capt. John Alden’s Chesapeake Bay
exploration boat; Tony Thatcher
photo. A Swampscott sailing dory
and a “St. Lawrence 88” class
sailing canoe at the docks. Bill Dolan
photo.
Above, Neva Asplundh captures a
pretty, lapstrake sailing skiff. Right,
with its one-lunger stilled, Thumper
lies quietly beside Calico Jack, a
Herreshoff Coquina, and another
St. Lawrence sailing canoe. Tracey
Munson photo.
Below, the rower of this strip-built Adirondak GuideBoat, appears to be
admiring the detailed ribs and wood inlay in the thwarts of the boat at left,
as he slips quietly through Fogg’s Cove. GuideBoat photo by Neva Asplundh;
photo at left by Tony Thatcher.
14
Above, Jenny Thompson navigates
her restored Blue Jay-class onedesign; Andy Slavinskas photo.
Below, a shot of the interior detail
in Damien Siekonic’s Hankins
SeaBright skiff; Tony Thatcher
photo.
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Clockwise from left: a view of the CBMM Boat
Shop by Tony Thatcher; Neva Asplundh catches
Dan Muir as he tries out the CLC Wood Duck 12
Hybrid kayak; Tracey Munson gives a long, sleek
perspective to a two-hole, stripper kayak.
At left, Ron Gibbs’
Seven Stars garnered
the People’s Choice
Award, First-Place in
Contemporary Design/
Construction and
shared the Broken Oar
Award. Bill Dolan
photo.
Above left, Haiku is a bright-finished, modern interpretation of a catboat;
above right, a double-ended CLC Skerry Skiff; both photos by Neva Asplundh.
Below, dusk settles in at the waterfront; at right, another view of work-inprogress at the Museum’s Boat Shop. Both photos by Tony Thatcher.
At left, Vairea, a Joel White
Catspaw dinghy; Bill Dolan photo.
Near right: “Yes! There IS aboslutely
nothing so pleasant as messing about
in boats.” Barry Long photo. Far
right, CBMM’s donated Stone Horse
stretches her legs; Tony Thatcher
photo.
Volume 32, Number 4
(continued on the next page)
15
MASCF XXIX
Photo Highlights,
cont’d.
Saturday’s sail race is always a Festival favorite; 2011’s challenging wind
conditions provided plenty of thrills. At left, Bill Kepner captures a typical
crowded start. Above, Barry Long’s view of the windward leg.
Clockwise from left: the Surgents’ Crotch Island Pinky, Buna-Mon-I-Ya; two of the race’s smaller
entries: Marie Cobb’s Bonita, a DC-10 frostbite dinghy, and Sierra, a Catspaw dinghy, with Howell
Crim and children aboard. All three photos by Barry Long. Mick Wick’s newly-wetted Melonseed,
Moggie, ducks under the stern of Jay Eberly’s Ness Yawl, Sara, at the finish line; Dennis Keener’s
Whisper, a modified sharpie skiff, edges out Gail Sheppard’s Sea Pearl (left) and Carl Weissinger’s New
York Sandbagger, Baguett e. Both photos by Tony Thatcher. Andy Slavinskas captures a long perpective
on some of the race’s earliest finishers: Harold Bernard’s Glen-L 15, Annalie, Buna-Mon-I-Ya, George
Loos’ Blue Jay, and various other craft.
At left, Scott Lavertue’s Calico Jack and
Al Fittipaldi’s Thistle
are buffeted by heavy
winds on the Miles
River. At right, Pete
Lesher’s gesture says it
all. Barry Long photos.
At right, Steve Brookman’s sharpie Vika navigates
the Cove. Tony Thatcher photo.
16
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Clockwise from left: Dale Davenport and Jay Eberly head toward the finish line aboard Sara (Tony
Thatcher photo); Kevin Brennan’s Welsford Navigator, Slip Jig, bobs along with full crew (Barry Long
photo); perennial top-finisher Pete Peters and crew aboard Obadiah, a Joel White Marsh Cat. (Andy
Slavinskas photo).
