Month: January 2007

Mistral

Mistral transon

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Eric Sorensen is chief steward and executive director of the Experience Mistral Project, a Seattle Center for Wooden Boats programme to give people a chance to be involved in the sailing, racing and upkeep of a classic wooden sailboat.

A 1939 sloop built on Seattle’s Lake Union, Mistral is an example of designer Ben Seaborn’s work and an emblem of Center’s mission to keep Northwest maritime traditions alive. Eric says she’s also the best ride this side of the Wild Waves Water Park, though I think I’d prefer Mistral any day myself…

Here’s his excellent weblog:
http://svmistral.blogspot.com/

Eric suggests also that many people might be also interested in the progress of Bill Van Vlack and Stephanie Kavanaugh in caring for another Seaborn boat, Nautilus:
http://svnautilus.blogspot.com

A question of puddings and moustaches

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Can anyone help Mike Goodwin, the man who once owned and still loves Blue Moon?

He needs to find out how to make a moustache or pudding for a tugboat, and says that the last man that he knew who had the knowledge has passed away. The pictures show what I’m talking about: the moustache is on the left, and the pudding is on the right.

Mike knows how to make up fenders, he says, but he needs to know how to make a genuine moustache or pudding. Can anyone help? If you can please email me at gmatkin@gmail.com.

Moustache Pudding

Dove

Dove

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Dove is a 1904 Humber yawl believed to have been built by James Holmes of Hornsea, East Yorkshire, and extensively restored between 1978 and 1992.

Her owners found a corroded metal plate at the aft end of the cockpit with the name Holmes on it, and naturally assumed it referred to George Holmes, the famous artist and Humber yawl designer. However, some years later they found a water-stained Hornsea Mere fishing licence trapped behind a locker. The licence included a half-page advert from a James T Holmes, ‘Boat Builder Hornsea – All types of boats built to order, repairs neatly executed’.
The story of her restoration is well worth reading, particularly if you have a weakness for canoe yawls:
http://www.holdich.demon.co.uk/boats/Dove.htm

And don’t miss this page describing Holmes’ canoe yawl Cassy:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fassitt/canoe_mirror/cassy.html

If you do have such a weakness, another great site to visit is the The Albert Strange Association’s website:
http://www.albertstrange.org/index.htm

See the comments below for more information from Dove’s owners. 

Email me for free weekly updates at www.intheboatshed.net gmatkin@gmail.com.