Winter 2022 (A) Newsletter
đ Download PDFCommodoreâs Message Greetings fellow Friendship Sloop Society members! Nancy and I are honored to be the newest Commodores of the Society. Thank you for your trust and support. Our goal is to continue the traditions established and upheld by our predeces- sors. I donât really know when I first became aware of Friendship sloops. As a child spending my summers in Lincoln- ville, ME, I developed a fascination with the gaff-rigged schoo- ners that sailed Penobscot Bay. I recall in the mid 1980âs stopping at a boatyard to inquire about what I recognized as a Friendship sloop. Twenty-five years later, retired and once again spending my summers in Maine, I heard about a regatta for Friendship sloops in Rockland. I couldnât resist the chance to get a closer look at these beautiful traditional boats. When I learned that it was possible to volunteer for crew positions during the races, I added my name to the crew call. My name was the last one left on the list when Tad Beck said he could take me aboard Phoenix. For the first time in my life I stepped on the deck of a Friendship sloop! By the end of the day the hook was set and I knew this would be a calling for the rest of my life. After three years of crewing on sloops at the Rockland Homecoming I arrived the following year on my newly purchased 31 foot sloop, Inherit the Wind (pictured below). I relate this story because for fifty years I didnât realize that I could have been involved in this exciting avocation. We as members of the Friendship Sloop Society must improve our âbadge recognitionâ and outreach in new and welcoming ways to potential members, sloop owners, crew members and partici- pants in our FSS âfamily.â We look forward to sharing your ideas for building membership and participation. Victor and Nancy Goulding, Co-Commodores Changing of the Watch Introducing Vic and Nancy Goulding Outgoing FSS Commodore Diane Fassak handed the baton of leadership over to incoming Co-Commodores Vic and Nancy Goulding at the Annual Meeting this past November. Diane had graciously agreed to serve for a third year as the Covid pandemic had eliminated all in-person FSS activities in 2020, including the planned celebration of the 60th Homecoming. Diane led the Society decisively and safely through a most challenging period of cancellations, uncertainty and ZOOM meetings, and we thank her for a job extremely well done! Vic and Nancy hail from Holyoke, MA in the western part of the state, and are the owners of sloop #156 Inherit the Wind (formerly Namaste). Vicâs formative early summers on Penobscot Bay sparked an admiration for traditional sailing vessels that would last a lifetime. Having only sailed in small prams for a year or two in summer camp, once retired, Vic was game to take on the challenges of owning, rigging and sailing a Friendship sloop (and a 31 footer at that!), which he acquired in 2014 and sailed from Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts to Penobscot Bay. Participating in the FSS Homecoming and racing for those three days is the highlight of the summer for Vic and his crew of friends and relatives. While the sailing and racing are fun and exhilarating, itâs the tremendous support, input and friendship he receives from other sloop sailors that he finds exceptional. The exchange of ideas, problem solving, fine- tuning the rig, and observing alternatives on other boats are a lot of what goes on âbehind the scenesâ at the Homecoming, and Vic feels that he has benefited enormously from the flow of knowledge and experience. Vic began his working life as a car mechanic until the demands of a growing family necessitated a career with more stability and room for growth. He earned an Associates Degree in Engineering and worked for Monsanto for 25 years. Early retirement at the age of 58 led to another seven-year career working in instrumentation for a local power plant. Nancy has been an at home mom and has worked in manufacturing, retail and in several capacities for the US Census. In addition to their two children, they have six grand- children and two great-grands, one of who has won the Nicker- son trophy for the youngest crew member! (Continued to Page 10) Volume 34 Winter 2022 FSS.ORG Issue 1 Friendships Newsletter of the Friendship Sloop Society 1
Ralph W. Stanley 1929 â 2021 The Friendship Sloop Society and the world of wooden boats has lost a treasured friend, boat builder, historian, and endless source of shared knowledge and stories with the death of Ralph Stanley on December 7 at the age of 92. The countless contributions Ralph has made to Maineâs boatbuilding, history and music cultures, and to his family and friends, seem impossi- ble to pack into one lifetime. Ralph was born in 1929 in Southwest Harbor, ME and grew up with working boats never far from sight or mind. After earning an associates degree in business he worked as a shipâs hand and captain on several local vessels. He married Marion Linscott in 1956 and began a family, and just this year they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Ralphâs boat building career took shape when he decided he needed a boat and tried his hand at building one. He was entirely self-taught. As a youngster Ralph had been drawn to the local boat yards and had carefully observed the ways of the expert builders, including Ronald Rich, Raymond Bunker and Bob & Cliff Rich. After completing his own boat, he figured he was through with that venture until several months later when someone hired him to build a lobster boat-style pleas- ure craft. Thus began a lifelong career of boat design, construc- tion, modification and restoration. In the early 1960âs, Ralph began building sailboats. The thirty-three foot Hieronymus was his first Friendship sloop, and after building one he quickly became an authority on the class. He had always been attracted to Friendships. He recalled, âeven when I was a little boy I remember seeing a Friendship sloop and it held my attention. I like how they look, the way they sail, and the way they set in the water.