The stakes were high

One night the salon hosted a card school and as you can see the stakes were high.

The interior

I have to build some fiddles behind the seat, and I had fitted a small CO detector for safety. Although we do not has LPG on board it is a wwise precaution. The speakers are BOSE and the stereo comes with a remote, this seems excessive but hey it came with it.

Bill care fully selected most of the wood on board and the colors and grains are lovely. We used Pettits satin varnish for just about everything except the table which was finished in gloss.

Two taps here, one for pressure system hot and cold, the other to a foot pump, cold only and also can be diverted for salt water.

It had struck me that there were no pictures of the finished interior. Actually it is not quite finished, are boats ever finished one might ask. Well a few cupboard doors to be fitted and a few things just to make it feel like home. I asked someone how long it took to get the inside a yacht organised and they said 3 years.

The sole is teak and is oiled to try and provide a less slippy surface when it is wet.

The salon table fits on a removable pedestal, I liked this feature which means after undoing a couple of bolts it can put out of the way as necessary. It seems to be a well engineered solution. Although I do like some of the other arrangements on other BCC's.

I quite like how the slightly different colors of the woods work together, and when the hatch is closed with the Alpen glow lights on there is a nice warm tone. The blue I feel works well with the accent of the cushions.

Somes Sound

We had a delightful sail with the wind behind us and shortly after had to return to NE hbr where my wife had to leave to attend to her mother who had become sick. It was sad to see her go, and it left me single handed however I had by this time worked out most of the new boat wrinkles and it was going to be just fine.

Cranberries from the top

Nice view over the Cranberry islands, this cliff has an eagle's nest on it much to the delight of the boat tours. It dutifully takes off for a fly past on command and then sits on its eyrie majestically surveying its domain.

Ah the site of a near disaster. We had just come down to the beach after our walk and were about to get in the dinghy. When someone came rushing over to tell us that this big power boat was drifting across the bay to our BCC. Panic! We both leapt (loose term given our age and ability) into the dinghy and yours truly didn't quite make it................. the spare leg and I fell backwards into the water whereupon I was suspended upside down with my leg brace tangled into the rowlock. Foot caught under the thwart and bleeding nicely. It probably looked quite funny from the shore.

Anyway after I unhooked myself we "sped" off to the boat where this nice old lady was trying to fend off. They had hooked our anchor and as they pulled in with their winch they just worked their way up our chain until they arrived at the top. Both well into their eigthies and somewhat baffled by what had happened. We disengaged and I suspect all was ok until I realised that the camera and my cell phone was in my pocket........................

so thats the end of the photographs from me

Friendships easily made

On the way round to Valley cove we came across a fleet of Friendship Sloops, what fun they were having. One flew by us under full sail and was well handled.

We must have counted a dozen at least, they just appearred out of nowhere.

Lurking in the bay, is another BCC can you spot it?

Just near Asticou there are some gardens which are quite lovely and well worth the hike up the hill.

Can't think why they call this a smoke bush, I tried to camouflage with my red cap but I was captured on film.

Met this great guy with a BCC, a Canadian one, he was refitting it! Thoroughly delighted with it and claimed that it had changed his life. EEk powerful boats. We had a great chat and compared and contrasted.

and then ZEN

Asticou Gardens - what a delight. The Zen garden of course is meant to look like the sea! Topical for yachties if course.

The rest is magnificently laid out out and beautifully maintained, we thought about supper at the hotel, but when we discovered about the price we decided the boat would be better food.

Actually NE hbr was a little oasis away from the hustle of Bar Harbour, they would have a jazz band playing every Thurs and free drinks! The locals were so friendly.

We went to Bar Harbour about 20 years ago and it was perfectly delightful. Sadly its a bit frantic now and the outlet mentality that surrounds it has spoiled much of its charm. MDI is still quite lovely, creaking a bit at the joints from all the people, however their bus service (free) was superb and so convenient.

Some like it hot

I think we walked up Penobscot mountain in the hottest day of the year, it was also high humidity. Well worth it, but we didn't do much for the rest fo the day.

So we made it up to North East Habr and it was quite the ride.

We started out from Stonington in fine weather, then it really closed in, fog as they say like pea soup. Thank goodness for Raymarine and the chart plotter as it would not have been much fun with out it.

