Blog of the Catboat Silent Maid

Two Maids in Winter

2011-02-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Workshop on the Water was so named because the first shop was housed on a retired lighter barge. Now in the depths of winter with better than a foot of snow on the ground and ice falling from the sky we are happy to be in a shop next to the water rather than on it, one with central heat rather than a pot belly stove. There is no nostalgia for those days. Even then I was not prone to spend my winters thinking of sailing in sunnier climes; there was always a boat to be built. Last years boat had taught its lessons and the shop crew was always ready for next years project; it is that way still. This tempers an eagerness for spring, that season may bring warmth and sailing but it also brings deadlines. Silent Maid is now under the care of Beaton's with Henry Colie adding to the work list. A few pictures of what they are up to are above this text. The Workshop on the Water is moving onto other things as we near the end of the original Silent Maid's conservation, restoring a runabout and building a new whaleboat for the Morgan.

Work is done on the original Silent Maid. She looks great, belying her actual condition. Unfortunately the museum is not ready to show her so as soon as the winter weather permits she will be transferred to our warehouse until the museum is ready. In the meantime anyone who wants to see her should come by the shop.
The best we could do for the old girl was support her from the outside with a cradle designed to hold her together. This consists of a substantial laminated beam beneath her keel and plywood poppets bolted to this to support her bilges. Now when she is lifted to be moved all of the stress is on this structure and hull no longer wrinkles the seam compound or attempts to spit out the caulking. She is a boat full of character as befits a vessel of her age. Her worn out frame still carries the tales of numerous owners, races and voyages. To sit in her cabin is to surround oneself with history, not necessarilly of the grandiose kind, no great sea battles or grand discoveries here, but of a simpler more day to day variety.

Kent Mountford, one time chronicler of Barnegat Bay's history is currently putting together a book about Silent Maid, I'm sure it will delve into all of these stories and illustrate the importance of this old boat. In the meantime check out his "Closed Sea" for a study of Silent Maid's home waters.

Home Port

2010-10-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

   The end of our trip down the Hudson was in rain with predictions of winds in the 40's for the following days. Silent Maid would rest in Jersey City while her crew waited on the weather from the comforts of home. It was worth the wait as we sailed from Jersey City to the Manasquan Inlet on a single tack with the wind out of the Northwest fluctuating between 8 and 12 knots. The sea was as flat as a lake as we sailed along the beach, three days of offshore breeze will do that. We had the current running out of New York then into the Manasquan Inlet, it was truly a perfect day for this particular trip and a great way to end a five month cruise.

   We short tacked between the inlet jetties knowing Suzanne Beaton would be taking pictures then took the sail before reaching the railroad bridge. Between the bridges we picked up the Beatons and Wendy for the run down to Mantoloking. It was motor boating and bridges until we reached the Bay Head Yacht club and set the sail for one last time. Bay Head is the town on the transom but we were headed one more south to David Beaton and Sons in Mantoloking where Silent Maid would be wintering.
   And that's it. The sea bag is home, the food has been cleaned out of the galley, the rig is out and soon the boat will be in a shed. But not quite, not so fast, there is still the original Silent Maid back in Philadelphia.
   She is looking pretty good with fresh paint and varnish all around. The multitude of repairs are hidden under that paint and she looks good enough to float though she surely is not. The discerning eye would have no trouble spotting her hog though most wouldn't see it. She is nearly ready to move out of the shop, either to display or to warehouse. I am strongly for display not just because that boat was the beginning of a remarkable adventure for me but because she has had a profound effect on all those who crossed her wake. We were reminded of that everywhere we went and can only hope the new Silent Maid has a similar impact.

Hudson Valley

2010-10-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Around ten years ago it was my good fortune to take the powerboat Barnegat from Kingston, New York to Montreal. Since then I have always wanted to see the Hudson River from New York City to Kingston and this week I have finally got to do it. That first trip was at this time of year and Barnegat is accompanying us on this trip; even though I am on a different boat and a number of years have passed there is a continuity. There you go.

The excuse for this trip is to participate in a New York Yacht Club Cruise. That is an experience in itself. Most of the participants are largish power boats that are or appear to be made by Hinkley, the maritime equivalent of a Beamer. Each day has ended with cocktails and dinner some place where I would not normally or abnormally picture myself having either. Whenever possible one should do this sort of thing. Because there is no racing these events are very different in character than the sailing events we have been participating in all summer.

The River is fascinating as we transition from the modern city environment to the inspiration for a whole school of landscape painters and back again. As American rivers go this one is steeped in history; mansions,West Point, stuff named after Rip Van Winkle, this neighborhood has it all. Not much sailing though, the motor has been on more than off, but we are sailing downwind now on the return journey, as we approach West Point. The fall color is just getting started here, the weather is crisp, cold nights and fully covered days. Our sunblock consumption has plummeted.

The Hudson has kinetic scenery as befits the major conduit into New York City. Trains are a constant presence on the river banks, freights run along the western bank and passenger along the eastern. Trains have been with us for long enough that they fit the landscape. Thank the transportation gods that a major highway wasn't carved into the cliffs as well. Rivers have always been about human commerce and even as water born transport fades they often provide the easiest path for rails and roads. The rails are here to remind us how the mansions got built and who bought those remarkable landscape paintings. The earlier flow of commerce on the water still exists, Silent Maid maneuvered some tight bends in the company of barges and ships, and there are remnants of the earlier canal traffic. We went a little out of our way to pass close by the Hudson River Sloop, Clearwater, a replica of a vessel used to transport goods from the end of the Erie canal to the city which now works hard to promote a clean waterway, and there are a few older vessels along the banks testifying to the busy commerce of long ago. As the city drew nearer the traffic increased until we were surrounded by iron behemoths who would barely register crushing our little wooden boat. No questions about right of way here.

Jersey City

2010-10-07T07:02:00.000-07:00

The Liberty Landing Marina has been our home for the past week. It boasts a spectacular view of lower Manhattan with all the amenities of a full service marina. It is sheltered from both the wind and the wakes of the zillion ferry boats that crisscross this part of the harbor. Above all of this is the easy drive to Philadelphia, work and home. The fact is that keeping a family life and a profession going while moving a boat around can be difficult and having the boat a bit closer has been a great help with that. Now if I could determine what exactly constitutes a day off......

The reason for being in New York harbor was to participate in the Manhattan Yacht Club's Classic Yacht Series. This event conflicted with another on Long Island Sound for some reason so both got fewer boats. For Silent Maid this meant there weren't many boats of similar size and speed. In the first race we sailed that really didn't matter. Pretty early on we determined just getting around the course would be seamanship enough. The course was from North Cove to the Verrazano Bridge and back. There were twenty knots of breeze at the start and thirty at the bridge. Except for me the crew was totally unfamiliar with the boat and many were new to sailing. They were the staff of that wonderful after school boat building, rowing, youth building program, Rocking the Boat. We had boat builders, social workers, teachers and development people aboard. A couple were also sailors.

It is generally not considered fast to train the crew during the start sequence but that is faster than not training the crew at all. We got a late , safe, start and shook out the one reef we had to see if we could catch anyone, we couldn't. The crew had enthusiasm in abundance which is good when sailing through rain squalls. They also had a great willingness at the winches when it came time to wind in the reefs. As we approached the Verrazano the gusts grew in force so we put in two reefs while still headed down wind. In the course of doing this we got above the mark and decided, wisely I think, to tack around rather than jibe. The waves were steep and it took two tries to build the momentum needed to execute a chicken jibe. We did this again at the mark and were hard pressed until we managed to get the third reef in. Once that was done it was smooth sailing tacking through a fleet of anchored barges. One of the big boats had dropped out just after the rounding so we weren't even in last place anymore. Life was good ....... and wet.

The second day's racing was the opposite of the first. Light air. The crew this day was large and consisted of A Cat sailors from Barnegat Bay, too many of them for efficient sailing, but a good number for a floating party. A northwest breeze had come in and faded already so the air was as clear as it was still. It was a bright clear day to view the sights of new York Harbor. We even did OK racing, I think, but I won't try to lose readers with the details.

Sunny day photos by Julie Smith
Cloudy day photos by Rocking the Boat

Back to New Jersey

2010-09-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Where the East River is concerned the focus is the state of the tide and that would favor all afternoon. Silent Maid could leave Oyster Bay in a somewhat relaxed fashion and catch the tide through New York arriving at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City before sunset. The crew had time for breakfast at the mooring before suiting up in foul weather gear and getting out on deck to tuck a pair of reefs in before hoisting. We would sail off the mooring and tack out of the harbor before heading downwind on the strength of a Northeaster. We did motor sail a little as we went by the storied Seawanhaka Yacht Club, I was beginning to think our breakfast may have been a little too leisurely. I've never been much of a breakfast person and have had to cut eggs out of the diet. But the rest of the crew shouldn't be denied their omelets because of their Skipper's limitations.

Things were a little wild out on the Sound with sizable rollers to surf, wind speeds in the upper twenties and boat speeds above seven, punching eight. There was rain, heavy at times. The crew was happy except Wendy who found the motion a little intense. I just had to steer for a little while before tucking in the third reef, what a ride! But I did have to remember how many times we had fixed the steering which was under considerable strain now as the helmsman had to adjust for the quartering seas. The boat would ride up the backs of the waves, hit a peak speed as she crested them in a slather of foam then buried her bow at the bottom of the downhill slide. With all of the weight of the sail on one side it took a great deal of push on the wheel to keep her going downwind. Who cares about a little rain when on a carnival attraction like this?

