The warm weather finally arrived late in April and progress picked up right away with extra volunteers lending a hand. We were able to use epoxy and have it cure hard enough to sand in a reasonable time. We made the deck boxes for seating aft by the wheel, and deck storage boxes at the after end of the main cabin. These will hold propane, a cooler, the deck wash pump, docklines and life jackets.

Julie painted the binnacle and it is now mounted to the afterdeck, and Cousin Steve wired the engine instruments that are mounted there. We even checked the engines’ starters and oil pressure alarms. The deck fills are in, and the chainplates are all on, with their 40 stainless steel 3/4” bolts. The foc’sle hatch is varnished and mounted, with hinges, and the wheel box is in place to hold the ship’s wheel and steering mechanism. It has bolts but needs bedding compound (soon).

The skylight with its four opening hatches is finally complete (but not glued yet) and the dorade box has paint and is ready to be mounted whenever the skylight gets its glue. The skylight has a couple of beautiful birdseye green spruce pieces for trim as well as a quarter-sawn red oak ridge piece, with sassafras and red elm trim. We’ve started drilling tiny holes for #2 screws in foreign coins to make keepers for the axles in the blocks. They all have a maritime theme, with ships and sea creatures on them.

Judge MacDonald has been a tremendous help to finish refinishing the ship’s wheel – scraping the last of it’s old paint, finely sanding it and painting the hub.

We’ll be putting the galley back together soon now that the wiring is run and the deck fills are in. Next are bulwarks and paint, and of course the masts.

We’re still gaining three minutes a day of daylight and with the warmer weather we’re getting back on schedule.

We’re proud to announce that we’ll be partnering with Dave and Jen of Les Cheneaux Coffee Roasters. We’ll be offering on overnights and on our floating bed and breakfast Huron Jewel coffee, a brew specially blended for us that will also be available in stores.

Soon our schedule will be available online to start booking trips. Along with our floating bed and breakfasts, we will have some speical tours. These include Fireworks Afloat, stargazing trips with Mary Stewart Adams, Boat to the Boat Show (the Hessel Wooden Antique Boat Show), the DeTour River Fest, and our special Captain’s Choice North Channel Cruise. If you pre-bought trips please contact Julie promptly about priority booking.

And be sure to mark your calendar and save the date of Saturday, June 23rd for the official celebration and christening of Schooner Huron Jewel at the Drummond Island Yacht Haven. We’ll have lots going on – including a concert by Lee Murdock, balladier of the Great Lakes, so you won’t want to miss it!