â Jarvis Newman, another Southwest Harbor legend, and Ralph teamed up to restore the deteriorating sloop Venture, then in 1972 restored Dictator together. After construction of the building shed at his home on Clark Point Rd., Ralph restored the sloops Amity and Morning Star. Over his long career, Ralph had over 70 boats to his credit, as either new construction or (Continued to Page 7) A Special Thought Concerning Ralph Stanley By Dave Graham It is with a heavy heart that I reflect on the loss of Ralph Stanley from our Friendship Sloop Society family. Like most of you (I suspect all), I have long valued Ralphâs friendship and unquestionable expertise! With this in mind, Iâd like to share a quick story of Ralph Stanley, one of many that I treasure. It all started in the fall of 1990 when I received a call in my office at Boston-Logan Airport from the Charlestown Navy Yard. It was the then brand-new Skipper of the USS Constitu- tion, asking me to join him for a meeting at his office. On the appointed date I arrived to meet CDR David Cashman, USN, who from that very day was also to become a life-time friend. Dave had just arrived in Boston with specific orders from the Navy Bureau of Ships (BuShips) to have âOld Ironsidesâ surveyed in preparation for a much-needed overhaul at the Yard; it was obvious that she was badly hogged. The goal was to âfix her upâ in preparation for a sail on her 200th anniversary. Little did I know at the time, and learned later, that the sail was to be made to my hometown of Marblehead! Still, on the day of my first meeting with Dave Cashman, my enthusiasm had already been peaked. Up front as the meeting began, Dave readily confessed that he knew nothing about wooden ships, but that he had been told I would know the âright peopleâ along the New England coast who could help. In no time, I placed a call to Ralph Stanleyâs shop in Southwest Harbor, asking if he would be willing to take a look-see at the Constitutionâs âinnardsâ. It wasnât but a short time later at 0800 on a Monday morning that Ralph arrived, along with his major shop-crew consisting of son Richard and Timmy Goodwin. During the next five days, Ralph, Richard and Timmy crawled from bow to stern down below, examining every nook and cranny, until the very last inch of her had been thoroughly examined. Returning home on that Friday evening after a five-day survey, Ralph sat down to start his report. What followed in those early computer days would be a 10-page double-sided, hand-written report sent to Dave Cashman by Ralph, on what would be needed to get the USS Constitution back into sea-worthy shape. Several months later the ship was moved into Dry-Dock #1 where a thorough hull overhaul was accomplished, following Ralphâs sage guidelines. It was prior to the overhaul that Dave Cashman had Ralphâs report transcribed into an official US Navy document that, along with the hand-written report, was sent to BuShips at the Washington Navy Yard. To this day, Ralphâs hand-written report remains on file at BuShips! This is a fitting tribute (one of many) to the legacy of our very own Ralph Stanley, and was a key element leading to the USS Constitutionâs highly successful sail in celebra- tion of her 200th anniver- sary. – 2 – Ralph built Seven Girls for his father. (Joey Toppan photo) Ralph with Westwind on the ways following a substantial rebuild in 2009
Membership News By Carole Wojcik FSS membership increased slightly in 2021 from 230 members in 2020 to 234. The breakdown is as follows: 117 members are sloop owners with 46 more being full members, 67 have cooperative memberships and we have four honorary lifetime members for a total of 234. Of those members, 78% have paid their membership dues in 2021. That puts membership payments up by 8% over 2020. Membership payments are currently coming in at a good rate, nearly the same as last year at this time. Thank you to those of you who have renewed your membership for 2022! New Members: ï Paul Brown of Rockland, ME joined the Society at the July Homecoming. Paul was crew on John Rutledgeâs sloop #69 Coast Oâ Maine. ï Chris Gerkin of Michigan has joined the Society and is hoping to purchase #46 Momentum (formerly Dirigo), which is presently in Erie, PA. ï Peter Clapp of Spruce Head, ME is the owner of Aestimare, which served brilliantly as our Race Committee boat this past summer in Rockland. The following members have âcrossed the barâ since our last meeting: Nathaniel Clapp of Ipswich, MA, builder of #35 Juniper (formerly the Mary C) passed away in November 2020. Long time member Hugh Verry, who crewed on Dick Salterâs Liberty for many years, passed away in August of this year. Another long time member, Albert Neilson of Topsham, ME, the original owner of Hieronymous, built in 1962 by Ralph Stanley, passed away in February 2021. Registrarâs Report By John Wojcik For 2021, there were no new sail numbers issued, so we are still at 285 sloops registered with the Society. There were no reports of any sloop that is no longer in existence. There have been a number of sloops sold since the last Newsletter was published in May of 2021: ï Dennis Wint of Southwest Harbor, ME recently purchased #221 Seal from John & Debby Kerr. Seal is now sailing out of Southwest Harbor. ï Steve & Dee Dunipace have purchased the sloop Noel (formerly Tamara) from the Mystic Seaport Museum. The 36 foot Noel is #272 and was built by Ralph Stanley in 2004. Her homeport will be Friendship, ME. Steve is planning on sailing Noel to Maine in 2022. ï Bill Levandowski has sold #97 Integrity to Vinnie & Shawn George. They have changed the sloopâs name back to Gannett and will be sailing out of Orrâs & Bailey Islands in Casco Bay. ï Jonathon Moses of Langley, WA has recently purchased #235 Finest Kind from Mike & Karen Looram. Finest Kind is a 22â sloop built in 1981 by Sam Guild & Geoff Heath. