Trailer Bunk Cushions

31 Jan 24:

Our fried stopped by to air up his kayak trailer tires and I noticed the ingenious use of pool noodles to add extra cushion to the frame cushions. The setup provides a nice soft ride.

Nutshell Pram Granddaughter Trainer

30 Jan 24:

Rigged th Nutshell Pram for the Granddaughter to play with.

Boating Togs

29 Jan 24:

We need to up our boating tog game...

Jamaican Flying 15

29 Jan 24:

From the bench of Murray:

Unbeknownst to Uffa, a Jamaican built his own version of the Flying Fifteen.

Unfortunately he did not taper the strakes enough so some of the planks came up to the deck at gunnel level. He was convinced to donate the hull and sails to me as a project. I think he got the length and beam exactly right.

I found a broken Dragon mast which I used.   I repaired/ replaced some planks  (Teredo Navalis damage), fitted new transom,  new timbers to support a new keel.  I re-cast the lead in a barrel over an open fire to the shape I wanted.   She sailed quite nicely.

Sunscreen? What's that?

Exploring woods foreign to me, I ended up with Guango (Saman Rain Tree) for the transom and Mahoe for the timbers, Caribbean Pine for planking.   Wood shavings have distinct odours, in this case Guango--strawberry jam, Mahoe --dog poop, Pine-- pine.

Regards, Murray

PS I got very close to buying "Tin Lizzie".   I heard later that she had sunk in Kingston Harbour, Ja.

Sea Stories: Pretty Transoms - I Think I Know a Pretty one When I See One

29 Jan 24:

A gentle reader had questions for our friend Murray about stern shapes...boat sterns... Very good questions. We'll listen in on the conversation...

"Hi Murray,

I’m completely confused. Some of these boats (and ships) look they have two bows, but others seem to have two sterns.  So I’ve looked up both “bow” and “stern” in Wikipedia, and my head is spinning with the dozen different kinds of each.  The “bow” article explains that the shape has a purpose, namely, to enable the vessel to glide forward efficiently (hydrodynamically, I should say) in the water.  The stern doesn’t seem to have a particular purpose that dictates its shape.  It has to be designed in conjunction with the rudder, but, in general, it just has to end the boat.  In that case, why not make it pointed like a bow?  Or a flat transom, like a “regular” stern?  Or shaped like a C?  It can be anything.  In fact, it’s amazing that its shape is so (relatively) consistent given that it could be anything.  So I must be wrong. Does the shape of the stern figure into backing or docking?  Maneuverability to avoid obstacles or enemy fire? The ship that amazes me in your pictures is the big old sailing ship with two flat ends, two sterns.  How did such a vessel make any headway?  Why would anyone build such a thing?  But underneath the waterline (and just above it), the ship seems to have a pointed bow peeking out, so maybe it’s only the upper part of the ship that is a “rectangular building” sitting on a canoe shape or a rowboat shape. Do you have a favorite shape for sailing?  (Is this a silly question?  Are sailboats all the same shape?) Very interesting stuff!  Teach me about sterns, please."

Murray responds...

I will make my comments, which may or may not be valid.   A sharp bow will ride waves better than a flat splashy bow.   A transom stern is easier to build than a sharp pointy stern and also allows more stowage room and shorter length of vessel.  So a transom stern is more common.  A shorter boat costs less to dock.  When the builders went to the extreme in the 60's,  I started calling them "Sawn-off 50 footers".  I thought them ugly with reverse sloping sterns. By "shaped like a C" do you mean a rounded counter stern?

It must be easier to maneuver and dock without long overhangs fore and aft.

The whale sailing ship picture shows the blunt stern but the bow is obstructed from view.   The bow though bluff, would be sharper than the stern.    I am amazed that those old ships could sail to windward by tacking.  But Admiral Lord Nelson apparently said HMS Victory was a good sailer.  She is still preserved and looks an awful blunt ended floating fortress.    She was sailed there and back to Cape Trafalgar so must have been capable.

How she sailed, I do not know but being long (186 ft), deep in the water (29 ft) and relatively narrow (52ft) must be the explanation. and the rudder is so small, I expect the sails were used to alter course.  Her transom is clear of the water.  Modern sailboats usually have width 1/3 of length. 

