Ben
Like you I sometimes find the old time hand tools really are the best for a particular project. I don't own as many as I would like to but the ones I do I use a lot.
Looks like it worked well for you.
Printable View
Ben
Like you I sometimes find the old time hand tools really are the best for a particular project. I don't own as many as I would like to but the ones I do I use a lot.
Looks like it worked well for you.
I was able to fit the rudder on S-Boat for the first time this afternoon. I lucked out, the fit is really pretty good. Still a mess more work to do before we can go sailing, but we're getting there!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...or/photo-2.jpg
A very hot day in the old city that never sleeps. So escape up to Mamaroneck to fiddle around more with the infamous S-Boat rudder project. Gudgeons and pintles in place, fairing up the keelpost continues and shows great promise. I should be done with all this but real life keeps intruding.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...or/photo-3.jpg
Finally got the rudder stock fairing screwed into place. Still way more forming to get everything nicely faired.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0090.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0092.jpg
I found this link to a scan of an old Merriman Brothers catalog from the stone age, nicely done.
http://members.cox.net/classicyachts/merriman.html
Spent the day yesterday working on the S-Boat Iroquois' rudder, old story. Random orbit in one hand, yard stick in the other, more to do. She should be in the water by next weekend. The owner Rick did a really nice job finishing the topsides and brightwork. Hopefully with the new rudder she'll be as fast as she looks.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0098.jpg
Beautiful work, beautiful boat.
Nice, simple jack rig.
How do you get it moved out of the shop?
Thanks for the work in progress shots,
it's really been a treat!:cool:
I second that... nice work and thanks for posting the progress photos Ben.
Thanks you guys, really appreciate your comments.
I had a conversation with one of the long time S-Boat owners Howard. He's owned the S-Boat Allegro since the early 1960's and was telling me about a visit he made to the Pearson (ex Herreshoff) factory / boatyard up in Bristol RI in the mid sixties to inquire about information on his S-boat. They still had many people who had worked for Herreshoff working at Pearson. And an older gentleman was produced who remembered the batch of ten S-Boats that Herreshoff constructed in 1920 that included Howard's boat Allegro.
I was showing the rudder I've been building for Iroquois to Howard and mention to him that after following the S-Boat plan my rudder was much thicker than the other S-Boat rudders I'd examined. This had gotten me a little worried, were people shaving down their rudder to go faster? Howard put me at ease and told me that a fat rudder was better. The added buoyancy of an original spec rudder would keep the bow of the S-Boat hull in the water, reduced weather helm and give the boat a longer waterline. Something to think about if you are making a new Ariel / Commander rudder.
Here are some pictures of Allegro I took last Saturday after Bill, Allegro's co owner ghosted her under sail into Mamaroneck's harbor to get her bottom painted at the boatyard.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0100.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0102.jpg
Ben
The buoyancy of the rudder to help bring her to sit on her proper lines is very interesting. Our boats do tend to squat in the aft end so that may have a lot to do with why our rudders were originally wood. Or maybe it was just an easier way to make the rudder back then.
I was talking to a new sailor on another forum recently and explaining to him the proper procedure to tune his rig. When he was done he had a bout 3" of prebend in his mast. Which for the boat he sails is just about perfect. Butt he was all concerned that none of the boats around his had as much prebend as his and thought maybe it was too much. I need to send him your photo of this S-boat wooden mast with it's prebend so set him a little more at ease.
The s-boat sure is a good looking boat.
Jerry one of the interesting things about these beautiful curved S-Boat masts is that they were built mostly in the past twenty years. Many S-Boats had lost their original masts by the sixties and seventies and were racing with conventional aluminum masts. A man named Frank McCaffrey resurrected the art of making the wooden curved S-Boat mast sometime in the 1980's I believe. Hard to imagine an S-Boat racing without a curved mast today.
Almost finished. Rick and I riveted the pintles and gudgeons onto the hull and rudder with copper rods today, fun to do. Still need to make and attached a wood cover which hides the bronze rudder stock, early next week. Primed everything with red lead, the yard needs to fair up the lead keel that was damaged last fall and do the bottom painting.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0109.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0122.jpg
Here's Danae, our shed mate, getting launched this afternoon.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0119.jpg
Really does look good Ben. Nice work.
Nice sail label that was on this old jib that my friend Hans bought for his Ensign from Trader John.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u.../SailLabel.png
Bought this at a used bookstore in Boulder Colorado while visiting my wife's family over the holiday weekend. One of those books that feels like a extended version of an article from "The New Yorker". Written about ten years ago when the times seemed much simpler. Nice Book.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0185.jpg
Did a lot of hiking out there. Great looking clouds!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0158.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0179.jpg
Iroquois sailed and raced yesterday with seven other S-Boats on Long Island Sound, first time since her grounding last fall. She scored a second in the second race. And the first race can be chalked down as a learning experience. The new rudder performed as planned and the whole steering assembly felt smooth and solid under all sorts of sailing conditions, phew!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0187.jpg
Ben,
F A N T A S T I C !
Congratulations!
It has been great looking over your shoulders
and seeing first hand (or is it third hand....?) your mastery
of that mysterious old boat building material they called 'WOOD'.
Also read at least twenty pages online of your latest Michael Ruhlman book find.:cool:
More, please!