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, there are 285 sloops registered with the Society. As of today: ï 122 sloops belong to Society members. ï There are 40 sloops whose status is listed as destroyed. ï There are 17 sloops listed as âLostâ – we have no idea who the owner is. ï 36 sloops have been verified as in existence and we know who the owners are, but they are not FSS members. That leaves 70 sloops that we believe are still in existence but the status is uncertain since we have attempted to contact the listed owner multiple times but with no success. – 3 – Jack Cronin and Dave Richards on board the Effie M on race patrol duty. (Bill Finch photo) Old Baldy #57 with owner Kathe Newman Walton at the helm, counting down to the start in 2021. (Bill Finch photo)
Marlinespike Seamanship By Ted Walsh Mast Hoops and Seizings Seizing: Nautical, archaic fasten or attach (someone or something) to something by binding with turns of rope. * Nautical archaic does describe the gaff rig and what holds the rig together is often seizing. That is certainly the case when it comes to attaching the mainsail to mast hoops. Seizing the luff of the main to mast hoops looks like a flimsy way to connect the two but it is simple, practical and not likely to fail. Like so much about the gaff rig, there is not one right way to do anything, but this is the method that I was taught and it works well. The seizing itself is best explained through the diagrams. The process for us involves the following steps: First lash the sail to the boom and gaff, typically with lace lines. Next raise the gaff a couple of feet off the boom and make the halyards fast. Using a sail tie or a piece of marline, tie one end to the second to lowest mast hoop, lift it and the hoops above it up out of your way and tie them off temporarily to the gaff jaws. Now you can work on the bottom-most hoop without the other hoops in the way. Start with about two fathoms of marline for each lashing. You will probably reduce this to a fathom and a yard with practice, but for a start, too much line is better than not enough. When you have completed the first hoop, repeat the process, now tying the third hoop from the bottom and the above hoops out of your way. Keep this up until all the hoops are seized to the sail. The seizing: A few words on marline: A lot of what is sold as tarred marline isnât even marline. The worst stuff is made of braided nylon with a coating that is part wax and part tar. The resulting product is sticky to handle and the tar and wax will get all over you, your sails, your clothes and adds nothing to the mix since the nylon is waterproof anyway. Good marline is made up of twine, either cotton, or better yet, hemp. The line is treated with tar and is dry to the touch or has just enough softness to the tar that it sticks to itself but not to your hands. The best stuff I have come across is sold by American Rope and Tar (http://tarsmell.com), nice to the touch, strong and flexible. It is not cheap but I think the extra cost is worth it. * New Oxford American Dictionary – 4 –
2021 Annual Meeting Highlights November 20, 2021, South Portland, ME By Kathe Newman Walton Commodore Diane Huston Fassak opened the meeting, welcoming attendees and thanking several members for their extensive contributions to the FSS: Kirsten Cronin, who is stepping down from her many years as the Regatta banquet manager, and both Bill and Caroline Zuber, who are retiring after serving for many years on the Race Committee and as âMorale Officerâ, respectively. Two new members present were introduced; Peter Clapp, owner and skipper of the Ralph Stanley-built Race Committee boat, Aestimare, and Ant Steward of Maryland, new owner of Lady E #105. The 2022 Rockland Homecoming is set for July 21-23. Harbormaster Ryan Murray is keeping our fee at $1500, which is significantly less than paying by the foot. The 2020 Annual Meeting Minutes presented by Secre- tary Kathe Walton were accepted as written. Treasurer Greg Merrill reported the Societyâs finances to be strong due to several new Yearbook advertisers, increases in Chandlery sales and membership, and a small profit on the banquet (a first!). Storage fees and liability insurance will increase in 2022. A 3% inflation increase across the board was factored into the proposed 2022 Budget, which passed unanimously. Many Committee Reports appear elsewhere in this Newsletter issue as separate articles. Chandlery manager Caroline Phillips reported that the 2022 Calendars should be available soon. She is trying to establish a business relationship with a local embroiderer. She also thanked brother John Cronin for packing and transporting Chandlery items back and forth to Regattas and the Annual Meeting. Yearbook Editor George Hagerty thanked the contribu- tors and distributors, with a special thanks to Peter Toppan for his tireless work on advertising sales along with Nancyâs capable assistance. April 1, 2022 is the deadline for Yearbook articles, and photographs are needed. Peter Toppan thanked new adver- tisers Bristol Marine and Jansonâs Clothing, both located in Boothbay Harbor. Advertising for 2022 started yesterday with Epifanes in Thomaston the first to sign on! Rich Langton contin- ues to coordinate Yearbook distribution, with many members pitching in up and down the New England coast. Southwest Harbor race organizer Caroline Phillips reported a small, fun race, with about 10 