Vol. 23, No. 1 - Traditional Small Craft Association

the Chesapeake log canoe, the ‘grandscanots’ of the fur trade, the colonialperiagua, and the ‘doree.’ With threehundred plus students and tightquarters, the school simply does nothave the money to develop a site for thisunique American artifact. Thirty-sixfeet is big, what this boat needs is abuilding. What the school does have,though, is the expertise and knowledgenecessary for its proper display andinterpretation.Oyster shack, an on-thewatergathering place duringoccasional sharpie festivities....And a few more boats... The first isTenacious. If any boat is symbolic ofthis school, it is Tenacious. Theinspiration of George Foote, the founderof the Sound School, and Peter Neill,she is the perfect boat in the right place.And in the early days of the SoundSchool, when money, teachers and justabout everything else were scarce,George Foote made sure he backed leadboatbuilder/teacher/sailor Ken Donovanand his students as they built that boat.She is a thirty-six-foot replica of aracing sharpie. The lines are fromChapelle’s American Small SailingCraft, page 120, “Fig. 43. Last type ofracing sharpie….” Again, this is a finelined,thin-waisted boat - you can seeher log canoe heritage. Bermuda-leg-omuttonrigged, she moves inshoreeasily, and nearing the school’s pier -crowded quarters here - turns on a dimeand is alongside the dock. And everyhead at the school turns seaward. Now,add a couple, say four, tons of oyster toTenacious, and you’re ready to starthauling them across the street, open along-gone (though some houses stillhave them) wide doors and startshucking. But back to reality, if you’re aSound School student - done some timein the skiffs - you’re going to get to sailTenacious, sail that thirty-six-foot, twomastrig. You might ride the morningcatspaws or hit an afternoon breeze.You’ll learn to come about, haul in themain - some call it the mizzen - andslack the fore. Drive her around, listento her move, get a feel for the tiller andslip across the harbor. With the windthe way it is here, she’ll go anywhere,do anything. The kids know: on a crispfall day, the wind moderate, all things ashimmer, sails aglow, it’s the only dealin town. And so does the boat shopcrew, everybody’s on the water.And, one and all, Brockways,Diablos, sharpie-skiffs, gigs andTenacious, they are school-built.Sometimes they’re all out, or at thedock. It’s some sight.So, it’s about time to leave City Point,well wait! Inside the Administrationbuilding and the building just east of itare photographic displays,interpretations of the sharpie developedas a school project by a history teacher,John Buell, and three of his students,Ashley Pherson, Elanya Delacruz, andAmie Smith. This display isremarkable. One walks away from thesepictures - they are done quite large andare chosen from photographs in theMystic Seaport archives - with a senseof the sharpie and the flatiron skiff asan integral part of a seasidecommunity, of work and family life.This installation deserves widedistribution. They could easily travelaround the country, from maritime tomaritime museum, expanding ourappreciation of the sharpie and theflatiron skiff beyond anything currentlyin print. Those photographs show howlocal, often taken for granted things,are often a fine part of our lives.And, we’re almost through. TheQuinnipiack. If she’s in, she’s on theSound School’s pier, shares it with theschool. This is a Chapelle designedGulf Coast schooner. She is a 91-footMaine built, shoal draft, pole-masted,centerboarder. Owned by SchoonerIncorporated, a communityorganization devoted to Long IslandSound, she is often involved in schoolprojects, but I think that’s gettingbeyond the scope of things. Anotherstory, another time. And that’s aboutit, almost.If it’s about four in the afternoon asyou’re leaving City Point, driving eastpast the stilts building before circlingtowards Howard Avenue, look seaward.Against the eastern harbors shore, outtoward Morris Cove, and marchingdown Light House Point Reach to thesteady throb of a diesel, you’ll see awhite, streaked hull, an old sixty-foot,

ebuilt who knows how many times,oyster dredge. That’s a Bloom Brothersboat, comes in every day - its quittingtime - been working the sound, maybeshe’s the Louis R.... A hundred yearsago the prototype of boats like thiswould be slowing down about wherethat bridge you’ll soon be going over is,throwing a line to the sharpies rafted atthe mouth of the Quinnipiack and MillRivers waiting for a tow, heading home,Fair Haven bound. No more. But 352years later, New Haven is still mindingthe oyster.And, after a visit like this, I wouldn’tbe surprised if our visitor stopped atMystic Seaport, bought a copy ofAmerican Small Sailing Craft, and,some cold winter evening, commencesreading, pages 104-133, “TheSharpies.” And maybe next summer,harbor map in hand, a bit more curious,there will be more visiting. Maybe oursmall craft fan will bring a boat, reallylook around, understand what made thesharpie. There are trailer ramps, one atLighthouse Point and one in WestHaven, and canoe and kayak put-ins atFair Haven and City Point. ■Note: Despite the school’s busyschedule, Steve Pynn, the principal, andmany others went out of their way toshow me how the boat shop and boathandling classes are taught, and thenature of the harbor, its rivers, and theCity Point architecture. I did a good bitof reading at the New Haven ColonyHistorical Society. It is a smoothly run,beautifully organized library.* Some Aspects of the Sharpie andIts Work.” Log of Mystic Seaport, Jan.1976** Migrations of an American BoatType. USNM Bulletin 22, GovernmentPrinting Office, 1961*** Note: If you go to Schooner Inc.,web site(www.schoonersoundlearning.org/html),you will find a complete description ofthis schooner.Web Sitesof InterestA growing list. Send yourfavorite to the Editor.www.archive.museophile.sbu.ac.uk/rowing/www.bb62museum.org/usnavmus.htmlwww.bostonharborheritage.orgwww.by-the-sea.comwww.ctrivermuseum.orgwww.dabblersails.comwww.drathmarine.comwww.groups.yahoo.com/group/DinghyCruising)www.hoginsails.comwww.home.infi.net/~edonovan/behind/images/minehead.jpgwww.mysticseaport.orgwww.openwater.comwww.perssonmfg.comwww.pilotgigs.co.ukwww.riverswest.orgwww.RowingHistory.netwww.scillyonline.co.ukwww.shawandtenney.comwww.smallboatforum.comwww.steamboating.net/www.tsca.netwww.upperdeckboats.comLettersAttracting Young PeopleThe best way I’ve ever seen inattracting young people to good stuffis to do the stuff yourself and bringyour own small people with you,maybe with a young friend. Thosepeople grow up doing it. If you wantalready half grown people to come tomeetings, give them a challenge,friends to show off to, and lots of freefood. One of the big successes inSacto chapter is having a couple ofovernight events each year. Thechildren of families come, run around,play in boats, some of which are madeto order for their size, eatmarshmallows after their bed times,camp out, eat sandy food, hear theraccoons rattling the garbage cans,play in boats some more, and gohome. We’ve never had a disciplineproblem among all the children inSacramento TSCA because they arenever bored.Apropos of members' not going tomeetings: Invite everybody to row orsail to it, or at least plan it for a goodtide so they have the option of comingby boat. Plan for lots of fun, mixedwith small, efficient amounts ofbusiness, followed by food and music.That’s the word from Queen Tule.Cricket Evans (aka Queen Tule is amember of the Sacramento Chapter).Rockland 2002: InternationalFestival of Seamanship andBoatbuildingJuly 11, 2002See the Fall/Winter 2001 issue ofThe Ash BreezeThe Ash Breeze - Spring 2002 __________________________________________________________ 9

