Marlinspike #40

Fall 2023

ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY returns to Gloucester

$7.95 (about the cost of a Dark & Stormy)

Number 40

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MICHAEL RUTSTEIN

COVID Boaters COVID was good news for the boatbuilding industry. Lots of folks bought boats, driving up prices for both new and used vessels. Demand far outstripped supply. A deep backlog of orders developed as builders struggled to stay open, hire workers, and cope with the supply-chain silliness that is just now subsiding.

But I’m not sure this was good news for those organizing and participating in Tall Ships events. Because those new COVID boaters, some of whom have zero idea what they’re doing, are swelling spectator fleets to record numbers. Their lack of boating experience, combined with the general mindless selfishness of our times, creates ridiculous and often dangerous situations every time there’s a major event.

Anyone with a VHF radio knows what I am talking about. Each weekend, Channel 16 comes alive with angry amateurs yelling and swearing at each other (without identifying caller, recipient, or location), goofing around on the hailing channel, leaving mics open, and using 25 watts of power to chat with their friends at the other end of the marina.

Our amazing modern electronics usually keep these clowns from running aground, but they don’t help them dock their boats and they certainly don’t remind the credit-card captains of these ludicrously overpowered sportfishing boats of the impact their wake is having.

More boaters can lead to more interest in sail training, marine studies, and in environmental protection. But inexperienced boaters are a hazard to themselves and others. At a minimum, can the Coast Guard work with all states to develop recreational boating licenses? Let’s seize this particular product of the recent pandemic, and turn it into a positive watershed for recreational boating!

MARLINSPIKE MAGAZINE Fall 2023 • Number 40 Michael Rutstein, Publisher Marlinspike is published quarterly for $29

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Fair Winds,

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Michael Rutstein, Publisher

4 b Up to Speed

32 b Boatyards

Ernestina (and her mainsail) return to Gloucester

Feat. Ceiba, the Chieftain, and Sylvina W. Beal

14 b Day Break

38 b Boats, Bars & Beaches

Another Maine windjammer seeks new owners

Feat. Captain Dan Moreland’s South Seas log

18 b Christmas Vacation

44 b Name That Boat

SEA’s Cory Cramer is slated for some downtime

Are you an Admiral or a Tourist?

28 b Flags of Our Fathers

47 b Show Us Your Spike / Your Tattoo

Or, how a good story can trump actual history

Feat. tools and ink from readers worldwide

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ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY heads out to the starting line for the Mayor’s Cup Race at the Gloucester Schooner Festival held over Labor Day weekend

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Up to Speed In the last 12 months, Capt. Tiffany Krihwan has broken ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY out of the yard, toured the Gulf Coast, set that giant mainsail for the first time in years, and brought the old girl back to Cape Ann Marlinspike: We’ve all had busy summer seasons, but I don’t think anyone has been busier than you since you accepted this job as master of the ErnestinaMorrissey.

Tiffany Krihwan: I’ve definitely been busy! I wish it was busy sailing; a lot of it has been office work, sitting at the desk a lot, reviewing drawings and plans and making sure stuff ’s submitted to the Coast Guard. You can have a lot of things on paper, but then once you start putting ‘em in actual use, finding out what works, what needs to change a little bit… it’s been a lot of that as well.

MS: Can you tell us a little bit about your decision to move east and take this job after so many years in the Midwest with the Denis Sullivan?

TK: When I got furloughed from the Denis Sullivan, they had told me that they were going to bring me back in the New Year, but during that time period, nobody really knew what was going to happen. So when they advertised for this position, I applied for it and was one of the finalists. When they offered the job to me in January, I sat on it for a little bit, which they were fine with, waiting for me to give them an answer, and I waited to see if I was going to be called back to the Sullivan.

I wasn’t. So I decided to take the position.

It was bittersweet. Coming out here to this vessel was really wonderful and a whole new experience. But leaving the Sullivan… I put a lot of my heart and soul into that vessel, keeping it going over all those years.

This was not the way I wanted to end my career with Sullivan.

the boat was still up in the shed up at Boothbay Harbor.

Can you tell us a little bit about seeing her for the first time and the process of breaking her out of the yard?

TK: I had seen her in New Bedford many years ago, just alongside, but never had been down below, or even on deck. When I saw her in the shipyard, I was really impressed at how big the vessel was. A vessel always looks bigger out of the water, when you’re standing underneath it, but I was just in awe of how big this vessel is and slightly intimidated, too, by her size!

I was also impressed with her shape. When you see a boat out of water, at least for me, I can kind of tell how it’s going to sail and I could tell she was going to sail really well.

MS: How does she compare with the Denis Sullivan in that respect?

TK: [Laughs] They’re definitely apple and oranges.

They’re not the same beast.

To give you an example, when I was captain of Roseway and we were sailing in Boston Harbor. I would say, ‘Please, could I just do six knots today?’ Because she was always wanting to go eight knots, 10 knots, short tacking in Boston Harbor. When I was on the Sullivan, I would always think, ‘Can I please just get up to six knots today?’

Getting back onto a Grand Banks fishing schooner, they’re just such good sailing vessels. They’re very different. The Sullivan’s a really steady boat in heavy winds and heavy seas, with those smaller sails, because of the three masts. But on this vessel, you have a giant mainsail, something to really always consider when you’re doing sail settings and how much you’re going to set.

MS: When you took the Ernestina-Morrissey job, MarlinspikeMagazine.com

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MS: Speaking of the mainsail, we know that Dan Moreland did a lot of work on the new rig — we actually interviewed him about it in a previous issue. Did you have much interaction with Dan about the rig, or was most of that stuff done before you arrived?

TK: Most of the design that Dan did was done already. I think he was finishing up with David Short and Nat Wilson, the last little bit, when I started. So it was all really well established by the time I got here.

MS: Launching the boat after this long, long rebuild was a huge milestone for a lot of folks. What do you remember about the process of actually getting the boat into the water?

TK: It was all in Bristol’s hands. I was just standing by if they needed anything. The individuals in that organization that had more of the stressful side of the event, and when they started taking her down the rail, it was all going really well. And then I believe one of the blocks for the rail shifted, and so they had to stop.

They worked throughout the night to get it done, and then the next day they finished bringing her down the rail. I just stood by and watched. There wasn’t much I could do.

Captain Krihwan at the helm earlier this summer and (inset) with daughter Carson.

Krihwan came east to Massachusetts Maritime Academy and ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY after being furloughed from her role as Senior Captain of the three-masted DENIS SULLIVAN, also now on the East Coast

MS: Did a lot of people turn up for the launch?

TK: There were probably three or four hundred people that showed up when they started the launch.

TK: I should say.

MS: And then not so many the next day?

TK: Yeah, it was about 30!

MS: Well, they say if a ship experiences difficulty launching, it’s good luck. Ever heard that one?

TK: Is what they say? Okay…

MS: USS Constitution had a terrible time getting launched, and she’s been a pretty lucky ship.

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MS: And on a much smaller scale, our schooner Fame. She didn’t want to get wet. But so far, so good.

Anyway… after the launch, you needed to work with the Coast Guard to get the boat certified. I know you did sea trials before you left Maine. How did that all go?

TK: Good. We had the technicians for the engines, the transmission, all on board and they certified everything. All of that equipment performed just as planned.

That gave me confidence that the boat was mechanically

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ready to go.

MS: I had not thought even to ask you about the propulsion! How’s that Hundested system compared to what you’ve worked with in the past? How do you feel about it now that you’ve spent a season with it?

TK: I’m still learning it. The idea of the variable pitch prop is a new one for me, but I am learning the inner workings of it, such as changing the pitch for different settings. We motorsailed up yesterday in a calm and we were able to do nine, nine and a half knots between getting the pitch just right and the sails trimmed. So that was pretty impressive.

And then when it comes to docking, pitching it way down, so you’re kind of just creeping into the dock. You do have to keep in the mindset that if you do need a lot of thrust, you have to change that pitch. So I’m still developing those mental muscles.

MS: That’s a separate control?

TK: Yeah. You have to pull it back into neutral and change the pitch and then put it back to whatever RPMs that you want.

