Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1



Level them with great precision using only the most delicate tools.



And sweep it clean.



Put the ramp back down.




Done.



Bring on those sandals.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

I jumped ahead with the ramp repair. After I dropped off the steel plates, we all went to a First Thursday talk. Yeah, I know this is the second Thursday.

Quinton gave a talk about the history of the Seaport's shipyard and watercraft collection.



It was very well attended and the audience grew after I took this.

It was standing room only. People were lining the walls all around ten minutes later.



These are the founders in 1929.



The boat on the right is Annie. She is sandbagger and is the first boat in the seaport's collection of watercraft.

As of now, there are almost 600 boats in the collection.

Somewhere along the way, a mission statement was required.



Thanks Quentin.



The mill building is going through roof repairs and a new exhibit hall is being built inside.

For now, al lot of stuff needs to be moved.

As it is today.



In previous post you can see how crammed this was with boats and motors.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

The little boat in the center is the one I donated a few years ago.



All the motors had to be moved here.



And here.



And here.



And here.



The amazing thing, is that all this has been documented and cataloged.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

June 15, 2023

Nate was off elsewhere building a box for the Dunton's donkey engine when I walked into the machine shop. I found that he has taken one cylinder off the engine he is rebuilding.





I ran into him later an he explained what happened. One, there was a blown head gasket so he was not getting good compression.
Secondly, a piston ring "Had a burr on it." I don't know what he meant by that.

Outside, Roann was out of the water for a freshening up.





https://museumships.us/other/roann

Catherine Wedmore continues to have more futtocks replaced. He's making a template.



It will go here.



Looks like it's just in time too.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

On the port side things are getting started.

The first futtock is in.




In the barn, this is the next one.



On deck, all the old spikes need to come out before a new deck can be laid.




Great tool. Home made. (I think) A slide hammer and vise grips. It worked great too.





Back in the barn again, yet another mast for the Boston Tea Party Fleet.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

On Fire Fighter, John watched me due a few tours and now he gave it a try.

He has the red hat.



A new recruit.



John and the new helmsman.



Having John on the team will make life a lot easier. Now we can do twice as many tours and we may have time to breathe.

The seaport is a great place for clubs and boat makes to have a reunion. In this case the boat builder is Horizon.

That's a new name for me, but when you see what they build, you can understand that.

A little out of my league.

https://www.horizonyacht.com/

https://mysticseaport.org/event-directory/woodenboat-show-2023/

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

June 22, 2023

The Wooden Boat Show is this weekend at Mystic Seaport Museum. Things are moved all over to make room.

Annie had been over by the green where venders will be set up. So she was moved to the shipyard.



Annie was the first boat in the seaports collection of boats. She was acquired in 1931.

https://mysticseaport.org/explore/vessels/annie-sandbagger/

Just behind Annie were a few whaleboats that also needed to be moved. Now they are on the lift dock.



Meanwhile work goes on with Roann. She is getting freshened up.



In the barn a Skua is probably waiting for a race this weekend.

The shipyard built two of them a few years ago.



Over next to Fire Fighter, the boat from last week is still tied up on our starboard.

Of coarse, this means we can't do a water display.

I find it odd. lots of boat owners get upset when their boats get sprayed with salt water. Go figure.



Down in the engine room, Nick is explaining some of the intricate details of running Fir Fighter. It's a lot more complicated than you might think.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

Checking the engine oil. Somewhere north of 100 gallons. Or 400 liters if you like.



Getting ready for lots of sales this weekend, I hope.

Again this summer, the City of New London hires students to work in the community.

Mikhail, sitting on the right, was part of this group last summer and now works for the seaport. I'm not sure of his name, but it sounds like Mikhail. I better ask.

Three of them spent most of the morning folding tee shirts. (One is missing here.)



After a year sitting on the back deck, someone thought it might be a good idea to see if the new pump still works. It does. Except the throttle is stuck wide open do to rust. This was purchased for the trip to Boston last June.



After a lot of effort, Nick fixed the throttle and tried it out. Worked great.

BUT!!

Sitting out all winter was not kind to the pump and it developed a crack. Not a big crack, but enough to be a problem.

So he and Jake spent the afternoon taking it apart to seal the crack from the inside.

But!!

Once the cover was off they couldn't get the impeller off because they needed a special wrench.

Grrrr!!

SO, Harbor Freight and then a welder can supply a special tool, they hope.



More next week.

Meanwhile the seaport is filling with wooden boats of all kinds.



Including Arabella.



I started watching his YouTube videos when he was just starting to cut down the trees on his grandfathers farm. Then the first major step was to cast the lead keel.

https://www.acorntoarabella.com/

Episode number 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLKB...CvS_mSQtyXsiwC

Seven years and 271 episodes later he's with us for the weekend.

https://www.acorntoarabella.com/



I plan to go back on Saturday.

Stop by and say hello. I'll be on Fire Fighter most of the day after I take pictures of the show.

[gray duck]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

Thanks for your great updates!

Does the viking ship get used at all? thanks

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

June 24, 2023, Wooden Boat Show

The viking ship is well maintained but hasn't been used for a few years now. Covid certainly didn't help.

As promised, I went out to the Wooden Boat Show on Saturday. I took along Chris, a friend's son. Chris is an avid boater. At twelve, he bought a 27 foot Grady White with twin Yamaha engines. He has been doing odd jobs and collecting 5 cent deposit bottles to pay for it. Of course he had some help.

Three years ago.



When I could get a break, Chris and I walked around the show.

First stop, the model shop.



This is a scratch built v-12, 4 cycle engine.



It's going into the model behind it.





This is so clean I'm guessing it doesn't see a lot of use either.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1




The LA Duntun is open to see inside.



Looking forward.



Looking aft.



On deck.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

Going back down.




I took Chris into the rigging loft.



And into the yard where Catherine Wedmore sits.





I ran into KP, from Acorn to Arabella. She has her own videos now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvtpnuT4A

She is charming and knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk with.

[Morgan Volunteer]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1





I always look out for beginner boat builders.



As we were leaving for the day Chris and I stopped in the mill to see some of the collection.





So, that was it for us that day.

"So, Chris, did you enjoy that?"

"Sure did! When can I come again?"

"How about Thursday?"

I think he's hooked.

[Thad]

Re: Charles W Morgan Restoration; A Volunteer's Perspective-1

Thanks for the tour.

[Morgan Volunteer]

June 30, 2023

This is odd. I distinctly remember doing this post last Friday but now I can't find it. I suppose the new format is better, but I haven't figured it out yet.


Chris came back with me again.




He found this job without anyone even asking him to. And he loves it.



We started out as usual in the shipyard. I wanted him to see what goes on up there.

Catherine Wedmore is getting another futtock. I thought the starboard side was done.

Smile.





Try it out.



It didn't fit. They took it out and tried again.

My job for the day was to move this plaque from next to the "gold room"/bridge entrance door and move it back a few feet. Where it had been, just inside the door, there used to be three fire axes mounted. However the bolts holding the plaque prevented them from being on display.



Easy fix. Just a lot of work.