The AshBreezeJournal of the Traditional Small Craft Association Building America’s Whaling Boats IN THIS ISSUE Family Boat Building in Texas How to Make Your Own Cleats CBMM Summer Boat Shop Programs Lug Rigs for Everyone VOLUME 34, Number 2 • Summer 2013 • $4.00 The President’s Message Breeze Ash The Ash Breeze (ISSN 1554-5016) is the quarterly journal of the Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. It is published at Mariner Media, Inc., 131 West 21st Street, Buena Vista, VA 24416. As I write this letter I am looking the building and possibly picking up Communications concerning membership or mailings should be forward to the WoodenBoat Show at a few new members. addressed to: PO Box 350, Mystic, CT Mystic Seaport and our annual Small This is my last message since my 06355. www.tsca.net Craft Meet. Hopefully, many of our council term is complete. It has been members will take advantage of the an honor to serve the TSCA these Volume 34, Number 2 combination of a boat show and an past three years. We currently have Editor: active participation on the water. As three council members waiting to Andy Wolfe in the past, the boat livery will be be approved by vote. Nominated to [email protected] open and free to participants giving serve three-year terms are: Russell members a chance to try out a variety Smith (CT), Ned Asplundh (PA), and Advertising Manager: of boats. Andy Wolfe (VA). You will receive Mike Wick In a previous message I threw an electronic ballot by email very [email protected] out some ideas for expanding our soon. We are still searching for a new Editors Emeriti: membership by reaching out to treasurer to replace Chuck Meyers. I Richard S. Kolin young people in the Boy Scouts and want to thank Chuck for his work as Sam & Marty King other organizations. Another idea treasurer over the years. I also want David & Katherine Cockey has come to my attention. A number to thank Andy Wolfe, and his staff Ralph Notaristefano of schools are showing an interest at Mariner Media, for his continual Ken Steinmetz in the St. Ayles Skiff Project. These superb job on the Ash Breeze. I look John Stratton skiffs are ideal for groups of kids to forward to it getting better and better. Dan Drath get out on the water. Several schools Remember we need articles from the Ned Asplundh in South Jersey, where I live, are membership. And, as always, thank currently ordering kits. This could be you to John Weiss for his continual The Traditional Small Craft an opportunity for the local TSCA work as membership coordinator. Association, Inc. is a nonprofit, tax- Chapters to get involved helping with –Tom Shephard exempt educational organization that works to preserve and continue the living traditions, skills, lore, and legends surrounding working and pleasure watercraft with origins that predate the marine gasoline engine. It Praise for the Color Ash Breeze encourages the design, construction, and use of these boats, and it embraces “Most impressed with the presentation “Congratulations, what a wonderful contemporary variants and adaptations of the Ash Breeze. It has become a real publication, it looks great. Receiving of traditional designs. quality publication.” the Ash Breeze alone is now worth TSCA TSCA is an enjoyable yet practical –Stuart K. Hopkins membership dues.” link among users, designers, builders, –David Wyman restorers, historians, government, and maritime institutions. “What a beautiful publication. Great ©2013 by The Traditional Small Craft Association, Inc. paper and color! So far I have read Send us your comments. Also, send everything at least twice.” us your stories and pictures, so that you Cover Photo: ©Rosemary Wymann –Robert Hallett too can be featured in the Ash Breeze. The Ash Breeze, Summer 2013 2 Working Together for America’s Last Whaling Ship by Darrah Foster at Independence Seaport Museum The partnering organizations include Alexandria Seaport It’s an exciting time in the national boat building Foundation, the Apprentice Shop, Beetle Boatshop in community—the last surviving whaleship and oldest partnership with New Bedford Whaling Museum, Gannon & commercial vessel in America is under complete restoration Benjamin Marine Railway, Great Lakes Boat Building School, by Mystic Seaport Museum. The National Whaleboat Project Independence Seaport Museum, Lake Champlain Maritime is supporting this effort with ten whaleboats being built by Museum, Lowell’s Boat Shop, and Rocking the Boat. nine organizations in seven states. The new whaleboats will The National Whaleboat Project reached out to local schools accompany Charles W. Morgan on her 38th voyage to various offering students a hands-on experience building a whaleboat. New England ports in 2014. continued on page 4 Top: Whaleboats under construction at Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA. 