As you say, it is the under water  shape that matters.   Waterline length is a determining  factor for speed. Too much stuff above the waterline{ top-hamper} makes for difficulty going against the wind (windage).   Victory was a battleship built to carry heavy canons to defeat invading fleets.

As for favourite shape,  Usually a pretty boat sails better than an ugly one.    I feel I can tell if a boat will sail well just by looking at it.  And considering the heritage.  However, that may be just my vanity.   

One of my most favorites

I knew these would sail before I set foot in them

This one fooled me. Turned out to be... (edited: porcine in nature)

Shapes and fashions are constantly evolving.  Now we are foiling and multihulls and reaching amazing speeds.   Many years ago there was a notion that yachts should follow the form of a fish.  They called it" Cod's head and Mackerell tail"   I built a model C and M which sailed badly.   Like others, I found that a sharp bow and an ample beam further aft sailed much better.    Another fad was "Plank on edge",  being narrow and deep.

GENESTA Plank on edge

1887 Yacht MERGANSER converted to houseboat

As for sterns, I like them clear of the waterline as they have less turbulence and drag.   They can be vertical or slopeing transom stern, canoe stern, counter stern, elliptical stern.    I think I know a pretty stern when I see one. ( and an ugly one, too)

Best regards, Murray"

Doug checks into the conversation with information on the Drascombe Lugger stern design:

"Hi Murray

The stern on the Drascombe Lugger was designed to be shallow and have minimal drag, but wide enough to provide good hull stability, the over riding criteria was the ability to beach stern on to a beach, allowing the crew to step ashore dry shod. The crew being defined as the designers wife.

All the best 

Doug"

Murray now has questions about the Drascombe Lugger.

"Hi Doug,

Having never sailed on a Drascombe, I am curious to know how the rudder, motor well and counter stern all fit together and work.    Keeping feet dry is a great accomplishment.  Tall wellies also help.  How much was the design influenced by the Yorkshire Coble?"

The Uffa Fox Airborne Lifeboats were canoe stern with rudder in a trunk.  In 1960's there were a few ABLs on the Tamar. Lovely boats! 

Thanks and best wishes, Murray"

I wander by the conversation.

"Hi Murray,

I'd like to see one of those ABLs, Uffa was copied by Higgins. Audrey won't let me rig ONKAHYE for a drop."

Murray responds to encourage Skipper to airdrop her Lugger

Audrey and Kent,

"Flying 15, Flying 25,    Why not a Flying Drascombe?

Thanks for the rudder description, all makes sense.

The last ABL I saw was at Norfolk Small  Boat Museum, when I toured as many Maritime Museums as I found in England in 2013.    So glad they have one at Yelverton. 

Uffa Fox designed a small cabin sailboat called Atalanta which in some ways resembled the ABL.   It had 2 parallel centerboards.

Best wishes,

Murray"

More Sea Stories: Sea Stories

Local Boating

27 Jan 24:

Images from boating in days past.

Abaco Dinghy Sail

25 Jan 24:

We were gifted an Abaco Dinghy sail by John, it is very well made and probably close to 100 years old. The canvas cloth is very heavy, the sail is hand stitches and roped all the way round. A very deep foot was common for the dinghies.

We knew the sail was too big for our 10 foot dinghy, but laid out the mast and boom to get an idea of future measurements. We also go a minute to untangle the hardware, it is very high grade for a small boat. 

Video: Abaco Sail

Skipper Hitting the Trail

22 Ja 24:

Skipper keeping in shape on our local trail, or maybe looking for prizes hidden at the top of the creek.

Sea Stories: Cap' Pat and the Stuart Turner 2 Stroke Starting Handle

22 Jan 24:

Pat was on a small motor launch in the middle of the narrow end of the river, about 40 feet out from the bottom of the boatyard slipway. He was attempting to start a small Stuart Turner 2 stroke inboard motor. 

Many will know that the old Stuart Turner 2 stroke hand cranked motors were reliable, economical and long lasting, but they can be very troublesome starters at times.

After a few minutes of relentless effort and much cursing, his short fuse sparked his powder, the cast iron starting handle, which weighed about 10 lbs was angrily removed from the flywheel shaft and thrown with all his strength, the direction it was heading in wasn't even considered, the all consuming thing was just to throw the offending handle as far as humanly possible, a punishment for it's part in refusing to bring the engine to life.

