Pizza with the Navy

 Last week, Harold put on his professiorial cap for four days where he traveled into Cambridge, Mass. and taught an AIP course at MIT in half-model making. The course was held simultaneously with an AIP Class by Will West who taught drafting using Nat Herreshoff designs. So, in layman's terms the students got to see two ways that lines are  used in design (without the ever-present computer). At the end of the four days, the students all had completed half models of a Herreshoff design for their efforts and by all accounts the classes were a success. This is the second time Harold has taught the class there and he really enjoyed sharing what he knows.

Four of the students (pictured below) are also actively in the US Navy and are attending MIT as post-graduates studying naval architecture. They are in a rigorous program that upon graduation (three year post-grad program) they will most likely work as project managers in shipyards for the Navy. The class had eight students - both male and female - but it really didn't surprise us that the four "Navy guys" took the opportunity to come and see the boatyard and the Ardelle on the last afternoon of class. It was a long drive out to Essex for them in the pouring rain but they really enjoyed it and the reward was pizza and a few jokes by the wood stove before they headed back to MIT. Thanks for coming by guys, and we wish you well!

Four students from Harold's AIP course at MIT (an active in the US Navy) came by on the last day of class to see the yard and the Ardelle.

Our four visitors from MIT (who are also actively in the US Navy) came to the boatyard and stayed for pizza!

Ardelle in January

Photo of the Ardelle in her winter spot. Thanks Elinor Teele for these great shots.

Photo by Elinor Teele

What century is this!?  Great photo by Elinor Teele

Ardelle and the barn. Photo by Elinor Teele

A very talented young woman named Elinor Teele stopped by the other day and said she took some shots on a clear, crisp Janaury day and wanted to give us a print. Well, she sent us a few more electronically and they are just beautiful. Sounds like she has an interesting career as a writer and photographer for her company Squam Creative Services. Anyway, she was very nice to stop by and we wish you luck in your travels. Thanks!

Fair Thee Well, Zack!!

Zack Teal aboard the Ardelle on Launch Day. Zack leaves Thursday on the schooner Harvey Gamage.

What a ride!

Zack worked on the Ardelle throughout his sophomore year of high school.

That is 16 inches of ice ...covered with sawdust.

Zack has also become an excellent woodworker since his training on the Ardelle

That looks like a good plank!

Zack borrowed Harold's topcoat and tails on prom night last spring.

Great work!

On the loft floor, with measurements for the propellor.

Great job, Zack.

Lots of trunnels were driven in by Zack!

An early shot during the building of the Ardelle, with Harold, Zack's cousin Jeff Lane and Zack (standing).

Zack Teal, who spent his sophomore year of high school building the schooner Ardelle as a key part of the crew and then sailed with us in the charter business last fall, is leaving on Thursday to sail to the Caribbean on the schooner Harvey Gamage and he will be at sea from now until he sails back to Maine (crossing from somewhere in the Caribbean) in June.

He will be out of touch and offshore for quite some time and during the five months that he will be taking part in the high school program (with about 22 other teenagers from around the country) he will not have access to cell phones, Facebook, Twitter or a computer of any kind. So, much of the correspondence  will be by old fashioned mail. We know Zack is not a huge cell phone user anyway but it will be an interesting experience on many levels for Zack and others and so I hope Zack doesn't mind but he has given us his address during the next five months he will be away so I am sure he would like to hear from friends from time to time. Letters are always great when you are far away...we know he is going to be a changed man when he returns. We are honored to know him and we appreciate everything he has done for us on the schooner Ardelle. Zack, you are definitely one to watch!! Fair thee well!

You can write to Zack care of:
C/O SSV Harvey Gamage
P.O. box 205
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

Ode to the Barn

An early shot of Harold that appeared in Yankee Magazine after finishing the Lewis H. Story.

One of my favorite barn photos taken sometime around Christmas last year by Dan Tobyne.

The barn and Ardelle at night. Photo by Dan Tobyne

Spar making went on right outside of the barn all last spring. Henry Szostek and Bruce Slifer are pictured here.

The barn from the "Periwinkle's side" of the river

Last winter we had 16 inches of ice beneath this snow!

What ever happened to Scary Clown?