TSCA awarded a Gardner Grant of $1,000 to the Maine HumanitiesCouncil in the fall of 2000 to start making a video documentary on thevarious building techniques used to create Peapods along the Maine coast.Here is their well-written proposal.Juliet BennettP.O. Box 402Brooklin, ME 04616(207)-236-6820julietbrownie@hotmail.comMaine Humanities CouncilCommunity Outreach Grant Proposal1. Describe the idea of the project:I am filming a video documentary concerning Peapods. These little boats indigenous to the Maine coast, played anessential role in the life and history of Maine and are still being built today. I intend to document interviews with severalaging builders who are still building Peapods well past “retirement age,” some are even into their 80s.Within this documentary I intend to introduce the Peapod in its historical context, illustrating how and when it wasused. I also want to follow the thread of a particular Peapod that is still in use today.2+3. What will happen or be produced in this project, and when?My aim is to produce a 20-minute video to be launched in Autumn 2002.SUMMER 2001: I have been obtaining suitable equipment to film with. I have also been meeting with potentialparticipants to establish relations and plan interviews.WINTER 2001: I foresee the remainder of the winter as being used to master my digital video camera, continuinginterviewee contacts and having consultation meetings.SPRING 2002: I plan to begin conducting the filmed interviews in the Spring once I am completely comfortablewith my equipment, and the boats are underway. I want my interaction with the camera and microphone equipment to beunobtrusive during the interviews.SUMMER 2002: Towards the end of the summer I aim to have selected my footage from the filmed interviews andbe ready to go into an editing suite to piece together the final product.AUTUMN 2002: Launching of the video.Research so far has taken me to Vinalhaven, Brooklin, Jonesport, Deer Isle, and the maritime museums in Bath andSearsport. I have been making preliminary contact with the people I want to interview. The Apprenticeshop’s library hasprovided a source for Peapod lines, plans, magazine articles and reference. I also have taken the lines off and am draftingplans for a previously unrecorded Peapod. This research is enabling me to draw up a structure for my interviews.3A. Describe the oral history questions and technical equipment to be used:I plan to conduct interviews with the Subject being interviewed next to their Peapod (whenever possible,) explainingits different features and related history. The clear advantage of video is that it is an easily absorbed format within whichexplanations can be verbal and visual simultaneously. Several builders, including the eldest, are now beginning boats thatwill be in progress in the spring. My interviews will fall into three categories: historical background, builders and methods,and Peapod owners. The Historical Background questions will include what these boats were used for, and how they wereused. Why/how were they an integral part of early Maine coast industry and life? Early building methods will segue intothe specific “tricks” of modern day builders, whose specific questions are given below. The Peapod owners can elicit theintimacy of a boat and the people who own it, as well as showing how well, hard and long these boats can work for.Since the outset of the project I have wanted to create a professional final product. This summer I have invested myown money in a digital video camera (SONY PD100A DVCAM.) I have also purchased a Sanheizer wireless microphone sothat the interviewee can move about the boat they are describing freely, without having to worry about tripping on a cordconnected to the camera.3B. Historical background:Wade Smith and/or Sarah Blachley of The John Gardner Small Craft Workshop, Mystic Seaport Museum. They arefamiliar with the extensive collection of Peapods in the museum and the interpretation of their history.10 _________________________________________________________ The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002

There are several local historians who would be well equipped to give a historical perspective. At the moment I amtrying to find who would be the most comfortable in front of a camera. I have been speaking with Maynard Bray, PeterSpectre, Sam Manning, Ben Fuller, and Anne Witty, who I may also interview at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath whereshe is the curator.3C. Builders:Jimmy Steele of Brooklin, Maine, has been building Peapods since the 1960s and now has a one-man productionshop. He is well established with a world-wide reputation (and list of clients.) Questions would revolve around his uniquesolutions for speeding up the building process. How he cuts the stem rabbet with a router, how he rivets with pneumatic toolsand how he makes patterns for each plank. He is quite an outgoing chap and I think he will respond well to the camera.Frank ‘Junior’ Day of Brooklin, Maine, is a 4 th generation boat builder. He is a little shy and a little deaf but if I amable to get him to warm up to the camera he has some interesting stories to tell of the clamming factory on the BenjaminRiver and the Peapods that used to work the river. At 80+ he is building a Peapod for summer 2002 launch, “while hedecides what boat to build next.” (As just last Fall he launched his sixth “last boat,” a 21’ lobster boat!)Phil ‘Filo’ Dyer of Vinalhaven, Maine, builds Peapods to the patterns from his father-in-law, Hookie Gustavson. Heis a talkative fellow who enjoys sharing some of his solutions to problems faced along the building trail. He builds his podsthe right side up, whereas Jimmy Steele builds his bottom up over a permanent jig. It is the last Peapod built by Gustavsonwhich I have taken the lines of, as none of his boats have been previously recorded in plan form on paper.I am considering interviews with other builders, designers, and users.3D. Peapod owners:Lance Lee of Rockland, Maine, owns the last Peapod that Hookie Gustavson built. Lance Lee is also the founder ofthe Apprenticeshop of Rockland. He is well versed in the utility of the Peapod in times past and present, as he is both anactive user and scholar. He used to watch a fisherman daily who worked off of Vinalhaven with a Peapod now held in MysticSeaport’s collection.Charlotte Beal of Jonesport, Maine, during the Depression would row out off Beal’s Island with her family in theirPeapod and collect driftwood to burn to stay warm. This Peapod is now in Mystic’s collection.4. How will you publicize your project for the broadest community involvement and exposure?It will be suitable for broadcast (i.e. PBS,) for display in museums and schools, and for reference or purchase byother boat builders and scholars.I intend to collaborate with local museums and libraries to arrange press releases and publicity in their newsletters.As you can see from the attached letter from Anne Witty, the curator at Maine Maritime Museum, such institutions areeager for such a documentary. Maine schools will also be made aware of the film through press releases to their historydepartments, to arrange showings in the appropriate classes, and to make the video available for sale/loan to the schoolsystem. I have been doing some archive work at NE Historic Film and I would want to put a ‘new film release’advertisement in their newsletter. Mystic Seaport has an excellent youth education program, and has expressed interest injust this type of film. Several Nautical periodicals (Woodenboat, Classicboat, Maritime, Sea History,…) currently reviewnew books and documentaries, and through this public review it would gain further audience.At present I am researching the PBS requirements for submitting a film for broadcast.5. Who will carry out the project?I plan to film and conduct the interviews following consultations with experts on video and on the documentation ofsmall historic craft. I have a background in video production, having graduated from Plymouth University, UK, in 1995,with a degree in Media Studies. I then worked in London as a film editor for two years before coming to Maine. Since thendigital technology has come to the fore. I am now concentrating on gaining the necessary familiarity with digital equipmentto create a durable and high quality piece. D’Arcy Marsh, a freelance cinematographer has offered to consult on this projectat a greatly reduced rate. He has 30 years experience in producing films, with a specific focus on educational films and