Bedford at the State Pier is well protected. Even in those big weather events, I’m not terribly concerned about the vessel.

Her dock at MMA, on the other hand, is pretty exposed to Buzzards Bay. In fact, sometimes big events, we get whitecaps over our dock, so…

MS: All that time, your departure date to participate in those spring tall ships events in the Gulf of Mexico was getting closer and closer. Did you feel pressure to get the boat ready?

TK: Well, pressure to get the boat ready in a safe manner. Pressure to meet our obligations to Tall Ships America. We had been in talks with them since August of last year, many months before the Gulf Coast tour, and signed contracts with them. I didn’t want to disappoint the port cities or Tall Ships America, and the Academy was really excited about this trip. So we did our best to do it as safely as possible and to get down there.

There was a lot to do. We were uprigging in February, that’s not ideal, but we took it easy, gave ourselves lots of time, and as it turned out we didn’t quite finish rigging her. We worked on it on the way down and throughout the whole tour.

MS: That’s way over my head.

MS: Tell us about the trip down south. How did TK: Yeah, it’s been a slow process for me. I’m not somebody who just hits buttons and sees what happens. I like to do it nice and controlled.

MS: So there was still a lot of work to do on the boat after you guys left Maine. Did you go directly to Mass Maritime, or did you go down to New Bedford when you left Maine?

TK: When we left Maine, we went to Mass Maritime and were there two-three weeks, and then we went to New Bedford.

MS: I know people are excited about the boat in New Bedford and wanted see you, but is that also an easier place to get work done?

TK: New Bedford? Yeah, for multitude of reasons. We’re closer to resources because of the rich maritime history in New Bedford. All the suppliers that I need are close to hand there. Our dock in New MarlinspikeMagazine.com

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ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY has set her full mainsail sparingly this summer

that go?

TK: Really, really well. We got down to St. Pete’s in 10 days. We motored the whole way down, that time of year. I just didn’t want to chance it.

Luckily, we mostly had the wind on our stern, so it made for an easy ride. We were motoring at nine, nine and a half knots, and we stopped in Charleston just overnight to fuel and reprovision. We got into St. Petersburg two days early. I had been concerned that we weren’t going to make the Parade of Sail, but we ended up getting in two days early.

I met some of the Morrissey family, the granddaughter of Clayton Morrissey, the second captain of the vessel. She came down to see us in Galveston, spent good quality time with us. She let us know that our governor, Maura Healey, has a family attachment as well. She’s part of the Morrissey family.

So just how rich the history of this vessel is. Every single day I was meeting new people from either Cape Verde, from Gloucester, from her time in Canada, always coming down to visit the vessel. They would bring pictures with them, sometimes. We’d let them go down below and then one individual said, ‘Oh, this is where my bunk was!’ And it was just really, really fascinating.

MS: So what were the Gulf Coast events like?

TK: The turnout was amazing! I had never participated in anything in the Gulf Coast. The Great Lakes always has amazing turnouts of people wanting to see the vessels.

But my biggest takeaway from the Gulf Coast is everywhere we went, whether it was an official port visit or unofficial, how many people knew about this vessel and how many people had some kind of tie to it, family members that sailed on her.

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MS: It can’t hurt that our new governor has a tie to the vessel, seeing as the vessel is supported by the Commonwealth!

TK: Correct. I didn’t know that until I had met Penny Morrissey and she introduced me to her niece, who’s cousins with Maura Healey. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon, or whatever.

MS: In the photos that you were posting of these

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events, I saw the schooner flying what looked like a trysail in place of the full main. What was going on there?

TK: I didn’t have enough crew to set this main; you need at least 15. We just did it yesterday with 14 people, and it’s a really big job. I only had a crew of 10 to 12 of us for that trip. So I opted not to try to even set the mainsail, because Nat Wilson asked me not to set it reefed the first few times, not to keep putting it in a reef. And I didn’t want to not have something back after.

We did have the storm trysail, and I wanted to balance out the sail plan a little bit. She actually sailed really well with just the storm trysail, the fore, the jumbo, and then the jib.

MS: 14 people to get the main boom off of the table!

TK: [Laughs] Yeah, it was a struggle yesterday. I’m very grateful for jiggers. These vessels have very big mainsails.

MS: So how many times have you flown the full main at this point?

TK: Two times.

MS: You said she sailed well without it. What do you notice with it?

TK: She definitely wants to be close hauled. You really do have to work on your trim. If you let her, she wants to round up on you, and you have weather helm, so you do have to really know how to trim the sails, bal-

ance her out.

MS: Tell us about the trip back from the Gulf.

How’d that go? Were you doing more sailing, rather than motoring the whole way?

TK: It went well, and we sailed for quite a bit of it.

Actually, a lot of the Gulf Coast trip, once we left Pensacola, we sailed all the way down to Key West and then motored through and then sailed again, sailed off the coast, stopped in Charleston again. So it was a combination of sail and motorsail coming home.

MS: And what have you been doing since the Gulf Coast events?

TK: We’ve been going back and forth from the Academy for special events, going back to New Bedford.

We’re still finishing rigging her. It’s still a process of finding out where things… I mean, you can look at [books by Howard] Chappelle and get a good idea of how things should be, but when you see how it works out practically on board, often some tweaking is involved. So we’re at that stage: shifting where some leads are, shifting blocks. We’re still working on that.

And surprisingly, even though she just came out of yard a year ago, we’ve already had to start painting her!

It’s amazing how hard the sun is on things, especially down south.

MS: Will this be your first time participating in the Gloucester Schooner Festival?

TK: It is. Yep. I’ve only been a spectator once.

MS: And I’m sure it will be with mixed feelings that you’re crossing tacks with your old command.

TK: Yeah. I’m glad she’s sailing.

That’s what matters. She’s doing her mission of teaching.

MS: So you’ve been on the ErnestinaMorrissey now for..?

TK: I’ve been on the project two and a half years now. And the boat went in the water a year ago this month.

MS: A year ago this month! My gosh, that’s right. What are your takeaways from this new position? Being in command of a new vessel… coming to the East Coast… working with the Maritime Academy?

There’s a lot of changes there for you.

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Off Eastern Point and headed out for the Mayor’s Cop Race

TK: I’m surprised on how much I enjoy working at the Academy. I wasn’t sure how that was going to be. I feel very supported at the Academy by all the executivelevel people and then just all the other people as well. If I need something, they’re all willing to pitch in and help me figure out how to get it done, build something really quickly for me.

We needed some stairs at the dock and a ramp and all the different support people were able to come and get it done in a couple of hours. That’s just a new place for me!

And then just being on the East Coast, the rich maritime history… I have so many friends here, so getting back in touch with them on a more regular basis besides just Tall Ships years, I’ve really enjoyed that. And it’s always fun to learn a new area. And I really love the diversity of New Bedford.

It’s really nice to see so many 10

people of different backgrounds.

MS: Has your daughter Carson had a chance to sail on Ernestina-Morrissey yet?

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TK: She was out here in June. She was on board the first time we set the mainsail, back in June. It was nice to have her on board. She’s been around boats her whole life, so to her it wasn’t any big deal, but it was nice to have her here for it.

MS: Is she interested in sailing? Are we going to make a sailor out of her?

TK: No... she loves being on the boat, but like any teenager, she doesn’t want to really interact with anybody, so she kind of hides out and just either sticks next to me or hides out in my bunk. She’s a very, very good horse rider, that’s where her thing is.

MS: You can’t force kids to be interested. I have two kids who like being on the water, they like being on boats, but they’ve got no interest in taking over the business or running the boat.

TK: I imagine. Although my daughter loves being on my boat… I own a Tahiti ketch, and she helped me restore it during the pandemic, so that was really fun. And she really enjoyed doing that and being on that boat with me.

It’s not like I’m working, when I’m on my own boat.

I get to actually relax and not have everybody asking me questions every two minutes.

MS: I’m with you on that one. But it sounds like you’ve landed a pretty good gig with Ernestina-Morrissey.

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TK: I really have, and I’m just so thankful… thankful for all the amazing people, the folks at SEMA [Schooner ErnestinaMorrissey Association] for never losing focus on getting this boat restored. If it hadn’t been for the people at SEMA, honestly, I think everybody would’ve forgotten about this vessel.

