BCC Elizabeth

Thinking this was a non-issue, and that cruising sensibilities dictate paint would be the obvious choice, I find myself reconsidering the bulwarks. The Sterling 2 part LP paint I ordered and applied to my bowsprit was difficult to use, to put it mildly. The various mixtures, the weather, the application technique, all had to be in alignment, like some cosmic miracle. I painted and re-painted that bowsprit with almost as many coats of paint as I would have with varnish…and it’s still not right. I have nightmares about paint touch-ups with the 2 part LP.

At this point traditional varnish is not an option. However, a 2 part system such as Honey Teak, which I used on my Nor’sea 27, Chamois is looking highly appealing, and will be what I use on the other wood on deck (hatch covers, coamings etc). If a two part varnish holds up as well as a two part paint, then why not varnish? Another option is Petit’s Easypoxy, which seemed to hold up really well aboard the schooner Lewis R. French after a summer of heavy charter work. Duane, a local wooden boat builder on Martha’s Vineyard swares by floor enamel from the hardware store. He figures, if it’s designed to stand up to heavy foot traffic, it’ll probably do the job for his topsides. Sounds sensible. I’m open to any and all suggestions on varnish and paint alternatives.

So imagine if varnish and paint were equally matched in terms of ease of application, ease of maintenance, longevity, abrasion resistance, UV filters, price etc… what would be the best looking choice for the bulwarks? Here are two BCC’s at anchor, one  painted, the other varnished bulwarks.

CAST YOUR VOTE BELOW!

The two year plan is to cross the Atlantic in Juin, head to England for the rest of the summer and explore, then make way south for the warmer cote de sud du France, where exactly, only the winds will tell… but I know I’d like to spend some serious time in France, learning to live, speak and eat French. With that in mind, I’m back in full swing avec mes leçons francais.

I’ve discovered a new language learning product… le podcast. I was never really in the know, or the care for that matter, about the podcast. The name kind of put me off I suppose. But they have been quite excellent for hearing real french people speaking francais. My favorite series so far has been Coffee Break French, taught by some wacky Scots. I’ve also found an interesting blog with witty insights into a life abroad, par un Expat living in France, which I fancy myself becoming one day. And one more new reference about living in France, mais bien sur… the Expat Forum!

And a fresh new find today thanks to Rosie, Capucine! An amazingly animated and creative little girl from France… the PERFECT way to learn french! Watch her Video on Vimeo

One thing je sais is that time moves swiftly. My loose plan, to be well into France by 2010 isn’t all that far off. I’m getting ready MAINTENANT, and if I’m ready to go sooner, super. This fantastic shot of Nice is by Arcadiv, go check out more of his amazing work on flickr.

It seems there is no better motivator for Americans than the dollar. I was truly excited when retail gas prices hit the $4.50/gallon mark this summer. Incentives for fuel alternatives were a mainstream concern. Too bad the prices have fallen again. The US is heavily under taxed on fuel by comparison to European nations, but it looks like America has just swept that issue under the rug again. While I still have an engine aboard my boat, I’m looking forward to filling my tank with some biodiesel made at a small outfit on The Vineyard. And plans for my retreat to France, where fuel costs almost what it should, are fully underway.
Outdated price data here, but…

Forecast: SE 25-35kts with gusts to 45kts. Lets Go!

I kept a close eye on the weather, and found a 36 hr window of light winds, calm seas, and 60º highs nestled in between two New England Autumn Gales. Perfect! Once again Passageweather.com was my main source of weather info and proved to be very accurate.

We had the good intention of leaving Thursday afternoon to get a jump start on the trip. But by the time I discovered the fresh water had been shut off to the docks, had moved the boat to another dock and run out 5 hose extensions, the sun had set, and I decided the first time out on my handicapped boat would be better left for daylight. Our last line came aboard at 0612 on Friday while the kerosene heater melted the frost off the cabin top. We motored out through the crisp 35º mist, as the sun rose above the trees on the eastern shores of the Danvers River. I made the call to the two swing bridges on my handheld VHF “…this is the sailing vessel Elizabeth, uh… well, I don’t actually have a mast up - so I’m not really a sailing vessel”, and heard the reply, “Ok Cap - whatever, just c’mon along behind that fishing boat ahead of you.”

Clear skies, light winds, and a long ocean swell from the previous few days’ strong winds set the stage for a very pleasant ride on our trip to the balmy southern climes of Martha’s Vineyard. I found she settled into a nice groove at about 2400 RPM’s where she made approx. 5.5 kts. The stuffing box was rather drippy, but nothing to cause alarm, at least I had good lubrication of the shaft…which felt good.

