One place, one dream

The Framing Bay has nearly been completely re-organized, and for the first time in months, we're looking across a relatively large open indoor space. The Launch molds have been disassembled, yet again, and stacked until the project is picked back up next year. Monomoy No. 2 will be next into the shop, where she will be moved, piece by piece and rebuilt in the upright position. The process will mirror as closely as possible that of her original construction, from what we know of it or can interpolate from the evidence.

BT

Now, before anyone goes having any conniptions (Joey Guns) bear in mind that our interior space is precious. The recent bout of wet weather has reminded us why working inside is so important. Plus tool storage, access to power etc are all made immeasurably simpler inside. I know that disassembling the Launch YET AGAIN is the last thing anyone wanted, and I might remind everyone that I had the most time invested in that project. It pains me, but it is a necessary evil.

It does, however, have its benefits. Monomoys No. 2 and 3 are teaching us quite a bit about how inexpensively and easily boats can be built. We realize that having drank the Cool Aid with cold molding we were turning our back on what is, in fact, the least time consuming, least expensive, longest lasting construction method of all - the one used for hundreds of years before us. And very much like reenacting, once you're out of that bubble you can examine it in a greater context and really appreciate its merits and see its downsides. That said, I think these two restorations are going to set us up to efficiently produce beautiful traditionally built boats at a fraction of the previously estimated production cost and timeline. But we'll leave that discussion for another day.

The empty Framing Bay, newly reorganized with new lumber and tool storage, should be your inspiration.

BT

There will be no working session again tonight. I hope to return to the shop with full vigor this weekend, toting a complete set of corrected lines for the restoration Monomoys.

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The schnozberries taste like schnozberries!

Yes, I am going a little crazy. But hey, do you know that the goofy looking putz who said that in Super Troopers married my dream girl? What the hell man... can't get any respect!

Okay, appologies for the comms blackout at such an exciting time - I've been very busy trying to coordinate everything going on at the Dockyard. What is that? you might ask. For those who've been under a rock, or flood waters, all week, here is the list:

1) the 25-foot Launch construction is back in the spotlight. We're setting up to "speed-bend" her frames at a single large gathering where we'll steam the laminations together then bend them all around the molds, one entire frame at a time. The steam box is under construction and is about 80% done. Dates for the "speed bend" framing party are still tentative, email me with preferences.

2) we've been offered two wooden Monomoy Pulling Boats - for free. These are all wood, centerboard equipped boats in great shape. They will need minor structural repairs, refinishing inside and out, some caulking, all new oars, new masts and spars, sails, rigging, trailers - the whole kitten kaboodle. BUT they are prime specimens for restoration and addition to the NHS inventory. at the Dockyard we've been clearing and levelling space where the tents to house them will be set up, and planning other space for materials etc as well as updating the Severe Weather Plan to include them.

3) a big fundraising push is about to be made to raise some $1,500 in costs associated with getting the new boats down from NYC and provide for their accommodation here at the Dockyard. That means a lot of research on my part, and others, to figure out the most cost-effective means of doing all that. I understand the new website update has been pushed and can be expected on Monday - along with a letter to our membership and fans about the fundraising efforts. For reference, no we are not soliciting our members for money - we are asking them to go out and approach local businesses. The info packet coming out Monday discusses that in detail.

SOOO that being said, I need to get back to work! So much time and so little to do --- strike that, reverse it.

Yeah, you're still probably not getting those references... why do I try...
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Post #100!!

Woo hoo! Post number 100! Not sure exactly why we should celebrate that but what the heck who cares! Sailors, in general, never need an excuse to celebrate.

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BT

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We're wrapping up the trailer overhaul at the dockyard, having gone over axles, springs, brakes, lights and wiring, hitches, rollers, mats, skids... you get the idea. The last trailer overhauled is wrapping up today with the adjustment of the rollers and skids to fit the boat. It is such a relief to wrap this up - it's been a long week and a half - and know that our trailers are all in tip top condition all around.