We had to make the pass just south of Bass Harbour, it is quite tight and there was bit of a current flowing there, of course the fog horn is in your ear and the bell on the buoys seem to all get together to fool you.

Its interesting looking back on the track and see that when we reached the first bell, we almost went 360 degrees until we finally settled our course thru the pass. We were dead on but the fog was some thick. The fog cleared a little and there was the light house almost within hands reach. Trust the instuments and then we were thru.

We had an interesting ride up between the islands on the way to Mount Desert Island, although it was foggy there was still wind with a following sea. The water shallows quite quickly here and the waves pitched up, the ferry came up our tail and told us to hurry up!

We were quite pleased to tie up in NE Hbr after an interesting day.

Stonington

We had been told that Stonington was more of industrial fishing marine repair centre. However we were also advised that it was very down east in flavor and we were presently surprised by the place. The folks were very friendly offering rides wherever, most graciously. There was a great buzz at the dock and impromptu drinks were the order of the day.

We had a lovely evening at the theatre there, the show was most professional and played to a packed house. Strangely it was about fishing.........................Bert Dow deep fisherman.

Much evidence of stone quarrying, must be something to do with the name. Huge history of granite going to New York and Washington etc. I believe that the industry is experiencing some resurgence.

Met this fella John Valentine there. An Aussie who lives and works near Alice Springs, and then sails off to the deep blue yonder periodically and goes walkabout. Lots of great stories about his adventures and I suspect he will show up on the rock here sometime soon.

From a different time...

A picture that could be from decades ago. We did note that many of the people on the islands had old vehicles that they kept and for the most part were well maintained. Really quite quaint.

The pic opposite thru the trees shows the BCC at rest in the bay.

The post office was a small garden shed on the main street.

What a gem-Isle Au-Haut!

The weather was picture perfect and we waited for the turning of the tide so as we could move thru the pass to moor at the town.

Didn't touch bottom and tied on to a red mooring ball. A small bottle was attached to leave $20 in. It was very cozy in the gut just off the town wharf.

Apparently the island was male only until 1939 I believe.Populated mostly in the summer by academic types from the NE US.

There was a beautiful library there which was like an Alladins cave, and we spent a great morning browsing.

We did discover that there was Contra dancing the night before, but no notice to let folks know what was going on, this was a pity as my wife teaches dancing and this would have been a great oppoutunity.

Pictures from inside the church on the island and it was very well maintained and a beautiful building.

The church was hiding up this beautiful walkway and smacks of history.

We're sailing

Its is always interesting when you sail a new boat, you start to see what happens when. There were a number of observations that I made.

The first was that the boat just tracked so well. I had heard this from others but when I discovered exactly how to balance the sails, the rest was easy. Of particular note was reducing the main one reef (normally) and the boat set back on a more level keel and off she went. The action improved remarkably, we lost a little bit of speed but the comfort level was so much better.

I had fitted a windvane and had fully intended using it but to be honest except for sailing off the wind it really wasn't needed. As usual everywhere we went the wind was usually in our face. The boat seemed just to find her way and I could comfortably move off the helm down below and do some things in the knowlege that all would be ok upstairs.

One of the other observations I had was that the boat was very clean in the water, whilst we were out in no more than 25 knots, we never really had green water in our faces, in short the sea action was great.

There were times when we a carpet of lobster buoys as far as the eye could see, and when we first went out these were a great source of anxiety, however towards the end we were quite comfortable sailing right thru them. We still were a bit concerned whilst motoring and I suspect that was prudent.

I seem to remember that the top speed we experienced was almost 8 knots and the boat was handling well at that speed, mostly on close haul to close reach we would be around 5 knots, with the speed increasing as we moved aroound off the wind. Running was slow it seemed compared to reaching and I think is quite normal. In particular the sea action while we were running was so pleasant and the speed was surprising even with just the yankee up.

Blessing of the fleet in North Haven

There is always the fly past at the end, and what a racket.

Each of these boats sounded just like a tractor trailer. Its quite alarming when the fog rolls in as you can hear them like a swarm of angry bees, but you just don't know where they are coming from.

Hospitality Plus

Its Maine you can tell that easily cos there are lobsters (and pots) everywhere. You just can't get away from them. Some of them are edible too.

So we were moored at Pulpit Harbour, once we got the kinks out of the chain!