Thanks Ebb! Here's some video clips I took during one of the pre-starts of the first weekend of racing the 113th Larchmont Race week. S-Boats, nice winds and weather on a Sunday of glorious sailing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO17RKcdcJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT7aVvOpeO8&feature=channel_video_title
Here's the guys we race with, the International One Designs and the Shields.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDWCZEWQxWI
"Last of the Sailormen" was written about the last working Thames sailing barges by skipper Bob Roberts in 1960. A wonderful book, one of my favorites.
More on Bob Roberts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Rob...8folksinger%29
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0234.jpg
One of my favorite boats up at City Island the Freedom 40 Freya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwxtPPqnyM
Walking down 23rd. Street in the City stumbled upon this. Eastern outpost of a major contributor?
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0228.jpg
I think you guys might enjoy this article about Everett Pearson. Who incidentally own and raced the Herreshoff S-Boat Whistler back in the 50's and 60's.
Part 1,
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...-8SVxnBDBrTlFA
Part 2,
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...IvQRfVkDMRJang
And here's a ditty by our Thames barge skipper Bob Roberts, sweet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m_ysiV4uVY&feature=related
Alfred (Al or Fred) William (Bill or Will) Roberts Known as BOB Roberts!
Wot's in a name, me lads, whot's in a name?
Be looking 'im up, Ben - thanks for another gem.
As to EBB ("major contributor":D) cast in concrete!!!
- or is that wood painted to look like concrete?
OR maybe it is cast iron made to look like wood.
We have a town close by here in California named Petaluma* famous for its downtown iron-front victorian buildings. Those letters could be:
Enterprise Blues Band - or
Elizabeth Barrett Browning - or
European Biodiesel Board.
More likely the last one, given our borderless global economy and ebbing dollar, the Euros obviously have an alternative fuel office in your hometown.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________
*Petaluma (Coast Miwok word meaning 'backside')
Also remembered for sailing scows like "ALMA" that navigated the P.River and
took fresh veggies and eggs across the Bay to San Francisco during the gold rush.
Alma is the last remaining completely restored scow schooner, and you can get a ride on her.
What's in a name? Carl Alberg's mom was Alma.
I admire naming your vessel after a loved one. The S-Boat I'm resurrecting had the original name Estelle, after the first owner's mother. I think if I had Carl Alberg's Commander I'd change the name back to Alma.
Rockwell Kent was an illustrator, author and a free thinker (artist). Found this book by him from 1930 titled "N & E" about a sailing adventure to Greenland in which he participated. Loaded with wonderful illustrations, hard to pick just four.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...entMooring.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...KentTiller.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...lKentAtSea.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...entCabin-1.jpg
I'm currently reading the same book. So far I am really enjoying it. The illustrations are amazing, coming from an art background myself makes the book that much better!
Went up to Newport yesterday to visit with Jim Titus the boat builder who's resurrecting the S-Boat Tern. Walked into his shop and low and behold three curved S-Boat masts under construction. First new batch in over a decade I found out, beautiful.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0360.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0356.jpg
Here are some pictures of Tern, warning, not for the faint at heart. Work has just been started on her and the first order of business is reconstructing her backbone so that new ribs can be fitted. What's that old line about long journeys?
Tern's builder's plate is the last version Herreshoff used before going under, I believe. Similar to the Pearson builder plate in shape?
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0413.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0374.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0398.jpg
Ben
I am truly jealous of you living right in the middle of all these historic boats and wood boat building masters. Being able to walk into their shops and watch them work and visit with them is priceless. We have nothing like that here in Florida. Wood boats don't come here for more than a short visit and then they are gone.
I need to schedule a vacation to come up there and just marvel over all that sailing history.
This is a good book. An added attraction is Peter Nichols naming off a bunch of sailing writers that inspired him. Eric C. Hiscock, Bernard Moitessier and Robin Knox-Johnson are mentioned. He even brings up the actor Sterling Hayden's autobiography "Wanderer", a book on my reading list.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0433.jpg
It would take too long to describe how many great books I've found in boxes on the sidewalk marked "free" here in New York City. Last week I found these two books together near my shop. My shop is in a rich hunting ground for the "free" books.
"The Shipping News" is a wonderful book. Don't be put off by all the accolade. A great book about getting through tough times. "Cod" is one of those science subject biographies. Maybe you've read "Longitude" by Dava Sobel, a similar good book. After these I want to go up and visit the Maritimes.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0464.jpg
Some pictures I took this summer.
A nice catboat down at Beaton's Boatyard. Don't know what type.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0335.jpg
A few pictures of my one of my favorite topics, derelict wooden boats. First is the S-Boat Sufi up at Newport with Jim Titus at Mt. Hope Boat-works. And the second shot is of the S-Boat Volunteer still down at Beatons, see beginning of thread. Be great to see both of these boats restored and back racing. These boats are out of the Western Sound S-Boat Fleet and sorely missed. Anybody want to keep a few skilled boat-builders busy? Now's the time!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0421.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0320.jpg
Finally another shot of this unidentified R-class boat at Barrons on City Island. Wonder what she looked like before they remodeled her deck and cabin.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0341.jpg
Took this while waiting for the Hutchinson River draw bridge to close on my way up to go sailing on the Ariel this past Saturday morning. Haven't posted a crane picture is some time, working water front!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0565.jpg
Here's the book I'm reading right now, Sterling Hayden's "Wanderer".