For them, people like Mary Anne McQuillan and Fred Steiner and Julius Bruno, all those people, just constantly keeping that torch going to get this boat redone.

And those incredibly skilled people like Nat Wilson, the late David Short, Bristol Marine and all of their people, Dan Moreland, and Hannah Gray.

Hannah Gray is an amazing person. It’s easy to overlook those people that are in the background, that you don’t really hear about too much. I remember reading the interview you did with Hannah Gray, when I was deciding to take this position.

And of course, Harold Burnham, and the people from the Massachusetts DCR — so many people involved to make this happen!

I feel really privileged and honored to be the captain of Ernestina-Morrissey. b 11

August 2016 The BEFORE photo

June 2017

June 2021 12

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Snapshots from the lon ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY in Boo Launched as the “Effie M in Essex, MA, 1

October 2016

August 2016

the long rebuild of Y in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

“Effie M. Morrissey” x, MA, 1894

August 2022 MarlinspikeMagazine.com

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Day Break The first of the purpose-built windjammers is on the market as the fleet braces for the loss of yet another tried-and-true ownership team

Earlier this year, Barry King and Jennifer Martin announced that they were putting their windjamming business up for sale after three decades as mainstays of the fleet. The following interview was conducted via email, while the principals were busy sailing their schooner during the last week of August.

Marlinspike: Barry, after many years operating Mary Day you’ve decided to close this chapter of your life and move on. Walk us through your thinking.

Barry King: While the vessel has been listed for sale, we do not see the sale of the vessel happening anytime soon. It takes a special breed of human being to want to go into business for themselves, let alone the windjammer business. The challenges are real, the rewards are life-changing.

By that, I mean that operating a business is like raising a child. You never really know what is coming any given day, which is exciting. One day I am a plumber, the next day an electrician, the next day a navigator, always a gracious host, a teacher, a rigger, a carpenter, on and on it goes.

Ashore in the office, Jen is a bookkeeper, marketing guru, website builder, reservationist extraordinaire, painter, wood splitter, and mind reader. And that doesn’t count what she does to turn the boat over 14

between cruises and assist getting the schooner safely into and out of the harbor. Like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, she is the unsung hero of this entire operation.

Wearing so many hats keeps the learning curve steep. We learn all these skills along the way. No one comes into the business ready, kind of like being a parent. You learn as you go.

I recognize that Mary Day isn’t really our boat. All the skills acquired along the way are used to maintain a vessel that belongs to our guests, to the people of the town of Camden, to the greater sailing community. If you read the comments that appeared online [when the business was listed for sale], it is easy to tell that we are never alone in what we do. Many people have an investment in us and this schooner, past, present and future.

So why move on? It’s time to start planning ahead.

We are in our 60s now. My Dad was a captain, led the healthiest life a person could, and died of cancer when he was 68. Kind of gets your attention, right?

There are also a bunch of other things we are excited to do but never have the time to try. I did some draft horse work in college. I found that relationship with the horses to be pretty exciting. I also have a small sawmill.

I love working in the woods. I am also a Registered Maine Guide and ski coach. I love the mountains, the North Woods, the lakes and streams. I can’t tell you the

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last time I had a chance to go fly fishing. We live in Maine for a reason.

MS: Several of the windjammers that have changed hands recently have been “friendly sales” to former crew. Is that a possibility for Mary Day? In your opinion, what is the ideal resume for a windjammer operator?

BK: We don’t have any crew currently interested in settling down into “schooner life.” That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. We wouldn’t sell to just anyone. We have received a couple offers from folks who claim to know the business, ready to take Mary Day out of state to operate multiple seasons. We have kindly declined to entertain those offers.

Any sale would have to be a friendly sale. Again, this isn’t just our boat, so the last option for us would be selling the schooner out of the windjammer business.

She was the first schooner built specifically to be a windjammer and that is what she does best.

The ideal resume? Obviously a strong background in sailing, traditional rigs preferable. Familiarity with the Maine coast is important. A knowledge of the windjammer business, the actual product we are selling.

A reasonable excitement to learn a wide variety of skills sets as outlined above. Problem-solving is a daily

practice.

People skills a must. People skills require patience, empathy, compassion and a good self-awareness.

MS: In the ten years we’ve published the magazine, we’ve seen an almost complete turnover in the owners of the Maine windjammer fleet. I keep asking about this, and keep being told: “Well, we all got old at the same time.” Is there more to it than that? Has the windjammer business become more challenging in recent years?

Apart, of course, from COVID, which definitely derailed a couple of the new owners.

BK: Henny Penny, Turkey Lurky! The sky is falling!

Is it really? Not actually. Change is good. New energy is good. New perspectives on how to keep these vessels working is good. There are extremely talented and energetic new owners in the fleet.

I have to ask you and your readers: at what point, after 31 years in one vessel, are we allowed to retire from the business and not see the change as some kind of failure on the part of the industry? If anything, the new owners see a strong future in the business, or they wouldn’t be getting into it. We don’t do this to boost our egos. The bigger picture of this business is hum-

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bling. Operating a commercial sailing vessel as a forprofit business will always be challenging. If it wasn’t a challenge, there would be a whole lot more commercial schooners.

Please don’t underestimate the impact of COVID on new and old owners alike. Borrowing money to get through COVID easily set our business back 10 years.

But here we are. Still going strong.

MS: Is windjamming more fun or less fun these days? More lucrative or less lucrative? Easier or harder to find captains, crew, cooks?

Where else is there a platform to take almost anybody out into nature, to sail along such a magnificent coastline, to experience sunset over the Camden Hills, or sunrise over Acadia? To see porpoise and seals, the occasional whale, bays teeming with wildlife, to witness a bald eagle overhead before landing gracefully in a spruce tree, to feel the power of the wind in the sails, to slip silently through an island-rich archipelago? It is all here along the Maine coast, and a windjammer is just about the most idyllic way to experience it all.

Finding competent crew will always be a challenge. In that regard, I don’t think we are any different than any other business.

You would be shocked at the number of crew I have hired, crew who have been in tall ships, that don’t know how to adequately row… or row at all.

Taking responsibility for rowing guests ashore in a peapod quickly takes the swagger out of the uninitiated.

We feel very lucky to have had some fabulous crew over the years, crew who are still in the boating industry.

BK: Lucrative is never a word I would apply to the windjammer business. On the other hand, we have never gone without. This business is first and foremost a lifestyle.

This business allowed us to raise two kids into amazing adults both of whom attended Maine Maritime Academy and are following careers at sea. What more could a parent want than for their kids to have a comfort level with people from all walks of life, with a passion to follow what we conJennifer Martin and Barry King sider pretty cool career paths, to MS: I’ve noticed a trend grow up comfortable with being outdoors. We couldn’t toward more frequent and shorter cruises. That has to be more thankful for what the windjammer business be wearing on the crews. Are there both positives and gave to us as a family. negatives to this trend?

Fun is part of what we do. Fulfilling is more to the point. We do this because we believe in the impact our BK: When we started in the business, all we ran product has on the lives of everyone who encounters were 6-day cruises. Then we added a couple 3-day cruiswhat it is that is happening around these boats. We do es each season. We now run what we call a balanced something special. We see it in the numbers of returning schedule of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-day cruises. guests we have. We see it in their comments. This busiOur most popular are our 6-day cruises, hands ness has the potential to be life-affirming for our guests, down. Those fill first and fastest. There is nothing comfor us as owners. parable to 6 days aboard Mary Day. 3- and 4-day cruises serve a population who, for a variety of reasons, are not looking for a 6-day cruise.

The per diem rate is higher to make up for the cost of turnovers, which helps the bottom line.

There is so much to do in Maine that we actually encourage people to do a windjammer cruise, and then spend a few days experiencing some of our favorite off-the-beatenpath adventures. Jen published a really cool book and online guide exclusively for our guests.

MS: Give us an overview of the history of Mary Day. What’s special about her? How is 16

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MARY DAY in Penobscot Bay

she different than the other members of the windjammer fleet?

BK: Any windjammer is only as good as its crew.

