Winter 2021 Newsletter
đ Download PDFCommodoreâs Message Greetings Fellow Sloopers! I am hoping that this finds you all well. Thank you for being members and continuing to support the traditions of the Friendship Sloop Society. As you know, over this past year much effort was put into having the 2020 Rockland Homecoming become a reality. During three Executive Committee virtual meetings we used all our energy and Yankee ingenuity trying to make the 2020 Homecoming happen. After much debate, good judgment prevailed, and a unanimous decision to cancel all in-person FSS events was made. We had a fun and productive Annual Meeting on November 21, 2020 via Zoom. If you missed this event, please be sure your email address has been provided to Carole Wojcik, at membershipsecretary@fss.org. Nancy Toppan, our long-time Recording Secretary has retired from the Executive Committee. Her work through the years has been outstanding. Thank you Nancy for your dedica- tion to the FSS. The Nominating Committee Chair, Peter Toppan, proposed a new candidate during the Annual Meeting, and Kathe Newman Walton has accepted the post of Recording Secretary. Welcome aboard, Kathe! Our Society continues to move forward with some significant decisions discussed and approved during the Annual Meeting, details on page 6. Our members are healthy and optimistic and always positive. It was proposed and agreed to unanimously, that the current Officers remain in their respective positions for another calendar year. The Yearbook, Newsletter, Social Media and Homecoming planning efforts will continue into the New Year. Those committees are as busy as ever doing great work for the FSS. If you have any ideas or want to help out in any way, please feel free to contact me at commodore@fss.org. The Friendship Sloop Society’s 60th Homecoming is planned for July 22 – 24 2021 in Rockland, Maine, and includes three days of racing, camaraderie and the awards banquet. The Southwest Harbor Race is set for July 17, 2021. I have been thinking a lot about life lessons I have learned from sailing aboard a Friendship sloop. A Friendship sails best when you fall off the wind and let her sail. It is best not to âpinchâ the boat but to find that balance between wind and boat that moves you along smoothly. This is true even if it (Continued to Page 11) Friendship Sloop âBlackjackâ Added to Register of Historic Places The Friendship sloop Blackjack #19, owned and restored by the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum (SPSM) of Rockland, ME was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Register is the Nationâs official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. It is a program of the National Park Service, but the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, a state governmental agency, oversees the admini- stration of the Register program in Maine. In the words of Ann Morris, former SPSM board member, curator of the Rockland Historical Society, and the person who initiated and oversaw the application process, âBlackjack is significant as a fine example of the Friendship sloop type of sailing vessel designed by Maine boatbuilders specifically for fishing and lobstering along the Maine coast. She is also significant as one of the oldest surviving Friendship sloops designed by Wilbur Morse, the most prolific builder of these vessels.â Originally built in 1900, the 33-foot Blackjack was donated to the Museum by owners who had come to realize that the restoration was a much bigger project than they had antici- pated. Capt. Jim Sharp, founder and director of the Museum commented at the time, âWe rebuilt the vessel entirely. She had a broken keel, all the frames and planking were gone, and the sheer was lost. We replaced everything but the transom!â (Continued to Page 11) Volume 33 FSS.ORG Winter 2021 Issue 1 Friendships Newsletter of the Friendship Sloop Society 1 Photo courtesy of Alison Langley
Registrarâs Report By Johnny Wojcik, Registrar In 2020 there were no new sail numbers issued, and no reports of sloops no longer in existence, so we are still at 285 sloops registered with the Society. There have been a number of Friendships sold since the last newsletter in May of 2020: ï #82 Morning Star, a Class A sloop built by Albion Morse in 1912 is now owned by Ross Branch. Ross is the opera- tions manager at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard where the sloop is homeported. ï #94 Euphoria, a Jarvis Newman Pemaquid, is now owned by Lee-Gray & Brandi Boze of Falmouth, MA. The sloop has been renamed Tempest and her homeport will be Megansett. MA. ï #281 Suzie B, a 22â wooden sloop built in 2008, is now owned by Jeff & Joann Fongemie of Freedom, NH. Homeport will be West Boothbay Harbor along with #247 Black Star. ï #249 Baby Blue, another Newman Pemaquid, is now owned by Bharat & Vanessa Moorthy of Falmouth, ME. The sloop is returning to salt water after many years of sailing on Lake Champlain. ï #106 Hold Tight, a Pemaquid built by Jarvis Newman has been sold to longtime member Al Chouinard of Dorchester, MA. Boston Harbor will be her homeport. Alâs daughter Anne-Marie owns #282 Ghoti, a 22â Passamaquody-built sloop. ï #155 Queequeg will be returning to Florida. Rich & Beth Langton have sold the sloop, another Newman Pemaquid, to Carl & Charlene Jordan of Panama City, FL. As noted above, there are 285 sloops registered with the Society. As of today 124 sloops belong to Society members. There are 40 sloops whose status is listed as destroyed. There are 17 sloops listed as âLostâ – we have no idea