Once past Execution Rocks, cute name, and nearing the Throgs Neck bridge the wind and sea lost their force and the current became the dominant feature. Before the Whitestone Bridge we had shaken out two reefs, and not long after another. An occasional gust would remind us of what lay just outside the city but soon we were just motoring. We slowed down at one point to pull Maid Service alongside to bail her. We wanted our transit of the East to read like a tourist brochure, not a big adventurous sea story involving swamped dinghies big currents and commercial traffic. Manhattan is always a sight, but in a northeaster when there is mist and cloud swirling among the tall buildings, the sights might be the best. We got accolades from a few pedestrians and a horn from a tow truck adding to Silent Maid's list of unusual compliments.

We tried sailing a couple times but it was not to be, the winds were too squirrely and as we approached the zone of a zillion ferries down around the Battery we abandoned those efforts altogether. Crossing the Hudson we rounded up before Ellis Island to take the sail then motored into Jersey City. One last shower drenched us as we approached the dock. There was still an hour of light left so those omelets had been worth it and the crew had certainly worked for them over the course of the day.

Oyster Bay

2010-09-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

So far things have been pretty relaxed in Oyster Bay. We came in around sunset on Friday with a ten knot breeze, had enough light to tour the mooring fields, then picked up a mooring belonging to the Oak Cliff Sailing Center whose guest we are, and who maintain a fleet of classic boats in addition to more modern racing boats. Part of the reason things are relaxed is the crew size is small. There is the cruising crew of Wendy, Pete, John and I in addition to Paul and Ellen DeOrsay who joined us for yesterday's race. Another reason is there is no skippers meeting for the races here. The boats race on the same course week in and week out, the variations in wind and tide provide the variety and email provides the course information to those not familiar with it. All of that means the afternoon is spent racing and the morning spent doing whatever needs doing.

This morning that meant washing down the boat, inspecting the fleet from Maid Service and coming up with an entry for this much neglected blog. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning. The boat is clean, breakfast was good and we are ready to race.

Yesterday we sailed with a light crew, six, in a northwest breeze that varied between 10 and 20 knots. Our main competition was a Concordia sloop who we could not beat with a reef tucked in. Because of the fixed course the start and first leg were downwind where the boats stayed even, the second leg was close hauled on port tack and here the Concordia pulled away as we were in a lull for the whole leg prompting the decision to shake out the reef. From here we sailed the same course in reverse, Maid closed some distance on the reach, then was able to out point the Concordia going upwind. This was not entirely a choice, with the light crew and too much canvas in the puffs the only recourse was to pinch in the puffs. Between this and a more favorable slant on the left side of the course, the Concordia had gone right, enabled us to pass. On the second time around the course we were able to hold her off, not opening a big lead but not allowing her to close either. On the last windward leg we out pointed her again, a source of some surprise, though she gained some by footing.

It was an exciting time with all the changes in wind speed but afterward we decided to sail around Cold Spring Harbor with a reef tucked in, back to the relaxed mode that suited crew, boat and locale.

A Squall

2010-09-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

We had allowed three days for the run from Melville, RI to Greenwich, CT. but we would wind up doing it in two. After a reach down the Narraganset, a beat to Point Judith and a slog across Block Island Sound we entered the Race. We would spend the first night in Mystic, finding the harbor on Fisher's Island too exposed to a southerly breeze.

Consulting the weather liars that night we expected a low to move in the next night and kick up a gale lasting into the next day. By the way there was also a slight chance of thunderstorms. Not wanting to deal with a gale we got up with the sun and started motoring down the Sound. We would cram a two day leisurely cruise into one long day. By lunch time the breeze was up and we spent the afternoon close reaching toward Greenwich clocking between 5 and 7 knots with two reefs in. Late in the afternoon the overcast sky was decidedly darker over the Connecticut shore but not in a spectacular way. Time to consult the Sirius weather oracle that comes with our GPS. Sometime during our wonderful sail the slight chance of a thunderstorm had become a sharp certainty. We continued towards Greenwich wondering if the squall would get there first. It would. The map couldn't cram more lightening bolts into the patch of green yellow and red representing the squall. The wind numbers were a little scary too.

We set about securing the boat. The sail was furled and the lines all secured as we motored into a darker and darker cloud. The crew had been in foul weather gear for some time. There were flashes of lightening in the distance. There would be no running from this one. Considering how many miles Maid had sailed over the summer she was overdue for a thunder squall and here it was. The weather liars did tell the truth about the wind speeds in this one and as it swept in I decided a port on the Long Island shore would be better; allowing us to motor into he building wind and sea towards the lee of the island. Huntington Harbor became the new destination. The fisherman anchor was readied for use if we should need it. Lightening flashed and thunder crashed right with it. The rain really stung now. The techy, expensive, and presumably accurate wind instruments topped out at 50 knots of breeze. It was good to have the sail down and the motor chugging in all of that. At maximum RPM s we were making two knots into the breeze.

After a while the wind dropped to a sedate 35 knots. Patches of blue sky appeared over Greenwich. Soon we would resume our course to the original destination. The gale never happened.

Photos by Wendy Byar.

Two More Races

2010-09-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

I have been in Philadelphia almost a week now. The idea had been to haul Silent Maid, get her cleaned out, leave a work list with the folks in Portsmouth, and go home for a few days. That was last Monday, I was to return on Thursday to get set for the Museum of Yachting Regatta this weekend. Hurricane Earl put the cabash on all that. The Weather Liars had the storm set to track right over Cape Cod right up until it didn't. Given the forecast the smart thing was to leave the boat on the hard until the danger was past. The truth of the matter is I really needed to spend time at work and at home so what may or may not have been smart from a weather standpoint worked well for living. The to do lists in both places are stupendous. That could be the subject of another blog, or two. Unfortunately the race Rock Regatta was cancelled as well so Silent Maid won't be in motion again for another week when she sets sail for Greenwich, CT.

Any person's perspective of a sail boat race varies according to the boat he is on and the job he is doing on that boat. In the last two races with Kathleen I had two very different jobs, being in charge of keeping the boat fast in the first and skipper in the second. The first job means keeping the sail properly tuned at all times with the sheet trimmer making the call on halyard and outhaul tensions and if the need arises putting a reef in. The job also calls for making sure the crew weight is properly distributed at all times. This is a dynamic activity because the weight needs to be shifted with the wind conditions and point of sail and because people have a tendency to wander. No one wants to sit where they are supposed to, that is human nature. So my perspective on the first race is about those things more than about how the start went or the bigger tactical picture, which is not to say I don't have observations and opinions on these matters, they just may not be well informed.

We did get a good start in the middle of the line with Kathleen to windward. We were too slow sheeting in but otherwise fine. It seems Bristol Harbor has its own wind pattern with a pretty good breeze blowing while the Narraganset River itself is pretty flat. This would impact racing both days. We had a fading Northwester but at the start Silent Maid's crew was confident we would get the wind she likes. The boats emerged from the harbor side by side and as soon as she could Kathleen drifted off to weather. Silent Maid did not cover, favoring a more direct route to the mark. The breeze faded then filled from the right favoring Kathleen. who reached the downwind down tide mark first then had to anchor to avoid being swept down river. Silent Maid also anchored and the two boats waited for a breath strong enough to overpower the current.
When it came Kathleen favored the shore and a weaker ebb tide while Silent Maid hoped to find shelter from the current below the island that divides the entrance to Bristol. Kathleen was right and won on a shortened course.

The next day found me in the skippers spot with a great determination to cover my opponent whenever possible. This time I know the thinking that went into our start and the windward leg up the harbor. We liked the committee boat end of the line and the right side of the course through a mooring field. We being myself and yesterday's skipper, Tom Emlen, who would call tactics. We started in the second tier and tacked onto port in clear air. The rest of the fleet liked the committee boat and the left side of the course, a cause of some trepidation as the fleet isn't often wrong, but we were committed to the mooring field. At the top mark we were coming in on starboard below the layline, fortunately the boat above us had to tack as well and we had just enough room to put in a short jog on port then round on starboard. All the boats that had gone left were on port tack and there promised to be a fine mess behind us at the mark. We had picked the favored side of the course after all. Kathleen was in the middle of that, wound up touching the mark, and doing a penalty turn.

Once again there was plenty of wind in the harbor and none outside it so it was with some dismay that we watched Kathleen make up all that lost ground as we drifted over to cover her. This race was from Bristol to Newport, largely downwind, and the two boats spent a good deal of time together. When the wind was above 5 knots or so Silent Maid surged ahead and when it fell below that Kathleen took the lead. Finally Silent Maid recognized a wind shift a bit before Kathleen and moved ahead. The wind had gone further east a little forward of the beam and the crew shifted from windward to leeward as the sheet was slowly gathered. Kathleen was clearly behind now and appeared to favor the shore of ....Island while Silent Maid endeavored to stay between her and the Newport bridge, the next "mark" on our course. We consulted Eldridge to see which side of the island the tide favored and it was ours. We were surprised when it became apparent that Kathleen was heading for the eastern side of the island rather than edging towards its western shore. By the time we realized her plan it was too late to cover, she was up current after all. We double checked the current charts and resolved to see what happened on the other side. I think she was gambling that a breeze would come in from the east and she would be positioned to catch it first. By this time we all knew our best source of local knowledge was Kathleen's skipper so as we watched for signs of our competitor with some concern as we neared the end of the Island.