The starting handle whirled through the air in a high arc, across the 40ft of water, past the whole 80 ft of the slipway, eventually coming to a stop when it struck the transom of a deep keel boat inside the boat shed at the top of the slipway. The slipway has a slope of about 20° so you can guess how high above the water the starting handle was at that point. An Olympian performance by any measure.

Many thanks to Cap' Bilge Rat for sharing Pat's story.

George Kirby Jr Paint Company New Bedford MA - Since 1846

21 Jan 24:

So if you send George Kirby IV a back issue of WoodenBoat Magazine with photos of his Dad and Grandpa in it, he sends back bling. Thank you George and Shari!

Now is a good time to get a Spring commissioning order started.

FMI: George Kirby Jr Paint Co

Sea Stories: The British Seagull: Yealm River Episode by Bilge Rat

20 Jan 24:

From Bilge Rat:

"Pat was in a small clinker dinghy in the middle of the River Yealm attempting to start the Seagull outboard motor mounted on the transom, it was the old model that ran on 3/4 pint of oil to gallon of petrol, (the reason they last forever) the spark plug had oiled up, so there was no chance of it starting unless the spark plug was removed, cleaned and replaced. Pat Hall didn't have much patience with mechanical devices, especially motors that don't start right away. He became frustrated very quickly, ripped the motor from the transom, threw it into the bilge of the dinghy and gave it a severe kick for good measure. Unfortunately, he was wearing Wellington boots, which offered little protection, resulting in him a breaking his toe. The resulting pain angered him further, so he grabbed the outboard motor and heaved it over the side into 80 feet of salt water, this was the moment he realised there were no oars in the dinghy, meaning he faced a cold swim, or have to hail the ferryman, both options embarrassing for him. Additional to that, the outboard motor now residing in Davy Jones Locker, belonged to someone else."

...to be continued...

...continued...

The Seagull was recovered by a diver a few days later, cleaned, service, tuned and put back into service. Pat got a ribbing or two from the Ferry Captain at the local pub, friendly and measured though, as Pat was a mountain of a man.

Signed,

Doug "Bilge Rat"

Editor's Note: Take the same story, swap out Pat with Cap'. Replace kick with salty pirate language. And instead of Davy Jones locker, trade motor to friend for a Christmas tree.

The British Seagull - A Friend For Life

20 Jan 24:

The British Seagull is responsible for making more great sailors than any other device in history, and for more sea stories. Still building great sailing skills today, providing valuable ballast and field expedient anchors. I think maybe a new nautical term was invented... 

Jack: "I went Seagulling" today..." 

Hazlewood: "Do you mean motoring?"

Jack: "No. Seagulling."

 

We have one in our garage that we are circling nervously. Our quest is to get it running...in a bucket...but will we? It is our Everest.

Do you have a Seagull story to share? Please post it below in the comment. And parents, be advised, Seagulling is where Skipper learned most of her Sailor Words as a child.

Sea Stories: "We're There" from Richard

18 Jan 24:

From Richard: 

My late brother, Steve and I both shared our life long' love of sailing, especially when it came to spending a day on the water in my 24’00” Raven Class Sailboat,“Proud Mary". Sailing was in our blood. The Raven was not only a comfortable sailboat, but also extremely fast.  

     After Steve unexpectedly passed away in 2021, we installed a wooden bench overlooking the inner Winthrop Harbor here where we spent many summers sailing. A few people have asked me about origin of the phrase, "We're there" on my brother Steve's memorial bench?  

     When Steve would be taking a small group out on the Proud Mary sailing for the first time, they'd be heading out to the harbor and someone would ask, "Steve, where are we going?” Are we going to sail up into Boston Harbor? Or maybe out to the harbor islands? Steve would respond, "where are we going?" "where are we going?""We're there!" "We're sailing!" With Steve, the destination was sailing. We’re sailing! "We're there!”

What a beautiful boat! We need to learn more about that. Also Richard has great stories about dodging airliners near Boston's Logan airport. I always wondered who that was out having fun in a sailboat, while I was having fun bringing my jet in for a landing on runway 4R.

Thank you Richard and Steve and PROUD MARY for sharing your story. We look forward to listening to more.