What ever happened to that boat stuck in Rockland?

[Tylerdurden]

Just curious about that three master amatuer build that the coast gaurd sent back to Rockland harbour. I saw a few storys on it and drove past it several times. It seemed to be one big controversy then nothing.. Just wondering if any locals have any info.

[Ross Faneuf]

Raw Faith has been anchored or moored in Rockland all year. It's in exile in the far NE corner of the harbor near the breakwater.

The most recent attempt by the owner/captain to go to sea was (I believe) in the spring. Had to be rescued and towed in by the Coast Guard after at least two of its masts broke while rolling in heavyish seas.

It is now under CG orders to not proceed to sea until a 'professionally designed' rig has been installed. I'd guess there's little likelihood of this happening any time soon.

The thing is a sad and wretched sight, looking more decrepit every week. We have a glance everytime we enter/leave the harbor. It's uglier than Prock Marine's moored barges - at least they are properly designed for the job they do.

You might gather (correctly) that we (that is, my wife and I) have a very low opinion of this vessel. We usually refer to it as the 'Prison Hulk'.

[Tylerdurden]

That was my impression of it when I saw her. I never got the history behind that vessel, I have to assume there was thousands of dollars spent on her construction. I cannot figure out if it was based on any sound design, I guess sound enough she is afloat. I would figure the rigging would be well over fifty thousand even if you scrounged most everything. Would probally make a good magazine story.

[SAKevin]

I googled 'Raw Faith' and have basically figured out that this was intended to be a handicap-accessible charter. Apparently it was grounded and abandoned.

Can somebody fill me in on the details (or point me somewhere that can)? It seems as if quite a few folks here really disliked this boat, but I can't quite figure out why (other than a 'rough' restoration).

[Ross Faneuf]

You should Google whatever you can. This is my take only. I've seen the vessel ever since she appeared in Rockland, and heard lots of stories from locals who are well informed; but I'm not going to name my sources in case I misremember.

The owner/builder has a daughter who suffers from Marfan's syndrome, and he wanted to give her and other handicapped individual the opportunity to experience sailing. He built Raw Faith, which is pretty good size (70' or so? a guess) out of scrounged and donated materials. An amazing and dedicated effort, for which he is to be commended. There's no question of the owner's dedication and energy.

Unfortunately, neither the design nor the constructon were informed by any experience with boats, design, or common practices among experienced sailors and builders. The design is claimed to be based on that of the English galleon circa the Armada, which the owner felt represented the epitome of seaworthiness. (My opinion: all we've done for the last 400 years is forget how design boats??). The result is a very high-hulled, clumsy vessel, but mostly lightly built to lumber yard standards. When I rowed over and had a look early on in its stay in Rockland, it appeared the rails were nailed up out of 2x4 or something similar. All spars and gear were also very light.

An interesting contrast is the Godspeed, a replica of one of the Jamestown vessels from the same era. Built to the highest standards, and instantly giving an impression of seaworthiness (http://www.dailypress.com/broadband/...band-headlines)

And apparently it's not even that handicapped accessible - going aboard in a wheelchair apparently involves being winched high enough in the air to clear the high freeboard and rails. By that standard every schooner in the Maine dude fleet is accessible.

The owner fell into bad relations with the local schooner professionals and other local mariners early on. He refused absolutely to accept any advice or criticism, attributing anything negative to ignorance, envy or prejudice. Considering that Rockland has the largest concentration of schooner professionals in Maine, that's to ignore a lot of genuine expertise.

I've heard that one of the above decided to give the boat a chance, and agreed to go on a sail - but then demanded to get off before they cleared the breakwater. I myself would be reluctant to sail from the town dock to the breakwater in a fair soldier's breeze.

I actually saw her leave on her first voyage in late fall 2 years ago, towed to the outer harbor by an ancient 14' lake outboard - the only auxiliary power the thing had at that time. It was an unbelievable and appalling sight. I guess the best way to describe how the boat struck me was that I first assumed it was some kind of shoreside entertainment construct - the kind that spends its life at a dock and does a pirate show for kids (there used to be a boat of roughly that type in Wiscasset - and it looked more finished and seaworthy).

Anyway, the upshot of that voyage was a distress call to the Coast Guard (steering gear carried away or inoperable), and it ended up back in Rockland, where it spent the winter with the owner living aboard.

The following year (2005), it was towed to Jonesport, and we thought we'd seen the last of it. But its second voyage this spring ended the same way, and the CG towed them here again. That makes it 2 for 2 (voyages and rescues, that is).

There's a lot more rumors, stories, etc etc but I'm not sure which are fact and which are rumor. The mere appearance of the thing speaks for itself, for anyone with the least experience of boats.

[SAKevin]

Ross,

Thanks for the great response. It sounds like she doesn't even have much value as salvage, if her materials of construction are as poor as they seem.

Now I'll think twice if I am tempted to cheap out on expensive wood for my boat!

[Tom Hunter]

I looked up their web site recently, same kind of curiousity. Seems that they need $50,000 for rigging, at least that is what they think. Somewhat bitter post by the captain in July, which sounds similar to what Ross posted.

Close reading of the logs and Coast Guard reports show a vessel with very poor performance in most ways (maybe all). I am a sucker for Don Quixote types, but this guy seems incapable to the point of being dangerous.