We made the Cape Cod Canal entrance at about 1630, 2.5 hrs before the favorable tide change. The Cape Cod Canal current runs at about 4.5 kts, so we anchored just outside the breakwater on the East side and waited for the unfavorable current to decrease. I thought it’d be prudent to try out the anchor during daylight hours, since I knew we wouldn’t get through the canal and find a safe anchorage in Buzzards Bay until well past dark. I found the riding pawl a little cumbersome while dropping the anchor. I’d be curious to learn how others secure their pawl in the up-position for an unhindered “drop”.

The Buzzards Bay side of the canal was typically nasty. The opposing breeze and current always makes for a sloppy exit. We shipped a few steep waves and stuck the end of the mast through a few white caps, but nothing on deck got loose or moved. We found a pleasant anchorage on the Eastern shore of Buzzards Bay in the lee of Scraggy Neck, and settled in for the first night’s sleep aboard Elizabeth. How cozy she seemed to me now, after so long of being nothing more than a storage shed for tools and toxic coatings.

One system I hadn’t sorted out yet on Elizabeth was the head. We used the tried and true “bucket method” for this trip and I was pleasantly surprised at how convenient it really is. I even began to think I might remove the head altogether - so much simpler, and simplicity is where it’s at these days. Teresa is a veteran bucket sailor, having worked for Outward Bound for many summers on the Pulling Boats in Maine.  But that’s enough Potty Talk for now… more on this subject later.

We woke at 0600 to get underway in time to catch yet another favorable current through Woods Hole and Vineyard Sound, both of which can run at up to 4kts. Felt good to see Martha’s Vineyard appear in the distance as the sun rose slowly on a cloudy morning. We motored up into the inner harbor of Vineyard Haven to find a mooring. We grabbed my dink from the beach and were tied up securely by about 1000. The wind started to pick up at about 1400, and by 1600 was blowing a steady 20kts, which turned into 35-40kts overnight. Felt good to be home. Can you spot Elizabeth amongst the moorings?

I spent the last week doing a few things getting her ready for the launch. Decided to compound, glaze and wax the hull. Not sure why I didn’t do this earlier in the season to protect against the harsher summer sun, but like most things, better late then never. Rebuilt the raw water pump. Took apart a few seacocks and regreased them. Finished installing the new bobstay chainplate. Sent the alternator regulator out for repairs.

Rosie and Darrah came up for the event, and to help load the mast. Was a beautiful day for a launch indeed.  Feels special when your the only boat around GOING IN the water, rather then being hauled out for the season. We got the mast aboard with the boat still in the slings, but lowered, kissing the water. We were able to walk it aboard without too many grunts or strained muscles.

I heard a steady stream of water flowing into the bilge as we lowered down the last few inches. Stuffing box needed a few turns! Always reassuring to see your auto bilge pumps kick in though. We had a lovely motor over to another marina where I’ll stay for a few days and wait out a forecasted gale, then head to Martha’s Vineyard, a 140 mile trip under power, with mast lashed on deck.

All Pics Can Be Seen Here

Captain Garth Wells contacted me a few weeks ago, when his mate quit unexpectedly. I agreed to fill in for the last two trips of the season on the Lewis R. French out of Camden, Maine. The LRF is the first boat I ever worked on, and is still my favorite schooner around.

We had a pretty rainy 10 days, but the trips were excellent inspite. My poor little computer arms and hands suffered hard when I had to pull heartily on the throat halyard those first couple of days. How soft we get. The trip was a re-awakening for me, a reminder, a fresh breath of air. The focus on the task at hand and the lack of distractions…the hard physical work, and the cold autumn winds… it all cleared the mind’s clutter. I once again learned that simple living, combined with physical team-work is what humans are built to do. I’m reading “Better Off: Flipping The Switch On Technology” by Eric Brende, a fantastic book about how technology has fragmented our lives and displaced us from our own native capabilities. He illustrates that  less technology actually increases and enriches our leisure time; our physical and emotional health. I was able to draw many similarities between his story about living in a technology free community and sailing aboard a schooner bult in 1871.

Well, it fits. Rosie came up to see his beautiful creation and help me mount it. We mounted the bowsprit, and tied a line to the cranse iron to get the final angle of the chainplates just right. I was concerned when I first got the chainplates, and held them up to the boat that the angles were off and the curve of the hull would be an issue. But in fact they fit perfectly. Torquing them down with the bolts snugs everything up just right. I ordered 2″ bolts. The forward ones are too long, and hit each other on the inside. It’ll be a tight fit up there and I’ll have to fenagle the washers and nuts in there when I get a shorter bolt.  Once in place, we both agreed that the plates could have been a few inches longer and the bolts spaced out further, but it looks beefy enough as is. I’m thrilled, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m nearly down to cosmetics… well almost.

Rosie also helped me suss out my non-charging alternator woes. We determined it is a faulty Next Step regulator. I am sending it in for repairs. My raw water pump is still leaking after a new impeller and gasket. Looks like I’ll need to replace the rear seal and do a full rebuild. I might order a new pump, as the one  I have is the old style… but I still need to weigh the costs of rebuilding the old style vs. buying a new. Ideally I’d have two pumps, with one always being ready to swap out in case of an emergency.

