Good Intentions Interrupted

When I last posted, I told myself I'd post more often... Didn't happen as work on Gardens has slowed a bit to make time for a few other projects.

I attended the Small Craft Skills Academy seminar in Mackinaw City, MI last week and I spent much of the prior two weeks getting Karen Ann, my Goat Island Skiff, ready for that event. The Academy is a great four-day seminar combining classroom lessons with on-the-water drills and practice. It was a great refresher for old skills; great instruction for new skills; a great resource for new (to me) ideas for preparing Gardens for adventure sailing; and a wonderful opportunity to make new friends.

Here are a few photos taken during the SCSA in Mackinaw City:

Karen Ann on the beach at Mackinaw City:


Engineless docking drills in the marina:



A Michalak "Mike's Boat"



The Mike's Boat shown above is similar (albeit a much different hull shape) to the Pathfinder in terms of length, beam and weight - and it carries a balance lug yawl rig. One take-away for me from the Academy is the confirmation that I want a balance lug yawl rig for Gardens. I'll contact John Welsford to discuss this sailplan for my Pathfinder.

Work will resume on Gardens while I continue needed maintenance work and minor modifications on Karen Ann before taking her north to Les Cheneaux Islands next month for a week of sailing.

June 1st? Already?

Don't know what happened to May but it is gone… It is June 1st and progress on Gardens continues.

I've been working on Gardens but the work is mostly more of the "invisible" kind. The chines are nearly ready to install (yes, seems they were "ready to install" a couple weeks ago…). The centerboard and rudder are being carved into shape (actually, this work IS visible - but, alas, no photos today). The mizzen sail kit sits patiently waiting for me to crank up the sewing machine while kits for the main and jib are yet to be ordered. Once the chines are installed I can fit and install the stringers - and begin planking!

Along with continuing with Gardens, I am preparing Karen Ann for the Small Craft Skills Academy here in Michigan in a couple of weeks. Cleaning, sanding, re-rigging, re-bending the sail to the spars (oh, yes, finishing and outfitting a new boom) and a bit of varnishing before setting out for Mackinaw City on the 16th.