Light air sailing is a test of focus and nerves. The weather was hot and sitting in one spot is boring. Almost every crew member can think of something better to do in some other part of the boat. There is always a camera or a drink to be fetched. Weight placement is critical on a light displacement boat. It is easy to start looking at the other boats more than subtleties of seemingly non existent wind. This is especially true when the fleet is as good looking as this one. Silent Maid with her big sail and light displacement had passed a good many much larger boats but these were only decorations on the race course, we only cared about finishing ahead of one other boat. All that should matter is how to most efficiently drift from wind patch to wind patch but the human mind isn't designed to operate that slowly and so misses things that make all the difference. That nondescript island helped us. It had a scrubby growth and a few abandoned structures, probably from Newport's days as a major naval base. but the fact that our competitor was hidden behind hit helped us stay focused on the task. When would she emerge from behind those trees. Would she have made up ground or lost it?

We emerged a bit further ahead and Kathleen still favored the far eastern side of the course. The sea breeze did come in as we approached the Newport harbor entrance , we could see a light mist over the water and smell the ocean as it filled in more from the south. Kathleen had won the series through superior sailing but we had kept it respectable. and won a light air day.

Sadly the series with Kathleen had come to an end. Sadly because the sportsmanship and competitiveness had been high and the fact that two sizable cats had been racing caught considerable notice. I can only hope this bodes well for serious cat boat racing in New England waters, they certainly have the history for it and there seems to be interest. It would be a great thing to see another big cat built to race there regularly, carrying on in the spirit of Hanley and the Crosbys. It wasn't just about work back in the day after all. We have the pictures to prove it.

Photos by Wendy Byar except the one she is in. I have no idea who took that one.

A Report From the Boat That Went

2010-08-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

The following is Tim Fallon's account of Kathleen's trip to Bristol. It sounds like quite an adventure on a well managed vessel.

Hi John -

I'm back at work today and just read your blog entry. I don't know how the MAID would have handled the big weather but I sure can't say that you made a bad decision by staying put. It was the biggest weather KATHLEEN has sailed in and next to a few squalls some of the biggest stuff I've been out in on Buzzards Bay.

We had two reefs and were going easily on broad reach around Monomoy - (oh and saw a big whale, humpback maybe just past the cut near the breaking waves) jibed around Monomoy and at dark the breeze picked up further calling for 4 reefs. Visibility was never an issue but it got windy and the wave height increased with the fetch. There was a lot of steering necessary to keep her headed down the waves and I was wondering how the MAID with her wheel would have handled the abrupt and constant rudder movements. It was an exhilarating ride and the boat felt like a planing dinghy as we averaged 8 knots past Hyannis. We decided to stop in Osterville, home to much of our crew for the night.

We lost 2 crew in Osterville but the 5 of us continued the next day at 10 with more downwind sailing in our future. Relatively easy going down Vineyard Sound as we were able to get into the lee of Falmouth but with 4 reefs we were still doing about 7 knots. The big decision was whether to continue down the sound and in the lee of the Elizabeth's with a more favorable current or go thru Woods Hole. We chose WH so that we could reach across BB while there wasn't a ton of fetch to gain as much windward gauge as we could before it got so that we could only run before it. It got gnarly enough to go to reef #5 when we were 1/2 way across the bay. Reef #5 is to drop the main completely and put up a 420 jib that we brought as a storm tri-sail. BB tower reports that it was blowing in the high 30's with some higher gusts. Under that rig everything was pretty mellow despite the occasional big roller coming over the stern and through the tiller hole. We were doing 4.5 knots with the current. The waves were really big off of Padanaram until we rounded Mishaum Pt. and then Gooseberry Neck and were more in the lee. TUBBY, the Boston Whaler Squall towed beautifully. We weren't sure that we'd be able to turn and go upwind up the Sakonnet as we'd have to put up the sail to do so. It was still windy and the waves were big again as we doused the jib and went up with the fully reefed main. It was slow going as the wind and waves drove us back but we slowly made progress up the river. As we continued north, the waves subsided and after an hour of slow progress we started moving along pretty well tacking back and forth. We put in just before dark off a friend's house south of the Tiverton bridge where she lays to 2 anchors now.

We had an experienced crew that had sailed the boat a lot, and one with extensive offshore experience. We made good decisions on when to shorten sail and were smart to get windward gauge when it was easy by cutting through Woods Hole. Cutting through Quicks Hole would have been a debachle as we'd have to put the sail up to head to the angle toward Sakonnet Pt. and the waves would have been more broadside.

I suspect you're stuck in Chatham for a day or two. Tony said the fishermen don't even attempt the cut on days like yesterday. Looks like good weather in a couple days though. Look out for that whale on the way out and see you in Bristol.

-Tim

Stay or Go

2010-08-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

We were set to race. It was a distance race with some wind expected so the boat was in cruising mode really. The heavy sail was bent on and the crew was aboard transferring equipment and supplies from tender to cat boat. Some had traveled a good distance to be with us. Others had worked hard to make sure we had the food and gear we needed. There was every reason to sail and not a few reasons not to. The weather forecasts kept worsening. Gusts of 25 went to 30 then 35 and even 40. Visibility kept plummeting in forecasts that included torrential rains and patchy fog illuminated by lightening. The wind was from a favorable direction but was bringing waves of increasing magnitude. We were on a calm bay with a perfect little breeze, thinking about going sailing and really wanting to.

This was a chance to even the score with Kathleen. Our boat would be faster in a good wind we were sure and we needed a win. Yet every report was worse than the last. Thing is they are the reports of the weather liars and need to be taken with a bucket of salt. But the closer the forecast the more accurate it tends to be. It was my decision and I stayed on the fence as long as I could. I really wanted to go and I am so glad I didn’t. We did go sailing. Why not? The crew was aboard, the boat was ready and the wind was perfect. We got underway for the inlet.
We motored over to Kathleen to let them know we would not be racing. Tim was determined to go and wondered what would convince me. Maybe I’ve read one sea story to many. All the good ones involving big adventures start with a crew new to the boat, a falling glass, and a determination to push on. Frequently this determination is fueled by some deadline related to a distant job, a sense of optimism, and a healthy or unhealthy skepticism when it comes to weather forecasting. We would sail to the ocean’s edge and see them negotiate their way through the breakers; that was all. But you know I could always change my mind when the time came to head back to a known friendly mooring. I had gotten off the fence but could still climb back on.

The crew of Kathleen were tying in a pair of reefs before setting off from their mooring. We motored up wind, set the full sail then winched in a pair of reefs. It was good for the new crew to see how this went. It wasn’t too long before we shook one of them out. We had the people to hold her down and no need to conserve energy. We had fun negotiating the sand bars under sail. The local boys on the crew know their waters well and we all had a good time tacking through the shoals working the sail and the centerboard. It was a while before Kathleen was ready to go so we circled back to meet her once the breakers were in sight.

A couple years back a new inlet opened into Pleasant Bay and changed the character of the place markedly. The current is swifter now and the sandy shoals move around. In general the bay is a healthier place with clean water, thick eel grass and abundant sea life. Because of this the local seal colony has grown markedly and great white sharks have moved in to hunt. This aspect of the new clean bay, and the houses removed by the new inlet, has some of the locals a little put out but for us outsiders a seal colony of that size on a sand bar was something to see. No sharks to report his trip though.
Kathleen was working her way through the shoals as we ran down to meet her. Not racing, she had elected to tow her dinghy. We ran past her rounded up around the dinghy and sailed with her for a bit. We had no dinghy and one less reef so we passed her. Another small cat boat had sailed out to see her off and the three of us comprised a small parade. Once we neared the last spit of sand we came about to head back into the shelter of the bay. Just as she approached he breakers Kathleen’s crew broke out a large orange and black flag bearing the logo of Silent Maid. I stuck with my decision and am writing this in a warm dry cabin as the rain beats down on the roof and gusts of wind cause the boat to sashay around her mooring. Schubert is on the stereo and life is good. We will set out for Bristol in a day or so when things settle down a little but with the breeze still favoring I hope.

Photos by Pete Byar and John Brady

Kathleen Gets Her Conditions

2010-08-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Those pre internal combustion engine builders knew a thing or two. They valued light air performance much more than we do. Any vessel can get her cargo to market when there is a breeze but it takes some special qualities to accomplish this when there is only a wisp of a breeze and no engine to fall back on. All those boats with fine entries and easy straight runs were about performance at the very bottom end of the power spectrum where the unit of measure is the human rather than the horse. A human with an oar, or a large sail and a light hand on the helm, can get such a boat and her contents where she needs to go on a barely perceptible breeze. Silent Maid may have been so named because she had no engine but her owner also had a power boat dubbed the Noisy Lady. I’m sure the Noisy Lady saw employment more than once towing her quiet companion. Kathleen is a pre gas engine boat and her performance in light air is a testament to that, she would be getting home on the power of her sails no matter how light the breeze.
The starting line was crowded; the Arey’s Pond Regatta had attracted nearly a hundred cat boats. They were staring in several classes but there aren’t many places to go in Little Pleasant Bay so starters and non starters crowded the line. Kathleen took the start and forced the Maid to chase her through the narrows. In the light breeze she showed her stuff and as the fleet spread out into the open water of the Pleasant Bay she had a pretty good lead. She opted to tack downwind as Silent Maid headed straight for the mark. The breeze was up a little and Silent Maid closed the distance so the two boats met at the next mark with Kathleen on Starboard. Silent Maid jibed over, then back to make the rounding. There was a little breeze now and the Maid showed what she had, pointing higher and sailing faster she gained the advantage and headed back to the narrows in the lead. There was a swift ebb tide running through the narrows as the boats headed that way. The bigger boat strove to avoid grounding while the smaller took her chances outside the channel. It was a risky move, depending on the wind staying favorable and the current on the lee bow as well as staying off the bottom but for the trailing boat it was the only move. It was a risk with a large return and Kathleen surged ahead through the narrows. She was able to keep Silent Maid in her turbulent air as the two boats headed for the finish. Kathleen completed the course with two minutes over her competitor.
Kathleen is now up two races to one in the series and it is on Silent m
Maid to show what she can do with her size and speed.

