Restoration of S Class # 1385

[DaveHub]

I am pleased to post that I am sponsoring the restoration of "S" #1385 at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS).

She was built in 1936, originally "Tinker Too", then "Misty" for a while, and we will re-christen her "Clara J" next June!

I met the second year class that is doing the restoration and was quite impressed!  They run a great student blog which is the best way to track her progress!

Go to IYRS.edu and see the blogs on the bottom left of the web page.  Look for Hans Scholl's blog.

I plan to bring her down to the Wooden Boat Show in Mystic next year, and then sail her to her new home which will be Port Jefferson, Long Island.

We're off and running!

[Steve]

Welcome to our group, Dave.

[Jon Brooks]

FINALLY!  Something nice to look at when arriving from Bridgeport on the ferry!

Jon 

[Charles Barclay]

I noticed yesterday that IYRS had found a sponsor for her restoration.  Congratulations and thank you Dave, and welcome to the Herreshoff Registry. 

When I spoke with Terry Nathan in mid-August, he said it was finally on the curriculum along with the International One Design and an as yet unnamed dinghy for the second year students.  I suspect the unnamed dinghy maybe "Gem" another Herreshoff. 

Interestingly, if you follow the market for these things, Misty was listed on the website with a sponsorship value of $90,000.  Given Angus Davis's recent restorations of Papoose and Squaw, and the other data point of the S-Boat rebuilt two years ago in Massachusetts for $65,000, it gives one a sense of valuations for the class.

[DaveHub]

Thanks all for the welcome.    I was quite impressed with how the "S" boats hold their value (Assuming we care for them!).

And the dinghy is named "Gem".  They are also doing a Quincy Adams 17 right next to our "S".  I think the Quincy Adams is still available, not sure.  At least their site doesn't show it as sold yet.  It's a very cute boat.

That is one busy class this year!

I see a possible fellow Long Islander here?  I grew up in Bridgeport and Fairfield CT, and when I was born the family boat was the picture I have used for my Avatar here, an HMC Fishers Island 23, "Tigress" Sail # 2.  I moved to Long Island out of college, so with family in CT I have probably taken the Port Jeff ferry 100 times or more!

A couple of interesting details about this "S".  Seems that there were subtle changes over the span of HMC's construction, from about 1920 or so through 1941.  This one was built in '36, and was cedar on oak frames like all of them, but also, the earlier ones had the deck laid on top of the sheer strake, this one had the deck laid into a rabbet in the sheer strake.  Also, it seems that the sheer strake was often oak, however this one appears to be mahogany of some kind.  They also usually used a two part keel, which met in the middle and was joined with a stop-water, which apparently didn't always stop the water!  IYRS thinks they have found a single 28' piece of oak for the new keel.  That's a rarity for oak that size nowadys.  Must have a great source of wood!

More later!

[DaveHub]

General Update:  Last Thursday (10/31) the hull was rolled upside down with molds in place.  17 molds in all, with frames steam bent onto them.  The rest of the frames will make up 31 total stations.

The class blogger sent me photos in semi-real-time as it progressed.  Interesting method they used!  I expect they will post the pics to their blog site off IYRS.edu .  Hans usually posts updates weekly on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Dave

[DaveHub]

Update:  She is now fully framed!  Coming up, fitting the keel and planking!

I posted to the class blog that they were demonstrating rule #1 of wooden boat building: "You can NEVER have too many clamps!"  Followed closely of course by rule #2: "More Steam!"

The blog pictures are very nice, even artistic.

Dave

[Adam]

Fun Thread! Keep it up Dave - sounds like it's going rather quickly...

[DaveHub]

And we have a keel!

The class steam-bent the almost 30' keel and fitted it this past week.

I'm stopping in this Monday, might get to see them fit the garboard if I'm lucky.

Check out the blog here:
http://iyrs.edu/AboutIYRS/StudentBlogs/StudentBlogHansScholl/tabid/898/EntryId/301/Fall-Term-Weeks-13-and-14-Thanksgiving.aspx

[dilemma]

Hi Dave,

Congrats on the restoration of Misty/Clara J!