MASCF winners announced
Sailing Race Results, in order of Overall Finish:
Chris Smith, n/n, Sunfish
Al Fittipaldi, n/n, Thistle
Harold Bernard, Annalie, Glen-L 15
George Surgent, Buna-Mon-I-Ya, Crotch
Island Pinky
Pete Peters, Obadiah, Marsh Cat
George Loos, n/n, Blue Jay
Kevin Brennan, Slip Jig, Navigator
Lawrence Haff, Red Dragon, Sailing
Canoe
Scott Lavertue, Calico Jack, Coquina
Dennis Keener, Whisper, Sharpie Skiff
Gail Sheppard, Sea Hound, Sea Pearl 21
Carl Weissinger, Baguette, Sandbagger
John Depa, n/n, Sailing Canoe
Tom Shephard, Marion Brewington,
Tuckup
Mike Wick, Moggie, Cortez Melonseed
Jay Bliss, Haiku, catboat
Jay Eberly, Sara, Ness Yawl
Doug Oeller, Comfort, Marsh Cat
Marie Cobb, Bonito, DC-10
Steve Layden, Pigwidgeon, Oar/Sail Boat
John England, Hannah Banana, Sailing
Sharpie
Ned Asplundh, Frankford Yellow
Jacket, Marsh Cat
Reade & Molly James, Faith, CLC Skerry
Ed & Michelle Cobb, Kermit, S.F. Pelican.
Volume 32, Number 4
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) has announced the winners of the 29th Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival in the judged awards and
rowing/paddling races.
First place winners of the judged categories include Barry Long, with his
Melonseed Aeon in the traditional-contemporary class; Ron Gibbs, with his
sailing canoe Seven Stars in the contemporary class; Joe Manning, with his
Old Town Canoe in the restoration class; and Bob Golembicki, with his kayak
Bark 3 in the paddling class. Other winners include People’s Choice awardee
Rob Gibbs, with his sailing canoe Seven Stars; Broken Oar awardees Pete
Lesher, with the Drascombe Lugger Dolly H., and Ron Gibbs again with his
sailing canoe; Fish-in-the-Boat awardee Chris Smith with his Sunfish; and
the Joe Liener awardee Brian McCandless with his Beetle Cat Aubrey.
The Joe Liener Award was created by CBMM Assistant Curator of Watercraft
Richard Scofield to honor his mentor and former museum volunteer, Joe
Liener. Before retiring to Pot Pie, MD, Liener headed Philadelphia’s Naval
Shipyard’s wooden boat shop for nearly 40 years, “Joe was an absolute expert
on traditional Chesapeake Bay watercraft,” commented Scofield.
“Liener remains the best boat builder I’ve ever known, and is a founding
father of the small craft festival.” Scofield has given the award for the last ten
years to recognize the type of boat building Liener would have appreciated.
This year’s Joe Liener Award was presented to Brian McCandless, after
Scofield saw how beautifully restored his Beetle Cat was. “Last year, the boat
was in a trailer, unfit for the water, and this year she came back beautifully
restored and sailing—something Joe would have appreciated.”
In the rowing/paddling races, first place winners include Lucas Reopel and
Megan Tweed in kids’ paddling; Lacey England in women’s rowing; Destiny
Lavertue in women’s paddling; Peter Byar in men’s kayaking; Steve Layden
in men’s oar-on-gunwale, Brady Parlin in men’s 12 to 18; Carol and Brian
Schecksnider in men’s sliding seat; and Tim Shaw in men’s paddling.
17
Fourth Annual
Philadelphia
Wooden Boat Festival
by Thomas Armstrong
This year’s Philadelphia Wooden Boat Festival exceeded expectations. More boats, from small craft to large ships, with some
lovelies in-between. More people, great weather, though the
wind died in the afternoon. Wen Byar (DelRiver Chapter TSCA)
was the race committee, and along with Gina Pickton (Independence Seaport Museum’s Workshop on the Water) organized
several small craft races which, I am sure, will become a mainstay of the fest.
Above and below: when I arrived at the Penn’s Landing yacht basin, lots of
boats were in evidence: small, medium, and large.
Sailing these older boat types is quite interesting and, in my
case at least, somewhat instructive. These boats either were, or
in the case of the Tuckup, evolved from, traditional working
boats from the 19th Century. It is beautiful to see these craft
come to life. The chance to get out and sail these boats is, in a
small way, to re-experience the past and certainly gain appreciation for the skill of our forebears in working these boats. I
found sailing the little sharpie in some ways more demanding
and acute than the later, larger boats I am familiar with. What a
generous opportunity.
Despite certain logistical difficulties having to do with being located in a major city, the Seaport Museum, under John
Brady’s guidance, and with the help of dedicated staff and the
Delaware River TSCA Chapter, is moving forward and providing a rewarding experience for Philadelphia.
(Unless credited otherwise, photos by Thomas Armstrong. See them
and more, in color, on his blog: http://70point8percent.blogspot.com/ ).
Above, newly-built, “old-school”
wooden surfboards were on display
(Ned Asplundh photo); as well as
fine examples of wooden powerboat
construction and restoration.
Above, Ron Gibbs paddles Seven
Stars to the floating dock (Roger
Prichard photo). At left, inside the
Workshop, a new whaleboat for
Mystic’s C.W. Morgan is in build.
(We hope to begin a series on the
construction in our next issue).