sloops. She thanked the Hinckley Company for offering their moorings and facilities, and for the use of their beach for the catered post-race dinner. Gladiator finished first, followed by Ray of Hope (formerly Eden), Hegira, then the rest. Trophy Chair Penny Richards reminded all award recipients to please dust, engrave, and return your trophies in time for next yearâs presentations. (Continued to Page 9) Sloops Join Windjammer Days By Ross Branch In advance of the 2021 Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days Antique Boat Parade, Bristol Marine-The Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor hosted a group of Friendship sloops on June 30. Bristol Marine provided a luncheon and Shipyard tour including the nearly completed Ernestina Morrissey. Sloops were invited to arrive on our dock anytime during the week leading up to the event. We had four sloops join us, with another five arriving for the parade itself. Freedom, Gypsy Song, Gladiator, and Celebration found spots on the dock. Hegira, Banshee, Petrel, Gaivota, and Black Star arrived just in time to join the parade with over 40 antique boats of all types. The festival dates for 2022 are June 26-July 2 with the Antique Boat Parade on June 30. It will feature an expanded celebration with all boats being invited to come and raft up at the Shipyard for an after-party with food, drinks and a band. Boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org has details for next year’s event, as well as a sign up sheet. We look forward to welcoming the Friendship Sloop Society back to the Shipyard to join with many other classic vessels. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ross@bristolmarine.com . – 5 – Commodore Diane Fassak presiding in 2019. (Bill Finch photo) Freedom #167, Gypsy Song #138 and #71 Gladiator share the dock with a schooner in Boothbay Harbor.
If you own a boat you always have a project! Some are more complex than others. Generally they are not as complex as rebuilding the entire boat (although some of us have succeeded in doing that), and involve repairing or replacing a piece of equip- ment. After all, things wear out, break, or are subject to old age and obsolescence. I find it amusing to watch the process a lot of folks go through as they tackle various maintenance tasks. âOh, I got a new radio! Darn, it doesnât fit where the old one was installed, the power plug is different, and the old antenna cable doesnât reach the new antenna connection. AAAGH!!!â (Picture Charley Brown lying on his back on the ground after Lucy snatches the football out from under his foot!) I have to admit that Iâve found myself in this state on more than one occasion, but Iâve also learned how to avoid it, or at least reduce the mental anguish. I have heard it said that experience is the sum of all your mistakes. At this point in my life Iâm very experienced! All projects seem to break down into five basic phases; concept, planning, procurement, and execution, with continual reassessment scattered throughout the other phases. Simple projects like replacing a line donât require much more than shopping for the best price, but others require, or should require, a disciplined approach. The concept phase can occur at almost any time; during a conversation with someone else, as a result of reading Wooden- Boat or another periodical, or as you notice the gradual loss of capability of some piece of equipment. You form an idea, and from there start thinking how great that change will be. But then you exercise the other side of concept generation, which is known as ârequirements analysisâ. You ask yourself, âDo I really need this? Is this overkill? Do I really want to spend this kind of money? Does it belong on a Friendship sloop? What will my partner/wife/friends think?â Now you go ahead and do it anyway. The planning phase is where the rubber hits the road. Your success or failure here will determine your level of frustra- tion during the remaining phases and your satisfaction with the final results. During this phase itâs important to take the concept you have developed and see how to execute it. Where will it fit? What tools or skills will be needed? Can I reach it from the helm if Iâm alone? If I install it here can I access it for repairs in the future? How much current will it draw? Will my existing electri- cal system support the added load? How will it change the trim of the boat? This is where you need to ask yourself a whole range of questions and formulate a good plan that answers all your questions. In some cases, as in the installation of a new water or waste tank, you may need to make a mock-up to ensure a correct fit and that all the hoses have a clear run to wherever they attach. If itâs a complicated job, start with a line drawing or sketch that shows all the parts and inter-connections. As you draw it out it will help you get your head around all that has to be done. This is the phase where you also lay out the pieces, tools and skills that may be required to complete the project. Most importantly, this is where you reassess everything you envisioned during the concept phase. Things may radically change at this point, but thatâs why you do it. Reassessing and redefining the concept may save time, material, money and frustration. The procurement phase is where you actually take the plan you have laid out and start spending money. Usually the major pieces of a project are reasonably straightforward catalog, EBAY, retail or marine consignment shop searches. What is not so straightforward are the nuts, bolts, screws, washers, wire, connectors, lugs, terminal strips and ancillary equipment that may be needed to complete the task. How many times have you started a job only to have to run to the hardware store or local chandlery to