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/IMG_0586.jpg
Great Interview with Sterling from the Tomorrow Show, 1980.
http://youtu.be/f8WjH5qSGPA
Sterling quote:
“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea… cruising, it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about. I’ve always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can’t afford it.” What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of security. And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine – and before we know it our lives are gone."
http://youtu.be/N1KvgtEnABY
Good stuff Ben!
That quote is absolutely brilliant.
Hayden also wrote a novel.
'Voyage' was a critical success as a novel Hayden wrote sometime in the '70s.
Never read it - but Wanderer was read by everybody.
Stayed angry with Hayden for naming names to the Joe McCarthy HUAC character assinations in the '50s.
Never went to any of his pictures after that, except for Dr Strangelove where he had a supporting role as Gen Jack D. Ripper. Got to like him again after he defied a judge and sailed to Tahiti with his kids. But then lost track. Good to be reminded.
Wanderer is a great life story.
It is of course his autobiography. Wanderer is written by a really unique, could say, 'larger than life' guy. He was large, couldn't miss him at 6'5". But not. Because he got himself wound up as a public hunk in Hollywood and nearly lost his conscience by selling out to easy money. People who write about him say he never forgave himself for tattling to the politicians, and that came about because of acting and his association with Hollywood.
Hayden actually ran away to sea at 15. He was afterall a sailor, a voyager, who got stuck in the stink of the lubbers, and paid the price. He always was a thinker, a moralist and a romantic. But foremost, a sailor.
Here's some more progress pictures of the S-Boat Tern.
New floors being fitted on Tern's new forward keelson. The boatbuilders are getting ready to start reframing.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/e57b9394.jpg
Here's a shot of the keelson. There will be a grooves cut along it's length to accept the garboard planks.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/f180d4e3.jpg
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nice book by Christopher Pastore about the story behind the Reliance, largest boat to sail for the America's cup. Looks she's on the back of the Rhode Island Statehood Commemorative Quarter! Get a load at the length of that spinnaker pole, 84 feet long.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/d2d15fdf.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/fb9c97bc.jpg
Had to take some pictures of these decorative vents, drilled into main salon settee backs of a graceful Rhodes R24 (35' overall), circa 1948. I believe they are original, the boat was built up in Mystic by the Franklin G. Post boatyard.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...rdoor/Crab.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...rdoor/fish.jpg
Ben
Awesome thread...
I really enjoy it. Your tidbits have got me going off 'looking' often.
I enjoy the vintage pictures, the S boats, the woodwork and working harbor (crane pictures). Not to mention the books! -Keep 'em coming!
I am a big reader, and the sail / maritime topic is one of my favourites...
Was looking at this beautiful handmade book of inked architectural renderings that a friend of mine's dad did back in the 1960's. Thought I'd post a picture of this rendering, sailboats in the distance, house on ocean, a beautiful dream. I think this house was built in Corsica.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/740cbd01.jpg
Was lucky to find a copy of the great naval architect and historian John Leather's book "Spritsails and Lugsails" published by the once great International Marine Publishing Company back in 1979. A treasure of images and yarns, here are some.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Lugger3a.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Lugger4a.jpg
This picture is of the Albermarle Sound shad skiff builder Washington Creef of Roanoake Island , NC, 1890's. Pretty boats.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Lugger1a.jpg
Landseer MacKenzie's Heathen Chinee, built in 1877. She carried two centerboards and the always ingenious Chinese lugsails, designed years before the IPhone. Famous for beating the great 117 foot racing cutter Valkyrie in a race between Southampton to Colne, a not too shabby feat.
Last picture, launching from a beach. The hard work of being a fisherman, heat, cold, wind or no wind. Pushing off when ever possible to earn a living. Soon the internal combustion engine changes everything, including eventually destroying most of the worlds great fisheries. Ah, the price of progress.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Lugger5a.jpg
Wanted to show Ebb some of the Japanese tools I traded for a piece of furniture.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/b3e59c8b.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/76384c80.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/8b27b0b9.jpg
Don't believe I've ever even touch anything like those !
Reminds me I should go into 'The Japan Woodworker' on Clement Av in Alameda
To get a recharge SOON.
I've had various saws over the years including that Ryoba but never one in the HideoShindo grade.
Even the regular grade are too pricey for me these days
and the old ones I have have gone rusty like me and have teeth missing.
I do keep three sizes of Azibiki that are in better shape because they get used.
I've only seen them fairly cheap or moderately expensive. No master grade!
Love the style and can't understand why they aren't more popular here. Seldom seen in catalogs.
It's a close-quarter, get out of trouble, cut an improvise mitre in situ when you have to, kind of tool.
I've used it to cut wood plugs because the flexible one got bent and walked off.
{Acquired a 6" double edged Made in Japan semi-flex Vaughan BearsSaw150D that does mutiple duty.
I bought it because it came with clear plastic edge protectors so it can keep company with the rest of the boys in the band.}
Japanese planes are a mystery to me even tho Mike up in the shop has a number of them
and he would be happy to pontificate their finer points:
which waterstone is best and what style - whether the Shizen blades are really worth the money, and what bed angle is best for teak.