programs for use in the classroom. (e.g. Voyage of the Mimi, the Weymouth Expedition,..) We are having technical andstylistic consultations.D’Arcy has found that a one-on-one interaction between interviewer and interviewee works well. It is then clearwhat one’s role is and where to address comments. With the side screen of modern cameras, one can be both cameraman andquestioner, working through the camera, yet being present as a person. If there are many other technical helpers millingaround it gets confusing for the Subject.I feel comfortable talking about boats, as in 1997 I came to Maine from England to serve a traditional boat buildingapprenticeship at The Apprenticeshop of Rockland. I have sailed almost 8,000 nautical miles at sea. I am thoroughlyconversant with the technical aspects of construction and use. For my final solo project at the Apprenticeshop I built a 15-foot lap strake Matinicus Island Peapod. During the building of this boat I began to learn about the Peapod’s history.Ben Fuller, the TSCA’s Gardner Grant Coordinator is a local expert on documenting small craft. He has been myconsultant, evaluator and advisor for the use of TSCA’s grant and the future of this project. As described in (6) I will beconsulting with other experts as the project progresses.6. How will you evaluate the project?I plan to consult with and show the final video to several small craft scholars for their evaluation. Sam Manning,the illustrator for Bud MacKintosh’s “How To Build a Wooden Boat,” lives locally and is accustomed to apprentices askingfor his evaluations. Maynard Bray, a renowned small craft scholar lives in Brooklin, ME. He is happy to answer questionswhen the interviewer is armed with paper and pencil. Although he will not appear on camera he will give a preciseevaluation of the finished product.I also would like to gauge the response to the video in local museums. The curator would no doubt evaluate the filmbefore accepting it, and then a questionnaire could be available to the public who viewed the film.7. Why is the project important to your community, organization and co-sponsor?I received support for this project from The Traditional Small Craft Association whose grants are offered inmemory of John Gardner, one of the foremost scholars of American working craft. The grants are intended to foster thepreservation of activities surrounding traditional small craft.Peapods fall into this category, as from the late 1800s they played an integral part in the workings of the Mainecoast. Initially used by lobstermen, Peapods were adopted by lighthouse keepers, mail boatmen and were often carried bycoastal schooners as tenders or lifeboats, as they became the ubiquitous choice for coastal living. They were locally builtcraft, with unique facets of form and build, specific to each region, use, and builder. With the advent of the internalcombustion engine the Peapod’s popularity as a working craft waned. However, even today there are a handful of Peapodbuilders along the Maine coast, and Peapods still in use.These Peapod builders are not getting any younger though. If we want to preserve the essence of their knowledge andmemories then now is the time to do it. With the advent of digital equipment we have an opportunity to bring history to life inthe modern format of video that people can absorb easily. We can also create archives of footage, which can be preserved, withless risk of degradation than previous technologies. Furthermore, this Spring several of the old timers, as well as youngerbuilders will be building Peapods. This opportunity to film the stages of building, done differently, with the excitement of thebuilders to convey that energy to the audience, is a chance not to be missed.Here is an opportunity to collect these oral histories, to preserve knowledge gained over lifetimes, so that we will nothave to learn it anew, and to bring a part of Maine’s heritage to its people. It is critical that this endeavor happen now, as theseasons continue to pass for these builders, whose sturdy craft will soon outlive them.8. BudgetThe money I have received so far from the TSCA has helped cover my initial costs of visiting builders andresearching sources and digital equipment. I have invested my own money in the acquisition of good equipment and am nowlooking for financial support to assist in the completion of this project.Consultancy fees @ $100/session $ 300.00Editing costs $ 278.00Transportation $ 360.90Administration supplies $ 61.10Total $ 1,000.00

Book ReviewMystic Seaport Watercraft:Teaching Connoisseurship in theCandy StoreFirst off, every small boat you haveever desired is in here: The exact boat,or its grandfather or grandmother orcousin or sibling. Second, if you areshaping in your mind a boat that hasnever yet actually been built — thegerms of the shape of it are here as well.And third, if you are proud of your ownsmall boat, that pride will deepen as youobserve the flow and direction of atradition which has driven both highcraftsman and weekend duffer, bothprofessional and “messer-about,” to theshores of ponds and bays and oceans forpast centuries.Mystic Seaport Watercraft is thelatest, monumental, Third Edition of thecatalog of all 450-plus craft atConnecticut’s Mystic Seaport Musem.But to call it a “catalog” — a mere list— is a misnomer. It is rather ananthology, each craft with its story ofprovenance, of use, of preservation orof rescue. It is also an anthology ofarchetypes: vessels which exemplifytheir type, despite the often elegantvariants which populate — oronce populated — ourwaterways.Each of the entries isillustrated with photos of thecraft as it now appears, or onceappeared, and is oftensupplemented with basic linesdrawings. Most are welldocumented.Some — therescued ones — are delightfulenigmas, bereft of maker’s nameor, in a few cases, even a donor’sname. But they radiate theiroriginal beauty or inspirationstill, and confer that dignity onthe rest of the collection.The book’s 400 pagesencompass sections on SailingCraft (cat-, sloop-, ketch-, schooner-,and square-rigged); Rowing Craft (flatandround-bottomed); Power Craft(inboard- and outboard-powered;steamers, tugs, draggers, motorsailers,and rumrunners); Canoes (paddlers andsailers); and Iceboats. That’s quite arange in type, time, technology — andmany a fine place to start or endarguments on taxonomy. What “makes”a dinghy: size? use? sail footage?propulsion? shape? history? One thinksof the plump 10-foot yacht tender —perhaps a 10-foot “Hoogar” with atumblehome bow. But how about an18x5-footer under 125 square feet,dubbed Suicide Class by enthusiasts of1930, designed by L. FrancisHerreshoff?Indeed, the classes of craft span therange of thought that humans have putinto a type. Simple beginnings, practicaland continuing, are overlain by anefflorescence of craft continuallyevolving in a search for “performance,”exploiting highly specific nicheenvironments conflating geography,emerging materials, imagination,craftsmanship, and — of course —money.For but one example, see theproliferation of dories — famed as theheavy workaday craft for the schoonerfishery — but consider their apotheosisin an 1880 sailing 12-footer with“extreme topside flare” and “rakingends” and “metal sheathing on stem andstern, most likely as protection fromice.”Canoes are well-treated. The ancientand highly developed dugouts, barkcanoes, and Inuit “Qajaq” skinboatsemerge anew in gentlemanly variants onthe MacGregor Rob Roy styles of the late1800’s, and an exciting proliferation ofgradually more-extreme paddling andsailing craft in the early 1900’s.And likewise rowboats. The stolidflat-bottomed skiff is juxtaposed with itscitified cousins, the elegant wherries andWhitehalls, not to mention a provocativediversion into sliding-rigger racingsculls. And the agile oceangoingwhaleboat, itself an “extreme” formconsidering its use, meets its nearcontemporaryin a 48x2-foot racing sixof 1871, reportedly used byMassachusetts Agricultural College todefeat Harvard and Brown on theConnecticut River near Springfield.Suffice it to say that Mystic SeaportWatercraft is a valuable reference, andan inspiring work of dedication andintelligence, with a touch of wry humorhere and there welcome in those of acuratorial bent. The thanks of smallcraftfolk everywhere should be extendedto Maynard Bray, Benjamin A.G. Fuller,and Peter Vermilya for their scholarshipand wit, and to Mystic Seaport forhaving gathered unto itself thismagnificent — and growing —aggregation of human artifacts for ourconsideration.—j.p.s.——— Mystic Seaport Watercraft,Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., ThirdEdition, 2001. (First Edition 1979,Second Edition 1986). ISBN 0-913372-94-3 (cloth); ISBN 0-913372-95-1(paper). Mystic Seaport, 92Greenmanville Ave., Mystic,Connecticut 06355-0990.