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BT

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Wood chips are still flying in the framing bay. The keelson of the launch is being shaped for rabbets and bevels, and frames are being laminated. Work has slowed appreciably in the heat of the summer, when even the stoutest among us are exhausted after only a few hours in the shop. The intent here is that by the time cooler fall weather rolls around, we can roll right into the work of planking and flip her before the end of December.

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It is funny, I think, that by the time February rolls around, we'll be talking about her sails - exactly the same place we were with the monomoy last February. I am a huge proponent of cyclic progression and rythmic advancement, and it is interesting to think of this thing as taking such a pace natrually. April through December represent operation and light maintenance, while January through March represent hard-core maintenance and new construction.

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That's what she said...

So it's day three of the great Motor Whaleboat chase. She's still in Guam, though moved from the open lot to a warehouse. The dumpster waiting to take her away in pieces remains only a few yards away. No new developments despite plenty of hard work.

BT

Work continues on the 25-foot Launch. This week we've started laminating frames, soaking them and bending them over the forms, a few good whacks with a rubber mallet (nicknamed "the Commander") to drive it into place tight against the keel, then clamping it down along the whole length. There are a lot of random shouts of "yeah, baby" in the evolution.

The whole process has been designed to mimick the sawn frames of the original boats, with a significant weight savings (the Launch will be trailered, after all) and increased strength where possible. The futtocks are being laminated from fir strips, slathered in epoxy and laid up on the molds. There is no spring back because of the large number of lifts in each frame, but there is a lot of thickened epoxy to wipe up afterward.

BT

No weekly meeting tonight as the shop is rigged for frame installation. After all this time, its finally earning its nickname "Framing Bay". Next week we will get back to the regular weekly meetings and activities.

BT

There is a new Event Schedule posted on Facebook. The website will be updated soon (I'm told). For August, the sailors and marines are split, with our end of summer party in September out at Hyco Lake. All of these events are trying to shoot for one day participation - we'll save those where we ask for your whole weekend for the BIG events. Point is, your voices have been heard so keep speaking up!

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Coming alongside... prepare to be boarded

I've been asked by several people about the extent of oar/sail powered ships' boats in service with the US Navy. Our website claims that both the Launch and Monomoy are appropriate for time periods from the 18th century through the early 20th century. And indeed their service life is far greater in scope than most people realize. But the questions continually arise - were these isolated instances? Did the Navy prefer oar and sail to early engines? How long did the holdouts last?

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Attached is a photo from 1925 of a boat from the USS Raleigh (CL-7), coming alongside off the coast of France. According to her official records, Raleigh was carrying a 26-foot Motor Whaleboat, a 25-foot Launch, a 24-foot cutter and a 26-foot Monomoy Pulling Boat at the time. An interesting balance, considering that many different options of powered craft were available at the time. Pictured is undoubtedly her 24-foot cutter, rowing back to the ship where the stanchion of the lower accommodation platform is visible in the foreground. The boat hook in use is of a very interesting shape, with wide throat probably for hooking the ship's mooring lines or possibly even her anchor cable. References in Capt. Crenshaw's Naval Shiphandling suggest a much greater use of kedging and warping by many ships, as "The use of tugs to compensate for poorly handed mooring lines or judicious use of the anchors is a stain on an otherwise perfectly smart ship." (p. 38, 1955 edition) The Raleigh's boats undoubtedly helped with such evolutions.

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The 1917 US Navy Deck and Boat Book, which has been adopted as our principle guidance here at NHS, gives evidence that Raleigh was not unique in her equipments with respect to boats. Of all the different types of boats given, it gives equal deference to rowing, sailing, motor and steam boats. It also lists several duties specifically assigned to oar/sail powered boats. For example, "whaleboats, sometimes called Monomoys, are habitually used by the commanding officer as his gig and are referred to as such. Their excellent sea-keeping abilities and speed under oars make them ideal lifeboats." Of course, lifeboats in the navy usage of the day means 'fast rescue boat' in today's parlance.