18
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
A Parade of Sail opened the day’s events. Clock
wise from upper left: the barkentine Gazela
Primeiro; the oyster schooner A. J. Meerwald;
a pretty Mathews cruiser, Miss Priss; the
schooners North Wind, and Quintessence
(owned by Paul Gray); a Philadelphia fireboat and
the tug, Jupiter; Ric Carrion’s Lawley cutter,
Elf; and Roger Prichard’s sweet H-28 Gwylin.
(All photos by Ned Asplundh, except Miss Priss,
Elf, and the fireboat which were taken by Roger
Prichard).
At left, Tom Nichols takes care of some precarious work on the Meerwald’s
bowsprit (Roger Prichard photo). At righ and below, fine craftsmanship, on
a much smaller scale, was on display by the Philadelphia Ship Model Society
(www.phillyshipmodel.com; Ned Asplundh photos).
(continued on the next page)
Volume 32, Number 4
19
Phildelphia
Wooden Boat
Festival, cont’d.
Above, the afternoon’s events were highlighted by a series of match races between different traditional
classes: pair of Tuckups (foreground) are engaged in a fierce tacking duel, as a pair of Barnegat Bay
Sneakboxes look for wind in the shadow of the USS Olympia. Above right, Bob Munson takes a hard
corner in his Sneakbox (Roger Prichard photos). Right, Ron Gibbs and Barbara Munson prep for a
rowing race in the Whitehall, Polaris. Below right, Chris Simmons and Marston Black head out in
the Whitehall, Triumph, as Ann and Kate cross the finish line aboard Culture (below). Below left,
Elizabeth Crampton hoists sail aboard the sharpie Isabel Una MacKay, with Marcus Brandt at the
helm.
FOR SALE:
A new version of the
20’ Doghole Dory
(original pictured here)
20
If you are a rower without a boat, or looking
for an upgrade, consider this offer from Ejler
Hjorth-Westh:
Having rowed my original 20’ Doghole Dory
for over 20 years, I realize it’s time for a new
version of this good boat.
Same basic hull shape, sheerline, spoon bow,
and freeboard; LOA: 21’ - 22’; beam: 60”±;
weight: 200#; oiled inside-out; outfitted for
rowing: one rower w/wo coxswain; or two
rowers w/wo coxswain; fixed seats; includes 2
sets oars, 9’ and 9’6”; rudder; floorboards.
Using only the highest grade plywood, lumber
and hardware, I will put the boat up for sale
at $7,700 and am now soliciting a buyer. This
lucky person (persons) will get the deal of a
lifetime: 707-877-3339 or ejler@mcn.org
Seaworthy Small Ships
Dept A, POBox 2863
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
800-533-9030
Catalog Available $1.00
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Chuck Sutherland & Marilyn Vogel
2210 Finland Rd, Green Lane, PA 18054
seashell@entermail.net
www.enter.net/~skimmer/
LABRIE SMALL CRAFT
Matinicus 18
www.labriesmallcraft.com
(207) 570-2300
“Traditional Methods and Materials”
WOODWARD BOATSHOP
Guideboat Building & Restorations
Accessories, Hardware & Supplies
CHRISTOPHER WOODWARD
www.guideboats.com
518.891.3961
3 Hanmer Avenue
(intersection of Lake St. and Rte3)
Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Volume 32, Number 4
21
The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding announces
2012 Sailmaking and Rigging Class
by Pete Leenhouts
At left, the topsail schooner Adventuress off
Seattle. Photo by Zach Simonson-Bond, Sound
Experience.
crafts of sailmaking and rigging; it is
suitable for individuals interested in developing a professional career, as well as
for amateurs who seek to maintain their
own vessels.
Students will work in the Sail Loft
9am-5pm Mondays and 8am-5pm daily
Tuesday through Friday as well as on
local vessels as appropriate. During the
2012 class, students will make sails for
the gaff topsail schooner The Spirit of
Dana Point (CA) and the Port Townsend
schooner Adventuress.
The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Port Hadlock WA, is accepting
applications for its 2012 Sailmaking and
Rigging class. The class will be taught
January 9 to March 23, 2012. Application forms are found on the School’s
website: www.nwboatschool.org. Financial
assistance may be available to qualified
applicants.
The class is oriented towards beginning
students interested in the traditional
The class will introduce students to
the full range of traditional sailmaking
skills, tools, materials, design, measurement, handwork, machine work, canvaswork and the range of basic techniques
Great Lakes Boat Building School
485 South Meridian Road
Cedarville, MI 49719
906-484-1081
greatlakesboatbuilding.org
22
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
Above, a solid understanding of sailmaking and
rigging skills is essential for sailors. At right,
Machine skill fundamentals are important to
sailmakers.
needed by Sailmakers and Riggers. It is a
hands-on, technique-oriented course.