Just jealousy kicking in.
What makes the planes you have there.... special ?:D:confused:
(my Japanese is a little rusty too !)
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/c3aeb6dd.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/72923471.jpg
Here's another of the 70mm smoothing planes from the hoard. It has a Japanese red oak body and in the detail shot you can see the care that went into forging the blade, it's got to be one the most modernest object created by man.
I'm just learning about this windfall Ebb. I really don't know much of what I have.
Ben
Tried to find something that would help decode the etchings on your blade.
Mike didn't know but he thought the blade was in the $1000 to $2000 dollar range!
First google search has cognoscenti talking to insiders who know all about what those marks are saying and don't care to clue us in.
Mike thought the round mark could be a town insignia.
All I know is that master secrets of these blades is still handed down thru Samuri families who no longer make the swords of the past they became famous for. Whether your blade is made with pinewood charcoal, gas or coal is as noteworthy as whether it comes from antique caches, Swedish or even English import iron.
Saw a PBS on one of the last sword makers, still attracting apprentices - no secrets revealed - but some VERY serious quenching and tempering with water and steam and petrified apprentices.. Be an interesting book if the author included some of the metalurgical magic.
Blades are made for cabinetry or carpentry, soft or hard wood, smoothing or cutting.
[The plane body is not the traditional oak usually seen, which is a light beige/brown
with many close non continuous black grain lines running through tit. It could be padauk or rosewood.
Don't know the J. hardwoods.]
Ebb, The cardboard box that held the wooden storage box and second kanna, the one with the moon stamp, has "akagashi" penciled on it. Akagashi is japanese red oak, I've learned.
I have kindly been given a translation of the writing on the saw box from a co-worker's friend in Japan.
As for your request, I tried.
The first one says “original” or “first generation” (syodai in Japanese). The second says “Heijiro Miyano” (Japanese man’s name). I found out from search
he is the 1st generation of saw makers (1846-1917). It also says tool was made for “Minatogawa Shrine” located in Kobe (next to Osaka and Kyoto).
Wow, this must be very valuable and expensive tool. Hope this helps.
Kumiko
Hey Kumiko, you're right! but when you get a moment take a look at
Japanese plane [...have to type into google: japanese red oak wood plane]
forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?111022-Japanese-plane [...this blue line is dead]
3 good photos
Jay Geer at post #12 has some interesting things to say on subject.
My friend Hans and I have been babysitting this faded starlet from the golden age of yachting. She's the boat that has the decorative vents I took pictures of earlier in this thread. I've been cleaning her up in preparation of putting her out on a mooring later this week. The last shot is one I found online of this boat or her sister being launched back in 1947.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/7e894d7e.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/6a41a1a8.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/8eb4bce5.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Windrift.jpg
While taking a break from sanding old paint off the Ariel's deck up at City Island yesterday evening I explored some of the "Fading Starlet's" suite of old sails. One of her sail bags contained this light weight cotton Ratsey made balloon jib, made on City Island. Don't see too many balloon jibs today! This sail has got to be from when the Rhodes was new.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/f0f4b49c.jpg
Here's some of that old timey sailmaking technique.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/d814fe6f.jpg
Worked like the devil yesterday and today to build and setup a mooring for the Rhodes 24 that I'm now looking after, madness! With the help of my friends Hans and Bobby everything went smooth, no drama, thanks you guys!
My research of this boat has found that the complete plans of the Rhodes 24 are located at Mystic Seaport, I called. This will certainly be helpful in the attempt to lengthen the mast back to it's proper height. I think it's short by about six feet at present.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/c0371e96.jpg
e
Mounted this wind and solar powered led hanging light on the boom of the Rhodes. It can run off it's small internal battery for about 12 hours. It's made by IKEA, sells for under $30 and includes an automatic light sensor, turns the light on at dusk and off at dawn. Maybe the spinning blades will also scare off the seagulls, although they are really not much of a problem. The light will hopefully scare off a collision with another boat. The plan is to get another light for the Ariel's boom when she goes out to her mooring.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/16d719e5.jpg
Looking over that old cotton Ratsey balloon jib, saw this cool detail of how the sailmakers tapered the bolt-rope edging around the corners of the sail. I think this is called a rat's tail.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/b32802fd.jpg
Old books, old sailing books!
I enjoyed John MacGregor's "The Voyage Alone in the Yawl Rob Roy". It's an old book, 1880's, by the pioneer of recreational canoeing, kayaking and small boat sailing. MacGregor did his own illustrations, here's one of the "Rob Roy".
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...wl_rob_roy.jpg
Next, "The Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers, 1903. Great fictional account of sailing in the tricky tides and sand bars of Germany's North Sea coast coupled with a ripping yarn spy adventure. Most of the action takes place aboard the yawl Dulcibella, pictured below. Erskine Childers lead an interesting life. It was ended by his execution during the Irish Civil War, 1922-23, by the Free State's crack down on Sinn Féin. Before his execution, in a spirit of reconciliation, Childers shook hands with each of the firing squad. His last words, spoken to them, were (characteristically) in the nature of a joke: "Take a step or two forward, lads. It will be easier that way."