My name is Sean Park and I have the pleasure of being the caretaker for the S-boat Dilemma (1928, hull 1022). We race her in Western Long Island Sound in a fleet of 7-10 S-boats and I learned to love the boats as a kid racing on my dad's boat out of Glen Cove.

Here is our fleet's website (I need to update it this weekend...got lazy this year). www.herreshoff-s-wlis.org. Please let me know if you need any advice on deck hardware configuration, sail selection, etc., or if you would like to learn more about our fleet.

Best wishes on the restoration and for the New Year.

Best regards,

Sean

[DaveHub]

A lot of progress on Clara J !

The mast is all faired and ready for finishing and hardware, and the planking is at about 50%.  So about another week or two for planking!


And thanks Sean for the info on the western fleet.

Dave

[Charles Barclay]

The crew at IYRS flipped the boat over in March.  See here:

http://www.iyrs.edu/AboutIYRS/StudentBlogs/StudentBlogHansScholl/tabid/898/EntryId/317/Spring-Term-Weeks-8-and-9-All-boats-are-fully-planked.aspx

Student Hans Scholl does a great blog.

[DaveHub]

Charles - Thanks for noticing!  Yes, she is looking great, and Hans is doing a great job.

I will be up at IYRS this Friday, April 4, to check on things and go over a few details with the crew.

I was able to attend IYRS' "Restoration Dinner" at the NYYC in Manhattan a few weeks ago.  Had a great time and met a couple of the students there.  I learned that Clara J's Stem is from a knee obtained from Mystic Seaport.  It was some of the wood they got from the old Navy Yard.  Nice to know even some of the wood has some history behind it!

Much of the decking parts had been fabricated over the past few months, so I would expect some pretty quick progress.

Looking good for "Launch Day" at IYRS on May 31st!

Dave

[DaveHub]

Had an outstanding visit to IYRS.  I spent quality time with the students who explained a lot of detail to me.

For a bunch of pics, see http://www.lihubbards.com/pics/iyrs20140404.html .  Note a couple of the pictures are of the Quincy Adams 17 they are also doing.  A very pretty boat.  It's the one slung up in the air while they are fitting the keel.

We have most deck beams, and they were in progress on the chain plates, quarter knees (Hackmatack/Larch BTW), and making patterns to fit a mahogany edge to the deck, which will fit into the rabbet in the shear plank.  This will prevent end-grain from being exposed right at the edge.

Some good detail shots of the mast as well, with the hounds, some bronze where the spreaders will attach, and the raised wood part of the track.  Given the curved mast, and the hounds, the  main track has to stand off the mast.  You can see the detail in the pics.

Also, Warren Barker (lead instructor) convinced me to keep the forward bulkhead watertight.  Most of the "S" boats I've seen have a cutout for easy access for forward storage.  He told me of an "S" that was caught in a line squall at night, didn't see it coming, and got blow down.  With 3,300lbs of lead, it went to the bottom so fast the keel was embedded in the bottom.  When they pulled it up, the keel ripped out and stayed below.  So OK...  let's leave that forward area as flotation!  (Now, where to keep that anchor and rode?)

On schedule for launch on 5/31!  The launching at IYRS is open to the public BTW.  See http://iyrs.edu for details.

Dave

[DaveHub]

Almost ready for launch day!

IYRS posted a shot of the deck canvas going down on their Facebook site:  https://www.facebook.com/IYRS.Training.Programs/photos/a.190626688936.123185.90858563936/10152102954833937/?type=1 

They are doing this traditionally, with real canvas.  As I understand it, they get it from a company that makes it for ballet floors and boxing rings.  Because they can get the widths needed, so there are no seams!

We will be "Dressing Ship" for launch day, which is open to the public, on Saturday, May 31st, if anyone is in town and wants to drop in.

I also finally found a supplier of good hardwoods on Long Island.  Robert's Plywood.  You would not guess by the name.  But they have a great hardwood section.  The usual stuff, plus mahoganies, ash (white and black and european), sepele, teak, and a bunch of others.  If I get enough time, I'll be making my boat hook using the WoodenBoat plans.

Speaking of WoodenBoat, Clara J was featured in their May eNewsletter!