who the owner is, and 33 sloops have been verified as in existence and we know who the owner is. That leaves 71 sloops that we believe are still in existence but the ownership is uncertain since we have attempted to contact the listed owner many times without success. Membership Report By Carole Wojcik, Membership Secretary For 2020 the total number of members is 230, up from 225 from the previous year. Of these, 116 members are sloop owners, 46 more are full members, 64 have cooperative memberships and we have four honorary lifetime members for a total of 230. Of those members, 70% paid their membership dues in 2020, 11% fewer than last year, most likely due to Covid-19. Membership payments are currently coming in at nearly the same rate as last year at this time. Thank you to those of you who have renewed your membership! Since the beginning of summer we have welcomed two new members, Bud & Carol Jameson of Friendship, ME, and Bruce Bennett of Union, ME. Bruce referred us to an article on Page 9 in the 1963 Yearbook written by Ruth Prior, daughter of Charles Carter, a sloop builder of Bremen Island. Bruce would be the great grandson of Charles Carter, who built 26 sloops beginning in 1892. It is an interesting article and can be found on the fss.org website. Notes from the membership: ï From John Crumpton of Oxford, ME, owner of #117 Leading Light: âI did not get the boat wet this year. I blamed Covid but probably should have admitted that Iâm slowing down, maybe OK at 96? I had a good year last year and in mid-October on my 95th birthday I got in a three hour sail enroute from my summer mooring in South Freeport to winter storage at Royal River Boatyard in Yarmouth. It was a beautiful day with light wind. When I pulled that stunt on my 93rd birth- day the temperature was 33 degrees at the start but improved to near 40 degrees, not enough. Guess Iâll have to plan hauling out early next year but do hope to get the bottom wet; as of now I think it possible. Good sailing to the FSS.â John is also âpaying it forwardâ, by that I mean paying dues forward – for the next three years. By my calculation that takes him up to age 99! Now thatâs optimism! ï From Doug Riley of Essex Junction, VT, owner of #6 Eastward: âIâve begun replacing deck planks and two critical beams on Eastward. Prayers appreciated!â ï From Stacy Spaulding of Baltimore, MD, owner of #255 Genevieve: âGreetings from the Chesapeake Bay! I discovered thereâs an âupâ side to the inconvenience of teaching duties all going online – and thatâs more opportunities to give the kids online activities while I play hooky when the fall weather is good. Today we had 10-12 knots and 65 degrees – weâve moved the boat out of Baltimore and down to her winter yard about 20 nm away, and over there itâs gorgeous. Weâre just coming through peak fall colors and itâs so relaxing to sail in nature and not in a major shipping lane.â ï From George Hagerty, owner of #54 Echo of Wickford, RI: âThere was some question if Echo would launch this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, for her care and preservation we felt it best to get her wet and she did fine as usual. We had a nice shakedown cruise and then began ducking hurricanes so moved her into the inner harbor and way up the Mill Creek where we learned how to have cocktails and appetizers watching the sunsets and the cormorants play.â – 2 – Tannis #7, right, sailed by the Cronin family and friends, and Tad Beckâs Phoenix #91 out of Vinalhaven, meet up under full sail in Rockland in 2015. (Bill Finch photo)
Southwest Harbor âRaceâ Report By Miff Lauriat, FSS Eastern Station Port Captain In 2020 a terrible, horrible, very bad pandemic struck and put a kibosh on the official Sloop Society program for the summer season. But on Saturday, July 18, the intrepid fleet of Mount Desert Island sloops didnât let the FSS yearbookâs red ink or a corona virus keep them from gathering near the western shore of Greeningâs Island for an informal âCovid Classic Circumnavigation Cruiseâ! At 1300 local sloops were jogging about in the area where in any other year there would have been a starting line. Missing out were Surprise (on the hard) and Heironymus (on the mooring), both having seasons interrupted by Covid-19. Past winners Alice E and Endeavor were joined by Peregrine, Addy Claire, and a gaggle of Pemaquids: Old Baldy, Salatia, Eden, Osprey, and Tristan [listed in order of original launch- ing date] in enjoying a sparkling July day. Because I was so sad when July 11 came and went (the originally scheduled race day), the foggy miserable day it was, I spent the week after calling local skippers at Margeâs urging. She knows it is a long dark winter at these mid-latitudes and we need to make summer memories to see us through. So, when to my amazement all the Friendships were there, jogging around asking âwhere do we go?â it fell to me to dream up a course. Some boats were close enough to get a hail and be informed, others were content to just tag along the usual route. Kathe Newman Walton and her niece Claire Kearns had Old Baldy all dialed in on starboard, fetching the Greeningâs ledge nun. âWhen is the start?â Kathe cried. âYou have started! You are leading!â I yelled towards their starboard quarter. Other boats quickly caught on that we were going to the red nun and then back to the narrows can, with quite a bit of ebb tide running. Smart money was on Endeavor taking the longer route towards the west to stay out of the current. Eden enjoyed her own private breeze and accelerated to a position windward of Salatia. As Eden and Salatia headed toward the mark, all Salatiaâs hailings for âmore room!