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...-the-sands.jpg
I've had some correspondence with the owner of the sister ship to the Rhodes R24 in my charge. Here's his boat, sailing in the Virgin Islands, where it's based. His mast is the correct height.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/fde76cde.jpg
Missed a compartment when cleaning out the Rhodes 24. What I found today in it was a set of blueprints for the vessel. Gently unfolded the damp sheets of the plans and laid them out flat on the vee berth cushions to dry. I even have a sheet for the spars and rigging. Here's the cabin plan sheet, it's in the worst condition of the set.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/f222a39b.jpg
Sailing the Ariel, that's my boom at the top of the picture, this morning and spied this huge crane slowing being towed up the channel from the Throggs neck.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/18bc20b9.jpg
Oh no, another season of S-Boat racing is about to begin with this weekend's Memorial Day Regatta. I helped out in the stepping of Eaglet's mast this past week.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/e8d0d6d8.jpg
Kirsty, Eaglet's skipper and fellow Wayfarer alumnus, is hosted aloft to straighten out her mast's spreaders.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/93a3f9f8.jpg
Discovered the work of the illustrator Edward A. Wilson recently. He was a wonderful practitioner of the woodblock print revival in the first half of the 20th century.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...oodenShips.jpg
Here's a shot of a pretty Herreshoff 12 1/2 that was being launched as I was up in Mamaroneck doing repairs to an S-Boat. Isn't this all one really needs?
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/Untitled.jpg
This is the award to the annual winner of the Western Long Island Sound S-Boat Fleet. This hangs on a wall next to the bar at the ye olde Larchmont Yacht Club. I think the rope border is really cool. And don't make the mistake of polishing off the clear coat on your brass name plaque. In fifty years it will turn black and people will have a hard time reading your name.
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Ben
Fell off the sailing book bandwagon and started reading murder mysteries again. But fear not, soon some poor soul will surely sell their nautical library to the Strand Bookstore and I will once again be sailing the seven seas from the comfort of my bed.
Visited my dear wife's family out in Colorado once again. While hiking in my mother in-law's parched "backyard" found this bit of color by my feet. There was a little rain the night before.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/e3a2cfda.jpg
Here's two clips of S-Boats heading off to the races. The first is of Aeolus and the second Eaglet with Kandahar in the distance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83DbSk-u_74
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VFC_Sc2_xg&feature=plcp
My old friend Hans "won" this vintage 1960 cedar planked Lightning sailboat on EBay during a moment of unbridled nostalgia. He dragged the boat up from Maryland to City Island behind a U-haul. Now after several months of fitful restorations she goes sailing, great fun. Wearing perhaps her original set of sails, stained and yellowed but in good shape.
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Farley Mowat is a great Canadian writer and conservationist. "The Grey Seas Under" is the story of the adventures of the ocean salvage tug SS Foundation Franklin before and during WW2. A fascinating and gripping saga!
"It was a hair-raising exploit and, as the salvage arbitrator in London later wrote, "it was accomplished by a display of courage that only escaped foolhardiness by virture of the skill with which it was performed.""
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He also wrote "The Boat Who wouldn't Float" (entertaining read) and "Never Cry Wolf" (haven't read the book but it's one of my all-time favorite movies). Good author!
These pictures are from the Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta. We raced the S-Boats up there this past weekend and had a very nice time.
First two pictures are of Francis Herreshoff's Ticonderoga, I'd say his most famous design. And in the final picture the two boats tied together are the dark hulled Nor'easter, an Alden Q-Boat, and the 8 meter Angelita.
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Every time I see wooden boats like those
my faith in humanity revives.
Murder mysteries?
Haven't read one of the best writers in the genre, J.D.McDonald...in a long time.
Have at least one copy of every novel he wrote.
Always believed that reading the Travis McGee 'color' mysteries saved my life
during a very difficult transition from marriage to divorce.
For some reason these stories didn't translate to the movie theater.
[Have never forgiven Sam Eliott (voice in Coors & Dodge Ram ads) for his
incredibly stupid and unfeeling portrayal of Travis in 'Empty Copper Sea' 1963.
Movie also stands as an example of the worst translation possible of one genre
to another. So bad, imco it killed all interest in bringing the series into film.]
The series could now be revived for TV, set in the weird 60s time period they were written in...
and make for a revisit of the best all round sane independant hero ever invented.
It would take a producer with the guts of McGee (& smarts of Meyer) to stay true to the spirit
of the writing. McDonald needs to be restored to us. McGee ("salvage consultant")
has been borrowed from for all our problem solving detectives in the art form.
But none compares to the great original
Travis McGee.
Ebb, Travis McGee is a favorite of my friend Hans. He "won" a box load of J.D.McDonald paperbacks recently on EBay. The writer John Burdett is another his favorites with his Thai detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep.
The spars of my exciting though slow moving S-Boat project "Tern" were brought down to Brewer's in Mamaroneck from their long slumbering storage in a barn upstate.
The Rig
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The Hounds
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The Outhaul
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Certainly, THE most amazing hounds!
Wonder why so much support was deemed necessary.
Or do S boats slip their soft eyes if resting on a more tidy thumb cleat?
......the work and skill involved is amazing.
At first they look made of thick leather - which would be easier to shape and carve.
Been reading "The Last Grain Race" by Eric Newby, his story of sailing on the four masted ship the Moshulu from Europe to Australia and back in 1939.
