Walks with Huck

Tomorrow, our pup Huckleberry will be 1 year old. Already he’s added much to life. Still, after almost 20 years without dog, the expected routine by the “baby” took some adjustment. Yes, he can be demanding. He does wrong when you least expect it. The list is long of stuff he has eaten, chewed, torn or scraped. The floors and his favorite window sill are worse for the wear. However, its easy to forgive it all for the walks we take each morning. Most days I rise an hour before he “asks” to leave his bedside crate. Thats enough time for quick emails and a cup of Joe. After his breakfast, we jump in the truck and roll downhill to a park along the river. Neighborhood walks tethered by leash don’t allow him to burn off steam, but just after sunrise we can ignore the many “dogs must not run free” park signs . Then Huck leaps and bounds through the woods. I marvel at his energy and grace. A thing of beauty, he has forced me to pause, stretch the legs, air the brain and ponder next moves. “Huckadoo” has become my good buddy. Oh, and he likes to go sailing too. We’re a perfect match.

Here’s this morning’s scenery-

On March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 By eebe4In Uncategorized2 Comments

17-02-08: First Sail

A little warmth, light winds and good company all made up UNA’s first sail today. We put in at Mathews County’s Town Point Landing (new concrete ramp and pier), beat against the current for a picnic lunch at Poplar Grove’s tide mill. Supposedly John Lennon owned the estate for a short time and planned on making the mill into a studio. Thankfully he didn’t. There is little depth to get behind the mill. Stick close to the rocks.

All but 2 of these photos were taken by my daughter (thus the artistry).

Had to pull out the oars for part of the return. Boat moved well across the glass. The water’s winter clarity is always surprising. do we really still have 6 weeks left? Tomorrow has snow predicted. Weird. Thankful for the break … and the company.

On February 8, 2017February 9, 2017 By eebe4In Sooty Tern, UNA sailingLeave a comment

Pete Culler’s Concordia Sloop

Another half hull from scraps left over from a previous. The main and jib sheets remain to be added. This 17′ design would make a good camp/cruiser I think.

On February 5, 2017July 4, 2017 By eebe4In 1/2 Hull Models, Wood ThingsLeave a comment

And so It Begins …

Paul Gartside is perhaps the premier designer of traditional wooden boats. He’d likely take exception to some aspects of the term “traditional”. He does have a varied catalog, but many of his creations could sit gracefully in any English harbor a century or two ago. His book, “Plans And Dreams, Vol. I” arrived for Christmas. Any of the 23 boats featured there can be built from the contents of these pages. Each write up tackles a different aspect of boat building while providing entertaining descriptions of the subject vessel. The approach is delightful and worthy of re-reads. One chapter focuses on design #166, the Centerboard Lugger. I ordered the $15 study plans, stared for several evenings and compiled a partial materials list. The construction method for the hull (cold-molded, strip planked or clinker ply) is up in the air. Not having tried c-m, that method holds interests me. By laminating 3 veneers over a mold, you end up with super strong plywood in the shape of a boat. The technology was a peacetime off-shoot from WWII airplane manufacturing (most notably the English DeHavilland Mosquito bomber).

Not wanting to short change Paul his due by using only the book, I ordered a full set of plans. I confess too to wanting the door open for questions along the way. As I’ve already asked several, the $360 cost may be slim compensation. Trained as an architect, I particularly appreciate his beautifully concise hand drawings. No information is repeated twice in the 7 sheets. This eliminates error and forces the builder to look at everything. I’ve discovered the drawings are quite expert and thorough.

So what’s next? Well, I bought lumber for all the spars. It has been milled to size and awaits for the darn rain to quit for scarfing (the main mast is 23′ long and doesn’t fit in the garage). The two masts and yard will be hollow birds mouth construction. The mizzen sprit, boomkin and main boom will be fabricated as solid spars.

It felt good to start this in earnest. Why am I doing it? Because. I’ll certainly keep UNA. There is overlap in the two boats’ purposes, but the Ducker will have to wait.

On January 21, 2017January 29, 2017 By eebe4In 6 Metre Centerboard Lugger, the build & projects10 Comments

Gartside design #166 Specifications

gartside166-1-lines-plan

Hull Type: Wood Rig Type: Balanced Lug Yawl
LOA: 19′-8″/ 6.04m LWL: 18′-8″ / 5.76m
Beam: 7′-5″ / 2.28m Listed SA: 119 ft2 / 11.06 m2
Draft: 3′-11″(bd down.)/ 12″ (bd up.)
Ballast: 304 lbs./ 138 kgs.
Disp. @ DWL: 1,605 lbs./ 728 kgs.
Designer: Paul Gartside
Construction: Wood (clinker ply, strip or cold molded)
RIG AND SAIL PARTICULARS
SA(Fore.): 191 ft2 / 17.75 m2 SA(Mizz.): 23 ft2 / 2.15 m2
Sail Area (100% fore+mizzen): 214 ft2 / 20 m2

On January 20, 2017January 21, 2017 By eebe4In 6 Metre Centerboard Lugger, Lugger specs2 Comments

Sooty- Earl Craig

Dale Benham recently finished his Sooty Tern in, of all places, Nebraska. Somehow the local TV station got “wind” of his doings. Pretty cool. Notice how easily the boat moves with hardly a breath of air. Congrats Dale!