Photos: ©Land's Edge Photography elf@landsedgephoto.com

Sand

2010-08-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

   The crew is off the boat for a little while having slept ashore. Silent Maid is on a mooring in Pleasant Bay. It is a sunny morning, the tranquility only broken by the occasional power boat. Water gurgles by the wooden hull, the coffee is percolating. In a few minutes I have to start washing the boat down but for now there is a moment of peace. It is welcome
Yesterday over a hundred junior sailors crossed the decks of this boat, ferried out to her in a flotilla of whalers and ribs, as she reached back and forth across Pleasant Bay.As each group boarded they got there assignments, steering, sheet, backstays then took turns at each one. It was a full day to say the least, I am a little hoarse from explaining how to steer with a wheel. The decks are gritty with beach sand. The kids were a lot of fun though. In Pleasant Bay Silent Maid is a ship and the bay is dotted with islands containing treasure and even a haunted house.

   My last post vanished into cyberspace, I know not how. This blog thing is by no means perfect. A snippet appeared in a google alert so it must be out there somewhere. It was about hustling down the coast from Penobscot Bay to Nantucket. I haven't had time to rewrite or to catch up with our doings on Nantucket. Suffice it to say we got a "Spirit of the Race" cup and placed respectably for a boat our size. These races aren't consistent in the division of classes or the layout of courses for that matter so it is difficult to tell how fast a boat really is. But does that matter? Think of those kids bouncing around the decks and reflect.

   Now it is time to wash off the beach sand carried aboard by all those tiny feet and get set for the next adventure.

Photos by Wendy Byar

Eggomoggin Reach

2010-08-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

If you like wooden boats the Eggomoggin Reach Regatta is required viewing. The two feeder races add to the build up as the size of the fleet increases with each one. This year's main event attracted 92 boats, all of them gorgeous. This is not including the tenders, often wooden power boats of some size. The hands down winner of the tender category in terms of flat out cool and classically beautiful, though steel hulled, was the steam yacht, Congarda.

The boats are all yachts, schooners and sloops but only one cat boat. Some carry spinnakers with all the thrills and spills they can bring and some do not. It is a who's who of classic yacht design out there both in terms of design and building, contemporary and from a bygone era. It was a privilege to be in such company I can tell you and doubly so because we were in a small boat that turned heads and did well on the race course. Silent Maid did herself proud, winning her class in all three races. The plan was for the larger boats and the spinnaker boats to start later so they would sail through the fleet of smaller vessels. Only a few of the biggest sailed by the Maid I am glad to say and those went thundering by, a pantheon of storied big racers, Ticonderoga, Black Watch, Marilee. It was grand thing to see.

The second two races could have been designed so the Silent Maid would do well. Lots of reaching and with her big crew aboard to hold her down Silent Maid reaches right along. In the second race Christian and I manned the tender, Barnegat. She is a 50' wood boat built in 1962 by Stonington boat and designed by Henry Scheel. A displacement vessel with a big rib to tow behind she has a top end of 8 kts. Unknown to us Maid's lunches were left aboard, so while we seized the opportunity to grab a shower before getting under way the fleet was off and running. Silent Maid's crew had very mixed feelings about how long it took us to catch them, even with the engines revving a bit more than they should. We motored through a very large fleet before reaching that hungry fast group.On the way we had the best views in contemporary yachting, no question about it.

The weather for these two races was crystal, a mild cold front having swept the skies clean. The breeze was perfect, the photo ops numerous. I'm sure there are websites packed with good pictures of this one. At night the milky way was visible and the harbor was decorated with anchor lights seemingly suspended between sea and sky. Brooklin, Maine has numerous boat builders and a great magazine but a metropolis it is not. It is a blink and you'll miss it sort of place. This means no light pollution which means a sailor can remain aware of his small but precious place in the universe here. It is a great place to have a regatta.

Racing from Castine to Camden

2010-08-10T18:14:00.001-07:00

The most impressive feature of the Castine to Camden race was the fog. Visibility was down to a couple hundred feet at times and as we short tacked along the shoreline to stay out of the current and in the breeze. Boats and rocky shorelines loomed out of the mist. We were crossing tacks with several of our competitors, glad to see we were holding our own with much larger and more “modern” boats. For the most part the breeze was light, we carried half of our rather large crew to leeward much of the time, though occasionally it would breeze up and we got everyone up and out on the windward rail. We were all in foul weather gear and those on navigation were glad enough of the below decks nav station.

The great thing about displacement boats that use the crew as ballast is they sail with large crews when the wind is up. When it is down much of the crew may be relegated to the chase boat but it happens with surprising rarity. Often this is because we prefer a convivial atmosphere to whatever edge fewer people might give. The downside to this is it is best to replace dead weight with live, movable weight. Prior to every race the boat is emptied of her contents. Most of the things that make a cruise safe and comfortable have to go, cookware, food, luggage, anchors, spare parts. Everything not essential to winning a race is packed up and moved off the boat to be replaced with crew. In this way a catboat can be sailed flat which significantly reduces weather helm which in turn increases speed. So these very social boats are also fast boats when they carry a large crew. When Silent Maid arrives at a race location there is a good deal of work to be done as the boat gets a new sail and is emptied out. Preparing for the next passage takes the same amount of work as the process is reversed. There isn’t much time for tourism as we campaign this boat. Keeping track of all the stuff is the most difficult aspect of the whole thing.

Silent Maid was racing with 16 aboard. There were seasoned sailors who gravitated to specific jobs ranging from the tactician at the top end of the experience scale to the rail meat who may be neophytes or simply glad of any spot on board. All are important to the success of the enterprise. All have something to contribute. All are aware of the unique opportunity they are experiencing as the stunning yachts and landscapes appear and disappear in the mist. That they are functioning as an efficient pick up team is evidenced by the sound of the gun at the finish. Silent Maid is the first boat in her class to finish. She would also be the first boat when the handicap system was applied.

Padanarum to Castine

2010-08-09T17:02:00.001-07:00

It took four long days to get from South Dartmouth to Castine, Maine. On the first two we sailed as much as we could, the prevailing breezes being with us, but by the afternoon of the third day it was apparent we would have to put the pedal to the metal if we expected to race in Maine. We motor sailed down wind, maintaining 7.5 knots in some lumpy seas along the Maine coast. This rock strewn coast dotted with light houses and covered with pine trees is beautiful and we were very glad to have the visibility as Silent Maid rather noisily surfed by rocks and trees. The first night we made Boston and anchored in Hull bay. The second saw us on a mooring in Kittery and the third in the Sheepscot River. Each morning found us up with the sun and each evening we were seeking a mooring in the waning light. When the afternoon breeze came in it was behind us so we had good sailing until the decision to switch on the motor had to be made.

As we made our easting the shoreline the sandy features of the Cape Cod area gave way to more and more rocks. These all had surf at their edges but were capped in a variety of ways, some had wild life, sea birds or seals, some had pine trees and some had structures. The best structures were lighthouses of course and the worst were mediocre examples of modern home building. It is difficult for architecture to improve on the pine tree. The light houses succeeded mostly because they left the trees alone for the most part. All in all the structures that let the surrounding environment envelop them were the best. That takes a little time so my judgment of the modern structures may be a little unfair.

We arrived in Castine around five with a steering quadrant that needed another repair but a crew that was in pretty good shape. The gear teeth on the quadrant are cast in three segments and attached to the quadrant itself with studs. These had been lightly peened to keep them in place. Too lightly. Pete was steering and reported a hard spot in the steering and a clunking sound. I went to check and found one of the segments in the bilge. I was able to stick it back on and wrap a string around it to hold it in place. We
arrived a day early to see what resources were available in Castine. The problem was we were arriving just as all shops are closing for the day. There was some thought of getting the quadrant to a machinist or welder first thing in the morning but that seemed destined to fail. We needed a repair that could be done on the boat that night. I came up with a plan to lightly countersink the quadrant and head over the studs. Pete got the task of locating tools while I started disassembling the gear. At this point Sandy arrived and offered to help. He almost immediately produced a wrench set then set about locating welding shops as a backup. Pete located a person at the yacht club with a home shop where he was able to borrow the necessary tools. John found a fish and chips place with carry out. Christian assisted in this. We were swatting mosquitoes and banging away at that quadrant by flashlight until about 9:30. No one complained. We might not have listened anyway. By 10:30 the steering gear was reassembled and we were ready to race. That’s a helluva way to finish a cruise. We did have that classic moment when I got to hand the helmsman a piece of the steering gear though.

Padanaram

2010-08-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

It isn’t just about boat speed. There are many ways to lose a race. I put it that way because usually the crew making the fewest mistakes wins. In our Padanaram race with Kathleen we had speed. Silent Maid led everywhere except where it counted, on the last leg to the finish. I confused two marks and insisted we round the wrong way then realized my error so we had to round again in the right direction. Racing can provide a good way to acquire a little humility and so it was in this case. All that can be done is admit the mistake in hopes that this will prevent it happening again. Kathleen’s crew sailed a good race and were in a position to capitalize on her opponent’s mistake. We are now tied one all and meet next in Pleasant Bay.