get some small item you forgot? How much time did you lose driving back and forth or waiting for delivery? From the drawing you did during the planning phase you can derive a list of each part that you may need. Here again it might be wise to reassess the plan to see if there may be an easier or less expen- sive way to accomplish the same end result. For instance, will the equipment need to be removed for winter decommissioning? If so you will want to use quick disconnect lugs instead of eye lugs that need to be unscrewed or line splices that need to be cut. Also consider the lead time for any part that needs to be ordered. Delivery issues could really impact the time frame for accom- plishing the project and could even delay splashing your boat in the spring. Here again, you may need to reassess the project to see if it can be done on time or if you might need help to stay on schedule. Execution is the hard part. Up until now most of the project has been a mental exercise. Now comes the cutting, grinding, sanding, refinishing and clean-up thatâs part of most projects. If youâve done a reasonably good job of planning and procurement, things should go fairly well. Thereâs bound to be some minor problems, but they should be just that, minor. The hard part is getting your body into some confined space and then wiggling out again or finding that your arm and wrist were never meant to bend in that direction. Cleaning the paint and adhesive off your hands, clothing and hair (the worst!) may not be an easy chore either. As things progress and possibly get challenging donât be afraid to ask for help or for advice as to how to approach a problem or process that you have never tackled before. Facebook can be a good resource for repairs or projects as long as you carefully assess what you are seeing. Some of the videos and narratives Iâve seen are pretty good, while some are of no use what-so-ever. The manufacturers of most products have websites explaining the best way to install their product, or have help lines that can be a wealth of information. Jamestown Distributors is a great resource. Donât be afraid to use them. Now that the project is complete stand back and admire what you have accomplished. The end product may or may not match your original concept but through the planning (reassess- ment), procurement (reassessment), and execution (reassessment) process you have successfully achieved the goal! – 6 – The Fassakâs Westwind #95 at forty feet, takes up a lot of dock space. And watch out for that boom! (Bill Finch photo) Tech Tips: Boat Projects – By Bill Whitney
Race Committee News By Dave Graham, RC Chairman The FSS celebrated its 60th anniversary Homecoming Regatta with the largest number of sloops coming to Rockland that we have witnessed in many a year! It was indeed a great turnout for which all participants can justifiably be proud, and for which we were blessed with great sailing weather during the three days of racing. A heartfelt âThank You to Peter Clapp, Jack Cronin and Dick Salter who donated their boats, expertise and time over the three-day event in their roles as our RC committee boat and safety patrols. Hearty congratulations to all, and letâs do it again in 2022! Over the past few months, Bill Whitney, Dick Salter, Peter Clapp (by phone) and I have been meeting to discuss our racing plans for 2022. What âcame-out-of-the-washâ was the plan to minimize the US Coast Guard concern related to the magenta Commercial Traffic Zone that we have voluntarily been depicting on our racing charts. What started it all was a complaint from a ferry captain back in 2019 about âall those little boatsâ that he had encountered on his way into Rockland Harbor. His complaint reached the Coast Guard, resulting in a call to me that very afternoon. While my subsequent explanation satisfied the Coast Guard, each year since, when I file our USCG âMarine Event Applicationâ along with the required race area chart, I have received a âcautionâ from the Coast Guard. It is for that very reason that your Race Committee has chosen to be âpro-activeâ in slightly revising the race chart for 2022 to minimize crossings of the Commercial Traffic Zone. More on this, with a copy of the new chart, as we get into the 2022 season. In the âSomething Different Departmentâ, the Race Committee is strongly considering doing a âBang and Come Backâ race-course in 2022, possibly for the Friday race if condi- tions permit. This could be a race starting, for instance, at Mark âBâ that would send all participating sloops in a direction toward a single point in West Penobscot Bay until such time as a cannon fires (with a same-time announcement made on the VHF working channel). The sloops would then return to the Start/Finish Line, thereby working off their individual handicaps. This is how the Friendship Sloop Society began its race program 60 years ago! Look for greater detail on this possibility in the Spring 2022 Newsletter. Ralph W. Stanley (1929 â 2021) (Continued from Page 2) major restorations. These include two lobster boats; Seven Girls, well known to FSS sailors as the RC boat for many years, and Aestimare, the current RC boat. Ralph continued to work on wooden boats in his later years teaming up with son Richard until he mostly retired in the mid 1990âs. Ralph was a lifelong and avid maritime historian. He was always digging around local libraries and learning from old timers about past events. He wrote numerous articles on Friend- ship sloops and Mount Desert Island, and served on the Board of the Penobscot Marine Museum for years. He found the time to write two books, âRalph Stanley: Tales of a Maine Boatbuilderâ with Craig Milner, and recently, âThe Stanleys of Cranberry IslesâŠand Other Colorful Charactersâ. Ralph was also a talented and