A trip to the store and a chance meeting with Noreen O'Connor and a car was left for us at the dock so as we could go to a concert that night. Keys in the ignition, and then of course drinks after the concert. What kindness! The concert was fabulous. We were invited into several homes most graciously.

Must get a sail cover

Wow

Off to Pulpit Harbour

What a great day, and an even better sunset.

So there you have it.

I t had been an exciting couple of weeks getting the launch organised. Of course there are always many things to be done. Just getting away from work in Newfoundland and travelling for 3 days to Camden was quite an undertaking, but things were becoming real, and even more so as we sat at anchor in Pulpit harbour. Our good friends from Camden (actually guardian angels if the truth be know) Doug and Dale Bruce, came over in their Tayana to wish us well in our travels. Most kind folks and they had had been of great assistance with the days before the launch. It was time to kick back a bit and chill out.

Can you believe this, its taken a while

Its been along day, but resting confortably

Thats My Girl

Wait a minute

Lets do this properly

The Launch

thar she blows

a virgin BCC off to storage, I really like the lines.

The cocoon opens and a beautiful butterfly emerges

There are a few items to fit after its trip to storage for the winter, and of course the rigging in the spring.

"The time has come" the walrus said

"to think of many things, of sailing ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings"

Lewis Carol I think.

So Bill has informed me that the boat leaves the workshop early next week and will make its way into storage. Its hard to believe the time has come. I have been advised that there still are a few things to tidy up here and there, likely there will always be.

Of course the whole project has been a marvellous roller coaster, closely matched by the ride on the back of the Canadian dollar, which has recovered from a 30 cent margin. It sits about 95 cents to the US now and I can live with that.

I have had ever so much assistance from so many folks during the build, and its been a lot of work. I told the shipwright Bill Bucholtz of Apache boatworks that I don't think I could have done this without him. I toyed with the idea, however the climate and the logistics to build a boat here in Newfoundland is just not favourable. Whats more, whilst I am broke, I am still married! When Joshua Slocum was asked how much money it took to build a boat he replied "as much as you have"

A good friend of mine told me it would take two years at which I scoffed, I have had to eat my words. Mercifully Bill is a patient man and has managed to occupy himself when the money ran out.

Just reading a book right now about this curious love affair that some people have about boats, it is quite irrational and even rational folks get bitten by the bug, the far away look in their eyes and the compulsion to proceed despite many good sense reasons to cut and run.

Given a few years I am sure the psychiatrists will have a name for it, no doubt medication will arrive shortly after to treat the condition. May I suggest "the banana boat syndrome", hows your husband " oh he's gone bananas on his boat". People will knowingly nod their head and ask whether he has been taking his meds, and then wonder about the prognosis. My suspicion is that the condition is likely uncurable...............

Well the boat will be stored until late spring, at which time, if all the stars align, we shall get the boat commissioned, and then hopefully sail into the sunset so stay tuned.....

I have asked Bill to send me a last lot of photographs, before it settles in Camden for the winter, I shall be delighted to share these with everyone as they become available.

We need some wind now

The folks at Caphorn, are the most agreeable folks you could ever expect to do business with. They are good to their word and the product appears to be just great. Heard so much about how well it functions however never used one so anxious to test it out I hope the learning curve is not too steep.

Jaws

I think that having the scuttle open like this is great, I hope to spend many a night feeling a cool breeze blow thru.

Pulpit falls into its rightful place

I was really pleased with the metal work and the fit was just splendid.

Main Hatch

The main hatch is completed.

The compass is a Suunto, and is lit by an LED.

Raymarine tridata to starboard and the ST 60 wind gauge.

Bill built some nice coamings to break any water coming across the Salon roof, they will also serve to locate the dodger. I plan having the ability to stretch the dodger roof to the boom gallows and then later when all the bills settle down maybe go to a full enclosure.

Winch handle is tucked nicely in for easy access.

Lifelines and gate come together

Before and afters of the head locker

It looks pretty rough at this point, and then
rather than a drawer which would be a poor use of space, a cupboard works better

The work is just drop dead beautiful, this is one of the Alpenglow lights we fitted, expensive but takes about .33 of an amp to run and it even looks good. The light is not that piercing white that gives you a headaches but more of a color corrected light.

Bulwark sheet bracket is movable

This bracket holds the block for the jib sheet and we have yet to fully settle on its position. Once we have the boat sailing it can be secured finally such that it forms the optimum angle for the sail shape. Can't wait!