That is the bottom line. It isn’t about the amenities necessarily, although they don’t hurt.

As you know, Mary Day, launched in 1962, was the first commercial sailing vessel without an inboard engine launched since 1938 here in Maine. She was the first of five large sailing vessels launched in the 1960s and early ‘70s by Harvey Gamage in South Bristol.

Mary Day was also the first schooner ever purposebuilt for the windjammer trade. She is built with 9’ of head room in the majority of the passenger cabins.

Skylights and windows in every cabin provide lots of fresh air below decks. The cabins are quite large compared to most of the windjammer fleet. Her main cabin is big enough to seat 28 for meals. She has acres of cabin house tops to sit or lie on.

The fact that her cabin houses were originally fiberglassed and her deck is laminated white pine means

there are no leaks from the overhead. On deck, heads with toilets that flush similarly to what one finds at home eases guest’s fears.

Ease of maintenance is huge. If we have made any mistake, it is pouring too much of our budget into maintenance. We rebuilt Mary Day early on to remove any question about her structural integrity. And we keep after it. Our family motto is Quisquam dignitas effectus ut dignitas effectus redundo which roughly translated mean “anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.”

Three things ease the maintenance process: 1) Watertight decks; 2) Passive and mechanical fresh air flow throughout the vessel; and 3) Keeping her here in Maine where she is froze up solid and covered for half the year. I could go on about my thoughts on vessel preservation, but Mary Day serves as a prime example of how a wooden commercial vessel can be maintained.

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Continued on page 36 17

Christm

tmas Vacation SEA’s veteran sail-trainer CORY CRAMER stands to earn an annual vacation as part of that organization’s post-pandemic pivoting Marlinspike tracked down SEA President John Wigglesworth just before Labor Day after hearing through the grapevine — not very accurately, as it turned out — that the Cramer was to be mothballed.

John Wigglesworth: So, you heard that Cramer was going to be “mothballed”?

sive boats and we weren’t seeing the numbers of undergraduates we needed to have a sustainable model.

MS: Were you drawing undergraduates only from specific colleges, or could a student from any college in America sign up for one of those traditional programs?

JW: Anyone can apply to SEA.

Marlinspike: Yeah, I did hear that! “Mothballed” is obviously a dramatic word to use, but I thought “I should give John a call and see what's going on there.”

Tell us — what challenges is SEA experiencing right now?

JW: Well, when I returned to SEA back in November [as interim President], we were still operating the two brigantines in the undergraduate program, which is traditionally the default understanding of SEA, in our “sea semester” — six weeks on land followed by six weeks at sea, throughout the year. That's traditionally what we’ve done, but we have been slowly moving away from that over a period of time. We've been offering different types of undergraduate programs that still involve time at sea and time onshore, but the curriculum of each program is slightly different, based on the cruise tracks.

As of November we were still operating the model of two brigantines, Robert Seamans operating in the Pacific and Corwith Cramer in the Atlantic. But both due to the fallout from COVID and undergraduates rethinking their relationship with colleges and the study-abroad concept, the enrollment numbers at that time were not good. Basically we had two really expen-

MS: But most of your applicants were coming from a small group of institutions..?

JW: Most students come from the Northeast area, but there is more and more representation around the country.

MS: OK, sorry to interrupt. You were saying: enrollments haven’t been great since COVID. JW: Yeah, enrollment for undergraduates was not good. So we did our best to look at all the external factors that were influencing that trend. And we looked at the significant increase in secondary school programming and interest in what we do at the high school level.

We had been doing high school programs in the summer to a certain extent for a while, but it was never a major emphasis. It was always the undergraduate program. We looked at the undergraduate trend and realized that we need to do much better marketing and outreach and so on, and try to recapture the undergraduates who were navigating their way through college after COVID. And then we looked at rising increase in secondary schools and we also factored in the cost of

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operating Cramer year-round.

We ended up moving in a couple of different directions. To sum up, we opted to focus our undergraduate work and programming on the Seamans, blue-water operation in the Pacific, a variety of different semesterlength undergraduate programs, including time on shore in Woods Hole. Then they go to the ship out on the Pacific, and that's our undergraduate platform classroom, if you will.

And then to take advantage of the increase in our secondary school programs, combined with trying to minimize operational costs of Cramer, we said, “OK, let's expand the focus on secondary schools and increase the season.” This puts us in a place where we're operating seasonally, like many other tall ships and schooners do. We created a season for Cramer that will basically be May through October, and we’ll use that time to fill out the secondary school programs as well as create programs in the form of partnerships with as Woods Hole Oceanographic, MBL, the Wharton School of Business and so on.

And changing the season for Cramer enabled us to partner with Proctor Academy on the Ocean Classroom program that has traditionally been done on Harvey Gamage and other boats that you know about.

MS: That was the press release that came out this spring.

JW: So now Ocean Classroom is going to be at SEA and those students come in next week and will be on Cramer in October; then in November we're going to haul out the Kramer — this year, anyways, in Newport, Rhode Island —and put a cover on and do some work on the decks and then put her back into service, uprig in April and carry on with programming in May through October. That's the current model operation: undergraduates on the Seamans, secondary school program and partnership programs on Cramer.

SEA is bigger than our ships; meaning that, our focus is education about the oceans. Our new model will include shore-based classes that educate about the oceans but don't necessarily tie to the ships, but would utilize all the resources in Woods Hole. SEA is moving in a direction that fills out our campus with programs based around ocean education and research, and that offers programming that could be shore-based or shipbased.

For example, this summer we had three high school programs going on concurrently. One group was on the Cramer on Sea Expedition. We had another group on shore doing a program that looked at the coastal habitat of the Cape Cod area; they did not go to sea. And then we had an online class that was connecting students around the world. So we had three different things going on, all about ocean education. Only one of those three things included time at sea.

In a nutshell, we're trying to pivot SEA’s operational model, to produce more revenue at less cost.

MS: Does that make crewing and staffing more challenging, when you take a boat out of service and put her back into service, as opposed to providing continual employment for captain and crew?

JW: Good question. As you well know, the crewing challenge for everybody is relentless. Just the effort to get crew to fill out the programs is ongoing. Licensed crew are increasingly hard to find.

To your question, we're trying to create a situation that is more attractive to crew than what we currently have now. Meaning that if we can find a solid seasonal team for Cramer with built-in compensations that include time off, things like that, we're hoping to create a scenario where it would be attractive to sail on the Cramer through the season. Currently the Cramer programs have been filled trip by trip by trip and that's been hard to manage.

On the Seamans, crew are drawn to the Seamans because of the cruise track and so on. So it's still a challenge, but the Seamans team is fairly consistent.

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ROBERT SEAMANS will continue to operate undergraduate programs in the Pacific. SEAMANS is 14 years younger than CRAMER

MS: So you’re saying that the Cramer will be out of service from November to May each year for the foreseeable future. This isn’t a one-year expedient that you hit on because that deck project needs to be done.

JW: Yeah. For the foreseeable future, this will be the plan. What would change it is if we end up with a big waiting list to go out on Seamans — undergraduates — in which case one could see a scenario where we sail south with Proctor Academy, and then after that trip, we'd pick up an undergraduate program in the Caribbean on Cramer. But that's down the road. But we've got a ways to go to get a waiting list!

MS: Give me a deeper dive into the trends with undergraduates. I understand that during COVID, there was a disruption in demand and legitimate concern about the future, but enrollment hasn’t gone back to what it was. I'm curious if you have theories as to why that is.

JW: Good question. In the past, the draw of going to sea — going offshore, out of sight of land, that really dynamic experience combined with the academic program we offered and the credit that came with it, was really exciting. It still is for some. But there's another

layer that we're trying to address.

The future for students today is unknown because of the health of our planet and the slow demise of our oceans. And in order to address that uncertainty, and the anxiety that goes with it, students want a program where they come out with some sort of agency about what they can do as individuals. Students are interested in understanding the oceans and ocean systems, the interaction of the oceans and the atmosphere, so that they come out of it with tools that they can work with to create careers in the world of ocean climate, in the health of the planet, that gives them a sense of agency.

In the past, the draw was to go to sea on a traditional vessel. I think more and more, the draws is: I want to go out, I want to learn about the ocean, so that I can have a sense that I can somehow control my future.