enthusiastic fiddler, even crafting fiddles for himself and others, and repairing stringed instruments. In his middle years, along with several musician friends, he founded and played in the country band The Country Strummers. He was a regular at the music âjamsâ in Brewer, ME, and performed at many local benefits and fundraisers. The list of national, state and local honors that Ralph received over his lifetime for his contributions to his community, to wooden boats, and to the culture and history of the Maine coast, is long and impressive. The National Endowment for the Arts recognized him in 1999 with a National Heritage Fellow- ship. In 2002 Governor King bestowed the title âShipwright Laureate of Maine, a National Treasureâ. June 25, 2004 was declared âRalph Stanley Dayâ, honoring Ralph for his âlifelong work upholding the finest traditions of boatbuilding, Maine coastal culture, and economyâ. He received the Don Turner Award for his work on the USS Constitution, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Boat School in Eastport, ME. The shipâs clock from the Penobscot Maritime Museum was presented to Ralph in recognition of his service and leader- ship. The Southwest Harbor Library made him their first ever Chairman Emeritus. He received the Sunbeam Award from the Seacoast Mission for his many contributions to the well-being of area communities. The FSS honored him with the Bancroft Award for continued service to the Society and made him an honorary lifetime member. And this is only a partial listing. Ralph is survived by his wife Marion, four children, eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and legions of friends and acquaintances who have had the good fortune to spend some time with this talented, intelligent and generous man. (Jon Johansen, editor of Maine Coastal News, kindly allowed us to use his front page article on Ralph from the January issue for background information for this piece.) – 7 – From left, Salatia, Celebration, Hegira, Gladiator, Ray of Hope and Jabberwocky enjoy light but delightful conditions heading downwind in 2021. (Bill Finch photo) Marion and Ralph Stanley in 2017. (Bill Finch photo)
FSS Publicity Committee Gets the Job Done! By Karen and Rich Schwartz The Publicity Committee has had a busy year promot- ing the Friendship Sloop Society. In January, the committee reached out to the editor of WoodenBoat magazine to discuss the upcoming 60th Anniversary Homecoming and the possibility of submitting an article to promote the event. Although COVID still cast uncertainty as to whether we could actually have the regatta, WoodenBoat published our article in the âCurrentsâ section of the May/June edition! With over 100,000 readers around the world, we were thrilled to be included. The Homecoming was a tremendous success. Seventeen sloops attended, and renowned photographers Ben Mendlowitz, Alison Langley, and others were on the water shooting the event. Based on our conversation with the editor, there is a possibility that WoodenBoat may publish a photo essay of the Homecoming in future editions! During the Homecoming, Laurie Fullerton, a freelance writer for SAIL magazine interviewed several FSS members and sailed aboard a sloop in the second race. The 2021 October/November edition of SAIL included a photo essay entitled, âRacing is Backâ that featured the resumption of racing events around the globe, including our own 60th Regatta on page 63, with a Bill Finch photo of Tannis and Freedom! We have reprinted the photo and text on page 12 of this issue. SAIL magazine also has approximately 100,000 readers and may be publishing an additional article in the spring of 2022 featuring the Society and several of our membersâ personal stories. Stay tuned and look for an update in the Spring FSS Newsletter. Given the historical significance of the Friendship sloop design, we promoted the Homecoming in the on-line Calendar of Events for the state of Maineâs bicentennial celebration. We also worked to expand the presence of the FSS in the greater boating community this year. During Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor, numerous sloops participated in the Antique Boat Parade, including Banshee, Black Star, Lady M, Jabberwocky, Celebration, Gaivota, Gladiator, Gypsy Song, Hegira, Petrel and Freedom, and several joined the race on the final day. We want to thank Ross Branch at Bristol Marine for graciously providing free dock space to the sloops during Windjammer Days and for hosting the sloop owners for a light luncheon on the docks and a special tour of the Ernestina Morrissey. See Rossâs write up of the events on Page 5. For 2022, the Publicity Committee also recommended that the Society pursue 501(c)3 non-profit status, and there is currently a crack team of people working on this, spearheaded by George Hagerty. We hope to continue to expand FSS outreach by updating the FSS website, and by promoting the Society and our events through the Maine Tourism Office, Penobscot Bay âJewelâ calendar of events, Points East magazine, Maine Boats, Homes, & Harbors magazine, Maine Coastal News and other on-line and print publications. Member suggestions and ideas are always welcome! Contact us at publicity@fss.org. Thank you FSS members for your ongoing generous support! In 2021 five seniors from Friendship, ME were awarded $3500 each, and five Continuing Education students each received $1800. We are pleased to report that the finances are in place to award more record-breaking dollars in 2022 of $4000 per graduating Senior, and $2000 per Continuing Education student! In 2021 the Fund Trustees launched the âCreative Ways to Giftâ program to accept non-cash gifts. Hereâs how it works: There are 8 basic ways that you may give gifts to the Scholarship Fund: 1) Cash 2) Stock 