A ShorterAmerican RiverSkiffby Steve WeldJohn DeLapp’s Natoma Skiff (AshBreeze, Summer 1989) is a delightfulboat, and it was a sad day when mineflew off the car and was damaged beyondrepair. But another TSCA memberhad just the right consolation; “Goodexcuse for a new boat”, he said, and thatset the wheels turning. Now, I must admitto being a DeLapp fan-his sheerlinesand stem profiles are among the best Iknow, and when he published an articlein the Winter 1994 Ash Breeze showinghis version of L. Francis Herreshoff’sguideboat-inspired pulling boat, you canbet that I paid attention. He called it theAmerican River Skiff, and it looked likethe right boat to replace the Natoma.Except... The boat-hanging spacein the shed is pretty well used up by a15'-6" boat, and the American RiverSkiff was drawn at seventeen feet. Besidesthat, the Natoma Skiff, at 38" beamand 65 pounds, was a breeze to flip uponto the shoulders, as one does whenportaging a canoe. The ability to portage-carryencourages solo spur-of-themomentcartop forays, and a boat thatcouldn’t be hoisted to the shoulders probablywouldn’t get used much. Could ashorter American River Skiff do the job?The original weighed 90 lb., and noodlingwith a calculator suggested thatone could achieve a weight of about 75lb. if the length were reduced to 15'-6"and the planking thickness to 5mm. Sofar, so good. I knew that I could portage-carrya 92 lb. canoe, but its beam is6" less than the American River Skiff’s.A good deal of speculating and simulatingwith crude mockups ensued, and inthe end, it seemed possible that the tradeoffbetween beam and weight would resultin a boat that could be flipped to theshoulders.John DeLapp was kind enough to publishlines and offsets in his Ash Breezearticle, and the AutoCAD drafting program,despite its lack of a fairing functionwas sufficient to produce a set oflines at 15'-6". (It’s worth noting thatany builder worth his salt could make ashortened version of an existing boatwithout drawings. But the drawingshelp in planning the arrangement andvisualizing the outcome.) There was noconstruction and arrangement drawingwith the published lines, but generalknowledge and experience with theNatoma sufficed to produce the accompanyingdrawing. The layout is almostexactly the same as the Natoma, althoughthe after seat moved a bit to geta little more stern trim with a passenger.The foot stretcher for the forwardrowing position was omitted, since at 6'-2", I found the center thwart more convenientthan a stretcher. Shorter folkmight want to add one.The project went ahead. I asked JohnBrooks of Mt. Desert, Maine, to build her,mostly because he had done light pullingboats, but also because his joinery detailsshowed a sure and artistic hand. Mt.Desert is too far for shop visits, but wekept up a pleasant correspondence by e-mail and snail-mail, and from time totime photos would arrive showingprogress. One day in late April, Johncalled to say that the boat was ready, andthat he was going to be in Kennebunk,an easy drive away for me. So that Saturday,the racks were on the car and off Iwent, John’s directions in hand. On arrival,about the first question I asked was“What does she weigh?”, and to my relief,John replied, “72 pounds”. We puther on the car, and John took off thegleaming white new painters. Hecouldn’t bear to think of them gettingdirty on the road, so I had to tie her downwith “experienced” rope. A couple ofhours later, with a sacrificial splash ofwine and the pronouncing of her name(“Foxpaw”-there’s a story behind that,but it will have to wait for another time)we went out for a first spin. It was apretty good day for trying a new boat,with about 10 knots of breeze blowingdown a mile fetch. She went smoothlyupwind and down, the flat of the bottomstaying immersed in the largest of the14 _________________________________________________________ The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002

chop, and showed no noticeable tendencyto round up with the wind on thequarter. Probably there will be conditionswhere the flat bottom will pound,but I haven’t found them yet. Of course,being light and keel-less, she makes leewayin a crosswind. In general, she ismore maneuverable than straight-tracking,so even pulling is necessary to keepa straight course. The other side of thecoin is that the ability to spin quickly ishandy along an intricate shoreline. (Forreally small water I carry a paddle, andwhile you wouldn’t want to paddle herall day, she gets along well enough, particularlyheeled over.) As you would expectof a light boat, she feels quickunderfoot. Being narrow on the waterline,she is initially tippy, but picks upsecondary stability as her topsides immerse.I haven’t made an accurate assessmentof her speed, but at the Mysticmeet she seemed to compare favorablywith other boats. She attains most ofher maximum speed very easily-probablyabout four knots with not mucheffort. The outriggers and the strongflare get a lot of the credit for this, allowing8'-3" oars on a waterline beamof maybe 28". Speaking of theoutriggers, John Brooks got them justright-they slide easily in and out of theirtraps, but don’t creak or rattle. The oarsare made to the DeLapp pattern fromthe Ash Breeze article, but with Cullerstylesquare looms which keep them inthe locks when left to trail, and also makeit easier to lash them to the thwarts.The other critical part of the boat’s successor failure, from my point of view,was whether my guess that I would beable to portage-carry her was correct.Fortunately, it was, but only just. Thelimiting factor seems to be not theweight, but the beam which, at 42", hasmy arms extended and spread enoughthat they don’t contribute much powerwhen shouldering the boat. The combinationof beam and weight seem to bethe most that I can deal with, at six feetand a bit, and not particularly strong inarms and shoulders. It becomes necessaryto give a good, powerful thrust withthe hips to start the up-and-over motionthat ends with the boat resting more orless comfortably on the shoulders. Theforward edge of the main thwart is amidships,so the boat balances well there andis comfortable enough for short carries.While you can always shave ounces, Idon’t think you could get her muchlighter on the same scantlings. As it is,she feels like a “real boat”, substantialenough so you don’t go in fear of breakingsomething or holing her on an obstruction.(In fact, I rammed the transomof a catboat at nearly full speed, and wasunable to find any damage to eitherboat.)I’m more than satisfied with herlooks. Shortening her from 17'-0" to 15'-6" gave her a more pronounced sheer,and slightly more upright ends, butthey’re just as pretty as the original. JohnBrooks suggested five planks per sideinstead of the six I originally drew. Theplanking lines are shown on the bodyplan and the inboard profile. John tunedthem up some on the moulds, and theylook just right. He also did a nice jobwith the thwarts and knees and everythingyou see when looking into the boat,so she is a pleasure to contemplate whilerowing, or even when she is hanging inher slings awaiting the next outing.So I think I’ve got a winner here.Fast, good-looking, and easy to manageashore and afloat. You couldn’t ask forbetter. •Adirondack MuseumNo-Octane RegattaWeekendJune 14, 15, and 16, 2002www.adirondackmuseum.orgThe Ash Breeze - Spring 2002 __________________________________________________________ 15

Sleeping withOspreys, Fishingwith PelicansCamp Cruising the TenThousand Islands ofEverglades National Park,FloridaDecember 25-30, 2001By David Thomassonand April DixonSmall-boat sailors sail for manyreasons. For us, no other form of sailingis nearly as rewarding as shallow-watercamp cruising in remote natural placesthat receive very low visitation. The TenThousand Islands is one of our favoritewinter destinations.The Ten Thousands form an archipelagoof hundreds of small, sandy barrierislands that border most of thesouthwest side of Everglades NationalPark. They stretch in a NW-SE orientedarch for nearly one hundred miles fromoutside the park at Marco Island in thenorthwest, to the southern tip of the park.The islands are most numerous in thenorth, and in the southern section giveway to a ragged, mangrove-lined coastlinebroken by slow-moving rivers andbroad bays, such as the Lopez, Chatam,Shark, and the Harney. Most of thesmaller islands are mangrove-covered,but the larger ones with slightly higherelevation are dominated by tropical hardwoodvegetation more typical of the Caribbean.Some of these are designated fortent camping that requires a permit issuedby the National Park Service. Coralshoals fringe the west side of the islandsthat are closest to the Gulf of Mexico,and extensive mud flats and oyster bedssurround most islands on at least threesides at low tide.This region is home to some of theworld’s most extensive mangroveswamps, where freshwater flowing fromthe interior of Florida is mixed with thesaltwater of the gulf to create a stunningvariety of estuarine and terrestrial life.It is also a shallow-water sailor’sparadise…one of those last, greatuntamed places that not only offerssuperb sailing conditions, but affords usan opportunity to glimpse into one ofthe world’s most complex estuaries. Andwhile there have indeed been negativeenvironmental impacts to parts of thisregion (particularly on Florida Bay)from unleashed south Floridadevelopment, the place and its intenserhythm of life go on much as they did amillennium ago. As you glide along inthat dreamy, inter-tidal realm whereclear shallow water meets the gulf, andland and sky seem to become one, thehubbub of wildlife activity oftencompetes with sailing for your attention.Below you, dolphins and big fish sliceinto schools of little fish. Overhead, baldeagles rob fish from ospreys. A surpriseexhalation right next to the boat may bea sea turtle or a manatee. Ahead of you,sharks and stingrays cruise the shallows.A low tide at sunrise will alwaysshowcase raccoons and a menagerie ofcolorful wading birds patrolling the flatsfor stranded morsels.Boat traffic here isminimal: canoes, seakayaks, and a few dayfishermen in flatsboats.Yes, sailing here iswild…and oftenchallenging. This isan ever-changing,harsh place thatdemands ourattention and testsevery aspect of our*8 milessmall craft preparation and handlingskills. Winter brings cold fronts withclocking winds; and summer bringsrapidly developing, intensethunderstorms and an occasionalhurricane. An island that was on thechart last year may not exist this year.Navigational charts, an extra anchor,tide chart, compass, and a full array ofsafety equipment are essentials in thisremote location, not luxuries. Even inwinter, the mosquitoes and no-see-ums16 _________________________________________________________ The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002