Meantime we are sailing for Maine. Christian, John Pete and I are the crew. We have a tight schedule and must get as much as we can out of each day. At the time of this writing we are a day and a half into this cruise and have cleared Cape Anne bound for Portsmouth, New Hampshire tonight. We spent last night in Hull Bay outside of Boston. Since clearing the Cape Cod Canal the breeze has been favorable, we used the motor in the mornings until the wind filled in. The crew has settled into a sailing routine, using some time to clean and come up with improvements to the boat.

Photos by Peter Corbin

A Bumpy Ride

2010-08-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Silent Maid's departure from Edgartown was quick. There were no thoughts of harbor tours, it was roll out of the bunk, fire up the engine and get underway. Coffee can be made and drunk in motion as well as at rest. Well almost.
Once clear of the moored yachts in the outer harbor we rounded up to set sail. The sail had a reef already in and another quickly followed with a third right after that. The wind instruments hovered around 20 gusting to 25 and boat speed was around 7.5. Once we hit open water the sea was jumping and the spray flying across the foredeck. The boat was buttoned up and happy for a bit of breeze. The three reefs made steering light work, I am ever mindful of that quadrant now.

The sea was really up off the entrance to Woods Hole as the current raced out into Vineyard Sound. At this point we really buttoned her up with the cabin doors closed for the first time. Silent Maid was thriving on it as we punched into the seas and current. In the relative calm of Woods Hole we needed the engine to stem the tide. What a dramatic and treacherous place that is with current washed rocks just outside a serpentine channel. It was with some relief that we entered Buzzards Bay and started a long beat to the Northern shore.

We shook out two reefs as we tacked along the shore and by the time we reached South Dartmouth we were comfortably sailing with one reef in flat water. We toured the harbor under sail, much to the delight of the boat workers, who seemed to be the only people around on a Thursday, then sailed back out of the harbor for a leisurely lunch with the boat drifting and the sheet fully eased, lunch was as unlike breakfast as possible. After lunch we furled and motored in to tie up at Marshall Marine’s dock. We were visiting the home of the Sandpiper and Sanderling.

Photos by Peter Byar

Harbor Tours

2010-07-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

     There is nothing like succesfully maneuvering a sailing vessel at close quarters.It is the most basic form of seamanship and in a harbor full of sailing vessels it is when a sailor's pride is most on the line. The boat must be sailed with confidence, speed equals maneuverability. The most must be gotten out of each tack, a foot closer to that pier could be the difference between clearing a schooner's bow on the next tack or having to dip her transom. Decisions need to be made in a timely way and care should be taken that confidence does not become hubris. Whether sailing a narrow marsh creek or a crowded harbor the seamanship is the same but we tend to value the opinion of our peers better than that of muskrats and herons. Sliding off a mud bank is better than accounting for cracked wood or plastic. Best to get the crew work tight in the marshlands before taking it into the crowded harbors. We take our practice where we can.
     When we came into Vineyard Haven we sailed to the head of the harbor reaching in and then out again before rounding up to take sail and follow the launch to our mooring under power. I had wanted to depart under sail but we needed to visit the town dock for water before continuing and doing that under sail would not have been prudent or even sane. That would be confidence becoming hubris and leading to disaster. So we found a space to hoist, tacked back to the head of the harbor and made our farewell to Vineyard Haven in fine style.
   Edgartown was another matter. Here the harbor master's office gave us clear direction to our assigned mooring over the radio. After running from East Chop to the outer harbor we beat into the inner harbor. A close study of the chart preceded our entrance and the crew was well versed in the necessary tasks. There was sufficient channel space to pick up speed and tack but none of that space could be wasted. Once our mooring was located we sailed up and down the channel near it, figuring out the relationship between wind and the considerable tidal current. We would have to round up head to current with the boom well outboard to spill the wind. Doing this would require sailing between two moored boats, right under the transom of one. The sail could be rendered inefficient but not neutral so it would have to be doused quickly. The mooring would have to be picked up and secured immediately.
      With the information collected and the crew assignments given it was time to give it a try. Rounding up the boat drifted to a stop at the mooring and the pennant was aboard. It took three to get it on the cleat because an attempt was made to get it in the chock before securing it costing a few precious seconds. To depower the sail, the gaff was scandalized even before the topping lifts were taken up. It was a bit of a drill but all straightened out in short order as the sail was lowered and pulled inboard simultaneously. That is a fine way to enter a new harbor.

Steering Committees

2010-07-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

There is a good bit to catch up with. While I was in Philadelphia Silent Maid raced in a New York Yacht Club event. Midway through that, off the rocks at Beavertail, the steering quadrant broke, the arms snapped cleanly. There was a short drill, fortunately the boat was pointed away from the rocks, and with the motor on she moved directly into the wind until a launch gave her a tow. It was clearly time to take the development of the emergency steering gear a step further.

When the rudder was built provision was made for the attachment of a pair of tackles to an eye in the top. Now a pair of pennants could be made up to lead from the aft cleats around to a fair lead on the transom where a tackle could be set up on each side. These could be kept on deck at the ready and attached to the rudder with a snap shackle if needed. Very quickly. At rest they are a great way to keep the rudder centered with no strain on the steering gear at all. A new quadrant was readily available and by the week's end the boat was ready to go once more with the crew a little more willing to reef when the boat starts saying to, even in a race. Next winter we will take a second look at the engineering of that system.

Now that we could steer again we set sail for Woods Hole where the Historical Museum was hosting us. Once again the hospitality we experienced was wonderful. Woods Hole is quite a unique community with oceanography at the center of it. What a great place for dinnertime conversation I. Saturday night after giving a talk about Jersey Catboats at the library we were invited to dinner with 15 other people I felt like I was walking in the foot steps of some great sailors, Slocum and Hiscock come to mind, sailing and giving talks for my dinner. Sunday we set sail three times with members of the museum on board, the breeze was good and the company better but we were sure tired by the end of the day.

At this writing Silent maid is on a mooring in Vineyard Haven's inner harbor surrounded by schooners. Rowing around this harbor one gets the impression wooden boats are doing quite well in New England. Half the boats in this crowded harbor are impeccably maintained wooden boats. We are on a mooring off Gannon and Benjamin's shop where something interesting is always happening. Being here one gets the feeling Silent Maid has made the "A" list of our little world.

Stripping Paint

2010-07-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

For someone who seems almost proud of his gruffness Newt can be a very patient man. For days he has been removing paint from the original Silent Maid using an infrared heater and a scraper. Occasionally he takes a smoke break and now and again he will share what he knows with a museum visitor but he is mostly learning exactly how big Silent maid really is as the paint comes off with a 2 inch scraper.

Every repair and alteration Maid has endured over the years is now apparent. The short sections of planking that have been replaced and the refastening she got as her original steel nails rusted away. These are the reasons the paint is coming off, it wasn't in terrible shape, and was not that thick, so someone else must have done this job not too long ago. This time we will document what we find with a series of incredibly boring photographs and a description of what's there. Boring unless you need the information contained in them.
Because the boat has been refastened we will not be doing anything beyond painting to the exterior of the hull. The bottom paint will be replaced with a house paint of the proper color to protect the wood better in an indoor environment and reduce toxicity. The jury is still out on whether any attempt should be made to reinforce the boat's structure or if a cradle should be relied on for this entirely. The hull does show an alarming degree of flexibility, but a well designed cradle may take care of this.

Museum boat cradle design presents challenges. If the boat is displayed the cradle should disappear visually, the idea is to showcase the boat not the means of supporting it. Chunky brick outhouse structures are out of the question then. Figuring out a good way to support Silent Maid will give the paint removal crew something to contemplate while performing a rote task.

A Win at Wickford.

2010-07-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Silent Maid was as ready to race as we could make her. The bottom was smooth, the rig perfected, all extraneous weight was removed from the boat, the propeller aperture was closed and the crew aboard. Kathleen was also ready but only her crew knows what the preparations were. I will say her bottom looked smooth and when she tacked around Wickford Harbor she looked fast indeed, executing short tacks in the light air with little loss of speed. Everywhere we went we had heard of the famous Kathleen and the skill of her skipper, Tim Fallon. I expected she would have an advantage if the wind stayed light but in a breeze Silent Maid should do all right.
It was a day of changeable weather, starting out hot, turning to rain with a threat of some fog and later offering a little line squall. But the wind blew enough to suit us throughout the race. At the start Kathleen showed the skill of her people, closing Maid off from a port tack pin end start, Kathleen crossed the line clear ahead and both boats set out on the beat with crews on the rail and some tension in the air. Peter Kellogg did a great job salvaging his start, pinching up right at the pin and climbing out above Kathleen, forcing her to look for another way to win.
We had the tide against us on the weather leg and Kathleen decided to see what could be done with this. She would not mind a slightly lighter breeze than Silent Maid so she favored the shoreline no doubt hoping for less current and more favorable lifts in the breeze. This strategy did help her and she appeared to close some distance but not enough as Silent Maid rounded the old cast iron lighthouse that served as a top mark with a comfortable lead.
On the downwind leg Kathleen tried heating things up with a series of jibes but Maid continued to sail her own race On this leg a line squall passed over the boats, the north end of this cloud bank was dark and ominous enough but the two boats continued to sail as hard as they could towards it. Rain was in those clouds and some wind too but how much and from what direction?
Just as Silent Maid reached the mark the wind shifted 180 degrees and blew with more force. The downwind leg had become a beat giving Maid a huge advantage. She reached off towards the finish in Wickford Harbor on a reach as Kathleen was forced to tack to the mark. Once in the harbor Maid had to short tack up a narrow channel to the finish, running aground was not an option. Boat and crew handled the tight maneuvering easily and the race was won. There was one last challenge though. As Silent Maid sailed back out of the harbor to join up with her anchored tender she had to be sure to keep clear of Kathleen now tacking up the narrow channel. Once Kathleen was safely past Maid's crew could reflect on the days events and look forward to the next match.
The shenanigans involving racy flags will be discussed at some other time.

