Another Distraction

[Mike Goodwin]

Here is why my Ariel is not getting done;
A couple of months ago I went down to the building site for the Schooner Virginia, a replica of a 1918 Virginia Pilot schooner . I offered to volunteer and was asked to show up once a week. Things went well for several weeks and I managed to get in 2 and 3 days some weeks. Had to stop for a week to do "chores" and make some cash. Got a call from the manager of the project saying they needed me . Explained need to make a living of some sort and he said "that's why I called, we want you on the building crew full time."
Well it don't pay much , but how many 122' schooners do you get a chance to build in one lifetime nowdays? Took me a full 3 seconds to think it over.

http://www.schoonervirginia.com/construction/schoonercam.htm

That is our live schooner cam, with the 42tons of lead in center screen.

attached is a photo of the cutwater knee sitting on the white oak keel, sitting on 42 tons of lead ballast. The keel is 50' long and weighs 8 tons itself.

Today I was making 1-1/4" silicon bronze keel bolts, the shortest are 38" , the longest 12' . I turn threads on the solid bronze stock so we can put a nut on either end.

[Brent]

I'm impressed. Bully for you; this is most certainly an opportunity worth grasping.

[Mike Goodwin]

The arrangement in the previous photo had to be disassembled, it was just to mark for cutting and drilling. In this photo, the ballast keel is on the center , the keel is to the right (equal in weight to 3 Ariels) and one of the deadwood pieces is on the left. In the lower far left , Dan is working on the cutwater .In the upper far left is another piece of deadwood and far right is the sternpost. The pile of lumber to the extreme right side of the shelter will be hull planking.

We could put about 3 dozen Ariels or Commanders in the shelter and no one would be cramped for space, I just want a corner!

Mike G

[Mike Goodwin]

In this shot the wooden keel and lead ballast are being mated for the final time. The ballast keel surface has been coated with tar and the oak keel was painted with red lead by yours truely.

If any of you are visiting the Norfolk Va. area , please drop by the building site, we are right behind the ballpark on the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River.

[Hull376]

Mike,

Do you have a pic of what the completed vessel will look like? (or are you guys making this up as you go along?)

[Mike Goodwin]

Go to our website;

http://www.schoonervirginia.com/

and our live webcam;

http://www.schoonervirginia.com/con...schoonercam.htm

pictures and drawings available, even historic shots of the original boat.

[Mike Goodwin]

We set the stern post today;

[Mike Goodwin]

I made a lot of keelbolts;

[Hull376]

Mike,

Great site.  Will be a fine vessel when you are finished.  And I'll bet Ebb could use some of those keel bolts in his rehab project.

[Mike Goodwin]

We put the first pair of frames up today, the horn timber (looks like a bowsprit over the sternpost)  is in and the cutwater and cutwater knee. I'll post some pix later tonight.

 But 1st a beverage and a shower !

[ebb]

keel bolts that size...?   hmmmmm.  Could use one for the bowsprit I've been thinking about.  and one for the lightening arrester on top of the mast.  one for a mooring.  mount one in the cockpit as a palm slam beverage opener....yup......

[Mike Goodwin]

This afternoon when the 1st frames ,#7, went up.

[Mike Goodwin]

The schooner is kind of 2-D at this point, 122'x 2'. That is the horn timber rising in the distance and the cutwater balanced on my "medievel siege engine" in the foreground .

[Mike Goodwin]

We have now got 4 frames set , #7,8,9 & 10, and our goal is to set 12 a week for a few weeks .
Here is frame #8 ( second to be installed ) being lifted from the lofting floor.

[Mike Goodwin]

Guiding the frame to its marks atop the deadwood, it takes up to 6 people to safely set it in place.