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I have no idea if the Navy preferred oar and sail to machine, but the continued use of both simultaneously clearly illustrates the perception of necessity for each.

As far as longevity, I think the case of our own Monomoy Pulling Boat makes the case quite adequately. Hull number 4344671-M was employed aboard USS Gridley DLG-21 as late as 1981, listed as her "rescue and assistance boat".

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YARR and such...

Welcome back to regularly scheduled programming. The Pirate Abuse Festival is done and over and we can happily return to our normal activities. Work on the 25-foot Launch continues this week with wrapping up lamination of the last lifts on her keelson. This weekend, we will begin laminating frames, on schedule (for now!).

BT

Some fun was had in Hampton this weekend, though the intense heat and busy schedule managed to do in most people by Saturday afternoon. Friday evening was pure chaos, the likes of which we've never seen in the worst calamities. For those in our crew that this was your first event in costume, I appologize - the experience is not typical of reenacting type events. On the positive side - we had a great sail from Norfolk to Hampton, did get to expend a great deal of powder, and I don't think any of the other boats present had as much time underway on Saturday. We might also be the only other crew to go alongside and board the Kalmar Nyckel.

Penalties for deserters last Friday night have been suspended by order of the powers that be, so don't worry about showing up at Wednesday's meeting or any thereafter. Not what I would have opted for, so my wrath is still in effect.

BT

This week's meeting will involve a little cleaning and free food. Hope to see you there!

Models keep me motivated

As the inner keel for the 25-foot Launch lays clamped up on the molds, I find myself continually reading, researching and sketching new improvements. The original design was solid and its merits proven by our counterparts across the pond. However, from them we also learned a great deal about her drawbacks. Now, during construction of ours I have set out to improve on many of these. Issues such as hull shape, weight, reserve buoyancy, availability of materials and cost all play integral parts in how we proceed. And while I am now very sensitive to any delay in construction (we have material and money, and are short only on progress) I still find that we have plenty of time while we're waiting for one thing to dry to start others or yet further develop the remainder of her execution.

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One thing that keeps me highly interested are models. While I have literally dozens of sources talking about the qualities of boats, lists of boats carried by various ships, after-action reports of engagements involving boats and even a few primary source treatises on naval small craft construction, I find nothing so useful as studying extant contemporary models. A great source of these is the National Maritime Museum (UK), and this proves convenient for me as a good amount of their collection is available online. I've found that not many US maritime museums have the same level and scope of collections when it comes to small boats - and this is for two reasons. First, in the UK Royal Navy all bidding contracts went through centralized approval processes, many of which required models and/or extensive drawings, all of which were subsequently filed and indexed. Boats in the US Navy were often built on "local expertise" and didn't recieve the same level of higher-level attention that the Royal Navy counterparts did. As a result, few plans and almost no builders models survive.

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One model which very closely resembles the hull form and many of the features of our launch is actually a somewhat famous pair of models of the "Longboat belonging to HM Ship Medway" dated 1742. One model is shown unriged, with much of the planking removed to allow a view of the framing, while the other is shown rigged without sails. Though the provenance is a bit too antiquated for our direct interpretation as such, she clearly illustrates how windlasses were often fitted in boats, and how the sloop rig was carried in the mid-18th century. Later, the rig was heightened, the gaff lengthened and mast steps hinged to allow 'convenient' stepping underway. On a mast that size, it had better be a flat calm.

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Another great inspirational piece is one alternately labelled a 'cutter' and a 'launch'. Dated 1824, this piece is fascinating in that her lines represent a throw-back to the 1760s, when the raked transom and well-rounded stem were more common. She is, in fact, a launch - though her finer and somewhat antiquated lines led curators to assess her at first sight as a cutter. The model illustrates hawse trunks - a fairly common appliance to be fitted aboard boats at this time, yet rarely depicted in drawings. A work voucher returned at the dockyard at Plymouth dated 1784 indicates that several boats coming in for replacement had been "alter'd to ship a hawsr by trunk, beside the keelsen [sic]".