MS: And what can you do to let undergraduates around the country know about this opportunity?

JW: We are working on that piece right now. We have institutional relations managers in California, in the Midwest, and a couple in the Northeast. Their job is to visit and interact with colleges and universities in their area. We have ongoing faculty visits to colleges and universities. We're trying to ramp up our social

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CORY CRAMER underway in the Atlantic Ocean

media. But after 50 years, it’s amazing that so few people know about SEA. Getting the word out and speaking to the concept of ocean education, it’s something that we're just constantly doing.

MS: What you need is a reality TV show, John, set on one of the brigantines!

two of us together will be greater than each of us as individuals.

MS: All right, so Cramer is a long way from being mothballed…

JW: No, but Cramer is 37 years old, right? And it’s very much on our minds: what's the remaining useful life of Cramer? So the current schedule eases up the year-long smashing that the vessel gets, it gives her a little bit of a rest. It also serves the purpose of extend-

JW: Yeah. Yeah.

The word “partnership” is very much in the mix now. SEA traditionally has always sort of done it on our own, this is what we do, and worked not necessarily in isolation, but also not seeking out partnerships. Proctor Our Mission Academy is one of those new partnerThe object of the Associa琀on is to foster, ships that came together organically. promote and encourage the enjoyment, tradi琀ons, and preserva琀on of schooners They needed a ship and we just opened by suppor琀ng individuals and organiza琀ons that are in sympathy with up our schedule to be able to accept their our object, by maintaining a record of timeframe. So that was pretty cool. these vessels past and present, and by coordina琀ng a program of racing and cruising. Founded in 1972, the We have a partnership with Stanford Associa琀on is a na琀onal organiza琀on whose members are owners of schooners, sailors and other individuals and organiza琀ons interested University and we do a semester length in preserving and promo琀ng the virtues of the schooner rig. program with 'em every other year.

Your membership helps support youth educa琀on at schooner events, Stanford comes to us with a block of the Associa琀on’s Registry of American Schooners and other Associa琀on projects. students, and so we're not scrambling Join today at h琀p://www.AmSchooner.org/join! around trying to sign up individuals to fill up that program. The School for Field The American Schooner Association Studies has focused on field-based camP.O. Box 484, Mystic, CT 06355 www.amschooner.org puses around the globe. We're working on a partnership with the idea that the 22

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CORY CRAMER among the Skellig Islands, 2017

ing the useful life of Cramer because of that. And that gives SEA more time to think carefully about what comes next after Cramer.

Is there another, or do we just operate one boat? If we operate two, what kind of boat might our next one be? Maybe something a little bit simpler that serves the purpose of the program, but doesn't require the licensing that we currently need.

Using Cramer seasonally buys us a little more time to address those questions.

MS: So SEA might consider a smaller vessel, or one operating on a limited route?

JW: If you look at the hundred ships registered with Tall Ships America, there's only three of ‘em that are certified to do bluewater stuff and two of 'em are SEA boats. These SOU’WESTER RIGGING, LLC. are two of the last vestiges of tradi!"#$%&%'(#)*+*,'$-"(*.%//%(/0*1#%)2#3%(/*#($*4#(56*7('&8'"3* tional sail training vessels that can go bluewater. And that's something not to turn away from. I mean, we see that as an obligation. We’ve got to keep that going!

This ties into the big question of, if we have another ship to replace Cramer, do we want to go in the direction of ocean certification so that we can go bluewater? Because there's only three of us who are USflagged to go offshore.

9%4:!;(,'<')(=>9&?-(6!

And that is at the very essence. @).(7%2/1!A*-'(!

We are our ships, and we are more BCD>EFC>GHHI! than our ships. We are about Ocean 3%4(JK'%0'(,)L7%2!

Education. That said, the whole romance of blue water operations is "#!$%&!'(()!*!'(+!,-.!#%,!$%&,!/%*01!%,!2*$/(!3&40!*!456-7(8! important to us. b MarlinspikeMagazine.com

23

GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FESTIVAL 2023 Clockwise from upper left: American Eagle, Resolute, Lewis H. Story, Tyrone, Jack fiddling with the flag halyard, and Ernestina-Morrissey

ESTIVAL

t: H. Story, g halyard, y

GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FESTIVAL * 2023 Clockwise from above: Isabella, Denis Sullivan, Ernestina-Morrissey, Alert, Thomas Lannon, Adventure

Flagsof our Fathers Every schoolchild in America knows what our nation’s first flags looked like: 13 white stars in a circle on a navy-blue canton (that’s flagspeak for the squarish section in the corner) and 13 alternating red and white stripes. The Betsy Ross flag! Right?

Well…

In the era before textile mills or factories — when flags, clothing, sails, and other fabric creations were handmade — no two flags would have looked the same. Maybe Betsy Ross did sew a flag like the one in our collective imagination. There’s actually no historical evidence for that story. But even if she did, images were not as easy to transmit back then as they are now. Seamstresses throughout the 13 colonies were on their own as they tried to interpret the June 14, 1777 directive of the Continental Congress calling for a single American flag to replace the various standards flying at the time.

There was no advice on how to place the stars, or how many points they should have. There was no advice on whether to start with a red stripe or a white one. Flags were different sizes, and different ratios. Some were almost square, others long rectangles.

Our second national flag, authorized in 1794 after Vermont and Kentucky had joined the Union, was supposed to feature 15 stars and 15 stripes. But once again, no direction was forthcoming about how to arrange either the stars or the stripes, so variants abounded.

28

Soon we developed textile mills and factories; slowly, flags became standardized. Thousands of individual seamstresses were replaced by a handful of manufacturers, cranking out flags that, if not identical, were pretty darn close. This is true not only for our modern flag — the 50star flag in use since Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union in 1959 — but for historical flags as well.

Despite knowing full well that no two 13- or 15-star flags were alike, modern flag-makers have settled on the “Betsy Ross” version of the former and the “Star Spangled Banner” version of the latter. And why not? Everyone recognizes them and knows the stories.

In the case of the Star-Spangled Banner, the 15-star, 15-stripe flag flying over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry during its September 1814 bombardment by the British inspired Francis Scott Key to write his poem “The Star-Spangled Banner.” His poem was later set to some weird borrowed music (an old drinking song called “Anacreon in Heaven”) and the result eventually became our National Anthem.

And here’s the kicker: unlike Betsy’s flag, that flag definitely did exist, and still does! It can be copied. We know for a fact that there were many variations on the 15star, 15-stripe flag in use from 1794 to 1818. But the simplicity and power of the Star-Spangled Banner story has trumped the reality that every flag was different.

Nowadays, anyone seeking to interpret this era can either order a flag based on the Ft. McHenry flag, or sew their

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A typical Fort McHenry-style 15-star, 15-stripe flag flies from the FAME of Salem

Early American national flags came in as many varieties as there were seamstresses sewing them

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PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, which is constantly sailing past historic Fort McHenry, quite naturally flies a replica (above) of the flag which made the fort famous.

This arrangement of stars, the use of five-pointed stars, and the placement of red stripes on the outside are all seen in the Ft. McHenry flag preserved at the Smithsonian Museum of American History (below) Erie;

own damn design!

Currently, there are a number of sailing vessels flying that standardized 15-star, 15-stripe flag. First and foremost, there is Old Ironsides herself! But there are also several historical replicas, among them: US Brig Niagara, a representation of Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship in the pivotal 1813 Battle of Lake 30

Pride of Baltimore II, a representation of the highly-successful Baltimore privateers of the War of 1812; Lynx, a representation of a letterof-marque topsail schooner built in 1812, which was captured by the British but so admired that her lines were taken off by the Admiralty; Friends Good Will, a representation of an 1810 merchant vessel pressed into military service on the Great Lakes; and Fame, a representation of a fishing schooner commissioned in 1812 as a privateer out of Salem.

How accurate is it for these vessels to be flying a flag that replicates the ones sewn for Ft. McHenry’s commander in 1814 by Mary Pickersgill, her daughter, her two nieces, and an indentured African-American girl?

Did the Army’s flags match the Navy’s flags? Given the rivalry between the two services, there are no guarantees.