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Here are some shot of the S-Boat Kandahar during the testing this past Saturday of our new class spinnaker design. That's me on fore deck.
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With hurricane Sandy approaching, the wife and I decided to go argue about home furnishings this morning at the IKEA in Red Hook Brooklyn. In the Erie Basin, right behind the IKEA store, the fleet of New York's working vessels are bedding down for the duration.
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Pensively Emily scans the Eric Basin while dreaming of closet organization solutions. Another crane picture!
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Sometimes when in a hurry and looking for books at the old Strand Bookstore I only read the publisher's name at the bottom of the book splines, usually in the Sea and Ships section I'm just searching for the letters I and M of a book published by International Marine. Scanning away this weekend I came across a book published by Alfred Knopf about sailing by a British writer named George Millar. Loved this book, read it through in two evenings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Millar_%28writer%29
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Attachment 8772Hi Ben, Looking through your thread is very interesting. At the OCBC where I'm a member someone dumped a pickup load of books in the dumpster. I was shocked when I saw them. Pulled them out and now have them in my shop. OCBC was founded in 1929 on a small man made lake here in OKC, I've read a number of the books in the last year and have really enjoyed them. Slocums book was the first. One of my boats is a Chris Craft Cherokee 32, while the Chris Craft boats are not the greatest, some of the Sparkmen and Stephens shines through. I'll post some photos of some of the cool hardware on the boat. I owned a Pearson Ensign and really liked the boat but wanted a bigger version so I bought Ariel 157 that lies Northport MI for the time being. Haven't had a chance to pick the boat up yet but hope to do a little voyaging if I can get away. The boats of yesteryear are to me much more pleasing to the eye even if some are made of plastic. One book I read was written by Olin Stephens called "All this and sailing too" The book gives a good history of boat design and the transition from old school to the computer age.
Congratulations on getting an Ariel Craig! I never thought much about people being able to sail keel-boats in Oklahoma, but with those big reservoirs and all that wind comes sweeping down the plain stuff an Ariel would fit right in. I keep missing out on that Olin Steven book when the Strand gets a copy, somebody always gets to it before me, someday.
I just finished this book. "Once is Enough" by Miles Smeeton is the story of getting somersaulted in a sailboat by a large wave in the icy waters west of Cape Horn and living to tell the tail. A beautifully written book that was published in 1959 and as the Jonathan Raban's introduction states: "It has cast a spell on many with it's portrait of small boats as the last best hope of escape and adventure in an increasingly tame and constrained world".
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Attachment 8773Can't remember where I've seen that book"Once is enough", maybe in our library. Your welcome to read my book "All this and Sailing too" if you would like. Bookrates are pretty cheap so I'm not worried about that but because I have an S&S design you'd have to mail it back(LOL) Went to Texoma today and the wind was blowing up to 30, so I just worked on the boat. Had a 5.5 inch deep galley sink and I've ordered a 7.5, doesn't sound like much but hope it will make washing a little easier. The books I pulled out of the dumpster (over 150) I hope to put back in the club with some proper bookshelves. We had more books than shelves so someone got a little carried away. Wish I had your wood working skills. The voyaging books have me ready to take off on a voyage of my own. I once did 1600 nm offshore with 5 guys on an Island Packet 45 but believe going alone would be more satisfying for me. I lived on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay and loved all the old wood boat stuff there and there are some pretty cool musuems in the area. The light house is "Sharps Island Light" Once an Island but washed away and the light house now resembles the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Sailed plenty on the Chesapeake as a Licensed Master and sure miss it. Best Regards Craig
In my salad days I had a couple first editions of "Once".
Most amazing couple. Really and truly incredible.
Just went looking for a photo, since I don't remember one.
google images found a book for sale, which I'm going to get,
'High Endeavours: The Extraordinary Life and Adventures of Miles & Beryl Smeeton'
by Miles Clark. With a title like that, the author must be Brit!
The bio has a charming picture of the couple on the cover!
Ebb,
Interesting that the Smeetons and the Millairs, "Oyster River", both bought their sailboats as a way to get around post war currency restrictions against taking money out of Britain. Buy a yacht in Britain, most had been laid up for years during the duration of the war, sail it somewhere on vacation like North America or the Mediterranean and sell it. In the Smeeton's case they even stashed diamond rings aboard their beloved boat the Tzu Hang to sell abroad. This inspired the novelist Nevil Shute to write the book "Trustee From The Toolroom", highly recommended! Of course in the Smeeton's case they fell in love with their boat and didn't end up selling it, don't know what happened with the diamond rings.
Craig,
It sounds like you've had plenty of sailing adventures and way more experience on the water than I have. Thanks for the pictures, please post some more! Love to see what lake Texoma looks like, it looks huge on Google Maps. My grandmother's family homesteaded in eastern Oklahoma, near a town called Nowata. Three hundred years of pioneering across America and my relatives end up farming some scraggly plain of marginal land, oh well.
Isn't Jon, Sirrocco's owner in Oklahoma?
by Don Holm. This book is available online in hugh chunks. I downloaded
a nine page bio of the Smeetons. Holms interviewed the couple for his book
and also saw the famous TzeHang being shipped on the back of a ferryboat.