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And lastly - a model of the boat on which our original launch design could have been based. Dated 1824, the actual form is reflective of launches starting in the 1790s. Her lines are fuller, the transom is more of a barn door than a wine glass, and her center of flotation is slightly aft of midships. Most fascinating in this particular piece are the waterlines. Clearly someone was trying to sell the carrying capacity of the boat - one waterline reads "Water Line When Twenty Tons are Hove Up By the Windlass". Yeah - sold! Granted the boat depicted would have been 38 feet long, but launches of smaller size were still capable of hauling great loads (see the previous model for evidence).

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Happy browsing!

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We are off and running with a router!

Despite the festivities this weekend we managed to get some work done around the Dockyard. That said, I hope everyone had a safe and pleasant holiday weekend.

First, I did some more work toward the Dockyard makeover. The Framing Bay now has a fresh coat of paint, new sash boards, and drip edges. Also fixed that broken window pane.

BT

Second, the 25-foot Launch is officially on the fast track. After six weeks of fairing, trimming, measuring and re-measuring, we have started full throttle into the laminations. Her inner keel is clamped up right now, and framing stock has been ripped. We are well on track to meet our next major milestone, completion of the inner keel laminations by this Friday.

The next major milestone is lamination and bevelling of all 32 inner frames by September 1. I'm sending out the requisition for a trailer to be delivered and ready in all respects by November 15. Now all we need is a little hustle, and we'll be there in no time!

BT

The Pirate Abuse Festival is this coming weekend! We have training sessions at the Dockyard tonight and tomorrow. If we have enough participation tomorrow we WILL launch the boat, so come on out!

We definately have some fun times ahead!

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Fullbore Friday - yeah one of those

Yes, its back, if only for one out of eight more Fridays! This week is a reflection about operations - and getting the job done safely, efficiently, and using sound judgement. These things can really make or break an activity or an event for yourself or the whole group.

BT

First, a disclaimer. Some links definately fall under the 'bad influence on kids' group. Others are just plain silly. There is some bad language used. Complaints may be addressed to

NHS Complaint Department

c/o Dinsdale Pyranna

Behind the Pipes

Third Stall Along

Grand Central Station

BT

Proper training is a constant necessity. The adage 'if you can't tie a knot, tie a lot' is BS and won't fly here. The average NHS sailor may not be the best hand at marlinspike seamanship, but we're working on that. Taking a few extra minutes to learn the right way to do something will save time and energy later on, rather than making do with what might work.

Learning the edge of "the envelope" is also a necessity in sailing and boating in general. And knowing when to push it and when not to is essential. This we try to pass on with experience and careful study, from one generation of sailor to another, that we can try and avoid crossing that boundary and putting ourselves, our ships and our shipmates in danger.

Considering these essential elements, we now focus on regular operations. During drills and in 'action', it is important to remember to hone your skills and be confident in your actions. Even the right actions, performed sheepishly, can lead to accidents.

Of course, it is important to enjoy the fruits of your labor, too - and I don't mean for anyone to think we shouldn't have a good time. You should enjoy yourself, and feel a deep satisfaction that you are not only increasing your professional skill and knowledge, but engaging in a past time not available for many people. This is all about recreation, for officers and enlisted personnel alike.

For now, I think I'll be happy so long as we don't do anything really stupid. Then again, you could join the Army.

Have a good weekend! I'll be in the shop tonight, tomorrow and Sunday for those who want to come out and lend a hand!

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A visit to Erie, hanging out with the big guns

Apologies for the hiatus but I've been travelling again. This Monday I stopped in Erie, PA for a few hours and visited friends and respected colleagues at the Erie Maritime Museum and Brig Niagara. I spent two hours with Niagara's Senior Captain, Walter Rybka, possibly one of the best and most experienced square rigged captains in the world (no exaggeration) catching up since my last visit in September and discussing NHS Dockyard activities. Niagara's Chief Mate Billy Sabatini also stopped in, and we discussed NHS sailors crewing the ship en masse this fall (!).