Would a flag sewn on the Lakes, or in Salem, have

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From top left: NIAGARA; a 19th-century painting of USS UNITED STATES; a contemporary McHenrytype flag; FRIENDS GOOD WILL matched a design popular hundreds of miles away in Baltimore? Given the shortages of pretty much everything in Oliver Hazard Perry’s Erie shipyard, coming up with nine large and identical ensigns was probably a reach.

Would a privateer or a letter of marque fly the same flag as a naval vessel? The British, for one, were quite explicit about the various flags allowed to naval vessels, privateers and provincial vessels.

We can only guess what flags these vessels were flying. It is safe to say they were not all the same. But even if we can’t guarantee historical authenticity, there’s value in flying a flag that provokes thought by emphasizing the differences between now and then.

There is also value in recognizing that in this case, as in so much else, storytelling has actually warped our understanding of history. A chaotic narrative, involving thousands of separate actors, can hardly compete with a powerful story, set to music, with a relic on display at the Smithsonian!

What else do we think we know about our history, which is based on a simple story rather than on complex facts? b MarlinspikeMagazine.com

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HAWAIIAN CHIEFTAIN At the Jungle Shipyard in Costa Rica, SAILCARGO continues to construct their flagship Ceiba, a 157’ threemasted topsail schooner.

Over the summer, the hanging knees, blocking, and accommodation deck were all being installed. The framing of the aft accommodation deck is now complete.

This deck structure will have the Captain’s quarters, an area for the Chief Mate, and bunks for passengers. As Ceiba gets closer to completion, the decks and doors will be added to make this a functioning space.

As of late August, the ‘tween deck was full of knees ready to be placed.

Blocking has been an ongoing task for the last year or so. This is the process of cutting and installing perfectly-sized blocks to close gaps between the frames.

These blocks will ensure that each section of the ship is independently watertight.

Next up: exterior planking.

Meanwhile, on July 22, Vega successfully completed her sea trials in the waters surrounding Harlingen. This gave the crew the opportunity to test out all of the recent repairs and new equipment. She navigated the wet and windy conditions without fault and proved her capability as a cargo ship for many years to come.

“We hope this momentous voyage and occasion will 32

be the trigger we need to get her insurance over the line,” says the SAILCARGO website.

“As we await further news, our team behind the scenes is planning for all potential next steps.”

SAILCARGO’s mission is to build and operate a fleet of sailing cargo ships, and prove that there is sufficient demand for zero-emission cargo shipping by offering competitive solutions for clean shipping. It is entirely funded by private investors who want to be part of the clean shipping movement.

Learn more at www.sailcargo.inc.

H “Hawaiian Chieftain has new colors! Her new scheme can best be described as rust (wait, weren’t we trying to get away from that?), mahogany, mist and deep ocean. As our friends at Port Townsend Shipwrights are finishing up the topcoat, we’re turning our attention to the rig.

“Bruce Tipton, our phenomenal sparmaker, has repaired our yards, mizzenmast, and fighting tops. He has also sourced a massive reclaimed timber from a 100year-old warehouse in Seattle that he’s turning into two new topmasts, which is the sort of thing that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy.

“Force 10 Sailmaking and Rigging, whom we are honored to have join our project, have taken on the

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prodigious task of restoring our rigging. Under their guidance, our crew will be refurbishing blocks and deadeyes and fabricating new standing and running rigging.

“Speaking of rigging, if anyone out there has any recent (as in the past five years) pictures of Chieftain’s rig, at the dock or under sail, we would love to see them.

As the ship was partially downrigged when we acquired her, any pictures we can get ahold of will help us decide how best to put her back together.

“Please send anything you’d like to share to info@sailhawaiianchieftain.com. Mahalo!”

H Harold Burnham writes from Essex: “At Burnham Boatbuilding we are far more proud of the people we work with than any of our accomplishments. Many of you may remember Zack Teal, who at fourteen worked on Ardelle, dreamed of being a tug boat captain, and wound up launching on her.

“Twelve years later he is well on his way to captain, working as a mate for Foss Towing, and over a year ago he ordered a brand new Wood-Mizer saw mill for himself. The mill arrived this week and in its first hour of operation he cut a few of the timbers we will be using for the keel of the Sylvina W. Beal.

“We anticipate Zack and this mill will be an important part of the future of the Essex Shipbuilding industry and hope we live long enough to see what happens.” b

ZACK TEAL

Got an update for Boatyards? E-mail us!

CEIBA’S KNEES MarlinspikeMagazine.com

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A select list of sailing opportunities open to the public.

WEST COAST Call of the Sea, Sausalito, CA (415) 331-3214 * CalloftheSea.org Education programs aboard Seaward and Matthew Turner.

Grays Harbor Historic Seaport, Aberdeen, WA (800) 200-5239 * HistoricalSeaport.org Sailing aboard the brig Lady Washington.

Los Angeles Maritime Institute, Los Angeles, CA (310) 883-6055 * LAMITopSail.org Sail-training for school and youth groups.

Maritime Museum of San Diego, San Diego, CA (619) 234-9153 * SDMaritime.org Day sails on Californian and the galleon San Salvador.

Ocean Institute, Dana Point, CA (949) 496-2274 * OceanInstitute.org Marine science, ed programs, on Spirit of Dana Point.

SALTS, Victoria, BC (888) 383-6811 * Salts.ca Sail training and day sails on two large schooners.

Schooner Adventuress, Port Townsend, WA (360) 379-0438 * SoundExp.org Overnight programs for teens, adults, seniors, and families.

Schooner Zodiac, Bellingham, WA (206) 719-7622 * SchoonerZodiac.com Windjammer cruises in the San Juan Islands, April-October.

Schooners North, Friday Harbor, WA (360) 378-2224 * SanJuanSailCharter.com Cruises from the San Juans to Alaska on the Spike Africa.

GREAT LAKES Appledore Tall Ships, Bay City, MI (989) 895-5193 * BaySailBayCity.org Day-sails, charters, ed programs, and overnight opportunities.

Brigantine St. Lawrence II, Kingston, ON (613) 544-5175 * Brigantine.ca Sail-training on the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario.

Traverse Tall Ship Co., Traverse Bay, MI (231) 941-2000 * TallShipSailing.com Education, day-sails, charters, and windjammer cruises.

Flagship Niagara League, Erie, PA (833) 365-7245 ext. 3 * SailFNL.org A variety of programs aboard the brig Niagara and the schooner Lettie Howard.

EAST COAST Barque Picton Castle, Lunenburg, NS (902) 634-9984 * Picton-Castle.com World Voyage 8 currently ongoing, with berths available for the last two legs.

Brilliant, Mystic, CT (860) 572-0711 * MysticSeaport.org Brilliant is an offshore classroom for Mystic Seaport.

Discovering Amistad, New Haven, CT (203) 498-8222 * DiscoveringAmistad.org Dockside tours and ed opportunities aboard replica slaver.

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Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships, Boston, MA (617) 742-0333 * LibertyFleet.com Windjammer-style Caribbean cruises; day sails from Boston.

Maine Windjammer Association, Midcoast Maine (800) 807-WIND * SailMaineCoast.com Nine, count ‘em, traditional sailing vessels in Penobscot Bay. Maine Windjammer Cruises, Midcoast Maine (207) 236-2938 * MaineWindjammerCruises.com Multi-day cruises in Midcoast Maine from May into October.

Maine’s First Ship, Bath ME (207) 443-4242 * MFShip.com Replica of 1608 pinnace offering educational programs.

Maritime Heritage Charters, Essex, MA (978) 491-7666 * BurnhamBoatbuilding.com Sails on the schooners Ardelle and Isabella; 1911 sardine carrier Sylvina Beal currently being restored by National Heritage Fellow Harold Burnham to offer a variety of programs.

Ocean Passages, Portland, ME (855) 212-0123 * Ocean-Passages.org Long-form sail-training aboard a variety of vessels including the schooner Harvey Gamage.

Oliver Hazard Perry, Newport, RI (401) 841-0080 * OHPRI.org Workforce development and other sailing and dockside programs on a fully-rigged, steel-hulled ship.