3) Real Estate and Business Interests 4) Other Personal Property 5) Life Insurance 6) IRAs and Other Retirement Funds 7) Assets of a Private Foundation 8) Bequests There are many advantages to using each of these creative gift-giving options to support the Fund. If you would like more information on the non-cash options, please contact Jennifer Richard at the Maine Community Foundation for a confidential discussion about your giving ideas at (207) 412-0833, or e-mail her at jrichard@mainecf.org. You may also use the Foundationâs toll free number at (877) 700-6800 x833. Please reference the Fund (FREN) to Jennifer in your communi- cation. The dollars generated will be made available to the Fund Trustees âFor Distributionâ in support of scholarship awards. For more information about the Fund, gifts, qualifica- tions to receive a scholarship, and future plans etc., contact Phil Pratt at (207) 832-4335, davisloop100@gmail.com or PO Box 129, Friendship, ME 04547. – 8 – New Vice-Commodore Andy Zuber skippers Gladiator #71, built in 1902, along the breakwater and past the light in Rockland Harbor. (Bill Finch photo)
Yearbook Deadline You know you all have stories about your sloops and ideas that have been on your mind, percolating on the back burner for years, or at least for this past year. We would love to hear about them! A perfect project for the long cold months ahead would be to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, and write them down to be published in your own FSS Yearbook. Stories, goals, achievements, catastrophes, poems, photographs, tributes; itâs all stuff we want to read about, so please think about sharing your experiences. The deadline for submissions for the 2022 FSS Yearbook is April 1, 2022. Send articles to Editor George Hagerty by email at ghagerty646@gmail.com or editor@fss.org, or mail to George at 646 Central Street, Stoughton, MA 02072. The deadline for messages to âpostâ on the Yearbook Bulletin Board page is the same. Mail your message along with $20 to George at the above address. 2021 Annual Meeting Highlights (Continued from Page 5) Nominating Chair Peter Toppan proposed the following slate of officers for 2022: Commodores Victor and Nancy Goulding, Vice Commodore Andy Zuber, Treasurer Greg Merrill, Membership Secretary Carole Wojcik, and Recording Secretary Kathe Newman Walton. These nominees were accepted unanimously. In the âNew Businessâ department, George Hagerty, Rich Langton, Bill Whitney, Rich and Karen Schwartz, Greg Merrill, and David Graham have been looking into changing the charitable status of the FSS from a 501(c)4 to 501(c)3 to allow for tax deductible donations, potentially attracting more donors. George reported that the FSS already meets most of the require- ments for 501(c)3 status. The change would not affect our By-Laws, and would cost $275 using the âeasyâ form. The motion to proceed with the application was accepted. Kathe Newman Walton and her husband Dan have offered to donate the Jarvis Newman moulds for the 25 and 31 foot fiberglass Friendship sloops to the FSS. Ant Steward offered to transport the moulds to his boatyard in Sparrows Point, MD for storage and potential new builds. The motions to accept both offers were passed enthusiastically. Incoming Co-Commodore Victor Goulding spoke briefly, noting that he and wife Nancy accepted the Vice commo- dore position three years ago and are looking forward to their new role. He pointed out that Diane is retiring as Commodore leaving membership, publicity and finances all in very good shape. Outgoing Commodore Diane Huston Fassak was thanked for her three years of exceptional service and leadership during the challenging Covid period. Penny Richards spoke in tribute noting that Diane âbroke the mouldâ as our first female Commodore, and navigated the FSS diligently and successfully through the pandemic all while proudly wearing her USN âcoverâ (hat). Penny presented Diane with a lovely glass dome stand to display her âcoverâ and the Executive Committee presented Diane with an engraved plaque thanking her for three excellent years as Commodore. As the meeting came to an end, it was announced that wily Jack Cronin had won 50/50 the raffle. The silent auction wrapped up with its many varied donated items, and Bill Whitney commenced the spirited live auction. The meeting adjourned at 6:05 and the group enjoyed cocktails, a fine dinner and after-party. Save the Dates! Mark those calendars you just received as Christmas gifts and start planning to attend some or all the FSS events on schedule for 2022. The Rockland Homecoming will be held July 21-23, preceded by the Southwest Harbor race on July 16. Kicking off the season and an incentive to get your sloops ready early, is the Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days festival from June 26 through July 2, with the Parade of Antique Boats on June 30. Numerous Friendships were in attendance this past summer. Please come and join in! – 9 – How do you keep a sloop like Tannis #7 with her lengthy waterline and massive sail area from overtaking you? Generally you donât, which is why Tannis, on the left, is sent almost to Bangor and back in Handicap Alley! She is owned by Jack Cronin and family, and Rights of Man is owned by son Wayne Cronin. (Bill Finch photo)