â were in vain as Eden crowded her into the can. Endeavor forced the issue coming in on starboard. Salatia jibed right at the mark, the tide rushing, and felt a glancing blow as her bottom touched the can sliding by. I held the mainsheet tight to avoid decapitating the crew on Endeavor. Meanwhile, poor Eden, completely out of room at the mark, succeeded in T-boning it with her bowsprit. It was obvious that some skippers were intent on sailing hard even if there wasnât a race going on! The rest of the fleet were shepherded along by Marc Arkin and Greg Crossley in their outboard skiff, acting as our chase boat (Thank You!). We then headed over to Bear Island where my Dad had been a relief lighthouse keeper during his time in the USCG. (Every Southwest Harbor race that I have had the privilege to plan pays homage to my father by passing Bear Island). From there it was a lovely couple of tacks over to the Spurling Point buoy and then a slide back to the âfinishâ. A beautiful day on the waterâŠI hope we can all enjoy a landside get-together post race next year! Race Committee News By Dave Graham Race Committee Chairman One might think that with an official âNo-Raceâ season the likes of which we have gone through in this dreadful year of 2020, weâd have nothing upon which to report. Not quite so, as it turns out! In a recent Newsletter issue we introduced Peter Clapp, the owner and captain of the new FSS Race Committee boat Aestimare (Latin meaning âTo Be Fairâ). Peter began the Star Boat Company in 1990, after the completion of a two-year stint at the Rockport Apprenticeshop. During his time at the âshopâ, Peter contributed to the construction of the 35-foot Friendship sloop, which was commissioned as Rita #247, and later re-named Black Star. Additional projects built by Peter, in both the Apprenticeshop and later at the Star boat shop, include Haven 12-1/2âs, Norwegian prams, and âDynamiteâ Payson peapods, along with such items as spars, furniture and cabinetry. Restoration and maintenance of fine yachts has been the staple of the custom business that is conducted at his Star Boat Company, located near Spruce Head, ME. In recent years you may have run across Peter as the Captain of several harbor launches in Rockland and Camden, or on Penobscot Bay where he has been running races for the Camden Yacht Club and the Camden Classics Regatta. We are extremely grateful to have Peter join us as the Captain of his Ralph Stanley built 39-foot Race Committee boat Aestimare. Lastly, come the turn of the calendar into the new year of 2021, we will be filing our US Coast Guard âMarine Event Applicationâ for our Rockland race program. The permit filing with the USCG will lead the Race Committee into planning the three days of racing at Rockland for July 22, 23 and 24, 2021. Please mark your calendars! – 3 – Bill Whitney and son Dennis on board #214 Gaivota enjoying a perfect race day in Rockland. Bill & Kathy Whitney have sailed to FSS events in Maine from their homeport in Buzzards Bay, MA every year for 30 years. (Bill Finch photo)
Marlinespike Seamanship By Ted Walsh Knife Lanyards As with the subject of knives, the use of and type of knife lanyard that any given sailor prefers will be a reflection of that individualâs experience. Someone who has never dropped a knife might not feel that there is any need for a lanyard. However, anyone who has narrowly been missed by a knife falling from aloft (imagine the sound the blade makes as it thwacks into the deck near your foot!) can quickly see that there is a time and place to put your knife, or any other hand-tool on a lanyard. Likewise, anyone who has heard that distinctive plop as a tool drops overboard gets the point. Having pointed out the need, it should also be said that a lanyard that hangs out of a pocket or sheath will catch on everything. I am reminded of the writer M. R. James who wrote so eloquently about the malevolence of the inanimate. So what is the answer? The best answer I can give you is that just as you might have more than one knife or tool aboard, you should have more than one type of lanyard. So here are some options: Knife lanyards come in four basic types: Lanyards that attach to a belt or belt-loop, lanyards that cinch over the wrist, shoulder lanyards, and lanyards that loop around the neck. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type. The belt or belt loop version is particularly good if you know you will be using the tool in question in only one hand. The lanyard can simply be tied off to a belt loop on the same side of your body as the hand you will be using. Another version of this set up is particularly good if you are going to need to alternate between two tools, say a knife and a marlinespike. Tie one end of the lanyard to one tool, pass the lanyard through a belt loop and tie it to the other tool. The drawback to this lanyard is if you have set everything up to use the tool or tools with say, your right hand and then you discover that some part of the job is easier to do with your left. The cross over of the lanyard is awkward and you may find that it wonât reach. The other problem with this type is that you will have a loop of lanyard hanging down from your belt, which tends to catch on everything. The wrist lanyard is perhaps the simplest form, especially if it can be disconnected from your knife quickly. The shortcoming of this particular setup is that once on your wrist, it may be dangling in the way when you are not actually using your knife. A lanyard that loops over a shoulder or neck is another simple arrangement. It allows you to use either hand and is a little less likely to snag on parts of the rigging. The drawback to this type is that when going aloft, a safety harness or bosunâs chair can limit how much you can rotate the lanyard around your neck or shoulder. – 4 –