sometimes prod us to question who isreally the dominant species; they alsoremind us that every living thing hereis in one way or another woven into thefood web, including visiting sailors!In the past, we have sailed the TenThousands in our 18-foot New Havensharpie, Kingfisher. This year, we tookour first extended cruise in Beluga, anewly purchased 1986 Sea Pearl 21. TheSea Pearl is a modern cross between adory and the L. Francis Herreshoffwhaleboat, Carpenter. Like Carpenter,she has soft chines and a hard, flatbottom. In order to make her a moreperfect family daysailer and beachcruiser for two, she was lengthened from18 to 21 feet, while keeping the sameproportions. This gave her a beam of 5½ feet and a length to beam ratio of 3.8to 1, also the same as the Carpenter.The transom was modified from sharpdouble-ended to tombstone to easiermount a kickup rudder. The bow wasmodified to provide more deck spaceforward and give her a more modernlook. Beluga carries 400 lb. of waterballast in twin tanks, and sports an unstayedcat-ketch rig. With camp tentenclosing seven feet of dry sleepingspace, we found that this little beachcruiser met our needs very well. In thepast, we had anchored out and sloggedall our camping gear to the islands; onthis trip we planned to sleep onboardfor five nights.On Christmas day we arrived atCollier-Seminole State Park, southeastof Naples on Hwy. 41. After filing a tripplan with the park rangers, we launchedlate that afternoon atthe park ramp wherethe tannin-rich freshwaters of theBlackwater Riveremanate and flowgently for seven milesto the Gulf of Mexico.The weather had beenin the low 80s forweeks, but now thatwe were there, the firstreal cold front of theseason was on its waywith rain predicted for the night. Lowdark clouds moving in from thenorthwest reinforced the prediction. AsApril succinctly put it, “If we ever needrain, all we have to do is go on a sailingtrip.” Belted kingfishers, cormorants,little blue herons and white ibis joinedus on the falling tide for a late afternooncruise toward the coast.This upper section of the Blackwateris tightly bound by dense impenetrablemangrove forest that rises from thelandscape on stilt roots. Stream widthat this point is approximately twenty-fivefeet. We cruised calmly along with thelittle 4-horse twin purring at low speed;Beluga’s canoe-shaped hull left no wake.I thought about what a joy an electricmotor must be. We met a few canoesheading upstream on their afternoonreturn to the park. Being in the “heart”of south Florida, many paddlers wereLatino, and greeted us with “hola!” aswe cruised by. This added to the alreadyexotic feel of the place. Water depthsranged from 1 to 5 feet as they dothroughout the islands. April watchedbirds through thebinoculars while Ipiloted.Overhangingbranches prevented thestepping of masts untilwe were approximatelythree miles down river.So, with an hour ofdaylight left weanchored bow andstern next to channelmarker 24, steppedmasts, raised the tent, and startedmaking dinner. The air was calm andheavy. This was a quiet place; a privatevegetation-lined room. After a satisfyingmeal of April’s homemade chicken chili,we braced for the approaching cold frontthat would influence our sailing for thenext day and a half. An osprey landedand settled in for the night on a lonedeadfall overhanging the river a hundredor so feet from us. I wish that I couldtell you that I slept well that first night,but it rained cold buckets all night, andI got up twice to bail the rear cockpit.After drying out from our first night’sdrenching, April raised the main sail,and we darted toward the gulf with thewind coming over our stern. The SeaPearl is noted for sailing comfortably oneither of her sails alone. We were loadedto the gills with gear, and I was curiousto see how she would perform underthese conditions. I am happy to reportthat she was as sweet as sweet gets:balanced, nimble, and fast. Beingheavily loaded, we made the decision notto take on water ballast. The final milesto the gulf were spent passing betweenever-broadening bays dotted withmangrove islands, red and greenchannel markers, and dense oystershoals that were exposing their razorsharpedges as the tide fell. Yes, eventhough Beluga was only drawing 7-10inches with leeboards up, water depthrequired keeping her very near thechannel. Great blue herons, white ibis,and oystercatchers were all over theoyster bars. Locals call this “Evergladesbackcountry,” and it is here, in thewinter months, when the shallow waterThe Ash Breeze - Spring 2002 __________________________________________________________ 17

