Friday, January 19, 2007

Winter Layup for Schooner Timberwind

A description to go with the "cold" schooner picture of yesterday.


From the Timberwind Newsletter:


Timberwind Undercover!

No, not a covert operation, just shelter from the winter weather...

One of the most frequently asked questions is, "where does the Timberwind spend the winter"? Well, she stays right there at her dock as you last saw her. We do however build a very sturdy and effective cover to keep the long tough Maine winter from getting to her.

The schooner is completely stripped of everything that can be carried off. Sails, Anchors, spars (including the top mast),furniture, bedding, rigging, Navigation gear, and all the galley stuff. The heads are disconnected, and the seacocks are closed. After being completely cleaned, washed down and oiled, and the cover is erected, we then slush the masts with about 2 gallons of Vasoline, paint the mastheads, and finally tar the rig. We also bring up from the bottom some huge anchor chains that are added as additional security against the rough winter storms as well as doubling up the docking lines.

The cover itself as pictured, is a frame work and dormer of 2x4's used as a back frame or ridge poles, with 3 inch plastic tubing used as frames or "ribs," spaced as evenly as the vessel allows, which is then covered with a 7 mil thick shrink wrap cut to fit loosely. Spruce battens add support to the plastic internally, and additional battens are screwed into scupper blocks out board so we can roll up and fasten the outer edges of the plastic, and finally heat shrink to fit snuggly.

The entire lay up process can take as few as ten days from start to finish. This is a lot faster of course than getting the vessel ready for the season which begins on April 1 with full crew working 6 days a week!

With Elizabeth's help I have put together a PDF photo page showing the various stages of the winter cover being built by me, Dawn, Andrew and Bethany

Just click on this link to see the photo page (This opens Adobe Reader)

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