March’s Progress Moves Forward

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March 20, 2017

The schooner has been progressing in the last month (February) despite winter finally arriving and the cold invading the building. The epoxy-sealed interior surfaces have been primed and painted and the cover has come off now that the paint is dry.

Work on the centerboard is coming along with two coats of fairing compound applied to one side to make it smooth over the fiberglass cloth and now we’re about to turn it over again (it weighs a thousand pounds) to fair the other side.

The anchor chain and rigging wire have arrived, and numerous other parts and equipment are filling up the storage area. The propellers arrived from Denmark via UPS in only three days – they are three-blade folders beautifully machined from bronze. Bronze portlights are on the way, as are foam and cloth for custom-made mattress and covers.

Roger came up from Windsor, Ontario with some friends and shaped the spar for the main gaff and started making the first of the four dozen blocks for the running rigging. The launch trailer has been completed and will have to live outside for a while. Deckbeams are in progress now that I’ve faired the sheerline with a plane and the interior structure will be next.

I have to drill a number of big holes in the hull now that various thru-hulls have arrived; like the raw-water intakes for the engines and the head, the discharges for the bilge pumps, and the transducer for the depth sounder, which will go way forward by the foremast so hopefully I can detect shallow water before rather than after finding it with the keel.

The box for mounting the ship’s wheel and hydraulic pump is fairly complete, minus the top cover and paint. It also serves as the exit for engine room air, which comes in at the base of the binnacle, pushed out by a blower (on the way, too). The newfangled patent anchor arrived the other day since the distributor had a big sale. It’s a Spade anchor, sort of an upside-down plow which is said to work much better; but there will likely be a plow on the other chain just to be sure. Speaking of which, we installed the chain box in the chain locker the other day – it has to hold the six hundred pounds of chain and not come adrift when pounding into head seas heeled way over. All in all, it has been a busy month and lots of progress!

Want to learn more about Schooner Huron Jewel? Go to www.ditallship.com or stop by! Schooner House at 38988 S McKenzie Pt Rd., Drummond Island, MI. If we’re there we’re happy to answer your questions.

Want to get involved? Give us a call (906-440-5338) or stop by there’s plenty to do, no previous experience required.

– Captain Hugh

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