is a few degrees warmer than that onthe coast, that one is most likely to see amanatee. We kept an eye out, but neversaw one.The start of this trip was all tooreminiscent of the time we spent herein our little 400 lb. sharpie last year,when the wind gusted out of the N-NEat 15-20+ knots for six consecutive days!When sailing from north to south alongthe coast, winds of that direction dealyou anything from a beam reach to adownwind sail. And while the landgenerally affords some lee buffer to theseconditions, one of the potentiallydangerous features of this area are theopenings between the islands…”cuts”or “passes,” as they are locally known,where rivers and rivulets breach the landand spill directly into open bays. As thesmall boater crosses these bays he isslammed with gusts, waves, currents,and cross currents that test hisskills…and nerves. In these conditionswe hug the coast as tightly as possible,veering away from land only to seekwater deep enough to cross.We broke out into the gulf at GullivanBay and turned southward, toward thenational park. I thought to myself“we’re honking-on like an aquatic sportscar.” The boat felt great, but I was stilla little nervous as we started to crossthe first bay where we took on gusts andwaves rolling out of the interior.Another major reason why we boughtthe Sea Pearl was because of her quickreefing system. The booms attach to themasts via rotating goosenecks, so all onehas to do to reef isrelease thedownhauls, roll thesails onto their masts,and then re-attach andtighten the downhaulsagain. We were stillsailing on the mainsail alone when Apriltook two turns on themast; we sailed thatway all day, sweet andmild mannered.Lunch was spent on agorgeous, white-sandbeach facing the gulf on Panther Key,maybe twenty miles from our startingpoint the afternoon before. Most of thelarger islands on the gulf have sandybeaches of varying widths on their gulffacingsides…perfect for watchingsunsets! The temptation was to sit outthe rest of the afternoon and watch theevening “roll in.” But we pushed on,reminding ourselves that we hoped toget deeper into the park on this trip thanwe did last year.So we sailed on to Picnic Key, wherewe settled into a little cove on the leeside for the night. The cold north windwas still “up” when we slipped into oursleeping bags. Morning found us “driedout” on an oyster bar. As the sun roseover Gaskin Bay, we watched brownpelicans dive-bomb schools of mullet allaround us. By the time we had aleisurely breakfast, the water level washigh enough to sail on. The wind hadshifted from north to east and haddropped off to 8-10 knots…perfect forour southward course. We dressedcomfortably for a cold day of sailing,cranked the motor and putted out of thecove. April raised the sails and we wereoff, hoping to cover twelve or so quickmiles before lunch at Pavilion Key.Pavilion is one of those fine largeislands, with a long sandy beach facingthe gulf, lots of high ground, goodfishing, and a nice position for sailingto points south. We had lots of fondmemories from there last year, and werelooking forward to returning.No sooner had we settled into a livelymorning sail across Indian Key pass,than the wind dropped off to nearnothing. We assumed the lull wastemporary, offering a perfect opportunityto turn away from land and cruise intothe calm gulf. We figured that when itkicked up again, we would be in a perfectposition to cruise south to Pavilion Key.We had just enough air to keepmoving…ever so slightly. So we set thetiller-tamer on “auto-pilot” and relaxed.A pod of porpoise joined us andPleistocene-looking giant frigate birdssoared overhead. We went deep into thegulf, perhaps farther than I had ever beenin a small craft. Recently, we had beendiscussing the possibility of cruising theBahamian Abacos in our Sea Pearl, andmy mind wandered to thinking aboutwhat it would be like to cross the GulfStream alone in this smallboat…“Scary”, I thought. The day wasDecember 27 th , my birthday. It was alsothe day that we hoped to meet upsomewhere/sometime with othermembers of the Florida West CoastTrailer Sailor Squadron (WCTSS) whowere due to enter the islands from thePort of the Islands area. So we searchedthe northern horizon for their sails,knowing that they, like us, would behaving difficulty making way southunder such light air.We turned, headed back into theislands, and tucked deep into a gulffacingcove, just a few miles south ofwhere we had started the morning. Onthe way into the cove our path parted afeeding frenzy of twenty young pelicansand larger predator fish smashing intoschools of baitfish. Now, my first love issailing, but my life-long forte is catchingfish. Since there was no wind, I couldn’twait to get anchored and wet a line, withhopes of putting fresh fish on theevening’s menu. In my hurry, I neglectedto tie on a leader and promptly lost twolures to large fish before dark. As Iprepared dinner, the mosquitoes and nosee-umscame out in full-force (yes, evenin December!), driving us into the tent.Again, we found ourselves groundedin the morning, so I grabbed the fishing

pole, tied on another lure, and went casting.A nearby nesting pair of ospreys scoldedme for entering their territory. But I wason a mission, and in a short time had caughtseveral jacks, a ladyfish, and a fat, eighteeninchsea trout. While I fished, April strolledthe shoreline of the cove, camera andbinoculars in hand. The dang no-see-umsand mosquitoes made us wish out loud fora rising tide…and breeze!By the time the tide came in, the breezehadn’t. So we poled into the mouth of thecove, dropped anchor, April washed herhair, and we organized the boat under asunny December sky…our first and onlysunny day of the trip. The breeze kickedup just enough to get us out of there, beforedropping off again. As the day before, wetravelled only a few miles south, to JewellKey, where we officially celebrated mybirthday (two years in a row). Jewell Keyhas a narrow, gulf-facing beach boundedby coral, where we anchored for the night.A full moon rose as we enjoyed a gourmetmeal of smoked oysters/chopped clams/pesto sauce, pasta, salad, and red wine.Ospreys nested all around us, and wewondered if they were the same pairs thatwere there last year. In the pink twilight ofdusk, over a hundred white pelicans stoodon Comer Key across the bay. Our leeboardsand masts rattled all night as we rolled onswells that had come up just after sunset.Anchoring in the gulf was a bad decision,sleepwise.Morning again brought a light southerlybreeze, just enough to move us downwindback toward Panther Key. Our desires tomake it to Pavillion Key and much deeperinto the park had not been satisfied. Backat Lulu Key we met up with a few membersof the WCTSS who had not had enoughwind to go farther.We had lunch on the beach, and set offagain. Almost immediately, we encounteredan intense squall line that looked like itcould spawn tornados, coming in from thenorth. We braced ourselves and ducked intothe fully protected lagoon on the backsideof Lulu Key to wait it out. The squall movedon as fast as it had come in, taking thebreeze with it. We later learned that thelagoon had been full of manatees baskingin the shallow warm water.We moved on to our last night’sanchorage, on the edge of Gullivan Bay andGullivan Key, within sight of the lights ofMarco Island. The next morning we strolledthe extensive flats that stretched all aroundus to observe crabs, horseshoe crabs,stingrays, shore birds, and all kinds of shelltreasures. After six days in the islands, wewere getting really laid back. We hated toleave, but at 11 am we fired the motor andran with the rising tide back into theBlackwater River to Collier Seminole StatePark. Despite the fact that this trip had beena little short on breeze, it had been full ofadventure and quietude. As usual, April hadhandled all the navigation chores with thefinesse of a fine artist, which left me free tosail and enjoy the natural wonders. And so,after five days of sleeping with ospreys,fishing with pelicans, and nurturing arelationship with our new boat, we foundourselves rejuvinated…and ready for thenext trip!Notes on the authors:April Dixon and Dave Thomasson areTSCA members who live in Oak Ridge, TN.April grew up in Seabrook, Texas where shelearned to sail small craft with her familyon Galveston Bay. April is a hazardouschemical reuse/recycle specialist who worksfor Oak Ridge National Lab. Dave grew upon the water in South Florida before movingto TN. After decades of wilderness canoecamping experience, he fell in love withsailing while sailing a homemade 23 footNew England catboat built by Kenny DeHoffin TN. Kenny built Dave an 18 foot NewHaven sharpie in 1983. Dave and Apriltravel to the coasts of North and SouthCarolina and Florida several times a year.When in FL they sail with the Florida WestCoast Trailer Sailor Squadron whenpossible. The couple just acquired their SeaPeal 21 in 2000. Dave works as anenvironmental protection specialist for theState of Tennessee.Sea Pearl boats: Marine Concepts ofTarpon Springs, FLwww.marine-concepts.com/Everglades National Park:www.nps.gov/everThe national park service offers exceptionalmaps, trip planning and safety guide,fishing regulations and historical informationon the area. Any backcountry/islandcamping requires a permit and trip plan befiled with rangers at Everglades City. In additionto island camping, the park servicealso employs elevated platforms (chickees)for camping. All sites are regulated concerningthe number of people per night.Collier-Seminole State Park, FL:Provides a wonderful entryway into theregion. Great campground and showers. Andcontains a spectacular tropical hardwoodhammock with giant royal palms. We alsoused the park because the vehicle parkingwas secure. We paid a very small fee for leavingour vehicle and using the ramp. Anyovernight trips that eminate from the parkrequire a trip plan filed with rangers. ■It takes three NOAA charts to completelycover the Ten Thousand Island area: 11430,11432 and 11433.Continued on page 20