Maid Service

2010-07-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

Maid Service is a flat bottom skiff built by David Beaton and Sons two winters ago. She is an older design of flattie, traditionally built with a cross planked bottom and lapstrake sides.Even when building simpler forms Beaton's pays close attention to fit and finish. She is my favorite mode of transportation around the various harbors we have visited. In Maid Service one is free of engines and the human decision making processes that come with boats capable of carrying more than two people. I generally get ashore faster under oars simply because I could move about when it suited me. Of course rowing is great exercise and it is the perfect way to view the boats of interest in any harbor offering a pace suited to the admiring or critical eye. Outside the harbor the skiff is small enough to hoist onto Barnegat's cabin top and tows well enough to pull behind Silent Maid even with a bit of sea running. In the pictures to the left she is surfing along in 5 to 7 foot seas as Maid reaches along at 6.5 knots.

Showtime

2010-06-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

The run from Portsmouth, RI to Mystic was under power punching into the waves and watching thunderheads form over the land. We had a brief skirmish with a little squall; a little rain, a little noise, but not much wind. By then we had taken the deep reefed sail and even had our foul weather gear on. The sail was up to steady our motion, the sea was very lumpy coming out of the Narraganset but had settled some. Only after we were drying out in Mystic did we find out about the severe squalls experienced to the North and South of us.
When we arrived in Mystic the boat certainly needed a cleaning,the sail needed refurling, and the cabin needed to be emptied into Barnegat waiting just up the pier from us. Darkness was upon us by the time we had her squeezed into a very snug berth and secured. After dealing with the sail the decision was made to relax over some dinner and deal with all the rest in the early morning hours.
The boat has certainly been popular here. We've gotten a steady stream of compliments both from the beard and sheath knife crowd and the blue blazer set. She is truly a grand cat and it is very gratifying to see all of the care that went into the boat being appreciated. Hopefully this will all get translated into more visitors to the shop and even boats to build.

It is good to visit Mystic Seaport on the boat show weekend. All the varnish and brass distracts from the sad state of the Mystic Seaport Museum's own vessels. This place was a source of inspiration to many like myself and now it is suffering like so many other maritime museums. It is true all maritime museums have to reinvent themselves, personally I believe the boats have to get underway, they have to be alive, someone has to truly own them, they need jobs. It is truly sad to see the Dutton with waves in her sheer and no oil on her spars. It is killing those charged with her care and given no resources. It is clear a new mission has to be found and it is especially glaring when there are so many boats getting all the time and skill money can buy right next door. It was the museums that got all this started and they must see to it they are not left behind.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

2010-06-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

The original Silent Maid is now in the shop. While the new version gads about the Northeast, showing off, the original will get what she needs to begin the next phase of her life. The 1924 Silent Maid contains the stories of 79 years of sailing. The last registration sticker on her bow is dated July, 2003. Over the years she has developed the patina of her many years. She contains a wealth of stories, some great some appalling. She is tired and showing her years but the stories are there and well worth saving..

Silent Maid's designer, Francis Sweisguth, had an excellent eye for form. he pushed the limits on freeboard, cabin height and rig proportions while creating a very handsome boat. For whatever reason Silent Maid's original structure has suffered over time. Her builder, Morton Johnson of Bay Head, did an excellent job fitting her together. She has been altered and repaired repaired many times however. These are part of the story. She was built with steel fasteners and it is a source of amazement that she has lasted so long. That early economy may well prove to be her ultimate end but the shop crew will do what they can.
The original drawings exist and the lines have been recorded of the boat as she now is. The changes she has undergone have been documented in photographs and some have surfaced in stories told by earlier owners. The work will be an effort to preserve her just as she is, there will be no effort to restore, but there will be one to preserve.

The first step will be to remove all the paint from her hull. This will give an honest look at the condition of her planking and fasteners. Once this is done a plan will be formulated regarding how the planking is fastened to the framing. The deterioration of the steel fasteners may slow now that the boat is under shelter but the oxidation will not stop after so many years of exposure to salt water. New fasteners of bronze will be put in to stabilize the planking. The fewest possible will be used, the planks need to stay on but will not be subject to extreme stress. A cradle will be built to counter the effects of gravity and to absorb the stresses and strains of moving the boat. As we move through this phase of the work determinations will be made about what is to follow. Much of this will involve paint and varnish, the first line of defense on any wooden structure. None of this is original so protecting the wood will be the first concern.

So while the new Silent Maid continues her cruise we'll have an occasional look back at what is happening to preserve the original and maybe tell a few of those stories.

.

Details Without Deadlines

2010-06-16T19:46:00.000-07:00

Wherever she goes Silent Maid attracts attention and draws comment. It is a very positive experience. Even in places with a very strong classic yachting scene she stands out. Part of this is because she is a cat boat by Sweisguth decidedly not a Herreshoff or Sparkman and Stephens. Maid comes from a whole different tradition than that, one with working roots. yet she has that acre of varnish, and a full share of mahogany. She is a unique boat designed for comfortable sailing in shoal water and because of this she appeals to those on the estuaries; most of us.
Because she is unique she poses problems as well. Getting all of her details just right has been quite a process. This has been an iterative process like so much else in boats. We are proceeding through a series of refinements. We are also at a place in the job where we are deciding where to stop. Do we really need a radar unit? As we head north there will be times when it will be nice but we also also traveling in company with two boats that have it and in her home waters on the back bays of New Jersey there is little need for it. Then there is the matter of getting all the stuff we already have working really well, making it all truly reliable. This is accomplished by learning the equipment and by refining the installation process, getting the wiring really buttoned down so to speak. I just spent the better part of the day with the refrigerator for example, getting to know its components and workings and making refinements to our installation. This is a process that must be gone through with each piece of equipment we have and we have a lot of them. My day with the refrigerator was gratifying, I learned a few things and made the system a little better. It was a no pressure patient sort of exercise that will be keeping food and drink cold for a while to come. It was not the beginning of a great and passionate carer in HVAC however. Next up are the cell phone extender and the Okham wiring.

Racing

2010-06-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

We did what we could to optimize the boat, new sail, some new running rig, all extraneous gear taken off and the crew size carefully chosen to suit the wind conditions. That last part was tough as the weather liars seemed determined to keep their options open. We had our techy stuff up and running with a young respected navaguesser monitoring them. We had expertise out the whazoo but even better we had a crew that formed itself in a team very readilly. Molly got the starts and she was brilliant, Silent Maid took on the role of brave little rabbit as Molly pushed some large boats up to the committee forcing one to peel off and the other to foul. By large I mean 70'. Molly also gets credited with the term navaguesser. There was no one helmsman but a round robin of people seeing what they could get out of the boat. Most had deep experience with A cats and Maid has much in common with those boats. The wind seemd to hover around ten and better for most of the races, meaning full canvas. We did reef for one leg, which was succesful.

The hard thing to get used to is the handicapping thing. In one design racing the competion is very straight forward, this was more like a track event against the clock. We did find one boat to compete with though.

Fidelio is a sister to Finisterre, a well known Sparkman and Stephens racer of the 50's and 60's. When the wind was up Silent Maid could move on her but when it dropped Fidelio had the edge. Why this was I could not say as Fidelio represented 30 significant years of development over the Maid.

Now the parties and the prizes are behind us and it is back to work. Maid is at a yard where a haulout will happen. It is time to shine her up for the boat show and also time for a short break.

Another Deadline

2010-06-12T04:48:00.000-07:00

When the first race of the season is nigh the real race is always having the boat ready. There are stories and legends describing this flurry of semi frantic activity. There are those who say it doesn't have to be that way and such occurrences are the product of a dysfunctional childhood, or something, and there are those who maintain the world of human affairs would grind to a halt without deadlines. Who knows? For us boat workers the real race is always just before the race.

Last winter Silent Maid's rig was studied closely and changes were made to optimize it. The big change in terms of sail shape was to exchange the gaff jaws for a bridle and peak the sail much higher. Mark Beaton built the new sail and chose a lighter cloth than the earlier one as well. This sail was also designed to fit the spars a little more closely. The sail arrived in the morning on race day and work began immediately bending it on. There was a moment of dread when the fabric appeared longer than the gaff but we pushed ahead, finished bending it and hoisted. It turned out the fit could be made perfect by moving the throat grommet. In the meantime a line around the mast at the throat would serve and the sail set beautifully. It is a magnificent piece of work.
Henry Colie had spent much of the previous evening going over the running rig, replacing lines, tightening the gaff bridle and throat halyard strops among other things. We now sent him up the mast as the boat drifted along in light air. He got the throat adjusted perfectly and we were as race ready as we could be.
We had a young crew aboard. Peter, the owner had flown in and was aboard. The electronics that tell more than you can digest about wind and current were up and running. There was a glitch with the radio. The start was postponed several times as the fleet bobbled waiting for wind. No one seemed to know how the rating rule worked, the tactical guys would just mumble about speed and distance but it seemed clear that boats from thirty years later were being deemed fair competition for the Maid. The end result is we had a great time racing, we even passed a couple boats downwind but we have no idea how we really did. The ability to go to weather has steadily improved over the years, that much was apparent. Today we go do it again, hopefully without the first race deadline drill though.