Capt Rybka has been working on many things we can relate to, including a dipping lug rig on Cutter 2 - nearly the same as ours right down to the leeboard. He was gracious enough to provide me with a draft of an illustrated manual he's been working on for sailing dipping lug boats, which I'll send to the web guys for posting as soon as possible.

Thanks gents, I can't wait to get up there again this fall!

BT

Yesterday in the heat, we managed to get some work done on the 25 foot launch. We cut all the templates for the new mold patterns and cut and stood up Molds 1 and 2. Tonight, we'll cut and stand up molds 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Later in the week, we'll loft and cut the transom pattern, followed by the transom itself, and hopefully by next week we'll have mounted both the transom and the inner stem, and can proceed straight into setting up the inner keel. Once the inner keel is set up, our progression looks like this:

1. laminate 26 of 32 permanent frames in place on molds 1-13.
2. laminate 6 temporary frames in place on molds 14-16.
3. bevel all frames to match planking.
4. bevel inner keel to mold lines.
5. rip and plane inner planking stock.
6. lay up inner planking.
7. rip and plane outer planking stock.
8. lay up outer planking.
9. build up outer stem, keel and skeg.
10. FLIP AND CRADLE.

Needless to say, we have a lot of work to do this summer. As I see it, we need to hustle, as we're already behind the power curve.

BT

Preparations for the Blackbeard Pirate Festival in July continue. Tuesday we recieved 5 sea service muskets, 2 boarding pikes and 50 rounds of training ammunition. There is still lots of activity splicing and setting up lines (don't ask what for!) and gathering more anchors and grappling hooks. So good progress is being made, and we'll be ready on time for that.

More to follow soon.

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Dockyard getting extreme makeover

Well, maybe that's a little overstated. But now that the temporary addition to the Framing Bay is complete, we've begun a week of rennovations of the rest of the facilities before embarking on the great construction journey that is the 25-foot Launch. The Framing Bay was entirely gutted yesterday and all tools and materials dragged out into the yard, where they were cleaned and organized. While that was going on the entire Framing Bay was swept and blown down. And now, while I still wouldn't exactly eat off the deck, I am much happier about the work to begin on the Launch next week.

Still on the schedule for this week's rennovations, removing the remaining fence posts in the back forty to clear the "Flipping Path" - the track where the Launch will eventually be wheeled out, upside down, flipped onto skids and chocks then pushed back into the Framing Bay. The Lofting Bay is also set for clearing out and refinishing - we actually have some more lofting to do in there so we'll need to clear out the sailmaking gear for a while.

BT

Wednesday meeting tonight at 1900, free snacks and beverages courtesy of the SS (support section). We'll be covering elements of marlinspike seamanship as well as rigging the grappling hooks and spare anchors in preparation for the Pirate Festival.

Next week we start instruction with the flintlocks (!!!) and we'll have some practice line-throwing.

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Demolition in the Dockyard!

Last night, I set to getting the shop ready for our first weekly meeting tonight. We have several new projects on the table, most having to do with the new Launch, slated for completion by December. The first and most significant project is the expansion of the Framing Bay, aka knocking a 10' wide by 9' tall opening in the back of the garage, putting in a concrete pad and framing in a temporary structure. Without this expansion, the Launch wouldn't fit into the space, and seeing as we have no other options we had to make it work. Of course I would prefer to dig a giant bunker under the garage but there were some objections to that. And a lack of excavation equipment. But I digress.

So yesterday, I began clearing the shop and prepping the back wall for "blowout". I marked the wall, measuring carefully to align the new door between two large trees in the space behind the building (so we could, theoretically, drive through it in a car). Then I cut temporary supports to block up the wall while cutting away the studs - really nothing more than 2x4s to wedge under the header - and cut the new reinforced header and studs. As I continued making 'preparations' I realized that I could just do it myself and get it out of the way, and so about an hour later, the door was cut and the remnants of the old wall were strewn in the yard behind. I know I know, this isn't exciting, but I am quite proud of myself.

