Lots going on

 Happy Fall to all.

We have been busy during this pandemic. We shut down visiting at the workshop for quite a while and to be honest some visitors have just started to come to see us again. It's been good to see some folks after such a long time. If you do plan to pay us a visit to see the boat please give us a call first and always remember our Covid protocols. We want all of us to be healthy and a mask and distancing are really small things when we're talking about our health.

We have been working steadily on Lena Blanche during the hot weather here in Truro. I think it has been one of the hottest summers in recent history.

We got the bulwarks installed ( the planking above the deck)all around the boat and as you can see, it's looking great. It makes LB seem a lot taller. 

We also got the chain plates and the deadeyes installed in their place in the hull. There are 10 per side, 5 by the mainmast and 5 at the fore mast. They are bolted right through the planking and the ribs so everything is solid.

Then we set to work on the wheelhouse. The framing is all 3"red oak and the wood around it is all        2 3/4" douglas fir. The windows (not installed yet) were made by a Nova Scotian company up towards Yarmouth. They will be installed in the wheelhouse after she gets a layer of epoxy and cloth.

The windows looking toward the bow in the wheelhouse.

Wheelhouse ceiling

Looking forward in the foc'sle.

We brought up the beams that will be the start of our boat trailer. Each one is rated at 50 ton and they each weigh about 4000 lbs.

Much thanks to John MacNab on the beautiful scroll work on LB's bow. Each shamrock is made of mahogany that has been inset in the hull and then carved in place. A lot of work and the result is beautiful. The hawse pipe will be installed soon and the scrollwork will be painted green and gold. Fantastic for our Irish Lass.

Framing up the curved front of the wheelhouse and entrance to the living quarters below. The ecoform is representative of the mainmast. Everything that goes below has to work around the mast so it's best that we have some idea of how much space it takes up.

The wheelhouse floor is made up of removable hatches which allows access to the engines beneath. The entire floor can be taken out for large jobs if required or just one for checking on things below.

That takes us pretty much up to date on our progress so far this year.

We hope the summer has been good to you all. See you at the next update

Update

Hi Everyone. We certainly hope that you are all healthy and starting to get out and about now that the weather is getting finer. We are missing our visitors but still feel that we shouldn't open the shop yet to the public. In the meanwhile, I thought that some of you would like to see some updated photos of the work being done.

 This is the framing for the coach house. The heavily wooded area in the center is where the main mast will be

 Looking forward from the side of the wheel house. You can see where windows will be some day. Sliders for yelling orders at Warren as he walks by. Haha

 The main cabin below looking aft. You can see the fresh water tanks in the rear of the boat. There will be a pump for them but their placement actually helps the water the siphon down quite naturally.

 Port side of main cabin

 Starboard side of main cabin. Notice the main mast is represented here so that we can figure out the layout.

 Looking forward

 Steps in the wheelhouse (temporary)

 Looking through the wheelhouse windows. There will be six

Knees on the mast partner beams.

We picked up some spruce for the rail above the deck the other day from Brian and Sandy Field. After a wrong turn and ending up in a blueberry field we found them and then had a great (social distance) visit with them in their yard. Nice to see friends after such a long time of self isolating.

We hope you are all well and we look forward to seeing you in the future. 

Hi All,
The weather is starting to get warmer and our thoughts are turning to Lena Blanche. We have just about finished work on the schooner that is our winter work and we are ready to start this year's work on Lena Blanche.
The past couple of weekends we have been taking apart old trailer bogeys and harvesting the axles, wheels and tires. The boat trailer that we are building will be an air ride trailer to control the lift and leveling of the boat for transport. We are looking for a gooseneck drop front hitch or even one that we could look at and measure so that we can make the front of our trailer adaptable for that type of hitch. So that the trucker can back in and attach on when she makes her move to water. Any help in this area would be appreciated.

She isn't quite ready for launch yet but we have started work on the interior and we have started collecting lead for ballast.

March On.....

Good Morning All.
In response to the Covid 19 situation we are asking that people not visit the shop. As much as we love to see everyone (and we do) we don't want to run the risk of passing this virus on to those who have been so encouraging and supportive of what we are doing here.
Hopefully this threat will be just an unpleasant memory in a short period of time but if that is not the case then we would rather be safe and pro active than sorry.
We usually take the winter off from work on Schooner Lena Blanche (because it's too cold in the shop) but I'll try to get some pics to whet your appetite for a summer visit perhaps.
Keep your hands washed and everyone stay well.