A Little Lunch Time Breeze.

2010-06-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

If you're going to get a squall it will be just as the person cooking is reaching the critical phase of his or her art. In this case Pete had put out the salad and was getting ready with the pasta and sauce when the sharply stinging rain hit. The salad headed for the cockpit sole to be rescued by John and the pasta was quickly stowed. There was no thought of a reef for this one. I started the engine as we rounded up and the rescuers of lunch now went after dousing the sail. The wind was in the thirties I think and the sea built quickly out of the full reach of the Narraganset.
We had set out from Mystic in a relaxed fashion and were reaching across Rhode Island Sound when this event demanded our attention. It provided rain, excitement and a no frills furling job before we reached the lee of the land. There we redid the furl and entered Newport Harbor looking presentable. After all we were mooring in front of the New York Yacht Club's Harbor Court and would be enjoying the view from that club before the evening was over.
Wednesday was devoted to ship's work as the cruising crew arranged there travel plans back to Philadelphia and preparations got underway for our first race of the year. The cruising gear has all been moved to a trailer, the electronics have been worked over, a new sail is expected and a deal of work needs to be done as we perfect the running rig. We will be ready and we will be as fast as we can be. What sort of rating do we have? We'll know after the weekend I guess.

Entering the Sound

2010-06-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

     The East River is always exciting, that big current keeps the navigator on his toes and the sights of the city are always spectacular, especially the bridges. There is spectacular bridge engineering all around the boroughs and we got to see most of it. We had a distraction with determining why the bilge pump was cycling through much of the transit. John got the task of tracking the cause while Wendy steered and I navigated. It turned out that a leak had developed where the keel meets the transom, noticeable only when motoring. That activity pulls the lower part of the transom into the water. Apparently the transom knee swelling had opened the joint slightly and we were flushing out the bilges. Once clear of the east we slowed down and I was able to temporarily caulk the joint from the inside using some heavy string and a screwdriver. That being done Wendy took a break from the helm to prepare yet another fantastic lunch before we set sail for Cold Spring Harbor.

    We started with two reefs headed downwind and broke 8 knots surfing down the waves. Some weather was coming in over the Northern shore of Long Island Sound and it wasn't too long before another reef was needed. Not long after that one the decision was made to round up, take sail and motor into Cold Spring Harbor.
We had met up with Barnegat in the east and rafted alongside her, we thought for the night. The wind went to Northwest and came up some causing the boats to jump around considerably. In the end we moved Silent Maid from alongside to trailing behind but there are a rub and toe rail repair to effect for that little adventure.
Barnegat has a rib with her and we used this to go around to Oyster Bay for a very nice dinner. We also dropped off Wendy and picked up Pete in the process.

As I write this at 10 am we are reaching near Bridgeport bound for Mystic. The breeze is northwest at 10, we have the full sail set and are making six knots. Life is good.

New York City

2010-06-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a few days in New York to snap the seamanship into focus. Maneuvering around docks with metal things sticking out of them, dealing with the intense water taxi, ferryboat and commercial traffic, figuring out how to best use the crew in these different situations, and sorting out a variety of rigging issues are all contributing to our education. We hoisted Wendy to the mast head today to deal with a fouled peak halyard and a topping lift issue. I'm sure she had a great view of the harbor. Somewhere down the road we will deal with the dings and scrapes. In the meantime we are having a great deal of fun. my sister and her family got on for cruises last night and this afternoon, meaning we had plenty of power for hoisting and trimming.
Last night we had a classic sunset cruise in New York Harbor with a hazy sky and great views. We sailed alongside the schooner Pioneer for a little while, she is a beautifully proportioned old schooner originally from the Delaware River, hopefully someone got a picture of us reaching along side by side. This afternoon we had a bit of wind and hoisted with a double reef already tied in. That was right as we powered along posing for pictures with the Statue of Liberty, kicking out a little spray and showing a little speed.

Did consider getting out for the run up the East River a little early but the tides don't favor. We were hoping to get a little racing in tomorrow but the East River is not to be trifled with. So we will get off in the late morning to meet up with Barnegat at Oyster Bay by early evening.

All in all new York has been very good, the hospitality continues, Michael Fortenbaugh, Commodore of the Manhattan Yacht Club, has treated us very well indeed.

Photos by Wendy Byar

Up to New York

2010-06-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Of all the ways there are to enter New York sailing in is absolutely the best. Especially with a fair full sail breeze.The Atlantic Highlands, the Verazanno Bridge, the skyline, Ambrose light, the Statue of Liberty. Its just incredible. The pleasure of that passage may have been ingrained in our DNA because many ancestors saw an earlier iteration of all this as they embarked on the biggest adventure of their lives. Here we are in the big city, guests of the Manhattan Sailing School, enjoying the shade of the tall buildings and the variety of yachts docked around us.

We set sail from Mantoloking with Ed, Pete, John, Kelsey, Mary Beth and myself aboard after waiting on the fog to clear. We used the time on boat improvements and a trip to a marine store. The first part of the trip is all about narrow waterways and lift bridges until the jetties of Manasquan inlet are cleared, then it is the ocean with a reaching breeze and a thick haze rather than actual fog. Mary Beth kept us entertained with sea stories of all descriptions as well as bringing lunch and the skills of a seasoned racing sailor. While in New York we are participating in the festivities surrounding the opening of the sailing season in New York Harbor. We are in good company with the pride of Baltimore tied up nearby and a fleet of yachts that are racing around the world.

First Leg

2010-05-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

So far this trip has been about working through the details on the boat as we sail her as much as possible and enjoy spectacular hospitality in each place we visit. We started out with a mad scramble to get as many pieces as possible on the boat before getting underway at a reasonable hour. The gaff is on, the sail in place, but not seized to the hoops, the cabin is crammed with stuff. It promises to be a hot windless motor boat ride down the Delaware and the crew will spend it organizing stuff; getting the refrigeration up and running and completing the task of bending on sail. By the time we were off the mouth of the Cohansey we set sail for the first time and reaching from the shipping channel to the mouth of that tributary. Joan and Charles Bernstein get off at Greenwich after a very full day. Wendy, Pete, John and I are whisked away from a plague of gnats to a civilized evening with the Thompson family in nearby Roadstown. We were thankful for the box fan Jeff had the foresight to leave on the boat and the mosquito netting when we returned to the boat. If you ever get the chance visit the town of Greenwich on the banks of the Cohansey. It is a real gem with houses dating back to the 17th century.

After purchasing any number of missing items at the yard store we set off for Cape May. The day was cooler and when the breeze came in it was fair. We played with hoisting the sail with the electric winches and after a little while we tucked in a reef with their assistance. Truth be told they were a little scary for hoisting. Hard to watch the sail and the winch at the same time and there is a great risk of some unintended line getting caught in the works. There is a need for great care and when there are a sufficient number of crew it seems hardly worth it. But for taking in a reef they are a pure joy. Simple, easy, fast. The breeze built a bit as the day progressed and if we had carried sail longer a second reef would have been in order. But instead we round up to take sail and motor through the Cape May canal. It was time to enjoy another great night of hospitality with the Pritchard family and friends. Seafood, sea stories not necesariily mentioning the sea and learning about primitive tool making from the Pritchard boys was very entertaining. But over the protests of our hosts we slept on the boat once again

and got off to an 6:30 start bound for any point well past the tawdry excesses of Atlantic City. We started out with an easterly breeze and promises from the weather liars that it would move to the south east. It turned out they were right and not liars this time so we had some good sailing. Not good for Wendy though who experience some mal de mere. Not enough to prevent her from serving up yet another great lunch, showing the mettle of a truly great sea cook. We had a little motor sailing in the afternoon but turned it off to run into Absecon inlet dead downwind. There was a lot left in the day and we started sailing the narrow channels between the sedges determined to reach Little Egg Harbor before night fall.

We did this despite a brief encounter with the bottom of the bay. Silent Maid is a heavy boat to be pushing around while wading; I can attest to that. The bottom was hard sand and not mud thank heaven and the Coyles and Greenwoods were awaiting us at the little Egg Harbor Yacht Club. On this evening we would not sleep aboard or get started nearly so early. It is always worth arising early to avoid a fleecing in Atlantic City. You might get the impression I'm a little opinionated about the place, it did have a beautiful skyline once and might again in the distant future.

We had a fair breeze all the way up the Barnegat Bay and took full advantage of it. Several miles of channel is in the back yards of the houses on Long beach island and the locals enjoying a leisurely Memorial Day weekend Saturday breakfast came running out of their houses with a camera in hand to record Silent Maid's passing. Hopefully we will get to see one or two of those images before too long.
The day had started rainy as we ate a great breakfast at the Greenwood residence but got progresively better as we sailed along. By late morning we were in the Barnegat bay with a single reef tucked in and by lunch we were jogging up the Toms River eating our lunch. When that was over we sailed by the Island Heights Yacht Club to show off for whoever happened to be around then furled sail to stop at a marina for fuel, a pump out and Klondike bars. Island Heights is the town Edwin Schoettle, the original Silent Maid's original owner called home in the summer so a brief nod in that direction was in order before heading north. A drive by of de Rouville's Boat Shop was also in order; they had done much to help us with Maid in the previous season. We motored through the Mathis bridge, which opened promptly, then set sail once more for a sleigh ride up to Mantoloking.