TSCA Chapter EventsSacramento Chapter TSCA2002 ScheduleJuneSunday, June 2: Upper SacramentoRiver, Bob Ratcliff.June 16 through 21: DeltaGunkhole, Pete Evans/Bill Doll,advance enrollment required.Saturday, June 29: Half Moon BayRow, Dan Drath/Chelcie Liu.JulyWeekend, July 12-14: NationalEvent, Maine, Bill Doll.Sunday, July 28: City Front Row,Andrew Church.AugustWeekend, August 9-11: Loon Lake,Charles Judson.Weekend August 17 & 18: SF-China Camp and beyond, Bill Doll,advance enrollment required.SeptemberWeekend, September 14 & 15:Marshall Beach Campout, Don Richand Sheryl Speck.Weekend, September 20-22:Woodboat Cruise-in Aeolian YachtClub, Barbara Ohler.OctoberSaturday, October 12: Tomales PointRow, Pete Evans.Weekend, October 19 & 20: SmallCraft Cruising Club, Fall DeltaCruise, Bill Doll.NovemberSaturday, November 2: DeltaMeadows Row, John and LynnDeLapp.Saturday, November 30: Wet Turkeyon Tomales Bay, Jim & SunnyLawson.DecemberFriday, December 20, Noon to 7PM:Hogin Christmas Party at the loft, EmilyHogin.JanuaryNew Years Day 2003: Hair of the Dogon Tomales Bay, Lee Caldwell.Saturday, January 11, 2003: YearlyPlanning Meeting, Aeolian Yacht Club,Pete Evans.Puget Sound Chapter TSCA2002 CalendarJune 8-9 weekendCama Beach cabins. Camano Island.Contact Rich Kolin at 360-659-5591for info.August 21-25Cascades Campout/Messabout. StartWed. at the Colonial Creek put-in andpaddle/row to the head of Lake Diablo.A vehicle will transport boats up to 15feet LOA the one mile/600 ft elevationto Ross Lake. Next 4 nights spent inwilderness campsites on Ross Lake.Return Saturday AM to Thunder Pointcampground on Diablo Lake andrendezvous there with those who canonly make it for the weekend. Pull outat Colonial Creek on Saturday orSunday. Contact Larry Feeney at 360-733-4461 for additional information.September 21-22 weekendStuart Island Cabin. Depart fromRoche Harbor. Escort/tow provided byStan Snapp and Pass’n’by. ContactJim LaMantia at 425-882-9928 forinfo.November 23Noon - 4 PM: Annual meeting atCenter for Wooden Boats. ContactRich Kolin at 360-659-5591 forinformation.Delaware River Chapter2002 CalendarJune 15-16Sailing Canoe RegattaUnion Lake, Millville, NJJune 22 (tentative)Berkley Island PicnicBarnegat Bay, NJConnecticut River Chapter2002 CalendarJuly 20Picnic on Sound at Androsko cottageAugust 24Old Lyme Beach Outing and PicnicSeptember 7Sail New London BBBSmall Craft EventsSeptember 14-15Governor’s Cup, EssexSeptember 15CoastWeeks Regatta, MysticWood Boatbuilding Classes 2002October 26- Dec. 7Beginning Boatbuilding - eight Saturdays(9am- 5pm) in building a smallround bottom, lapstrake wood rowboat.Tuition is $600.00.For more information contact:Michale J Kiefer, Great LakesBoatbuilding Co, LLC, 7066-103 Ave,South Haven, Michigan 49090, Phone616-637-6805 Fax: 616-637-3258The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002 __________________________________________________________ 21

My Favorite RowPetaluma River, CAI thought that members of our clubmight like to write a short account of afavorite row, or paddle, or sail (with orwithout the swimming part) for thisspace. I was thinking of a favorite row,and then I realized that my favorite isa composite of a lot of the trips wehave shared.One that comes to mind is a row onthe Petaluma River, where we sharedthe launch and recovery area with awhole clubload of racers, in theirbright-colored leotards? Spandex?Lycra? Body paint? We mixed withthem in our old GI clothes and rowingfuzzies and our combination hats/bailing buckets like a bunch ofamiable airedales among a crew ofrace-minded greyhounds. They wereoff like rockets, while we puttered andpottered and drank coffee and atedoughnuts, and we didn’t see them forhours, until we pulled up at the takeout.They were still there, awardingtrophies to one another. It reminded allof us that there is plenty of room onthe water for people who like differentthings, and we all went home glad ofour choices.I once collaborated on anarticle on how to enjoy TSCA meets.The essence was that we should goanyway; windows need washing, yeahyeah, mother in law (The InspectorGeneral) is arriving, rain/hail/snow iseither threatening or making good ona threat, go anyway. Once I wentanyway, and I was there at the launchramp watching the tall, sharp-edgedwaves slamming over the dock, whenanother car with a boat on it pulledup. A friend got out of his car andwalked over, and I tried to open mydoor. The wind was pinning it closed,so I opened the window. There was aninstant cyclone of newspapers,Kentucky Fried Chicken wrappings,memos, registration papers, and whatlooked like confetti (where did thatcome from?) until he got around to theother side and squeezed in.“Whaddaya think?” he panted.“Gonna go out?” Of course we didn’t,but the thought of that moment alwaysmakes me smile, and that memorysometimes comes up when I hit arough patch.I guess the point is that wehave to make the effort in planningand in showing up to accumulatememories like these. It is a promisemade by the law of averages that thenext row will add to our stock of goodmemories to draw on when we needto.Jim Lawson - Sacramento ChapterMannington Meadows, NJI expect that I am telling all of yousomething you already know, but I havefound a wonderful place for a“Swallows & Amazons” experience thatis not far away for most of us.Mannington Meadows is a brackishlake forty-five minutes from CherryHill, NJ. If you take 1-295 South to exit1 C, perhaps a half mile before theDelaware Memorial Bridge, then takeHook Road, route 551, two miles south,you make a left on East Pittsfield Street.There is a good boat ramp in all but thelowest tides, and high water is about 90minutes before high water atPhiladelphia. A busy day is anotherboat. Once afloat, I would suggestheading south unless you have a risingtide when you can have a fine explore ofPine Island Meadows in the northernpart of the lake among many phragmiteislands, but the water can be quite thinat less than half tide. Heading southquickly opens to the lake itself, whichhas a feeling of expanse but alwaysprotection from any but a South windand wonderful birding. Ducks, egrets,hawks, vultures are a daily experience,bald eagles and mother Cary’s chickensare only occasional but by no meansrare. There is a hardwood islandavailable for exploration and possiblecamping, but I have seen ticks there,and the bald eagle. A trip to Salem andback is probably 16 miles but notstrenuous if you harness a falling tidesouth, explore Salem at low water, thenride the rising tide back to your car.The catch is that the water is very thinfor an hour or more either side of lowwater, and the whole lake seems to beexactly the same depth (naught). Myboat draws 4 inches in cruising trim andI can’t even pole at LWS; just have togive up and wait. Low water is best forwatching seabirdsThe other catch is that there are manyduck blinds. During hunting season thehunters are universally courteous, but Iinfer that they would rather I exploresome other site. In the late autumn,Sunday is best when hunting isforbidden. The Metro Street Map ofSalem County is packed withinformation.Mike Wick - Delaware River ChapterSleeping with.....Continued from page 19Bird's Mouth Joinery BitsIn a recent letter to messing about inBoats, John Parks of Sacramentoreported that Lee Valley Tools hasrouter bits that are just right formaking the edges for 8, 12, and 16sided Bird's Mouth spars.Lee Valley Tools is located at:12 East River StrOgdensburg, NY 13669www.leevalley.com20 _________________________________________________________ The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002

SPONSOR/MEMBERSSamuelJohnsonBOATBUILDER1449 S.W. Davenport StreetPortland, Oregon 97201(503) 223-4772E-mail: ssj@northwest.comALBERT’S WOODEN BOATS INC.• Double ended lapstrake• Marine ply potted in Epoxy• Rowboats – 15' & fast 17'• Electric Launches – 15' & 18'A. Eatock, RR2, 211 Bonnell Rd.Bracebridge, Ont. CANADA PIL 1W9705 645 7494 alsboats@surenet.netRichard KolinCustom wooden traditional small craftdesigned and builtBoatbuilding and maritime skills instructionOars and marine carving360-659-5591kolin1@gte.net4107-77th Place NWMarysville, WA 982713rd Annual WOODBOAT STEWSeptember 20 - 22, 2002A gathering of wood boats at a small backwater harbor ofSan Francisco Bay. A 3 day party at the casual AeolianYacht Club.The San Francisco National Maritime Museum, The MasterMariners Benevolent Association, TSCA and otherswill participate.Barbara Ohler (510) 523-9824email: eldflugan64@hotmail.com22 We thank our Sponsor/Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services.