TzuHang was sold, loaned or given to somebody named Hanse or Nance
and ended up in the drug trade and being executed by buldozer by US narks.:mad:
TAKE THAT, you Naughty boat!
I've been to Nowata and there is no shortage of water in the area so they didn't name it that for a lack of. My great great grandfather was a landrunner in the Cherokee Strip landrun. My father was a French Canadian from New Hampshire. He fought in WW II and was stationed in Oklahoma after the war and met my Mom here. So I'm half Okie dirt farmer and half French Canadian. Is Sirrocco an Ariel? Lake Texoma is very pretty I think. It has some sandy beach islands and the water is somewaht clear for a lake in this part of the country, I took this picture a couple of weeks ago on My CC Cherokee 32, had it on auto pilot with a light breeze and it was a beautiful day (not rubbing it in for you North sailors) (You can laugh at me when its a 105 on Texoma this summerAttachment 8781)Attachment 8780 The photo of the davits is on my old Cal 35 near Hoopers Island on the east side of Chesapeake Bay not too far from Salisbury MD
Yes, Jon's location is Tulsa.Quote:
Originally Posted by mbd
Attachment 8782Wonder if Jon is a member of Windycrest on Keystone Lake? Haven't been there but they host quite a few regattas. I'll check in to it. Sailed on Keystone in my 20s on a G-Cat 5m. Once was caught in a thunder storm there and backed the cat up on the beach, in the middle of the storm the wind did a 180 and the cat took off, disappeared in to the storm as I watched. After the stormed passed the boat was a good 1/2 offshore capsized. Hitched a ride on a powerboat to retrieve it. One of just a few of my storm sails in Oklahoma. I nearly drowned after a capsize on that G-cat a year later on Lake Hefner, with a date sailing at night we capsized in pretty darn cold water, I tried to right the boat while she held on to the lifejackets (niether of us were wearing one, I know), I couldn't right the cat and she tried to swim to me and couldn't catch me. I dove off the boat to be with her, time passed, fatigue, a boat in the distance. I called directions to a sloop that picked us up. Saved. Funny thing when you survive a near death experience with someone. Her and I ended up being married. The pic is of Cambridge Creek draw bridge leaving Cambridge Creek (MD) taken around 2001 or so. Great place to anchor, when I was there a restaurant called "Snappers" was right there at the little anchorage just on the other side of that bridge.
Clicking on the user name "Jon" in the member list gets you to his profile page. According to our files, you can send him a private message (on the board) or Email him from there (if his Email address is still valid).
You don't need to say anything more than what's written across the top of the dust jacket, "Six men cross the Pacific on a raft! This book unwittingly contributed, along with the Rodgers and Hammerstein, to cause the tiki bar / polynesian restaurant craze across our fine land.
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My long lost George Dyson designed baidarka, a type of kayak, project resurfaces during the moving of my workshop to the Bronx. One day I'm going to get this thing finished. When lofted it's longer than an Ariel. Check out this link, inspirational!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tellyto...998793/detail/
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This is mind blowing! What an amazing planet!!!
http://vimeo.com/61487989#
Hey All,
Just wanted to let you know there is a Triton on ebay right now: located at City Island
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1961-...orcev4exp=true
Carl,
I know of this boat, named Swifty and earnestly rebuilt by an gentleman named Woody who sold her about two years ago because of heath problems. One of the improvements Woody did was re-cored the decks from below, retaining the original deck pattern. One negative beside the mast issue, suffered during hurricane Sandy, is that there's a crack in the glass on the keel that needs some attention. If one can stand wheeled steering and a cabin mounted traveler on a Triton than I think you will find this boat is just dandy. I am unaware of the condition of the classic vintage plastic laminate in this boat's cabin, which likely will play an important part in the sale.
Time to add to ye olde Jersey Shore Thread!
Annual trip to Colorado to visit the wife's family. Trading New York's hot humid July weather for some cool dry mountain breezes.
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Another of City Island's vintage boat yard cranes, this pretty one in the service of the Island Boat Club, vintage 1920's.
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Returning to the dock a recent Saturday afternoon after crewing on the S-Boats, had the chance to tour on Black Watch during her open house at Larchmont Yacht Club. Beautiful boat, her cabinetry below is made of butternut, a light shaded relative of walnut, unusual. She was made by Nevins at City Island!
http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.com...8-edlu-ii.html
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While heat gunning the varnish off Tern's S-Boat Mast I was able to take breaks and walk over and peak down on the 8 meter Angelita docked next door to Brewers at Derecktor, a pleasure.
http://www.cannellclassicboats.com/cbb_angelita.html
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Finally, I've been refinishing Tern's Mast under the slumbering mass of this huge cruising boat. Nice place to work.
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x
Another year goes by and S-Boat Volunteer still awaits resurrection down at the Jersey Shore, survived hurricane Sandy.
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Finished with S-Boat Tern's mast refinishing, ten coats of Epifanes and much sanding! Thanks to all at Brewer's Boat Yard for their help. Getting started on the the boom next.
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Tern's 19 foot long boom is over 70 years old. I'm scarfing a new piece of Sitka spruce onto the rear end of the spar. The boom is made up of two boards glued together, one board at the end of the boom has seen better days. Here's the jig I made to cut and plane down the scarf.