Now, we get to start chopping down the underbrush and grading for the concrete.

BT

Tonight, we'll be giving the Monomoy and her gear a thorough once-over in preparation for HarborFest this coming Saturday. It'll be her last outing for an event for a couple of months, as we turn our whole focus to the construction of the Launch, and getting the momentum going on that. We'll have the Monomoy back out in August for our Expedition to the Blue Ridge, and for more events this fall.

BT

I expect a short tutorial about the construction and design of the Launch to be posted on our website any day now. I think our webmaster gets distracted too easily when he's at the computer.

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Dockyard buildings to undergo expansion

Some of you may have seen the plans strewn across the drafting tables in the lofting bay. The 24-foot launch is soon to become the 25-foot launch, as her aft stations are re-drawn. The original design, which was based largely on an original 1800-era Frigate's Launch and subsequently called the "Frigate's Boat" had something of an ungainly appearance aft. She carried her center of flotation well aft, causing any weight in the bow to force it down and the stern up. Balancing the boat aft is difficult because it is so well supported by the aft flotation that even a small amount of weight forward requires many times the same weight placed aft. So our naval architect, aka me, set to re-draing the lines of the frames from midships aft. Based on an original 18th century Launch in Champan's Navalis Mercatoria, they are far more pleasing in appearance and function. The new transom has more of a "wine glass" taper and a finer look, while some of the aft flotation was shifted forward, the gunwales lowered and the sheer rounded a bit more. The transom was also canted aft a bit, lengthening the overall design to 24' 8" instead of 23' 3".

All of these changes look great in the 3D renderings, and the hull speed of the boat is increased 0.8 knots - which though it doesnt seem like much is actually a vast improvement. Needless to say she won't be as sluggish under oars as I once inferred.

The one problem with all of this is that the boat is now too long for the framing bay (aka my workshop garage).

Wait. No, you're not JUST realizing that we do this all out of my yard, are you? Well, I'm sorry to crush your hopes and dreams. The attached finished garage, now laundry/rec room is in fact the "Lofting Bay", while the detached 3 car garage turned workshop out back is the "Framing Bay". We used to operate out of an old laundry plant turned workshop on 24th Street (now no longer used) that we called the "Carpenter's Shop". The "Spar Yard" is in fact the side yard next to the garage where the spar testing gear is rigged, and the "Gunner's Cage" is in the front of the garage under the workbenches. Rigging and equipment are stored in the rafters.

Yeah, so hopes and dreams be crushed, we are a small operation - and I stress small - operating on a shoestring budget with our sources of knowledge experience farmed out for training. Don't worry, that's not the "Framing Bay" pictured. But it could be.

Back on topic. So the idea has always been that when the Launch is finished and rolled out, we'll tear down the existing "Framing Bay" and rebuild a proper boat shop. After all, the one benefit of owning 3 acres of land in a nice Norfolk neighborhood is that I can always expand. But for now, the increased length of the boat is cause to rip out (for lack of a more refined term) part of the back of the existing structure, lay down a concrete pad and frame in a temporary structure to cover her ass end. It should be very ghettofied and I look forward to it.

And at this point, I'd do almost anything to get this boat finished and out of the shop.

Storm has passed, now back to business!

Apologies for the communications blackout after the Bay crossing, but I'm back from NYC and ready to roll!

Little has been going on at the Dockyard, with the exception of a lot of packages coming in. In fact, after the Monomoy was cleaned up after Conquer the Chesapeake, everyone kind of took a bit of a break to rest and recouperate. I'd like to think that includes the boat - with a sprung leeboard and a missing oarlock, she needed some time to recover too.

First things first - EVENTS. Our next event is Norfolk HarborFest, this coming Saturday, from 1500 to roughly 2200. The plan is to launch the boat at Harbor Park (where the Tides play) and row over to Nauticus, get out and enjoy the festivities including tall ships, concerts etc, get some attention rowing around, hang out in the harbor for the fireworks that evening and then recover the boat again that evening. Looks to be a fun event, with some opportunity to bring a few friends and family out for boat rides (as space permits). Let me know soonest if you can make it out.