Friendship Museum: 2021 and Looking Forward By Bob Nash, Museum President We were happy to be able to open up this season after being closed for Covid in 2020. The return to âalmost normalâ was very welcome. Friendship Day is always the last Saturday in July and this year gave us the opportunity to show off the progress we’ve made renovating the Museum Annex on Main Street. The “Dory Room” is nearing completion and we were able to display our boats and some of the larger items that we have in our collection, as well as several original paintings of Friendship sloops, one of which is pictured below. We now have heat and will have plumbing by New Year’s! Our expanded exhibition space will allow us to display more of our extensive collection of Friendship sloop artifacts as well as displays on lobstering and fishing gear, and boat-building tools. We also plan to feature our collection of navigation tools and instruments, from lead lines and compasses to a Loran receiver. Yes, Loran has already been relegated to museum status! We’re very excited about the coming year and we look forward to seeing our friends from the Friendship Sloop Society. Please come by and visit us next summer. Changing of the Watch (Continued from the Front Page) Over the next two years as Co-Commodores, Nancy hopes to work toward seeing FSS membership have tangible benefits with certain companies or museums, such as discounted prices or admissions for members. Vic would like to focus on perpetuating Dianeâs legacy of a vibrant, involved and growing membership. Getting more sloops to the Rockland Homecoming celebration and the other FSS events will be another goal, and he is very enthusiastic about supporting the great strides the Public- ity Committee has made in 2021. We welcome the Gouldings in their new role as Co-Commodores and thank them for stepping up! – 10 – The plaque in the Museum reads: âFriendship Sloop, Howard Weston Arnold. This painting of a Friendship Sloop was presented by Betty Roberts, one of the founders of the Friendship Museum, to Caroline Zuber at a meeting of the Friendship Sloop Society. Renowned artist Howard Weston Arnold painted the picture in 1967.â (Phil Pratt photo) Black Star #247 of Boothbay Harbor, makes her way westward through Eggemoggin Reach under full sail in barely enough breeze. Several hou rs earlier she had departed the anchorage at the Wooden Boat School at the eastern end of the Reach, and was headed toward Bucks Harbor. (Laurie Raymond photo) Tannis on the far left and Lady M, far right, sandwich the Division II fleet. (Bill Finch photo)
TROPHY NAME GIVEN FOR 2021 RECIPIENT Racing Trophies: State of Maine Overall Regatta Winner Tannis Commodore’s 1st Place Division 2 (sloops > 27 feet) Tannis Gordon Winslow 2nd Place Division 2 Freedom Homecoming 3rd Place Division 2 Lady M Herald Jones 1st Place Division 1 (sloops < 27 feet) Salatia Bruno & Stillman 2nd Place Division 1 Ray of Hope Lash Brothers 3rd Place Division 1 Hegira Wilbur Morse 1st in Class A Gladiator Charles Morse 2nd in Class A Not presented Rum-Line Skillful Class A crew retrieving the "correct" buoy Not presented Danforth Middle of the fleet Banshee Tannis Award 7th overall Rights of Man Jarvis Newman 1st Pemaquid sloop Salatia Liberty 1st Division 2 bald-headed sloop Freedom Non Racing Trophies: Stanley Cup Outstanding contribution to FSS Peter Clapp Owner - Builder New owner-builder who sails to Westwind Homecoming Gladiator Sloop who sailed the farthest to Homecoming Hegira Cy Hamlin Skipper who returns to Homecoming Westwind after several years' absence Chrissy Woman who keeps sloop and crew together Ann Marie Chouinard Nickerson Youngest crew member Gennaviere Cronin On Tannis Spirit of Friendship Skipper who exemplifies FSS spirit Laurie Raymond & Rusty Strange Ray of Hope Person or boat who has overcome adversity Scott Martin Post Office Greatest gaff in boat handling during FSS Race Committee Homecoming Bancroft Person contributing to FSS traditions Diane & John Fassak Omaha Good natured contributions to FSS Rich & Beth Langdon Messing About Person who truly loves John & Carole Wojcik, "Messing About in Boats" owners of Banshee Bruce Morang Award Outstanding contribution to the Yearbook Penny Richards for âMarcia Morangâ Donald L. Huston Seamanship, fun and safety Kathe Newman Walton - 11 - Friendship Sloop Society 347 Lincoln Street Norwell, MA 02061 Address Correction Service Requested - 12 - Friendship Sloop 60th Annual Regatta By Adam Cort Of course, thereâs more to sailboat racing than just locking horns out on the water. Thereâs also the fun of the boats themselves. Case in point: the Friendship Sloop Society and its annual Homecoming Regatta, which marked its 60th anniversary this summer on the waters off Rockland, Maine. This yearâs event included three days of racing and a parade of sail. Equally important was the chance to renew the many friend- ships that exist within this historic class, in which itâs not unusual for the drop-dead gorgeous boats to be passed down through multiple generations. For the latest on the Friendship Sloop Society, visit fss.org. Reprinted with permission from SAIL magazine This Bill Finch photograph featured in the SAIL Magazine racing review in their October/November 2021 issue, shows Freedom on the right fending off the mighty Tannis in Rockland in 2021. - 13 - Bill Finchâs photographs capture the beauty, spirit and friendship of the 2021 Homecoming: The Chrissy trophy is presented to Anne-Marie Chouinard (left), owner of Ghoti #282, from past recipient Cindy Pendleton as Trophy Chair Penny Richards on the right, oversees the handoff. A symphony of sail to celebrate the 60th Homecoming Regatta in Rockland in 2021. Could there be a prettier sight than Martin Thomasâs Lady M under full sail and perfect summer skies? The cockpit of #227 Celebration is filled with several generations of the Merrill family. Light air characterized the racing in 2021, but Freedom made the most of it, with Bill Cronin on the tiller and Stacy Spaulding holding down the boom. From left to right, Gladiator, Rights of Man and Jabber- wocky make their way around mark D. Laurie Raymond and Rusty Strange are delighted with the new âX-ratedâ Spirit of Friendship trophy presented by previous recipient John Wojcik.