Marcia Morang (1931-2020) (Proof You Donât Need to Sail to Love the FSS) by Penny Morang Richards My mother Marciaâs affair with the Friendship Sloop Society began out of love; not for the boats and certainly not for the ocean, but for my father, Bruce. We were vacationing at our summer home in Noble- boro in the early 1960s when my dad happened upon an announcement for a sailing regatta off Robertsâ Wharf in Friendship. He loaded us all into the station wagon and headed down Route 220. He bounded out of the car and down to the dock. In the time it took my mother to corral me and my brother out of the car and my sister into a stroller, my dad was racing back up the hill to the car. âIâm going sailing!â he shouted and ran back down the hill. Heâd met Ernie Wiegleb of Chrissy, whose helmsman was absent (he had a cow in labor). My Dad filled the void and helmed Chrissy for the next many years. Mum had no interest in sailing. She didnât want to row out to a boat at anchor in the harbor for post-race cocktails. She wasnât interested in walking down the ramp to a floating dock. Mum liked her feet on solid land. She grew to appreciate the Friendship Sloop Society because my Dad loved it. When the races moved to Boothbay, my Dad became the chairman of the Race Committee. For reasons unknown, Mum agreed to board the committee boat and go âracingâ with my Dad, but committee boat was as far as sheâd venture. When Dad passed away in 1995, she âretiredâ from Race Committee participation and took up a position on shore. She fetched rations and supplies for those whoâd traveled Down East by boat and had no wheels to go shopping. She was a spokesperson and cheerleader for the Society to those who ventured into the Rockland Harbor tent with questions about the boats and how to hitch a ride. (Continued to Page 10) Ralph Stanley Named Honorary FSS Member At the 2020 Annual Meeting Ralph was enthusiasti- cally awarded a lifetime Honorary Membership for his countless contributions to both the FSS and to the world of wooden boat construction and restoration. In his many decades as a builder and designer, Ralph has built nine Friendship sloops and restored many others in his shop on the shore of Southwest Harbor, ME, and has served as FSS Historian for as long as anyone can remember. He has designed and built many other fine wooden boats, including the new Race Committee boat Aestimare, and his own 7 Sisters, a graceful lobster boat that served as the FSS RC vessel for many years. The 2011 Yearbook was dedicated to Ralph, and in it he states, âBuilding wooden boats is like climb- ing a still growing tree where you never get to the top. I still keep finding new ways of doing things and new things to do. When you always try to improve, youâre always going to find better ways.â Ralph has retired from most of his hands-on boat work, but remains fascinated with the history of wooden boats and those who built them, particularly along the Maine coast. In addition to historical research, he has a passion for family genealogy and plays the fiddle in several groups. In the same 2011 Yearbook dedication, Ralph was described by long time friend Dave Graham as being âconfident, self-assured, kindly, able-bodied, a statesman and a teacherâŠand a strong backbone of the Friendship Sloop Societyâ. We wholeheartedly agree! – 5 – Marcia Morang, right, on Race Committee duty with daughter Penny, aboard the Croninâs Effie M in Rockland in 2019. Ralph Stanley, against the backdrop of Southwest Harbor, with Heironymus, a sloop he built in 1962 in the background.
Annual Meeting Held by ZOOM! The FSS Annual Meeting was hosted by Commodore Diane Fassak on November 21 via ZOOM. About 40 members were in attendance, and while the pleasures of gathering in person and attending the auction, dinner and cocktails with the Commodore were all sorely missed, the business of the FSS was conducted efficiently in two hours. Many reports from the meeting appear elsewhere in this issue as separate articles. Nancy Toppan has retired as Recording Secretary after 10 years of excellence. She was ably replaced temporarily by David Graham, and it was announced that Kathe Newman Walton has been nominated as the new Recording Secretary. Treasurer Greg Merrill reported that due to the cancel- lation of all FSS events in 2020, a net loss of $2000 is projected for FY 2021. Revenues are down mainly due to no Chandlery sales at events like Homecoming and the Annual Meeting, and the inability to pay by several Yearbook advertisers suffering COVID-related financial hardship. He reports that overall, FSS finances remain strong. George Hagerty reported that publishing the 2020 Yearbook was a real challenge due to the constant changes brought about by the pandemic. He was pleased to be able to print all the articles that were submitted, and with a slightly smaller book planned for 2021, he sees a rebuilding year ahead. Submission deadline for the 2021 issue is April 1. Peter Toppan reported that of the 31 Yearbook advertisers who purchased ads in 2020, five were unable to pay. David Graham, Race Committee Chair, nominated Ralph Stanley for an Honorary Membership, generating hearty consensus. See page 5 for more on Ralphâs many