Pride of Baltimore II, Baltimore, MD (410) 539-1151 * Pride2.org Paid crew opportunities, educational programs, port visits and dockside events.

Schooner A. J. Meerwald, Bivalve, NJ (856) 785-2060 * BayShoreCenter.org Day and overnight Maritime Camp programs for children ages 13-17.

Schooner Adventure, Gloucester, MA (978) 281-8079 * Schooner-Adventure.org Public sails, private charters, and educational programs.

Schooner Fame, Salem, MA (978) 729-7600 * SchoonerFame.com Public sails, private charters, ed programs, and sail training.

Sloop Clearwater, Kingston, NY (410) 539-1151 * Clearwater.org Day sails, youth & adult programs, environmental activism.

Schooner Sultana, Chesterton, MD (410) 778-5954 * SultanaProjects.org A variety of programs including week-long “Chesapeake Adventures” for ages 11-14.

World Ocean School, Boston, MA (340) 626-7877 * WorldOceanSchool.org Ed programs in Boston and St. Croix on board the threemasted schooner Denis Sullivan.

Sea / mester, Sarasota, FL (941) 924-2900 * Seamester.com Semester-at-sea and gap-year programs for college students on board the Ocean Star, Argo, and Vela.

SEA Semester, Woods Hole, MA (508) 540-3954* Sea.edu Accredited semester-at-sea programs for college and high school students on board the Robert Seamans (Pacific) and Corwith Cramer (Atlantic). b

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MARY DAY

Continued from page 17 MS: What do you think the midcoast Maine windjammer fleet will look like in 20 years?

BK: I see the numbers stabilizing about where they are. Eight or nine truly viable windjammers. At least that is my hope.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a young, creative and energetic group of new owners with a passion for the business that should be around for a long time to come. If COVID did anything, it gave people a yearning to be out in the fresh air.

People also want an authentic vacation. Nothing could be more authentic than meals cooked on a wood-fired cookstove, or the sound of the wind in the sails, a wild island archipelago found nowhere else on the East Coast. No cell phones ringing.

The hardest decision of the week is whether to eat three or four lobsters on the beach at our picnic.

The business may have to evolve over time to who knows what. That is the success of Maine’s schooner 36

fleet from the very beginning. A willingness to evolve. I will never forget a WoodenBoat magazine article about the skipjacks of the Chesapeake. One of the old codgers was quoted as saying (I paraphrase), “If we don’t get some help from the state or the local museums, we will be reduced to carrying passengers!”

True enough! But changing cargo with the times has been what commercial sailing vessels have been doing all along. We are proud to be a part of the last and largest fleet of commercial working sailing vessels this side of the Atlantic.

With creativity and energetic vision, I feel quite optimistic about the future of Maine’s windjammer fleet and Mary Day. This is not an original idea, but wouldn’t it be cool if Penobscot Bay became a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its past, present and future as represented by these living, breathing windjammers? b If you want to see a really well-done windjammer website, go to www.schoonermaryday.com. You may also want to sign up for the newsletter.

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SEA HISTORY find your history at seahistory.org SUBSCRIBE to MARLINSPIKE The quarterly magazine devoted to traditional sailing vessels, sailors, and programs!

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b Ω

PICTON CASTLE is already halfway around the world on its latest circumnavigation, which was delayed for several years

by COVID and other mishaps

BRITTNI MOORE

38

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b

Captain Dan Moreland, halfway around the planet on Picton Castle, continues to entertain with log entries published periodically on the vessel’s website, pictoncastle.com.

An entry entitled “Interlude At Gambier Islands” dated August 29, includes the following gems: “Our days are sweet here at this South Pacific idylle as we wander the island, work on the ship, and wait for a few things to come together. Not the least of which would be a fair wind for Tahiti. El Nino is doing its thing, and west winds are on the docket for a few days. Tahiti is to our west, about 800 miles away, a bit further than Bermuda is from Lunenburg. And a lot further than anyone aboard wants to motor. Even if we could.”

And...

“The big (1,500 lb) port anchor lost its stock at Pitcairn Island. Broke right off, it did. Quite a shock to lose the stock. There were some serious shock loads at Bounty Bay. With the help of friend Tehotu, we have a good fix/replacement underway now to sort out replacing the now missing 5″ thick, 8-foot-long steel stock. Maybe we could sneak back to Pitcairn and make off with the Bounty anchor on display in the square! They don’t need it any more… just sitting

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there… it could use some paint too… we have paint.”

Registration to access the preserves. The preserves are H operated by the Vermont Division for Historic Back in May, the world-travelling bark Europa fell Preservation and managed by Lake Champlain Maritime over onto her side while she was being placed back into Museum. the water from the drydocks in Cape Town, South The preserves already include 10 dive sites, the first of Africa. which opened in 1985. This year saw the addition of two One sailor was injured and had to be hospitalized, new shipwreck sites: the Pot Ash Point Canal Boat and but was released by early June and is reported to be the Providence Island Canal Sloop. recovering.

The Pot Ash Point On July 25, after Canal Boat shipwreck extensive preparations, sits in approximately including the assembly 35 feet of water, accesof a lifting gantry, the sible for divers of all bark was righted. skill levels. The boat is “We are glad to a pre-1862 standard have the team of Nick canal boat with the Sloane and his compabow and stern intact; ny Resolve Marine on quarried stone cargo board for this project,” and fragments of intersaid Director Leentje nal structures are visiToering. “The collaboble. ration with Resolve The Providence Marine is going very Island Canal Sloop is well and we are thankan extremely well-preful for the technical served canal sloop skills and innovative shipwreck sitting perdesign that Nick Sloan fectly on the bottom and his team brought of the lake deep underto the table.” water, approximately Europa was placed 85 feet deep. A unique back on the shipyard’s example of a canal transport equipment sloop with a fine entry, and was transferred to or pointed bow, most EUROPA on her side in Cape Town this summer. the dockyard’s repair of the boat’s rig is still lane. There, the crew in place and its eyeThe bark is expected to resume sailing this fall was able to proceed catching coat of with the necessary repairs as well as complete the turquoise paint has been preserved by the cold water. remaining scheduled maintenance.

There is no obvious source of sinking and, despite its The plan as of early September was to relaunch as unique appearance, no history on this boat has been found soon as possible. After a trial voyage, Europa will make to date. Evidence shows there was a family living in the her way back to South America and start the Antarctica stern cabin and a load of coal is still present in the boat’s season as planned, followed by a voyage into the Pacific hold.

Ocean.

Members of the public interested in exploring a shipH wreck without getting in the water can experience a shipIn July, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum wreck dive from the comfort of a boat on the museum’s announced that they were adding two new shipwrecks to weekly ROV Shipwreck Tour series. Passengers will ride the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserves for to the site of the steamboat Champlain II shipwreck, just divers to explore. For underwater aficionados without div- across the lake from the museum. Once at the shipwreck ing certification, they introduced a weekly ROV site, the museum team will send a small underwater Shipwreck Tour. remote-operated-vehicle (ROV) into the water to dive The Underwater Historic Preserves provide public down to the shipwreck and send back real-time video to access for divers to the lake’s historic shipwrecks. The sys- an onboard screen for all to see. tem is designed to protect these underwater resources The Champlain II was launched in 1868 originally to from damage and artifact collecting and make them avail- ferry railroad cars from Burlington to Plattsburgh before able for generations of divers to explore. Divers must it was converted into a passenger steamboat in 1874. complete their free annual Lake Champlain Diver Passengers will hear the dramatic story of how the boat 40

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Nipper’s on Great Guana Cay in the Abacos could be posted as a bar or a beach. Walking distance from the leeward anchorage, this multi-level bar with its freshwater pool is located on a bluff overlooking the beautiful windward-side beach.

The burgers are good, the beer is cold, and the beach is gorgeous. True, it’s a big place and can get quite boisterous at times. But when we were there around New Year’s it was all but deserted. Honestly, now, what more could you ask for? — MR

sank in 1875 and explore the shipwreck, keeping an eye out for fish, via the ROV real-time video feed.

Tickets should be reserved in advance at www.lcmm.org/ShipwreckTours.