Mike Wick
Basement Boatyard
Interested? Contact us at:
The Northwest School of Wooden
Boatbuilding, 42 N Water Street, Port
Hadlock, WA 98339, 360-385-4948, www.
nwboatschool.org (or see us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/NWBoatSchool).
134 E Main St.
Moorestown, NJ 08057
856-222-1216
Canvaswork is an essential part of work in a sail
loft and aboard ship.
mikewick55@yahoo.com
Above left, sailmaking skills development takes
practice. Left, rigging work in the Sail Loft. Above
right, measuring sailcloth. (Unless indicated, all
photos by Pete Leenhouts, NWSBB).
Volume 32, Number 4
23
260 Dyckman Avenue
South Haven, MI 49090
269.637.8078
The Design Works
9101 Eton Road, Silver Spring MD 20901
301-589-9391 or toll free 877-637-7464
www.messingabout.com
800.747.3810
michiganmaritimemuseum.org
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.
24
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
ROB BARKER
Wooden Boat Building
and Repair
615 MOYERS LANE
EASTON, PA 18042
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
Specializing in
Small-Craft Sails
www.dabblersails.com
dab@crosslink.net
Ph/fax 804-580-8723
PO Box 235, Wicomico Church, VA 22579
Stuart K. Hopkins, Sole Prop.
Volume 32, Number 4
25
Duck Soup Inn
50 Duck Soup Lane
Thad Danielson Boats
Thad Danielson, builder, designer, consultant
42 French Rd
Cummington, MA 01026
thaddanielson@comcast.net
413-634-5339
www.thandanielsonboats.com
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
360-378-4878
Fine Dining for Sailors
Les Gunther
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
C Fox Wood Boats:
Building Custom Wood Boats
Wooden Boatbuilding School
16320 Red Pine Drive
Kent City, MI 49330
Phone (616)675-3188
www.cfoxwoodboats.com
26
Damaged Copy?
Address Changes
If your copy of Ash Breeze gets damaged in the
mail, please let us know and we’ll gladly send
a replacement. E-mail: mikewick55@yahoo.com or
nasplundh@yahoo.com
If you notify ONLY the US Postal Service of an
address change, that will not be enough. 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.
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011
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 below
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
Spring 2012, Volume 33, Number 1
Editorial Deadline: January 1, 2012
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 MS Word attachment. Send
photos as e-mail attachments, in TIFF or JPG
formats, as large and/or as high-resolution as
possible. Please give captions naming people,
places, and to whom photo credit should be
given. You may also submit photographic
prints, clean line drawings or typewritt en
material by US Mail. Please contact us IN
ADVANCE if you must submit handwritt en
text, or material in another word processing or image format. E-mail to: mikewick55@
yahoo.com or andy@marinermdeia.com.
The editors reserve the right to refuse
publication of any material deemed not
to be in the best interest of the TSCA.
Advertising Rates:
For insertion into four consecutive issues of
The Ash Breeze —
Sponsor, no ad ...............................................$50
Sponsor, with 1/8 page ad ............................ $60
Corporate Sponsor: 1/4 page ..................... $125
Corporate Sponsor: 1/2 page ..................... $250
Corporate Sponsor: full page .....................$350
Members’ Exchange:
Text only: 50 words or less, free to members.
$10 additional, per photo.
Volume 32, Number 4
TSCA Wares
Back Issues: Original/duplicated at $4
each, plus postage.
Volume
Year
Issue
Newsletter ............ 1975-1977 ............1,2,3,4
1.............................. 1978 .....................1,2,3,4
2.............................. 1979 .....................1
3.............................. 1979-1981 ............1-9
4-5 .......................... 1982-1983 ............1,2,3,4
6.............................. 1984 .....................1,2,4
7-19 ......................... 1985-1997 ............1,2,3,4
20............................ 1998-1999 ............1,2,3
21............................ 1999-2000 ............1,2,3,4
22............................ 2001 .....................1,2,3
23............................ 2002 .....................1,2,3
24-31 ...................... 2003-2010 ............1,2,3,4
32............................ 2011 .....................1,2,3
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,
TSCA logo in yellow and white. Adjustable leather strap and snap/buckle. $20.
($18 to members at TSCA meets.)
T-shirts: 100% cotton, light gray with
TSCA logo. $15.00 postpaid for sizes M, L,
and XL; $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: royal blue
field and sewn TSCA logo in white and
gold. Finest construction. $25 postpaid.
Visit: www.tsca.net/wares.html
for ordering information.
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 this page, 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 with your payment.
27
The Traditional
Small Craft Association, Inc.
PO Box 350
Mystic, CT 06355
28
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Providence, RI
Permit No. 1899
The Ash Breeze, Winter 2011