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More to come, ha, lots more!
x
Made these two video clips of the NY 50 Spartan racing on Long Island Sound this weekend. One of nine NY 50's built by Herreshoff around 1913, Spartan is the lone survivor. Her hull is about 72' long.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSv2vTGNUD4&feature=c4-overview&list=UUcNpdZiq-gWaIriebNWnu1g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUcNpdZiq-gWaIriebNWnu1g&v=UBGa1DzArf8
Cool! That is the VERY boat I've been ogling all month long on my Wooden Boats calendar. She's a beauty!
Picture of the S Boat Danae, rainbow real, not photoshopped. Owners Bill and Mary Ann just had their golden anniversary a week before this was taken.
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Carl Alberg started working for John Alden around the time his firm designed the Q Class boats Nor'easter (1926) and Hope (1929). I was lucky to be able to sail on Hope yesterday and take these images of some close racing with Nor'easter.
Hope on her mooring
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Nor'eastern plowing ahead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGT4LWodGgs&feature=share&list=UUcNpdZiq-gWaIriebNWnu1g
Lookout Bill on Hope's bow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys05lpJtKZE&feature=share&list=UUcNpdZiq-gWaIriebNWnu1g
Hi Ben, really great stuff you have posted on this thread . Today is the first time I've seen it since thread #135 . Keep it coming. I suspect your just collecting the Japanese tools due to the age and condition, but they are really nice to work with. I bought some extra fine modern Japanese pull saws when I was splitting and cleaning out my coamings and they were a real pleasure to work with. Cuts so fine the edge feels smooth. P.S. That S Boat in the graveyard has your name all over it buddy.
Hi Paul, Thanks for your encouragement, maybe after S-Boat Tern get's racing again, perhaps with the help of those fancy Japanese tools, I can help with the graveyard boat Volunteer. Happy also to report that I found a caretaker for the Rhodes 24, after looking after her for the past two years. The new owner Nikolai, a good carpenter, has been diligently working on his new boat. There is hope!
Read these two classics back to back. Did these guys sail around the same planet?
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Bought this book because of the pretty dust jacket, written by a fellow named Anthony Heckstall-Smith, D.S.C., wonderful find. Heckstall-Smith, who's father was a famous yachting correspondent, grew up immersed in yachting's "Golden Age". Here's one of his reminisces of the perennially America's Cup challenger and tea maker Tommy Lipton.
"One day, when I was very young, he explained to me the principle of advertising by a simple analogy that I have never forgotten.
'Laddie,' he said, 'it's like this. When a chicken lays an egg, she cackles an' tells the whole farmyard. But when a duck lays an egg, she makes no' a sound. An' how many people eat ducks' eggs? Did ye never ask yourself yon question?'"
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Here's a piece of history, a 1930's towing tank model, given to my friend's friend by his grandfather. Nice work of art to hang up in your house.
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Working again on Tern's boom, scarfed in a new board to replace a badly checked section on the bottom far end of the 19' long spar. With very little heat in my new shop working with a hand plane is great for keeping warm! I've got a bunch of old books I need to take pictures of too, winter reading!
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Getting there, some more fairing with sandpaper, then I can work on the outhaul installation.
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Another book from the Strand, from a chapter called "The Roaring Barbary Coast". A really fun and informative book that you wish wouldn't end.
""Trust no one--they'll have you hocused aboard an outward-bound hellship before you know you're born", was the tenor of his warning. "There's only one place in 'Frisco worse than the Coast, and that's Chinatown: there they'll murder you for two bits.""
This may explain some of the edginess of the correspondence between denizens of that area on this board, ha!
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It's one thing to cut and glue in a board, another to fair it up with the lines of the boom. My fingers are raw from all the sanding! I was able to carve the boom end to fit this bronze cap that is part of the out-haul on Tern. It's unique to her, I believe, something to do with her being the final S-Boat, built a few months before Pearl Harbor.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxduo1jcj.jpg
I was driving in the Bronx today and spotted this boat being hauled on a trailer. When I got closer I thought it looked like a Commander but something seemed wrong, not enough draft on the hull. Was lucky to be able to snap a picture as I drove past. It was Commander with her keel cut off for the scrap, the rest being taken to the dump. Farewell Cuba Libre!
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A tragedy for sure. Throwing away boats is a sign of greater problems..
Trying to remember a bon mot I'm sure I've seen here.
Something like: On Judgment Day, standing before St Peter
with the book open to the page of your life...
time spent sailing your boat won't be counted against you.
So I'm thinking, along with Tony, what has that S.O.B. hauling
Cuba Libre
off to the landfill
to look forward to?
__________________________________________________ __
__________________________________________________ __
Scrap lead is worth 15 cents a pound. So he ruined a couple
chainsaw blades gutting the poor Commander, plus the blood
he must have sweated, just to drop that half ton of ballast
out on the ground... for $375.
For we suffer fools gladly seeing we ourselves are wise.
Corinthians 11:19
Here's a quick update on my S-Boat project. The boat was brought down to the New York City area from Newport RI this past fall. I've been able to spent my weekends installing into the hull 66 new steamed ribs, finished reframing two weeks ago. Now I'm making all new floor timbers, over half of the 34 completed so far. In the next few months I hope to have the entire backbone of the hull completed and keel refastened. Ben
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