new boat!

[jthatcher]

well, not exactly, but  here is the deal..  We are in Maine for our second season, working at Mt Desert Campground from late April till mid October...  we just had our opening weekend, and we were packed.. a nice way to start the season.  The only down side is that Adagio sits on her trailer at home in PA for yet, another summer...

But, the big news is that, on a whim, I wrote the the company who runs these wind jammers  and said that I would enjoy joining the crew on a part time basis.. got a favorable response, and was invited to go on an introductory cruise...  filled out the paperwork.. and worked my first day this past Saturday...  We spent the first part of the day bending on new sails...  and at 2 pm we left for our first cruise... did it all over again later for a sunset cruise.   Then I joined the boat again on Sunday for an evening charter...    and what I learned is that ... i have a whole lot to learn about sailing!       But, that is why i wanted the job in the first place..     How wonderful that there are a bunch of 20 somethings who are willing to teach an old guy what to do.. and what not to do...  i am hoping not to try their patience too much, but I certainly have made my share of mistakes...  I hate feeling incompetent!        

The schooner in the foreground is the Baily Louise Todd..  did the intro cruise on her , but have been on the larger boat, the Margaret Todd, the past two days...   hopefully, I won't forget all that I learned before I get to go out again!    if you happen to make it to Bar Harbor this summer.. come sail with us...     jt

[Potcake boy]

That's great JT, good for you. Should provide a whole new perspective on sailing. Enjoy the summer in Maine.

Ron

[Bob23]

I can't wait for you to take me out sailing on your new boat. A bit more rigging than your 23!
Bob23

[TedStrat]

JT- my first sailing job was on a 65' Chesapeake bay oyster schooner named the Delta Lady out of montauk, and used for charters. I also spent time(as a guest) on the Victory Chimes a few years later - a working charter boat out of Maine - I think 132'. You may see them both up that way. Nothing like the old windjammers to really learn sailing - great experience. You will have a blast - I'm envious!
-Ted

[jthatcher]

thanks guys...   definitely a different perspective, Ron!     We are looking forward to your visit  Bob!    Ted,  the schooner out of Montauk sounds like a neat experience..    I bet the Victory Chimes trip was neat.. I think she used to sail out of Camden, but she is based in Rockland now..   in fact, lots of the boats have moved to Rockland..  I think Camden got a bit pricey for some of them... many have moved to Rockland which is now getting more popular, but which still maintains it working waterfront..     

I will let you know how things go..  so far, the younger folks on the crew have exhibited  a good deal of patience  with the old guy     jt

[MKBLK]

Really, really cool! Very happy for you guys (and a tad jealous!). Hope to see you this summer if you can get down this way.

Marty K.

[jthatcher]

good to hear from you Marty.. hope you are  getting your boat in the water!    i am afraid that  i will be "stuck" here in maine till  mid october...  still hoping to find someone with a sailboat in the area who is looking for crew....   

[Eagleye]

Jason,
Your subject line got my attention! 
We are glad to hear that your sailing again. What a great opportunity!
Suzie and I took a cruise on a small schooner on Seneca Lake and that convinced us to learn to sail.  (Still learning.)

Good Luck,
Allen

[jthatcher]

great to hear from you Alan.. hope all is well with you guys and that you are getting plenty of time on the water !     here are some pics from last evening...  it was chilly..  i had on three layers.. could have used a fourth..  felt kind of bad for the guy in a t shirt!



it was a pleasant evening, but the fog was hovering  at a close distance..   nice breeze - pushed the boat along at a fairly good clip
   


played tag with the fog.. but we did get some very nice light at sunset .. not a lot of time to take pics while underway..
still learning a lot about the expectations of the skipper and  about  the duties of crew..   actually spent 12 hours on board yesterday..  swabbing the decks.. lending a hand with repairs and such..    it is nice to be a part of the crew, but a little challenging to do it  on a part time basis..     

[jthatcher]

I sure wish that I could do this schooner thing more than once a week...  it has taken a while to figure out some of the duties, and the younger crew members have been free with advice, but sometimes it is conflicting!   the bottom line is that the captain's way is the right way    

this past weekend, I felt like I was finally in the groove..  last week I was allowed to lower the sails for the first time..  not a particularly difficult task, but one which has potential danger if one "screws up"   so it is particularly important to pay close attention..    During the second cruise of the day, I was preparing to raise sail, and  I went forward to loosen the sail ties on the main mast.. and then immediately eased the foresail sheet..  and I wondered why one of the crew members was approaching me with a big grin on his face...  only to look up and recall that we did not have the foresail rigged!    so i said to him " my goal is to get through an entire day without doing anything stupid.. guess today is not going to be that day"       but that is ok.. later i saw him preparing to lower the spanker sail, only to recognize that the spanker had not been set    

here is is mid-july, but we had three layers on  on saturday.. it was chilly and overcast... but we have a great forecast for this week.. that will make everyone happy..   hope you all are getting on the water regularly..  nothing like having a job on a boat to ensure that!   jt     
ps.. bob..  this is the month that you are heading up, right?     

[philb Junkie19]

JT,
What a great learning opportunity, a real personal connection to the days of sail. We were given a gift of a short schooner cruise out of Rockland two weeks ago, It was a great day and overnight.

Back a few years we missed connecting at the Maine Boat Builders show but talked by phone. I told you of my plans to convert my 16 to a junk rig. I never did but just got my CP19 in the water with her new Junk rig.  I'm very pleased with the way she sails. If you are interested in checking it out I'm close to Searsport.

For anyone needing 19 sails I have some very good ones that I'll be putting up for sale. Spars with rigging as well.

[philb Junkie19]

P.S.
Either of the two storm jibs I have could also work on a CP16.

[jthatcher]

summer seems to have slipped by in the blink of an eye..   still spending my saturdays aboard the Margeret Todd , sailing out of Bar Harbor..  I jumped at the chance to climb the rigging of our  second schooner, the Baily Louise Todd, last week..  some line needed to be re-routed at the mast head, which is just a couple of feet shorter than the masts on the MT ..   they don't seem that high from the deck   

here is a shot looking down at the deck of the BLT

and here is a shot looking over at the MT  and the Miss Lizzie,  our ferry which runs from  Bar Harbor  to Winter Harbor


we sure have had some beautiful weather for sailing this summer.. but by this afternoon, all of the boats will be off the docks and on moorings  in anticipation of significant swell from the storm headed up the coast... could be interesting!  jt