Jim Crocket, Boatbuilder1442 N. Fruit Avenue, Fresno, CA 93728(559) 233-0131HOGINSAILS1801-D Clement Ave., Alameda, CA 94501 • (510) 523-4388www.hoginsails.com • hogin@aol.comROB BARKERWooden Boat Buildingand RepairSPONSOR/MEMBERSWe thank our Sponsor/Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. 23

SPONSOR/MEMBERSRedd’s Pond Boatworks1 Norman StreetMarblehead, MA 01945Thad Danielson (781) 631-3443The newsletter forrowers who are goingsomewhere.Send $20 for a year’ssubscription (eight issues)Open-Water Rowing26 Coddington WharfNewport, RI 02840www.openwater.com“Only if our children are introduced to boats at an early age and growup using them on the water will what we are doing today have anyrelevance for the future.”– John Gardner (former counselor, Pine Island Camp)Founded in 1902, Pine Island remains true to the simple, island lifestyle established bythe current director’s grandfather and committed to providing an adventurous, safe summer.No electricity, an absence of competitive sports and the island setting make PineIsland unique. Ten in-camp activities offered daily, include rowing, canoeing, sailing,kayaking, swimming, workshop, archery, riflery, and tennis. Over thirty camping tripseach summer, include backpacking, canoeing, kayaking and trips to the camp’s 90-acresalt water island. Campfire every night. Wright or call the director for more information.Ben Swan, P.O. Box 242, Brunswick, Maine 04011Fine Traditional Rowing& Sailing CraftWALTER F. HUBNERNORTHRIVERBOATWORKSRESTORATIONS741 Hampton Ave.Schenectady, NY 12309518-377-9882Cazenovia Boat Works, Unltd.3455 RIPPLETON ROADCAZENOVIA, NY 13035BUY, SELL, TRADE, BUILD AND RESTORE WOODEN BOATSSPECIALIZING IN ROWING SHELLS(315) 655-322324 We thank our Sponsor/Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services.

Builders of Traditional andContemporary Rowing and Sailing CraftRichard Cullison 11515 Kenton Drive301-946-5002 Silver Spring, MD 20902www.CullisonSmallCraft.comBOATS PLANS BOOKS TOOLSSpecializing in traditional small craft since 1970.Duck Trap Woodworkingwww.duck-trap.comSPONSOR/MEMBERSWe thank our Sponsor/Members for their support and urge all members to consider using their services. 25

JUDYRICKETTS-WHITED E S I G N S T U D I O©Graphic Design•AdvertisingPrinting•Logo Design•IllustrationWeb Pages•Corporate ID860•439•1854103 Butlertown Road•Waterford CT06385jrwdesign@snet.netTSCABurgeesCapsPatchesT-ShirtsDecalsSee inside back cover.$28DamagedJournal?If your Ash Breeze is missingpages or gets beaten up in themail, let me know, and I’llsend another copy right off toyou.— DanDon’t beleft out!Become a Sponsor/Memberwith the professionals on thepreceding four pages. Theirads appear in four issues ofthis journal for only $50 ayear, and they enjoy all regularmembership benefits.The ad size is 2-3/8"H by 3-3/8"W. Digital photos shouldbe scanned at 200 dpigrayscale tiffs on disk. Sendcamera-ready copy or ask usto make up the ad from yourtext and sketch. For the latter,you will only be chargedfor us to scan halftones/photos.$2826 _________________________________________________________ The Ash Breeze - Spring 2002

Copy Deadline andArticle FormatDeadlinesv23#2, Fall 2002, June 30v23#3, Winter 2002, September 14.ArticlesThe Ash Breeze is a member-supportedpublication. Members are welcome tocontribute. We encourage you to sendmaterial electronically. Text may be sentin the body of an email message or, alternatively,you may use Word or pdf filesas attachments. Send photos by US mailor as email attachments in jpg or tif format.Typewritten material or materialsubmitted on computer disk will be acceptedtoo. Please give captions for photographs(naming people and places) andphoto credits. Email to:drathmarine@earthlink.netClassified Advertisements$.50 per line (36 characters max.); $2minimum; photos $10 additional. Includename, address, and phone number.Payment must accompanysubmission.Display Advertisements$4 per column inch, 2-1/4" wide. Forcopy-only ads, provide a sketch of yourad in the appropriate size. Camera-readyartwork required for all others. Paymentmust accompany submission.Members’ ExchangeBack IssuesOriginal or duplicated back issues areavailable for $4 each plus postage. Postagewill be determined, and a bill sent.Upon receipt of payment your orderwill be mailed. Please allow 2 to 3weeks for delivery, especially in thesummer.Volume Year IssueNewsletter 1975-77 1,2,3,41 1978 1,2,3,42 1979 13 1979 11980 2,3,4,51981 6,7,8,94 1982 1,2,3,45 1983 1,2,3,46 1984 1,2,47 1985 1,2,3,48 1986 1,2,3,49 1987 1,2,3,410 1988 1,2,3,411 1989 1,2,3,412 1990 1,2,3,413 1991 1,2,3,414 1992 1,2,3,415 1993 1,2,3,416 1994 1,2,3,417 1995 1,2,3,418 1996 1,2,3,419 1997 1,2,3,420 1998/99 1,2,321 1999/00 1,2,3,422 2001 1,2,3Send your order to:TSCA SecretaryP. O. Box 350TSCA WARESBurgees12" x 18" pennant with royal blue fieldand TSCA logo sewn in white andgold. Finest construction. $30 postpaid.CapsPre-washed 100% cotton, slate bluewith TSCA logo in yellow and white.Adjust-able leather strap and snap/buckle. $15. ($14 to members if purchasedat TSCA meets.)T-shirts100% cotton, light gray with the TSCAlogo. $15.00 postpaid for sizes M, L,and XL and $16.00 for XXL.Patches3 inches in diameter featuring our logowith a white sail and a golden spar andoar on a light-blue background. Blacklettering and a dark-blue border. $3.00Please send a SASE with your order.DecalsMylar-surfaced weatherproof decalssimilar to the patches except the borderis black. Self-sticking back. $1.Please send a SASE with your order.To OrderSend your check to:TSCA Waresc/o Bruce Thurston632 East 14th StreetNew York, NY 10009TSCA MEMBERSHIP FORMI wish to: Join Renew Change my addressIndividual Membership ($15 annually) Patron Membership ($100 annually)Family Membership ($15 annually) Overseas Membership with Surface Mailing ($20 annually)Sponsor/Membership ($50 annually) Overseas Membership with Airmail Mailing ($25 annually)Enclosed is my check for $____________________________________ made payable to TSCA.Chapter member? Yes No (circle) Which Chapter? _________________________________Name _______________________________________________________-_________________Address _______________________________________________________-_________________Town ______________________________State_______ ZipCode________________________email

Marshall Beach, Tomales Peninsula, California - The site of the Sacramento TSCA's annual September weekendcampout. Always well attended, always cool in the early Fall air, and always beautiful. Everything is packed in andpacked out. Last year campfire cuisine reached an historic high.The Ash BreezeThe Secretary, TSCAPO Box 350Mystic, CT 06355NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO.36SEAFORD, NY 11783Address Service RequestedTime to Renew? Help us save postage by photocopying the membership formon the inside back cover and renewing before we send you a renewal request.