Afloat

2010-05-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

The amount of time between posts is a good indicator of how hectic things have been and how tired this would be writer has been. Silent Maid went in the water yesterday after a few misadventures involving wide load permits or the lack of them. She only leaked a little bit and after the rig was assembled, the mast stepped and the engine oil changed we were able to get underway as a motor boat. All of that happened in Riverside, NJ. We even had the last of the ebb tide to help carry us back down to Philadelphia where the boat is tied up outside the shop. All of this happened with the temperature in the mid 80's and we were all downing ice tea , slathering on sun block, missing the climate controlled shop and eager to get the summer properly underway.
Of course there are still a billion things to do between now and setting out for Bay Head, NJ next Wednesday. The handrails on the cabin, the head , GPS and refrigerator to hook up, the new gaff saddle to be riveted to the gaff, the sail to bend on, charts, books and a compass to pick up and on and on and on. Among those things is getting the on board computer operational so I can continue this blog from the boat. It is to be hoped the posts will become more consistent as we settle into the routine of a coasting voyage. A coasting voyage in a 1920's era catboat! How about that? Starting in just four days!

A Launching

2010-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

We would sometimes like our life to be about getting one boat done, focus and all that, but it is not just about Silent Maid. Maybe it should be considering she will be back in the water the week after next but there are other things going on in the shop as well. Like launching the sharpie skiff, Fish Stix. This boat has been built by teenagers and volunteers over the past couple years. She is almost done, her hull was done enough to float and she was very much in the way, so she was rather unceremoniously slid into the river. She had hardly begun to swell when another boat, the TSCA tuck up, Marion Brewington, occupied her spot aft of Silent Maid. Wendy had hardly got paint on the tuck ups deck when her old spot was taken by Silent Maid's spars. Yes we are constantly redecorating the shop, constantly coming up with new maritime motifs.

The spars are down for varnish, new spreaders, lots of wiring for an assortment of lights, antennas and gauges. Right after Maid is in the mast will be stepped so we need to get these things done. The gaff and boom will be fitted with sail track and the gaff with a new saddle as soon as it arrives from Port Townsend. Will we ever deal with a foundry that sends stuff early? That seems as likely as a boat builder or sail maker delivering their handiwork early. Hell might not be frozen over on that day but it will have attained a nice cozy temperature. Maid will be a motorboat right after launch so the gaff and boom can be dealt with a little later. Please don't breath a word of this to any foundryman or sail maker, tell them we need the gaff and boom last week.

Party Time

2010-04-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

We had the museum's 50th birthday party this week. The shop and all the boats in it were as spiffy as we could make them and not interfere too much with actual progress towards the water. We got Silent Maid's cabin together with all the new parts in place and the cushions on the bunks. Had soft music playing and the crew at the ready to answer questions . A good percentage of the 400 party goers came aboard for a look. All seemed admiring or exceptionally polite and there was universal curiosity about the upcoming cruise. It was all worth putting a suit on for, especially the fireworks at the end of the party. Now its all work all the time as we push towards being afloat in three weeks.

Joan's PR efforts are paying off. There is a great deal of interest in our upcoming races with Kathleen, the CC Hanley catboat built by the Beetle Cat Boat Shop a few years back. We plan to meet up five times over the course of the summer and race one on one as well as in a larger fleet. One race will be over some distance as we travel from Arey's Pond on Cape Cod's Pleasant Bay, to Bristol, RI. Two big cats going toe to toe, that's history and the excitement of racing. What could be better?

Details

2010-04-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

We are immersed in a world of technical minutia. It must be remembered that the big items are done, the boat did sail for a season after all, but that is difficult to do when these details are pouring in like sand flowing down the face of a dune. The number of little pieces to be found in every system can be disheartening when it s time to fill out purchase orders. Sifting through plumbing parts, electrical connectors and fasteners consumes hour after hour, often in the form of homework. That's where we are and all that can be done is to work through it.
To brighten things up I've put getting the stereo hooked up at the top of the list. At least we can sort through the details with good accompaniment then. This week there is a big fundraiser party at the museum to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the place. We need to be looking good for that, I'm thinking Silent Maid's interior should be pretty much done and there should be classical music playing down below as we give tours. This is sort of a pre deadline deadline for us. We'll have the boat looking good and be preparing to regroup for a push to the water.
Fifty years, the Workshop has been part of the place for about thirty of those. We keep making boats, restoring boats and maintaining boats. It keeps us young. Or something.

Movement

2010-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Jeff has moved the 24 volt battery bank forward which will help the boat's fore and aft trim. The batteries are charged and the panel powered up. Now he is wiring the foredeck winches. When short handed these will be a godsend for ground tackle, halyards and reefing. Carolyn has been coming in most evenings to varnish. The doors, wheel and all the new furniture are getting shiny. We like shiny. I've been working on the steps into the cabin. One of these will be a sump for the cockpit drains, the other is just a step but complicated for all of that. We need access to the space under the cockpit, we need a chase for wires and the bilge pump hoses that empty into the centerboard case, we need clearance for doors and ease of removal. Everything left in this job seems to have 15 conflicting requirements that have to be prioritized and met. somehow. But we have movement.
Spring is in the air and we are inching towards the water. The garvey and sharpie that stayed in the water all winter have been uncovered, a row or even a sail are within the range of possibility.

Distractions

2010-03-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

Things are coming together slowly. There is a focus on Silent Maid but there are distractions, good distractions but none the less... One is a proposal to set up an after school boat building program. We're looking to build traditional boats with area high school kids then setup a boat rental business with the same kids running that business. Another much bigger one is to build a floating classroom in the shape of a revolutionary war sloop. A class room with muzzle loading cannons, what could be better than that? I have two career goals. One is to never build a 6 hour canoe, that is safe for the moment. The other is to never show up for work under a tri corner hat or above shoes with large buckles. That one is in some jeopardy. Aside from these big plans there is the A cat Torch at the other end of the shop clamoring for attention and a whole flotilla of smaller boats, all hungry for attention.
But reinforcements are on the way. Carolyn started on paint and varnish yesterday. Mark will join the crew next week. Jeff Uddell showed up today to help with electronics, backing up Jeff's efforts on things electrical. And as always there are volunteers everywhere in the shop making the whole show possible. It is the time of year when a tinge of panic comes with the spring breezes and multiple tasks kick into overdrive. We will focus where we need to, we will accomplish what we must.

Hiding Things

2010-03-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

There is progress to report on all fronts. Thanks to Erik Carlsen the new 24 volt altenator bracket is mounted on the engine. The problem solved there was the bracket that came with the engine would require an engine box that was much to wide. we didn't mind a little extra length though so a new bracket was designed and fabricated. Next season we can charge the house batteries with the engine as well as shorepower thus gaining a bit more independence.

Accommodating all the electronic stuff has been a challenge, but I think we're through that as well. We made a false bulkhead to go in the head compartment 4 inches aft of the actual bulkhead. The space between them provides room for a raft of stuff, Okam processor for the wind instruments, wire chases for the laptop and GPS. space for the 24 volt battery charger and for a 24 volt to 12 volt converter. We'll need good ventilation between those bulkheads. The laptop table is nearly done, when folded up against the bulkhead it becomes a picture frame. Another frame above it hides the GPS screen. The head got a little smaller but the boat has preserved her character. Apparently we have a lot to hide. Is this how people preserve their character?

Bow Ties

2010-02-23T17:07:00.000-08:00

   Yes, yes I need to post more pictures but in the meantime a little prose will have to do. Silent Maid is the focus of all the professional crew and a few volunteers. We're pushing along on the cabinet work; a desk for a laptop, a set of shelves over the centerboard case just inside the companionway for all the stuff that wound up in the galley sink last season. Binoculars, bow ties, tide book, dividers and so forth. God that bugged me. but design must follow human behavior, not strive to alter it, so we're providing a place for that stuff in hopes that the galley sink can be the galley sink.
   Yes bow ties, Peter has decided they should be a part of the crew uniform and they are. I hadn't worn a bow tie since the age of seven and that was a clip on. The arts of the marlinspike sailor are expanding a bit.
   The refrigerator box is nearly done but the task of providing the cockpit seats with gutters and gaskets still remains. The house bank of batteries fit in there new home under the forward bunks. They need to be chocked in and provision made to vent the hydrogen away from them. We don't want to be doing a maritime version of the Hindenburg disaster after all. We're refining things but the time is rapidly approaching when more people will be required to get everything done.

There's a Lot To Do

2010-02-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

Silent Maid was launched last June and sailed all last season visiting points along the Delaware River, the New Jersey Coast, and the upper Chesapeake Bay. None of this is to say work was done or even close to the hiatus between construction and maintenance that we grace with the term "done." On her first trip the cabin was packed with tool boxes as we continued with construction while taking on trouble shooting and sailing. That was a cruise from convenience store to convenience store as the galley was not complete. Last summer's goal was to sail with only the tools that fit one very small locker. By and large we succeeded, on our final cruise of the season from Philadelphia to Chestertown, Md. and back we could even cook a proper meal.
Next June we set out with a more ambitious schedule, planning to range as far north as Brooklin, Maine, attending every regatta, show and classic yacht race we can find between here, Philadelphia, and there. So now is our chance to build in all the amenities we did without last season. At this moment we are building a refrigerator into one of the cockpit seats and constructing a sophisticated but compact navigation station in the cabin. When we set out we want our electric winches and our out door shower. We want radar and depth sounding. We , well we want everything we have grown accustomed to leaving at home when setting out on a voyage. Big plans.