NHS participation in the Blackbeard Pirate Festival, scheduled for July, has been cancelled. This for two reasons, namely 1) funding for this specific event is short, both in what the trustees are willing to allocate and in what the event is willing to donate, and 2) two sizeable donations have been made to facilitate a resurgence of work on the 24-foot launch, a project that has languished for two years. It costs a good deal of money, time and logistical organization to get out for a major event such as the pirate festival, and in this case the board of directors has decided that finances dictate we withdraw. Sorry pirates, maybe next year!

BT

Secondly, MEETINGS. I want to start a regular weekly meeting. We'll either conduct training, work on small maintenance projects or take the boat out, depending on what we need to get done and how many people we have. Also depending on numbers, we may fire up the grill/smoker for some barbecue. Our first meeting will be this Wednesday, 9 June at the NHS Dockyard. Contact me for directions and details.

BT

Another product of this past weekend's board meetings is that the headqarters of the NHS Marines may be moving back to Danville VA. Seems the marines don't like hanging around the tars in the dockyard. Ha! Well, its not final yet, but provided the Logistics Director and Commissioner of Supply can work out the funding and logistics, you folks in Danville will be right in the thick of marine country. I am very much looking forward to sending you all back your mess kits and camping gear- good riddance!

BT

Last note for today is a word about the 24-foot Launch. After languishing for two years "on the stocks" she has been picked up for completion by the end of this year. I'm glad to see the renewed interest, and hope that many of you can join us in the dockyard to get 'er done. For details about the design, see the last blog entry. One thing is sure - I've got dibs on coxswain of that beauty when she hits the water!

That's it for now - more to follow this week as I get back in the saddle.

Will

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A boat is a boat, right? Nope.

By now, most of us who've crewed the Monomoy know her unique characteristics- she rows remarkably fast, beaches well, sails slowly and steadily and will try to shake off any tow line. Most of these are unique to her particular design. Her shallow draft and sleek lines give her great speed under oars, but her lack of a skeg (or any underwater appendages for that matter) mean she tows like a scow. In addition, her sailing rig seems small - and it is. When the Navy ordered the standard Monomoy Pulling Boat after 1889, it came stock with a dipping lug rig. Everyone in the boat last Friday evening knows why - its a very durable rig, and great for the unexpected 'wind-has-shifted, going to blow you over' moments.

Before I go into this, no I haven't completed the lessons learned from CTC. There is more of that to follow later in the week.

Back on topic, other boats have different characteristics. Distinctly different.

For instance, the 24-foot Launch currently under construction (I hope you're as sick of hearing that as I am) in the dockyard is a slow and ponderous vessel under oars. Although she rows 12, fully 50% more than the Monomoy, her great round lines don't lend well to quick maneuvering under oars. And did I mention that she also weighs 50% more than the Monomoy? Very different boat.

And nowhere is that more apparent than under sail. Under sail, the slow and stalwart launch becomes a swift and agile sea bird. Her comparatively huge press of canvas will sail circles around the Monomoy, and tack in less than half the time and effort. She carries no leeboard, relying instead on her 6" tall external keel to provide lateral resistance. The same appendage, in conjunction with her skeg, makes her a joy to tow - tracking straight and in line with the tow boat.

Her one other fault is beaching. While the Monomoy is a relatively easy boat to beach, the launch will be a bit of a bear. How much of a bear? Well if you remember what we did with the chase boat at CTC, we'll probably end up doing that with the launch. She'll beach readily enough, but she won't stay there. Her flat transom will cause her to broach in the incoming waves, eventually rolling her over.

But no boat is perfect.

BT

Our next event is HarborFest in Downtown Norfolk - please start passing the word on this, as it is a VERY high visibility event and we'll want a good full crew with plenty of substitutes. Don't worry, its a very low impact event, and I anticipate a good, relaxing weekend enjoying the festivities.

More to follow.

Will

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