contributions to the FSS. Several special awards were presented by Penny Richards. The Bruce Morang Award presented for an outstand- ing Yearbook contribution went to Diane Fassak for her article âFriendshipâ. The Nickerson Award for the youngest crewmember went to Ruthie Langtonâs 6 month old daughter Annabelle. In a lovely twist, Ruthie also won the same award more than 3 decades earlier as the 6 month old daughter of Beth and Rich Langton! Nancy Toppan was honored for her years of service to the FSS with an engraved silver bowl presented by Dave Graham. A nod went to Stacy Spaulding and Rayned Wiles who âZOOMed the farthestâ from Maryland. The Executive committee officers for 2021 were nominated and voted in unanimously. These include Diane Fassak as Commodore, Victor Goulding as Vice-Comm, Carole Wojcik as Membership Secretary, Kathe Newman Walton as Recording Secretary and Greg Merrill as Treasurer. The meeting was adjourned with wishes for all to stay healthy in 2021, and with great optimism that we will be able to sail together and gather in person in 2021! Ahoy FSS Members! Help keep the FSS afloat by renewing your membership today. If you already have, we thank you! Please send your dues to: Carole Wojcik, Membership Secretary 347 Lincoln Street Norwell, MA 02061 Friendship Memorial Scholarship Fund By Phil Pratt â Chairman Thank you members of the FSS for your very strong ongoing support! The Scholarship Fund wants you to know that the finances are in place to again disburse the record breaking dollars per student in 2021 which have been awarded every year since the 50th Anniversary of the Fund in 2017! The Trustees of the Fund are working on broader appeals with more options to direct the use of your gift. Youâve already seen the âIn Memory Ofâ and âIn Honor Ofâ options to remember or honor special people in your lives. Youâve had a little exposure to the âScholarship Sponsor Programâ directing gifts in support of âGraduating Seniorsâ, those planning a post secondary education in the fall, or âContinuing Educationâ for students continuing work on a degree or certification. (The Scholarship Sponsor Program allows you to sponsor a Scholar- ship Category but not an individual student.) The Fund Trustees are working on the creation of even more programs going forward to make it possible to support the Fund in many ways. Please remember, the driving force behind the record breaking annual awards per student is, and will continue to be, the financial gifts received annually! WATCH FOR THE 2021 APPEAL COMING OUT SOON! For more information about the Fund, gifts, or qualifi- cations to receive a scholarship, please contact Phil Pratt at (207) 832-4335, davisloop100@gmail.com or PO Box 129, Friendship, ME 04547 – 6 – The Merrill family sailing the fast and elegant Celebration #227 out of Linekin Bay. (Bill Finch photo)
As we put our boats away for another winter we may notice some of the little âissuesâ that have accumulated over the season. Although this season may have been shortened, the wear and tear on boats that did get launched and on their systems, was probably about the same as previous years. Frayed and chafed lines, grass in the sea strainers, wear on the packing glands and mildew on the sails and cushions. For those boats that didnât make it into the water the subject of this article may also apply due to poor ventilation while covered. This article focuses on the hull interior, fabrics in and on the boat, and how they respond to the normally damp environment within which they exist. Dealing with black spots and boat smells are just as much a part of sailing as bottom painting and other chores we perform to keep our floating treasures in good condition. Searching for products that are effective and inexpensive is always a chore for a âfrugalâ (cheap) Yankee such as myself. Iâm forever trying different things, with varying success. Last fall, while volunteering on the Schooner Adven- ture out of Gloucester, we discovered a mildew problem in the focâsâl. Luckily another volunteer had a formula consisting of readily available household products that proved to be an excel- lent remedy. Coincidentally this fall Practical Sailor magazine published an article by Darrell Nicholson on mildew and mold treatments, concluding with results that matched what we experienced. What follows is a summary of a dozen or so products tested on various materials both in the lab and on board boats. For more detail on methods and results, we refer you to the full article. Twelve products were tested, comprised of gels and solids that work through emitting a vapor, and liquid sprays that work by direct contact, two of which were home-made formulas, as well as household bleach and vinegar. These are listed here roughly from most effective to least. Goldshield GS 5: This product was a clear winner, earning the Best Choice pick. It is currently available only on the web but the company is working on a wider distribution for the marine market. It is regarded as safe when used as directed and is approved for a wide range of applications. Formula A: Combined one quart hot water, one table- spoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), two tablespoons washing soda (sodium carbonate), and two tablespoons triso- dium phosphate (TSP). This homebrew is cheap. It works. Find your own empty spray bottle and try it. Formula B: Combined one quart hot water, two table- spoons baking soda, two tablespoons Borax, and one tablespoon TSP. Without a doubt, this was the cheapest mildew solution and was very effective. 