On January 16, 2017 By eebe4In Uncategorized1 Comment

Art by Bowman

Almost 2 years ago a crew of us sailed in Belhaven, NC waters. I noticed Curt and Mike were sketching at a small distance while the rest of us either lunched, napped or both. It was warm in the lee of the pines ringing the shore. Today I get this: two-mizzens “Two Mizzens” of UNA and NIP resting at the beach. Nice work. Thank you Curt!

On January 6, 2017 By eebe4In Sooty Tern, UNA sailing1 Comment

Lugger? Bugger!

There is nothing like self imposed distractions. Winter has a habit of forcing more of them upon me. Is it a restlessness? Perhaps. If so, it seems to have set in early this year.

elev

While motoring LUNA around to the boatyard a few weeks ago, I thought it preferable not to undertake all I was about to go through: the down rigging, packing the trailer, rechecking that, hauling the boat some 80 miles and then providing cover for the cold season (forget the hassles of a flat trailer tire, old tarps, etc.). Such was my mindset when someone suggested looking again at Paul Gartside’s Design #166: the 6 Metre Centerboard Lugger (above). Shouldn’t have done that. Firstly, Gartside can’t draw ugly lines. His catalog demonstrates that. Secondly, this pretty trailer sailer was all it took to get me dreaming of extended cruises along distant coasts. No offense is intended towards UNA, but this other lugger appeals in many ways also. Some quite differently. A couple days on and LUNA was home under wraps. I paused. The bug struck again. Attempting to be rational about it all, I began a list outlining the pro’s and con’s of not just this design, but several others. A quick spreadsheet of the contenders considered size constraints, construction limits, sail area to displacement ratios and naturally that question, “Is she fast?” Further on, an inordinate amount of time was spent perusing WoodenBoat Forum and the myriad of suggestions and opinions. Some were valued. To justify my growing library of design books I flipped back through volumes by the likes of Chapelle, Oughtred, Culler, Gardner, etc. Another few days passed. So many beautiful small boats with history. However, undaunted, this little lugger kept popping to the surface.

I had to do something. You’d guess enlisting “moral” support from fellow sailors isn’t helpful (boy, was that putting gas on the fire!). Right, no firehoses were offered. Any critiques were mere droplets, and only objections to small details or did I even hear them?

I ordered study plans from Gartside and crafted a half hull model at 1″ to the foot.

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I find the study process enjoyable. Maybe that is part of the forever search of the “next” boat. From selecting wood, cutting lifts, laminating, planing, carving, sanding, and finishing, each stage allows meditation. What is the damage anyway? If you choose a nice boat, at worst, you’ve some wall art. Yea, but does it end there?

But what about the Ducker?! I know. I know. She’s not forgotten. Her molds are still hanging ready to be used in the shed.

But then, what have I done? I should have just finished putting the leather ties on the F-1 and stayed out of bigger trouble.

Why has it so far been painless? That’s good, right? … or is it?

SaveSave

On January 3, 2017July 4, 2017 By eebe4In 1/2 Hull Models, 6 Metre Centerboard Lugger, the build & projects, Wood Things6 Comments

Merry Christmas

LUNA is not quite under the tree, but close enough. Over the next few months some of the projects on the “list” can be completed. And, as she waits on me, she’ll warm my heart with the promise of that first Spring cruise. Can’t wait.

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Getting her home was no small effort. Before yesterday’s sunrise, my middle son and I left for the marina, had a cold motor trip around to the boatyard (no wind), spent 3-4 hours removing the masts, hauling the boat, and tidying up the equipment for travel. 12 hours later we found ourselves back home, but unable to move LUNA from the bottom of our gravel drive onto the concrete apron beside the house. Apparently a Ford F150 has only so much umps to haul uphill. After several attempts and digging too much gravel, we called it quits for the day. This morning a trip to Enterprise returned with a real truck. Make that a Ford F350 dually diesel. That beast in 4 wheel low yanked our boat up the drive like a wet rag. Amazing.

The Home Owners Association is specific about not keeping boats in yards. So far, no calls. In my opinion, her beauty adds to the neighborhood. God knows there are enough ugly house additions around. Besides, she’s really just visiting and … its Christmas. Hope yours is a blessed one.

On December 22, 2016 By eebe4In LUNA projects, Rozinante5 Comments

My Buddy Huckleberry

As the season closes, Huck and I stole a brief sail across Mobjack Bay and back yesterday. Believing he is still a lap dog, he made for a nice heater as we pushed to weather.

We’re still assessing the new sails. The stainless steel slides are not right for bronze or naval brass T track. They still snag slightly when raising and lowering. Either I need to file round edges on each slide or replace them with naval brass, if those can be found. Such is the challenge of ordering sails at a distance. Add it to the winter projects.

At 10:30 wind fluctuated between 5 mph or less. LUNA still moved along. Maybe the bottom isn’t as slimy as I thought.