Sailrite Sewing Machine Discounts and Free Shipping

25 Jan 20:

There are some great sales going on at Sailrite right now, $65 USD off on one of their great machines and free shipping on order over $149. We bought an LSZ-1 sewing machine (Straight stitch plus zig zag, and all important walking foot for thick fabric folds) based on Scott's recommendation a few years back and have truly enjoyed using it. Skipper is a talented seamstress with decades of experience and she loves her machine. We have quickly recouped the cost by sewing a sail, several boat covers, repairing other items and making a rain fly for CYANE. Sailrite has great videos on their youtube channel and website to tutor folks through any project, there is even one specific to Sunfish covers with a Mast Up zipper added. FMI: https://www.sailrite.com/ and feel please ask us or the Sailrite Tech Team any questions that you might have. Cheers, Clark and Skipper

CYANE's Cover

ST. JACQUES spritsail from a Sailrite Kit

Drascombe Dabber VICTORY cover.

FMI: Sailrite

POLARIS A Converted Pilot Boat - Save A Classic

24 Jan 20:

Spotted this converted Pilot Boat in WoodenBoat's Save A Classic section. She looks like she'd be a lot of fun and serve faithfully. If anyone wants to ship her up to the Hampton Roads are we'd be happy to keep an eye on her. I have my 383 Ton Captain's License, oh wait, that was for the Boeing 777...well Skipper would know how to handle her, she's make a good tender for our small Armada.

Ref: WoodenBoat Number 272. Jan/Feb 2020, p132.

Minifish Sail AMF/Alcort Never Used For Sale $250 USD

23 Jan 20:

From our loft. Minifish sail by AMF/Alcort. Never used. 65 sf, great grommets and stitching. $250 USD, free USPS Priority Shipping in CONUS.

Ebay link for Minifish Sail

Anticipation

15 Jan 20:

WAVE needs her third coat of paint, then we can flip her and reset a loose foam block. Add her trim back and get her out for Sea Trials.

Log of WAVE.

Spring Trailer Maintenance

15 Jan 20:

So if your trailer bits are rusty, take a closer look. Many times the rust starts on the inside of a box frame/axle and there is a lot more degradation on the inside of the frame compared to what we see on the outside, Especially concerning is corrosion around any welds. Eddie has plenty of new axles and frames, he orders ahead this time of year. Also time to check those tires before the Spring road trips, they had a tire today that had a huge bulge on the sidewall from where the plies are separating, internal failure. The tire was made December of 2013, so when they recommend to replace trailer tires no later than 6 years it is good advice from the pros to heed. The tire has a WWYY (Week/Year) manufacture code on at least one sidewall, that tire was 4913. I also got to meet the new boss today, Roscoe. Many thanks to Rhett and Eddie at Eddie English Boat Trailer for the tips.

Might be time to consider a new axle, these are going to the recycle bin.

Rust on the outside usually means even more rust on the inside. Cost of a new axle is way less than a tow, boat damage, etc...

Time to go...to the junkyard.

Boat trailer bling.

This is why 6 years is the MAX we'd put on a tire, per the pro's recommendation, plies are separating.

Tire made 49th week of 2013, WWYY WeekYear code. Externally the tire looks okay, but problems lurk inside.

Stocking up for Spring business.

The new boss Roscoe.

Hudson River Ice Yacht Club

12 Jan 20:

Ice Boats and Ice Yachts, added to my long list of fascinations. I used to feel sorry for folks posting in late September, pulling their boats for the Winter. Not any more, they have a solution to those cold months, just pick it up a notch and get an ice boat bolted together. Seems they store almost anywhere. The Hudson River Ice Yacht Club has had it figured out since the late 1800s. FDR was the Vice Commodore at one point, raced his boat HAWK for many seasons, and she still survives. Here's a report.

FDR's HAWK.

(FDR and HAWK)

FDR's Christmas Present 1901.

(Image credit: Sketch by Reid Bielenberg)

Ice boaters are very thoughtful and creative, I read a great tip on how to use the beer crates to set under the runners, beer stays cold and the runners don't freeze to the ice while the Skippers coagulate, and congregate, and lubricate. And you get to carry fun gear on some of the Scooters, pikes and hoes to push or pull that amphib over and onto the ice. The Scooter had a full Sunfish size hull, with runners on the bottom, she was steered with the jib and live ballast weight shift, crew of 2. 78sf gaff rigged main with 22sf jib

More to come on pikes and hoes.

Hudson River Ice Yacht Club

1886 Iceboat Photo by Benjamin Mendlowitz

12 Jan 20:

For some of you the weather is getting perfect for ice boating. Here's a beautiful shot of the 1886 iceboat VIXEN, 36 feet of screaming fun, taken by Benjamin Mendlowitz and shared with his permission. Caption by Maynard Bray. VIXEN graces the January page of the 2020 Calendar of Wooden Boats, available at https://www.woodenboatscalendar.com/

Thank you Benjamin for allowing us to share your art.

Video of VIXEN and her Skipper Reid Bielenberg from Thirteen Media

1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE 11 Jan 2020 Second Coat WetEdge BlueGlo White

11 Jan 20:

Scuffed the first coat of paint with 120 grit, to knock down any bumps. This also flattens the sheen, making it easier to see where the new shiny paint is being applied and prevent "holidays" (missed spots). You can see the difference between the glossy area that has the reflection of the pergola and the flattened area this side of the sander.

120 grit, sold at Lowes. DeWALT 5 inch random orbital sander.

Personal Protective Equipment for today's sanding party. The respirators with exhaust valve help reduce fogging of eyewear. The shirt keeps paint splatters of our Sunday Finest.

Current occupants of the Carriage House, WAVE and the keel batten for the Pascagoula Catboat.

Left side painted, compared to the scuffed right side. The flat sheen helps see where paint has been applied so we don't miss spots, aka holidays.

Today's kit. Paint supplied by Jamestown Distributors, thanks TotalBoat!

Second coat of TotalBoat WetEdge BlueGlo White, single part polyurethane.

Second coat of TotalBoat WetEdge BlueGlo White, single part polyurethane.Still drying and self leveling, it fills in a little more with each coat. We will LIGHTLY sand one more time to remove small dust and debris bumps, then apply the third and final coat.

Log of WAVE.

Shipwright Louis Sauzedde Goes to Chile

Louis Sauzedde (Tips From A Shipwright) just posted a video on his trip of a lifetime to Concepcion, Chile to visit and explore several boatyards, meet with local shipwrights and shed some light on the wooden boats being built there. I've had the pleasure of meeting Lou in Bristol, Rhode Island, he is quite creative and very nice.



More info on Louis's projects can be found in the post from when I visited Herreshoff in September 2019, he's helping build a new Alden 270.

1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE 05 Jan 20 Float Test

05 Jan 20:

Float Test for Skipper's 1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE before we put the finish coats on the hull. She passed with flying colors!

Had to get her off the finishing dolly, flip her and get her onto the beach dolly.

Log of WAVE.

USS Constitution Museum

05 Jan 20:

Looking through the Constitution Chronicle, published by the USS Constitution Museum. Lots of interesting events in 2020, MAYFLOWER II will moor next to Old Ironsides May 14-19, part of the 400 year anniversary.

FMI: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/