3M Marine Mildew Block: Based on the formula, we expect that the water resistance will be superior to Concrobium and the DIY blends. This is a good product for areas exposed to occasional spray. Siamonâs Concrobium: This recommended product rated well again, but it was matched by the cheaper, homemade Formula A. Household Bleach, 10% solution: Bleach killed mold, removed stains, and greatly reduced reinfection (especially when not rinsed with fresh water). Of course, the sample was bleached, reminding us that it is only suitable for completely color-fast surfaces and materials. Sailors should be aware of bleachâs bad reputation in the marine environment. It is not eco-friendly, but it still has a place in the cleanup arsenal. Pur-A-Fy Air: The formula is not cheap, $43 for an 8-ounce tub. It is an expensive air-freshener that has some limited natural mildew-fighting properties and a nice scent. Renuzit Super Odor Neutralizer: While it won’t kill mold, our test noses approved, and it certainly could make sense as part of a spring cleanup. Foresparâs Tea Tree Power Gel: Fine for freshening cabins, but don’t expect miracles. Foresparâs Tea Tree Oil Spray: Use sparingly for masking odors and perhaps to control some incipient mildew. Star Brite NosGUARD SG: Rather than relying on NosGUARD, the owner of a used boat is going to be happier if he/she bites the bullet and cleans the boat thoroughly, then concentrates on keeping humidity levels down. Plain vinegar: Left to dry, reportedly works on some hard surfaces, however, this sample became more mildewed than the control sample! Not recommended. In general, treated Sunbrella fabric samples remained mildew free. All of the other fabric samples developed a few small mildew spots. Vapor emitting gels and solids could not prevent tough infestations, but pillows and interiors were noticeably fresher smelling after a few weeks of exposure, though the benefit lasted only a few weeks. These products seemed mostly to be masking odors. They might retard mildew growth, and the science supports that, but itâs not enough to make a difference in any significant infestation. All of the spray products gave similar coverage, as all are water-based and have the same instructions: Spray from 6 to 10 inches away until the fabric is moist, remove excess, and let sit. Figure on about 100 square feet per quart, and at least double that figure on hard surfaces. While some mildew returned to the control area, the treated areas stayed clean and fresh smelling for six months. None of the products worked well as hull or deck cleaners. They seemed to deteriorate or wash away in the weather and can strip away wax. As a rule, keeping things dry using dehumidification or ventilation, though not always practical or possible, was far more effective than any product that was tested. âDryâ should always be the first line of defense, with chemical treatments saved for those areas and items that unavoidably get damp. On schooner Adventure we used Formula B by the gallon, spraying it on with a good agricultural sprayer. The results were excellent. All of the mildew was gone the next day. Since then we have rigged fans throughout the hull to keep the air moving and reduce interior humidity, which is an ongoing challenge in a large wooden hull. – 7 – Tech Tips: Mildew Problems By Bill Whitney
– 8 – This letter was recently discovered in the Cronin family archives welcoming Jack and his family as FSS members:
Bansheeâs Brush With Death By John and Carole Wojcik Banshee #180, our 25â Pemaquid built by Jarvis Newman, was hauled out in Mattapoisett, MA on Tuesday morning 9/29 to end our season. We were to be put into the shed where we are stored but the yard still had to straighten a few things out, so we were put to the side along the shoreline for a few days. OK with us. We were blocked up next to a large 43â sailboat, Kolea, displacing 14 tons, with a high cover on it and her tall mast still stepped. The boat had not been launched this past summer because the owners live in Hawaii, and due to the virus, had not come back East for the summer. A gale warning was issued that day for winds from the south, the direction we were facing, gusting to 50 mph. We were out of the water, what could happen to us? At about 0800 on Wednesday, a large gust, maybe a downburst from the west, came through and knocked Kolea over on top of Banshee. A few minutes before the gust the boatyard had just checked the jack stands to make sure that they were tight and secure. The men working in the yard said it sounded like a plane crash when the boat went over. We got a call from Dave, the yard owner a short time later telling us what happened, but had no details other than his comment that âBanshee will sail againâ. Phew – that was somewhat reassuring, but we still didnât know the extent of the damage. It was a long one hour ride to the boatyard. When we got there, a huge crane from Cape Cod was starting to lift the other boat off of Banshee and I was able to get a good look at the sloop. Ÿ Of the port side toe rail had been shattered as well as the stern rail. There were a lot of scrapes on the port side as well, but the worst damage was a crack on that side of the hull about a foot long. The yard got Banshee upright after getting a sling under, righted her with the Travel Lift and placed her on the hydraulic trailer. Shortly after that she was backed into the carpentry shop where she will be for a couple of months. I contacted the insurance company, the yard came up with an estimate and we quickly ended up with a settlement. A