One of the best things about Burnham boatyard is the barn. We have never really written much about the barn but it is a huge part of the landscape and the story of the barn is pretty interesting. I am not sure if I have all the details correctly but the barn stood here for many years during the height of shipbuilding when schooners were being built right next to the barn (in the same place where the Ardelle, the Isabella, and the Fame were built this decade) and the barn is featured in many old photographs of Essex. After shipbuilding went into decline, I guess the old barn did, too. The yard was turned into flower beds where Harold's grandmother Ardelle raised prized flowers of all types. It was a beautiful yard, I am told. But, when Harold and his brother and sister were young, his father "Chuckie" began rebuilding the barn. So, sometime in the early 1970s this barn appeared, exactly in the place where it once stood. I think the seed was planted then to begin shipbuilding again, and it worked! It is a great barn...we have even had Thanksgiving dinner in the loft. Every part of it is used and we couldn't do what we do without it!

Finally, Some Snow on the Ardelle

Ardelle and the Lewis Story are in the creek next to the barn. The snow and ice surrounds them.

The Ardelle keeps an eye on the old pinky Maine, also in the creek.

The Ardelle is actually quite content in the creek.

Waiting for spring.

Well, we finally had a bit of snow today so it looked so pretty I decided to take a few photos. We have three schooners in the creek between the Essex Shipbuilding Museum and the Burnham yard...I keep thinking the photographers or artists might come down and capture it because it really is quite a sight. Anyway, the snow is welcome after such a barren winter...and if it is going to be cold I say bring on the snow. 

A Good Time Was Had By All

Harold outside the house during our party last night. Photos by Perry Ardelle Burnham.

Daisy always join in. Photo by Perry Ardelle Burnham.

The house with is lit up. 

Friends and colleagues, Joanne Souza, the executive director of the Schooner Adventure and Capt. Mike Rutstien of the FAME of Salem.


While everyone was excited to watch the New England Patirots hand Tebow his hat during last night's game, we had time to squeeze in our annual "celebrating the end of the holidays" holiday party. So, we had enough people to fill the boat and the house and some fantastic food was brought in including some amazing homemade bread (thank you Kristen!) and smoked fish, thanks to Joanne...amongst many other great dishes.
The bitter wind and cold temperatures meant that the Ardelle groaned a bit in the creek although she was happy to have the wood stove going to keep everyone warm while inside. Hope everyone has a great January and thanks also to Perry for the photos!

Finally, the Sails are Off for Winter. Let's Celebrate

The Memorable Men's Sail of October

Justin Ingersoll fixing the jib during the first sail of the Ardelle in late August. Photo by Dustin Clampitt.

Leaving the Essex river on that first sail. Bruce and Kathy Slifer are in their small sailboat leading the way. Photo by Dustin Clampitt.

Sailing along the Gloucester shore. Photo by Steve Borichevsky.

Our first sail out of the Essex River in late August.

The yard is still busy and things are happening in Gloucester and we hope to have some news to report soon. In the meantime, while we wait for spring or even for snow, we are having our annual post-holiday open house this Sat., Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. So, if you would like to drop by the yard, please do. We have the Ardelle in the creek so we may even have the stove going with a bit of rum down in the aft cabin. Otherwise, we tend to have a kind of progressive party that goes from house to barn to boat...with a stove usually going somewhere to keep us warm. So, perhaps we will see some of you this Sat. night!

Happy New Year from Burnham Boatbuilding

The owner of Carhartts, Mark Valade and the president of the Boston Bruins Cam Neely. Photo by Perry Burnham

We hope you all had a great holiday and we wish you all the best for 2012. We went skiing at Wildcat Mountain for a few days and we skied with family and friends including Perry, Alden and Nicole who came up for a day at Wildcat. We wanted to also include some shots of the recent opening of one of the only Carhartt retail stores in the USA...and this one is in Dedham, Mass. What is fun is that the CEO of Carhartt, Mark Valade who is related to Hamilton Carhartt who founded the brand in 1889, was great fun to meet..as was Cam Neely. Anyway, we told Mr. Valade that Carhartt makes great ski gear so we just thought we would post Harold in his the other day!  Anyway, we are looking forward to a great year...and hope you are too.

We told the owner of Carhartts that his clothes make great ski wear. Well, Harold again sets a fashion trend with his Carhartt overalls, vest and his particular favorite...his second hand Spider Man ski helmet. Photo by Perry Burnham.



Alden Burnham and Nicole D'Ambrosia take a break on the ski hill.



Chrissy Noriega and Perry Burnham at the Carhartt opening. Perry models a Carhartt hat.

Alden Burnham on skis.

Chuck Redman and Harold Burnham at the Carhartt opening.