Bart Senior wrote:
I've always thought pine was easy to work.

Depends, longleaf pine is fairly soft & easy to bend but it tends to
dull tools. But shucks, a 3" thick plank isn't going to be easy to bend
no matter what type wood (unless you have a couple of hydraulic presses
handy).


... After looking at that
lumber I have to agree with you. They are using 1/2" or bigger
galvanized bolts to fasten them to the steel frames, and then
plugging the counter sunk holes with wood, and then caulking.

After a few seasons, the stuff will set in place and the bolts won't
have any strain on them. I don't like galvanized fastenings but for a
boat this size Monel would be 'way too expensive!

Have you read about regenerative motor sailing? I ran into this
yesterday while researching props. Big props are key to making
that work. I think it only makes sense when you have a light boat.

http://www.solomontechnologies.com/S...20motor%20sail
ing.html


Interesting, I've read a few articles about this. I agree it only seems
practical for light, easily driven boats.


That would be attractive, if you could do that. Unfortunately, wooden
vessels like this cost so much to maintain, that purchasing shares is an
opportunity to lose money.

Agreed again. All boats are money pits, but big old wooden ones can be
appalling.


The Quinipiac, a schooner, is getting some maintenance work done.

http://www.schoonersoundlearning.org/siboat.html

There are many volunteers helping. This schooner has a shallow
draft and looks like it won't sail to weather until you find out it has
a 12' centerboard. I'm going to see if I can get a ride on her later
this year. Without donations, non-profit status, and volunteer
help, she would probablly be rotting or sold for scrap.

Yep. Once upon a time, vessels like this were the trucks of the eastern
seaboard. Carried almost everything to towns along almost every stretch
of water, which is why so many had centerboards. In New England more
coasting schooners didn't have them, they had to wait on tides anyway.
Here in NC the boats had to be extreme shallow draft and many had two
centerboards. Also, due to the chppy waters of NC sounds they had
exaggerated bow flare which came to be a style identified with Harker's
Island and NC boats in general.

It's a good thing Howard Chappelle made a serious study of these vessels
before they all died out completely. Now, all that's left are a few
pampered yachts and skipjacks that survive by taking tourists out
sailing. I've been out on a few replicas (sometimes as a paying tourist,
sometimes as a volunteer) and it's a lot of fun. Some people take it
*very* seriously though.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King