day later we brought down spare rub rails I had made a few years ago, as well as spare pine ceiling pieces I had made up 40+ years ago, so the yard would have some pieces to work with. The crack in the hull will be repaired by cutting out a piece of the hull and building it back up with layers of fiberglass. Then the whole port side will be repainted and the teak rails will be replaced. All of this required that the fuel tank be removed, as well as the pine ceiling I had installed when I finished her from 1976-78. The yard started working on the repairs shortly after the accident. They’ve replaced the ash rub rails with those I had brought down, and have cut out the teak replacement rails which are almost ready to be installed. Even though the hull is so thick (almost 3/8″) where the crack is, they still had to cut out the damaged piece, though not as large as first thought. They have ground it down both inside the hull and outside and are building up the thickness back to the original. The boat that rolled over on us received some severe damage of warped bulkheads, door frames and doors, mostly in the head area. The hull was patched and towed to a Rhode Island yard to have the repairs done. They thought at one point that the 43-footer would be a total loss, but that turned out not to be the case. We were very fortunate to have survived this ordeal. Since we were blocked up a few feet forward of the sloop next to us, Banshee didnât receive the total weight of the toppled boat, and the most important point is that Jarvis Newman molded a very rugged hull!! Save the Dates For 2021 The 2021 FSS Annual Homecoming is scheduled to be held July 22 â 24 at the Rockland Public Landing waterfront. This will be a special event, celebrating the 60th year of the Friendship Sloop Society with three days of racing, renewing old friendships and forging new ones, swapping tall tails, sharing ideas and perhaps a mug of grog, capped off with the sumptuous awards banquet. The Southwest Harbor Race and Pot Luck will be Saturday, July 17th. These are wonderful events, always made better by more sloops and the people who love them coming to join the festivities. Please come join us! – 9 – 43â Kolea being lifted off of Banshee by crane. Banshee approaching the race mark. (Bill Finch photo)
Welcome New Sailor (arriving mid-February 2021) By John Fassak (expectant Grandfather) There once was a new baby girl Fassak From Biddeford, southwest of Wiscasset Her first name a surprise Blue, green, or brown eyes? Weâll tell you in time Just drop us a line. On Westwind this new face will greet you Raft upâŠso she can meet you To parents John and Amanda Hail new Commander! âHeave to!â on the water And weâll all meet your daughter. Sheâs been sailing âround heaven since May Says the sea and wind thereâs âokâ But âdo I reach, tack or gybe When the winds come alive On Muscongus and Penobscot Bays?â Iâll be learning about Friendships and people Iâm 4th generation â from Eagle! While wood hulls are my style I know âglass is worthwhile And that itâs skill, sail and air That makes sailors aware That not all captains and boats are equal. From the Croninâs to Wojcikâs to Zuberâs Iâll be learning real fast whatâs new here Iâll gain sailing knowledge Before going to college. Can I learn port from starboard Without going to Harvard? My Pa says âlearn factualâ âCause Cambridge ainât practical. And when you get really good at this⊠Weâll head to Annapolis. Iâve heard the Westwind was fast Been restoredâŠsailing RocklandâŠat last! Will my grandparents divorce If they transit the course And their labor of love gets passed? Now Iâm your youngest FSS member And one part of my new world endeavor Is to carry the cause From deck to gaff jaws From bowsprit to spreaders On lifts and on headers Reefed or full on Fog or bright sun. Warm beer or just rum Knowing when we are done We sailed safe and had fun. Iâll learn lotsâŠthatâs for sure Like making my moorings secure And knowing that FriendshipsâŠand friendships⊠Our friendshipsâŠwill endure. Marcia Morang (Continued from Page 5) She raised her hand when the Society needed someone to coordinate trophies and talked me into being her Second. She had such fun shopping for âkeeperâ trophies and skipperâs gifts. Among her favorites were the playing cards with the longitude and latitude of Rockland Harbor. Maybe it was Boothbay. It doesnât matter now. She enjoyed her Julys at the races in Rockland. She patted puppies, cooed at babies, flirted unashamed with Marion Stanleyâs husband Ralph, and hugged and kissed everyone in sight. Over the last few years she attended, she joined Jack Croninâs crew on the Effie M. That was probably more for me than for her. I hated sitting under the tent and wanted to be on the water but shared her desire to stay off sailboats unless they are rafted to a dock. Mum didnât have the traditional love affair with the sailing side of the Society, but she had a deep affection for the people of the Society. Mum was cremated. She requested that some of her remains â mixed with some of my Dadâs â be scattered in the ocean off the back of a Friendship sloop. It probably isnât really what she wants, but sheâll do it because she loved my Dad. Weâll pick a day with gentle winds and take her sailing for real. Three days before she died she wanted a Hershey Bar. It was the last thing she asked me for and one of the last things she tasted. In her memory, please share one with a friend. – 10 – Expectant grandparents FSS Commodore Diane Fassak and poet husband John, aboard their sloop #95 Westwind.