Cool crisp air, clear blue skies, great sailing breezes… and boats begginning to get hauled for the season… it’s September in Danvers, MA. And I’m just about ready to launch! Better late then never I keep telling myself. It’ll be a anti-climatic launch though, since I’ll just be motoring my way to Martha’s Vineyard. I can’t justify the expense of stepping & unstepping the mast for just a few weeks of sailing, when the boat isn’t really even “ready” in the grands scheme of things.

She’ll Float
The gap thru which the old bobstay chainplate protruded from the stem has been filled with epoxy, a thick mixture of 406 & 404 in West System. On the inside, I will back that with a few layers of cloth for good measure. On the outisde, the gelcoat will be a learning experience.

Engine Oil, Fuel Filter & Starting Battery
Got the oil sucked out of the pan with some handy vacuum pump contraption that came with the boat. Seemed like a sweet idea until my friend Brian reminded me that I really should drain the oil pan to get out all the bits and pieces that collect at the bottom there. Next time. I pulled apart the Racor, and cleaned it out, but determined the filter was fine, looked clean to me. The  Group 31 battery that Stephen had purchased a few years back for the starting battery didn’t fit in the existing batt. bx designed for a Group 27. I pulled/hacked apart the box with screwdriver and hammer to make it fit. Works fine. I’m not a huge fan of this single battery located in the nether regions of the engine room, but it works for now.

Bowsprit
Pulling the bowsprit off the boat, painting and varnishing it seemed like a simple and sensible endeavor. It’s been a royal pain. But, it has provided a small, isolated chalkboard for me to learn, relearn, and mess up the application of my various coatings. After probably 12 coats of varnish, I think I figured out the best techniques. The Sterling paint took me 4 coats of primer and 4 attempts at top coat to figure it out. It’s finiky stuff. Mixtures, temperatures, timing etc… it’s like having your very own chemistry lab. I “think” it’s finally ready for mounting!

Bronze Bling
I got my chainplates back from Ramsay Welding & Fabrication, and they look great… most of them! I mounted one whisker and both boomkin plates. I used Life Caulk for all. The bobstay plates aren’t the best fit. The angles are a little off to the curve of the hull. Rosie is coming up to check it out and discuss fitting. I might have to bail, and go back to the casting idea. The wallet says “ouch!” when I mention that.

Fully Covered Bottoms
Had the yard move the jackstands to paint the last remaining spots of bottom paint. I found a small spot of abrasion that needed some epoxy filler, and a few more barnacles to scrape off. But shes got a good base coat for now, and I’ll put on two more coats before launching next spring. I also have to remove the old name!

On a seperate note, Teresa and I got out for the 24th annual Gloucester Schooner Race this year, and it was fantastic. NW 15-20, clear skies, 1-2′ seas… couldn’t ask for better conditions. Amongst the schooners were two of my alma maters: The Westward, and The Roseway. I’m looking forward to my 10 days aboard the Lewis R. French in a few weeks… and some decent tonnage time always helps with the license renewal.

There were quite a number of smaller schooners racing, but the large schooners represented were: Bluenose II, Virginia, Westward, Lettie G. Howard, Roseway, Alabama, American Eagle, and Liberty Clipper. Virginia won in the end, but not without a good fight from American Eagle who only lost by 26 seconds. All the pics can be seen here.

At $85/week for dry storage at Danversport Yacht Club, I’ve racked up quite a bill. My hopeful “6 week project” has become a solid 16 week project. I have a large ziplock bag full of reciepts for all my Elizabeth related purchases…I’m scared to pull it out and tally it all up… but I also am very curious to see how the numbers play out in the end, including the trips to TX, the tractor trailer delivery, the parts, the paints, the tools etc etc etc… I estimate I’ll be into this boat about $20k by the time I cover her up for winter.

The plan is to launch in October, as soon as I get back from 10 days filling in as Mate aboard the Lewis R. French, and motor the boat down to Martha’s Vineyard. I’ll strap the spars on deck, load her up with all the gear, tools etc and move the operation down to my “home” on The Vineyard. So the bulwarks, the mast, the electronics and other sailing items on the list are taking a back seat to the absolute essentials. I’ve cleaned up some of the work mess below and have brought back some of the gear, like the cushions, sails, radar etc…

The Launch & Motor List:
Fill bow hole left from old bobstay chainplate
Re-install chainplates
Change oil
Replace tranny oil
Change fuel filters
Get alternator up and running
Install bowsprit
Install associated standing rigging
Re-install windlass
Check stuffing box
Check all seacocks
Check siphon loop crack
Replace raw water pump impeller
Modify starting battery box to fit 31