Getting Through a "Boring" Job

Photo by Dan Tobyne. Harold boring holes for the bronze rods

Harold and Zach had a time of it boring holes into thick piles of oak. Photo by Dan Tobyne



Zach, 15, - future master shipwright?  photo by Dan Tobyne




Wedges. Photo by Dan Tobyne



Great fall colors. Photo by Dan Tobyne

Harold and the gang have been making good progress over the past week - and the beautiful fall weather has been cooperating, too. Harold has been calling the work "boring" because he and Zach have been boring holes through thick oak and fastening huge bronze rods to the stem and stern posts. Bernie Power provided some excellent staging for the stem but a lot of it involves a balancing act and Chuck has been doing a great job making moulds. Steve has been here and is always a great help. Today, Harold is getting ready to get the next bulkhead frame out the door. Bernie has done a fantastic job building the bulkhead - milled, beaded and sanded all the boards, putting tounges and grooves on it. He is a great asset and we will be writing more on him soon.

Reflections on a Marine Venus...no, on a Essex Marsh

Relfections of the Pinky Maine along the Essex marsh

While there are so many great days on the Essex river in the fall, we could not resist one more autumn sail aboard the great Pinky Maine. Harold, Laurie, Michael March and Chuck Redman dropped what we were doing on a weekday afternoon and sailed down to Farnhams for fried clams. We had some young charges hold onto the bow line while Harold skirted along the bowsprit, jumped ashore and ran in to order clams. As he came out, he decided a cold beer would go well with the clams so he asked a lady for a ride to the package store and came back just in time to grab the hot, fried clams and jump back on board.  The four of us sailed away, eating clams, yet we did not realize what a lovely spectacle the Maine was showing us until Michael snapped this picture. Thank you Michael and Pinky Maine for such a graceful sail down the creek.  One fun fact to note is that the original Maine (this is a replica built in the 1980s) was actually built right here along Farnhams' creek so this boat just seems to fit right here for all time.

Sixth Frame Is Up and Looks Good

Sixth frame with bulkhead being put in place



Aaron Snyder and Harold get ready to get the sixth frame, with bulkhead, into place.

Yesterday was a busy day at the yard as the sixth frame went up complete with bulkhead. Now when you stand on the frames you get the sense of the watertight compartment. Harold did a nice job with the bulkhead and although a necessary component to a Coast Guard certified vessel, we do miss seeing the whole way through the vessel from stem to stern. But, it is all a part of complying with regulations and the bulkhead does look good.


Harold had help yesterday from a crew of volunteers including Aaron Snyder who stopped by and spent the day working. He was a huge help and knows his stuff having built two schooners with Harold in the past.


Harold was able to drill holes while Aaron Snyder and the gang were building another frame

 


The Yard Horse was a huge help lifting this extra heavy frame with bulkhead



More Work on Stem and Stern

Wooden trunnels firms up the stern post.

Stern post is being set in place - for good!



This late afternnon shot is of sheer legs, stern post and tenon.






Harold and Chuck checking out the fit of the next piece

  Harold has spent a good deal of time on the stem and stern over this week and some of the pictures here by Dan Tobyne are spectacular. On Saturday, young Zach, Chuck and Harold had a long day but were able to beautifully attach critical pieces to the stern and secure the stern post. Prior to that, it was somewhat precariously held by a chain and sheer legs. At the moment, the author of this blog, is on a "hardship" assignment in Bermuda -(seriously - its a fun assignment) but thanks to Dan we can keep you updated on what is going on in the yard this week. Also, check out the website to see the continually updated photographs of the Ardelle in progress.

Finishing Up on the Loft Floor

Computers can now perform many of the tasks that were once the domain of the draftsmen and designers on the lofting floor but in Harold's opinion there is no better way to get the shape of the boat in your head than by crawling around inside the vessel on the loft floor. Like so many things Harold does, he finds a place for traditional methods. But, it is tough on the knees and after two weeks on the floor today is the last day in the lofting process. Harold is drawing the stations; the last step - and as Howard Chapelle wrote "having made certain that each section agrees in heights and half-breadths with its corresponding section or station on the profile and half-breadth plans," Harold has locked in the stations. As everything corresponds on the floor, Harold is nearly ready to complete one of the most important steps in the construction of the schooner. After the lofting is done, the process of making the patterns and moulds will begin.

Harold Receives American Schooner Association Award

Harold attended the annual meeting of the American Schooner Association this past week in Mystic, CT which is always a worthwhile place to visit for any shipwright. By arriving on Friday, it gave time to tour Mystic Seaport which was great to do in the off-season. Harold was able to join an ongoing private tour of the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, the last surviving American wooden sailing ship and the oldest American merchant ship afloat. Master shipwright Quentin Snediker led the private group into the lower hold where the ceiling has been removed to expose the frame. The exposed frames of this 109-foot ship were lit with a soft light that, for Harold, was like viewing the Sistine Chapel. After finally leaving the ship and with the museum closed up for the night, Harold visited the famed Griswold Inn in Essex, CT (a great old inn with a pub that has a pot belly stove that has been serving customers for two centuries. The inn is full of museum quality paintings, authentic memorablila while the pub has great, live music every night).

                                Capt. Dave Thomson and Harold Burnham

The following day the ASA gathered for their meeting where Harold was the keynote speaker and he talked about the restoration of the schooner Ernestina. The group was assembled from areas like the Chesapeake Bay, Provincetown, Gloucester, and further afield where many of these towns hold fantastic schooner races during the summer and fall.

Harold was given a great introduction by the board members of the ASA and an ASA award...and for those who did not know Harold and the work he has done, a contingent from his hometown of Essex that included the lovely Daisy Nell were there to speak about how important Harold is to the Essex community. A good time was had by all.