The Friendship Museum The Friendship Museum and the FSS have a long, close relationship. We are located in the Brick Schoolhouse on Martin Point Rd. and were established in 1964 by residents of Friendship and many FSS members, including Al and Betty Roberts who were instrumental in creating the Museum, and served as past presidents. The mission is to “collect, preserve, and exhibit” artifacts related to “the Town of Friendship and the Friendship Sloop.” From the outset, the Sloop Society has been a generous financial supporter and its members have furnished us with numerous artifacts, memorabilia, and a trove of photo- graphs. We have always deeply appreciated the Society’s support. For us at the Friendship Museum, this was the summer without a summer. In this difficult year of the pandemic, we were forced to remain closed. It is a small space and social distancing would have been difficult. Fortunately, we have been able to redirect our efforts towards our renovation project at the Museum Annex, on Main Street in Friendship. We have made great strides in transforming the first floor of the Annex into a space for exhibits and public gatherings. A room on the second floor has been set aside to store FSS records. The Annex will eventually allow us to exhibit items that for now are in storage, and provide needed wall space for photos, maps, charts, and paintings. We hope to see you all at the museum in a healthy 2021. Please visit us on Facebook at “Friendship Museum- Friendship, ME.” Best wishes to all. Bob Nash, President robertcnash@yahoo.com (207) 342-7624 Commodoreâs Message (Continued from Front Page) means we end up falling behind an island on our way to a mark, or if we find ourselves way off the mark, knocked down by the wind. As you bring the boat around to tack toward the mark, donât worry, you will get a lift on the other side. Falling off and letting the boat sail may seem like a setback, however, good sailors see it as an opportunity to adjust and continue to move forward. I believe this is what we have all experienced this past year, âa knockdownâ. Our only response can be to tack again toward the mark of sailing and gathering together to celebrate our 60th Homecoming in 2021. I am confident that if we do that, there will be a lift on the other side. Yours in Friendship, Diane Huston Fassak, Commodore Blackjack (Continued from Front Page) Consulting with wooden boat experts such as Maynard Bray and boat builder Ralph Stanley on design and techniques that Morse might have employed at the time, a team of master builders that included Jim Loney, Tim Clark and Garrett Eisele worked for countless hours with dedicated Museum volunteers to complete the project. Replanked using cedar below the waterline and native pine above, the wood for the new frames came from a stand of English oak from Friendship. Sharp was quoted in an article in the Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors Magazine as saying that the Museum was âkeeping her genes in the right place.â Upon completion of the restoration, a grand celebration and launching was held on Saturday, July 7, 2018 at the site of the old Snow Shipyard, currently home to the Museum as well as the cityâs Snow Marine Park. With bagpipes and fiddlers playing, Blackjack was moved from the Museumâs boat shed by a team of oxen. Sharp noted that the boat may well have been launched in the same way nearly 120 years earlier. The Friendship Sea Chest A new idea has been proposed by Bill Whitney, owner and skipper of Gaivota #214, and author of the Tech Tips column. We hope to launch the Friendship Sea Chest this spring, which will be a forum in the Newsletter and possibly on the FSS website and Facebook page, where members can move along unwanted nautical items to other members that may be in need of said items, while benefiting the Friendship Sloop Society financially. Items might include bronze fittings, tools, line, anchors, working electronics, mast hoops, hardware, fenders, oarsâŠalmost anything pertaining to Friendship sloops. All goods would be donated and all money received from sales would go to the FSS General Fund. We are working out the details of how to list items, arrange for secure payment and handle shipping or delivery, and hope to have more concrete information in the spring Newsletter. If you are interested in donating items, or have ideas about setting up this type of exchange, please contact Bill at fss214@hotmail.com or by phone at (781) 690-8076. – 11 – A beautiful Friendship sloop model with the portrait of prolific sloop builder Wilbur Morse in the background on display at the Friendship Museum.
Friendship Sloop Society 347 Lincoln Street Norwell, MA 02061 Address Correction Service Requested We always knew Salatia #90 had star power, and here she is gracing the cover of the popular New England boating magazine âPoints Eastâ, with owners Miff Lauriat and Marge Russakoff on board. Calling All Yearbook Contributors In 2021 we will publish our 60th Anniversary Homecoming Yearbook! I have no absolute certainty yet of what form this special Yearbook will take (which is both exciting and terrifying!), so donât forget to send in your articles, photos, musings and cruising tales (did you sail this year of Covid-19?). Also, please send in your 4 line Bulle- tin Board messages of fun and good will, with a check for $20 made out to the Friendship Sloop Society to me at editor@fss.org or ghagerty646@gmail.com or by US Mail to: George Hagerty, 646 Central St., Stoughton, MA 02072. Deadline is April 1! Please also think about contacting those marinas, chandleries, on-line retailers, restaurants, hotels and others in the marine or tourism world that keep your boats afloat and the sightseers happy, by trying to rustle up some adver- tising revenue for the Yearbook. This year I have reached out to over twenty such entities and received several positive potential responses. Itâs tough work but we need to help support all the heavy advertising lifting Peter & Nancy Toppan have done for years to keep the Yearbook afloat! Remember, the FSS Yearbook is your voice; I just work here! See you on the docks in Rockland in 2021! George Hagerty, FSS Yearbook Editor
All photos courtesy of Bill Finch – 13 – Freedom #167, owned by Richard and Karen Schwartz, all the way over on a starboard tack in 2019. Scott Martin, (aka the infamous Captain Monarch), seemingly at a loss for words at the Awards Banquet in 2016. A pre-pandemic panorama of sloops, reefed down and reach- ing hard. From left to right, Phoenix #91, Lady M #93, Sazerac #44, Gladiator #71 and Inherit the Wind #156 Commodore Diane Fassak passing along the âSpirit of Friendship Awardâ to Carole and John Wojcik from previous recipients Dick and Suzi Guckel in 2019. Eden and crew on port tack deciding whether to duck, tack or T-bone the right-of-way Queequeg #155 back in 2017. Gladiator #71 and Rights of Man #52, neck in neck in Rockland in 2017 under perfect sailing conditions.
