What is it?

[Steve]

Maynard taught me a valuable lesson last year when we were trying to determine if that boat on Long Island is SCAPA (I do wish we could bring that one to a close).  That is:  don't worry about the accoutrements and those things that can be easily changed.  Instead focus on the basic structure and construction.

In this case, I am leaning toward a belief that she is, in fact, RUGOSA.  She would certainly have had a lot of work done to her in 100+ years.  Changes to the deck and cabin should probably be expected.  That wide sheer-plank that results in almost a bulwark is most likely a modification.  I concur with Bill that the hull-strapping is a telling indicator.  It is hard to tell from these photos, but the hull appears to match the model in shape.

I am intrigued by Bill's and Adam L's comments regarding the hanging knees and sheer clamps.  Can you guys educate me?  What is the relationship of these components?  Do they not co-exist?  What about the knees make you think it looks like an HMCo knee?

Thanks.

-Steve

[Adam]

Well Spoke with Mike - he's going to gather up as much info as he has - but I get the sense that what you see is what you get. Going to speak with him again tonight. Would it help if they take some pictures of specific area's of the hull?

[Steve]

I would like to hear what he knows about the boat's history, from whom he got it, etc.  A picture of the hull that shows a good profile would be great if he can do that.

[Steve]

Wooden Boat #45 has an article by Maynard on the Bar Harbor 31.  Towards the end, there is a discussion of HMCo framing.  Apparently, the company frequently used both sheer clamps and hanging knees.  In the BH31, there are 6 pairs of knees.  If you study these images, it appears that the hanging knees are cut so as to fit around a stem-to-stern sheer clamp and placed every 3 or 4 frames in the salon area.  Foreward, there don't appear to be any knees.  You can also see a few butt blocks, cut the way HMCo did with chamfered inboard horizontal edges.  This, at least to me, is looking more and more like an HMCo boat.