Some ofthe crew who overhauled the rig: standing (Left to right): Patrick Brandon, Jennifer Huggins, Samantha Ficksman, Patrick Curry, Mike WaLI; back row: Steve Hyman, Gary Hoganson, Richard Goings; kneeling: Christopher ]annini. (Photo: Wes Heerson)
''A Roving Band of Samantha Ficksman turns in one ofnearly 100 new wire splices. (Photo: Steven A. Hyman) by Steven A. Hyman xcept for the clothing styles, ir was a scene that could have occurred 112 years ago. On 12 June 1998, the Balclutha returned from drydock to her berth at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's Hyde Srreet pier after nine months in a shipyard across the bay. She carried all fifreen of her yards for the first time in nine years and looked every inch the proud ship that had been launched Clydeside by Charles Connell & Co. of Glasgow on 9 December 1886. Everything was glistening and her rig was all squared away. Balclutha's story is one of stormy seas-she rounded Cape Horn 17 timesand picking her way through uncharted waters and dangerous rocks-she went aground in 1904 in Alaska. She has "rested the bottom" and seen her share of neglect and bad management, yet she has persevered by rhe grace of God and some of the men in her life. Joseph Conrad once wrote, "Ships are all right. Ir is the men in rhem! " Thar, in the best sense, still holds true today. For Balclutha, my mentor Karl Kortum will always be one of rhe most important of her men. Kortum, the man who spent most of his adult life "sprinkling the globe with
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maritime museums," also dreamed of roving bands of riggers and shipwrights who would maintain rhe ships and sustain the rapidly disappearing skills rhar had builr and sailed them. Ir was Korrum's vision that inspired me to follow a career in historic maritime preservation 23 years ago. At rhar rime there were srill "old salts" around who had firsthand experience of making mercantile passages under sailKortum, Harry Dring, Capt. Fred Klebingat, Henry Bremmer. They knew how things should be done on rhe old ships and rhey guided us youngsters ar our work. Although a number of good and talented people arrived on rhe historic ship scene in those days, most didn't stay for lack of opportunity. Now, 20 years later, all that has changed. Nor only is the historic and traditional ship business thriving, but rhe number of restored and replica vessels actually our there sailing has blossomed into a real industry. No longer hopeless romantics "chasing ghosts, " young people have been discovering career opportunities building, maintaining and going to sea on traditionally built and rigged vessels. When ir came rime to again restore Balclutha's rigging, assembling a competent crew was rhe easiest part of my job. The individuals I hired provided me
Refit:s with affirmation of my work in historic maritime preservation-people like Wes Heerson who proved to be rhe quimessenrial sailing ship's mare: calm, competent, and dedicated.Wesley started out in Galveston, Texas, as a 15-year-old volunteer on board the Elissa. I had been in charge of restoring her rig several years before. In the 13 years since, he has gone on to work and sail on a number of traditional vessels and acquire his Master's License. He sailed as Chief Mare aboard the Pride ofBaltimore II on her recent Asian voyage and is overhauling her rig rhis winter. It was a proud momem for me to see how Wes' s burgeoning career was coming along. Our task was to complete the overhaul of Balclutha by removing, repairing and rigging up rhe ship's foremast. After 112 years rhe foremast had never been out of the ship, according to available records. The topmast had been replaced in situ in 1961 and that mast was once again in need of major repairs. I had sent rhe upper yards and rhe fore r'gallant mast down late in 1989 because of serious concern over the imegri ty of rhe lower mast. In 1990 the topmast rigging eyes (Balclutha has single, steel pole fore and main topmasts) were lifted and new hardwood bolsters installed aloft by shipwright Karl Brandes and the
SEA HISTORY 90, AUTUMN 1999