H Tres Hombres, named after three friends who started a

new clean shipping company back in 2007, transports sustainable, organic and artisanal goods between Euruope and the Caribbean.

This August, the 1943 brigantine was sailing in the English Channel when it sustained a 75- to 80-degree knockdown. Bosun Hanjo Van Weerden posted a detailed log entry on the company’s website, fairtransport.eu, describing the event, which makes for interesting reading.

The log entry is in Dutch, but it is easily read via Google Translate. Be warned, some of the nautical terms will be translated oddly.

H The American Schooner Association and The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race have collaborated on an informal but hugely informative series of webinars which are available to watch online, for free.

To see the available webinars, visit: www.amschooner.net/webinars Of particular interest to Marlinspike readers: “Mapping the Great Lakes After the War of 1812 with Gordon Laco” Laco has outfitted fine yachts and sailing ships for many years and served as an historic consultant on over 50 films including “Master and Commander”. In this expansive story, Laco takes us back to the uneasy peace following the defeat of Napoleon and the Royal Navy’s charting of the Upper Great Lakes.

“A Trip to Haiti and Cuba with Nat Benjamin” Benjamin co-founded the highly-respected wooden boatyard, Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway. Nat and his artist wife, Pam, have made several passages to Haiti in their schooner, Charlotte, where Pam has supported

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Atlantic Garbage Patch.

many local causes through her non-profit, SenseOfWonderCreations.org.

“Sailing a Baltimore Clipper with Jan Miles” Captain Miles has been with Pride of Baltimore, Inc. since 1981. He was the first to sail the original Pride across the North Atlantic and has has served as master or mate aboard many other vessels, including Lady Maryland, Californian, Bill of Rights, New Way, Alexandria, Brilliant, Clearwater, Elissa, Oliver Hazard Perry and Tiare Toporo. He also helped develop model sailing programs for youth at risk.

“A Quest for Knowledge Under Sail with Matt Rutherford” Rutherford completed a record-breaking, non-stop, single-handed voyage of 27,077 miles around North and South America. Since finishing the circumnavigation of the Americas, Matt has created Ocean Research Project, an organization dedicated to science, education and exploration. In 2013 Matt spent 70 days in the Atlantic ocean mapping out the unexplored eastern side of the

“Rainbow, from Concept to Reality with Reggie Townsend” From scouring the forests of Asia for materials, though lead pours in Indonesia, revolution in Jakarta, a posting in Alaska, and a delivery from the Indian Ocean to St. Mary’s City, Maryland, Reggie Townsend pursued a dream to build an ocean going, two-masted boat that could take the rigors of the open ocean yet retain a traditional, easy-to-handle style.

“A Life of Unexpected Opportunities with Nicholas Alley” For over 40 years, Nicholas Alley has followed a career path of unexpected opportunities that have led him to jobs on some of the best-known and best-loved boats and ships in America. Currently actively involved in deliveries, tall ships and tugs, Captain Alley walks us through his life on the water. Join us for a trip with this well-known and highly-regarded captain.

for Schooner RUTH See ad, page 7

REDBIRD

Schooner MARY DAY See article, page 14 Schooner HALIE & MATTHEW 2006, fiberglass hull. Located Maine. COI for 100 on deck, 50 overnight. Asking $1,250,000.

Schooner AMAZING GRACE 58’ LOD ferrocement schooner, built 1991. New engine, rigging, electronics. COI for Lakes Bays & Sounds, 33 + 2. Located San Juan, PR. Asking $450,000.

Schooner MERCANTILE 1916 wooden-hulled schooner in the Maine Windjammer trade. LOD 79', COI for 49, 29 overnight.

Brand new sails. Located Camden, ME. Reduced to $350,000. Contact Artisan Boatworks for full listing.

Schooner CAPT. KIDD 55’ steel schooner, 2000. COI for 28. Located Seabrook, TX. Asking $190,000.

Friendship Sloop TUPELO HONEY See ad, page 2

Schooner REDBIRD ‘42 LOA ferrocement schooner, Bruce Bingham design, 1982. Built at Bonny’s Boatworks in Vallejo, CA. Contact Capt Stan Collinson, 978-337-9262.

Asking $69,000.

Schooner LIBERTE See ad, page 16 42

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“My Life with Mystic Whaler with John Eginton” Mystic Whaler became a fixture along the New England coast and a model for successful non-profit schooners. Captain John’s 46-year schooner career has taken him throughout the entire east and west coasts of this country and throughout the Caribbean.

“Spooky Juice” as served at the Mercy Tavern in Salem, MA. The Mercy is on Derby Street, which runs along the waterfront.

Word like “spooky” and haunted” get thrown around quite a bit in Salem. But there’s nothing supernatural about this creative rum drink. It’s just a nice outside-the-box alternative to the traditional rum mixes.

Ingredients include: spiced rum, apple brandy, red wine, dates, “punch”, hazelnut, and huckleberry.

Heavily garnished, and sure to leave an indelible stain.

Enjoy! — MR

“Marine Photography: A New Approach for Old Salts with Richard Sherman” Internationally renowned photographer Richard Sherman walks us through his techniques for taking better marine photographs. Full of tips, this is an engaging and informative glimpse into how the “pros” do it.

H This summer, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum expanded its onwater experience offerings through the acquisition of the cruise boat Patriot, which has been docked at CBMM’s waterfront for decades.

CBMM has assumed day-to-day operations of the 65-foot, two-level vessel that has offered guests scenic cruises of the Miles River since 1990.

“We are absolutely thrilled to add Patriot to the CBMM family,” CBMM President & CEO Kristen Greenaway said. “Given her ability to give access to the Miles River to 20,000 guests per year, the acquisition of the vessel is a key addition to delivering our mission.”

Patriot can carry up to 149 passengers. The enclosed main deck offers climate-controlled comfort, while the top deck is partially covered by a canopy.

CBMM has long offered guests opportunities to experience the Miles River on the water. In recent years, many of those cruises were offered on its passenger-carrying buyboat Winnie Estelle, but with that venerable vessel undergoing maintenance this year, CBMM has added cruises aboard other vessels in its historic floating fleet.

More offerings are also on the horizon aboard its newest buyboat, Choptank.

With Patriot, CBMM’s short-term focus will be to finish the season strong while beginning to explore the long-term opportunities that the acquisition provides.

Guests can continue to book tours online at patriotcruises.com or buy tickets from the booth adjacent to the dock through Oct. 22. b

Authentic Tarred Hemp Marline

Do you have a newsworthy item for Boats, Bars & Beaches? Contact us at Marlinspike1812@gmail.com.

www.tarsmell.com

Spooky Juice

American Rope & Tar 8115 River Front Ln. Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (877) 965-1800

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A popular feature on the Marlinspike facebook page is NAME THAT BOAT, where readers are asked to identify tall ships and sail-training vessels of the past & present.

A

How many of these vessels can you name?

8/9 — Admiral of the Ocean Sea 7/9 — Commodore 6/9 — Captain 5/9 — Master & Commander 4/9 — First Mate 3/9 — Seaman, Able 2/9 — Seaman, Ordinary 1/9 — Swabbie 0/9 — Tourist ANSWERS: A) Alabama, B) Bill of Rights, C) Bowdoin, D) Amerigo Vespucci, E) Hawaiian Chieftain, F) Amistad, G) Bloodhound, H) Bay Lady II, I) Elizabeth II.

B

C

D

Ω

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Ω

G

E

BAYSHOTS

H

F

I

CARYN Ω BΩ DAVIS

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ZODIAC Photo by Dana Raugi

Three nautical-themed tattoos by the talented Eman of Cali Life Tattoo in Costa Mesa, CA. Check out his work on instagram @Emantattoos

My Grohmann knife, had it for 3 years now. I’ve been through a couple of spikes and this one from Capt. Curry has been holding up well! It’s beefier than the one from Grohmann which broke after less than a year of use. The “fluting” seems like it’s Swedish Fid-inspired, but I haven’t found much advantage to it in that regard.

— Will Traves

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Visit the historic seaport of Salem, Mass for a cruise on our replica of the 1812 privateer schooner FAME! Sailing daily all summer from our downtown dock!

978.729.7600 * SchoonerFame.com