3 The Ash Breeze, Summer 2013 Whaleboats interesting project for our apprentices that are steeped in American history, but also great to have the honor to take part continued from page 3 in a national effort to support the Morgan,” stated Alexandria Independence Seaport Museum’s President and CEO, John Seaport Foundation’s Workshop Manager, Howell Crim. The Brady, said, “We love the idea of working with Mystic Seaport ten whaleboats will complete her outfit by swinging from her Museum on the Morgan restoration project. It fits into our davits, but her future depends on continual preservation. mission and gives us the opportunity to partner with local schools and expand our STEM (Science, Technology, Visit www.mysticseaport.org to find out how to donate. Engineering, and Mathematics) program.” With this project, each organization faces project challenges while building the whaleboats. Organizations working with students to build the whaleboat are tasked with teaching students while trying to accomplish set benchmarks in a timely manner. Rocking the Boat’s Executive Director, Adam Green, explained, “The heart of our challenge has been doing complex work with high expectations working with a group of high school students. The project requires an enormous level of commitment on their part.” Building a whaleboat is something the Beetle Shop knows Above: A high school apprentice working on a whaleboat. how to accomplish. They were the original builders of the Beetle Whaleboat. James Beetle designed this boat in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the mid-to-late 1800s and was Below: The Beetle name was found on most of the original found on most whaleships. Boat builders Bill Sauerbrey and whaleboats, including the Charles W. Morgan. Manny Palomo took the lead on this project. “Being a part of this project brought us back to our original roots as whaleboat builders, and allowed us to share that history. The Beetle Shop was originally located in New Bedford, the “Whaling Capital” of the world in its heyday,” said the Beetle Shop’s Office Manager, Michelle Buoniconto. Each organization is excited to be a part of the Morgan’s restoration effort. Lowell’s Boatshop Workshop Manager, Graham McKay, said, “We took on this whaleboat project to be a part of an amazing national effort, while at the same time, establishing our own apprentice program for local high school students.” The restoration of the Charles W. Morgan has brought organizations and workshops together from all over the country to help her begin a new life. “Not only is this a very The Ash Breeze, Summer 2013 4 5 The Ash Breeze, Summer 2013 Making Your Own Fittings Photos courtesy of Rosemary Wyman The Ash Breeze, Summer 2013 6 Part 2: Making a Simple but Effective Wooden Cleat by David Wyman Cleats are an important part of any small boat’s hardware. A simple wooden cleat can easily be made with limited tools and modest skill. Cleats need to be large enough to easily cleat a line; cleats that are too small are an aggravation! Because this wooden cleat is easy, inexpensive, and fun to make, you can To build this 6-inch cleat, follow 5. Cut out the rough shape of the cleat have as many as you want. On my 16- these steps: with a saw. foot boat I have a large bow cleat for 1. First cut out a 1¼-inch by 6-inch a mooring, two stern cleats, and three piece of wood from a ¾-inch thick additional cleats on each side (if I had board. just one more, I might have enough!). 2. Mark the location for the two There have been many types of cleats ⅜-inch diameter holes. developed over the years, but this simple cleat works well for temporarily securing any line such as halyard, sheet, mooring line, anchor line, etc. The drawing shows a 6-inch cleat that is designed for 6. Once you have a rough cleat shape use with ⅜-inch diameter rope, which I cut from the wood, you then want to consider to be the right size for a small round all of the edges with a file so that boat. A ⅜-inch line is strong enough, there are no sharp edges on the cleat. and it is the smallest size that is easily 3. Drill the two ⅜-inch diameter holes held in your hand; anything smaller is in the positions marked. hard to grab and pull on with wet and cold hands. Cleats should be made of a reasonably hard wood such as oak or mahogany (most soft woods are not strong enough). Oak and mahogany are readily available at most home building supply stores in ¾-inch thick boards, which are a good 7. Mounting holes should be drilled thickness to use for making cleats for in the position shown on the drawing ⅜-inch diameter rope. If you need a 4. Draw the cutout lines for the cleat, and countersunk for mounting with cleat for larger or smaller rope, you can intersecting the holes that were just flat head bolts or screws.