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PROJECT DETAILZephyr, 22' Sharpie design
“Zephyr”—a Sharpie-based design by Jesse Naimark-Rowse for his dad John—got underway in early October. John, a fifth grade teacher in Young Achievers Math and Science School in Jamaica Plain, MA, is on sabbatical to help to build the boat, which he plans to use as an adjunct classroom so his students can do environmental research and advocacy in Boston Harbor and its estuaries. He is also linking “Zephyr’s” construction to boatbuilding by Afro-Americans in the Boston area in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The children already have some boatbuilding under their belts, having built a 10’ model African “mtepe” last year, an experience that blended math, science and social studies with reading, writing and drawing. Sharpie-style boats first appeared in the 18th century and were used all along the northeast coast for oystering and as near-shore workboats generally. “Zephyr’s” measurements are: LOA 22’, LWL 18’, beam 6’7” and a draft of 1’ with the centerboard up and 2’9” with the board down. She has a double spritsail rig with three mast step locations so the rig can be reduced to a single sail, depending on wind conditions. Also, the four rowing stations give her greater maneuverability near shore: an easy-to-manage boat for a teacher and his research crew of five. John and Jesse will sail the boat back to Boston in April 2006. The fifth graders, meanwhile, are following the construction on-line on their classroom computer. The photos are John's, too.
A quick start Clearing and repainting the floor of the outer shop is the preparation for lofting "Zephyr." On the floor Ross marks the chine (middle photo), the line where the sides and bottom of a flat- or V-bottom boat meet. He also lays out the sheer, the boat's upward curve of the weather deck; all five forms,; every other station; the stem and transom, and he sketches the knees. The molds go up before you know it. Also in the lefthand picture are a 32' Cornish pilot gig; a 16' Whitehall; and, an 11' tender hanging from the rafters.
Chines in place Ross and John consult before using a vertical post to push down the keel so that it takes the shape of the boat's bottom. With one chine in place, Ross clamps on the second while Jakob Palches, a shipwright-in-the-making, looks on.
Zipping along In jig time, both chines and the sheer are in place and the planking begins. The bottom planking is going on. It is Douglas Fir from an old Veryfine cider/vinegar tank. The floor planking is a special piece of John's family history: his father had stored the Doug fir in his cellar for years. John considers it "a good omen for Zephyr's strength and future."
All in a day's work Caulking "Zephyr" and painting her bottom was a whiz, finished in less than a day.
Preparing to flip Zephyr Marty marks Zephyr's waterline, and John rolls on bottom paint. Once that's done, a 50-50 mix of tar and seam compound is applied to the seams.
The Rollover A bit more than three weeks after beginning construction, and on a blustery, chilly day, with a northeast wind whipping up waves in the harbor, "Zephyr" was rolled over so work on her interior can begin. After putting the boat into a rope sling to be raised with blocks hung from the shed's crossbeams, John and Ross turn her over. The operation takes no more than half an hour.
Alley Oop With a few pulls on the chain to raise the sling arms fore and aft, the boat goes over easily.
The Whole G&B Experience No experience at G&B is complete without having the yard truck break down when you're at the wheeel. Better yet, alone. Even better, alone and on the mainland. Innocently enough, on the last Friday of October, John started off for Boston to fetch some more of the family fir for "Zephyr's" mast and to pick up plywood for the deck. And, lo, early the following Monday morning, there was an SOS from just south of Boston: "Yard truck has troubles. It may be the transmission." "Just wait for the State Police," counseled Ross,. "Let them arrange for a tow down to the ferry and we'll pull you off on this side." And so it came about. The Monday following, and handily a warm and sunny one, John and Marty spent the day under the truck. Marty thinks it's all a lark. Is John really working?
Start on the coaming Manny is setting up frames to be able to mold the steam bent coaming to the cockpit shape. He fits it into place with clamps. John, meanwhile, drills the hole for the forwardmost hole for the mast.
John to takeover soon Under the arrangement with John, he will work with G&B's shipwrights to build the boat, but he will do all the finish work himself. The boat is nearly ready for him to take it to our schooner shed--aka Mugwump--where he will put it under a large plastic tent and work on "Zephyr." The boat is primed, the bottom painted and the waterline marked. John and Marty Harris attach the starboard rub rail.
Ready to be moved John and Marty clamped down the finished coaming, which emphasizes the wishbone chape of the cockpit. The interior shot shows the two positions for the mast and the two rowing stations. The boat has a good sized rudder for steering the fifth grade through marshes and estuaries. John will work now at Mugwump, where the 38' sloop Here and Now is under construction. He and designer son Jesse will sail the finished "Zephyr" back to Boston in the spring.
Color on the scene The good weather held while John applied many coats of varnish, but he was driven into a temporary shed when the time came to paint. After a number of late nights on his own, his daughter Kristen arrived to help with the blue paint. The color combination gave the traditionalists a bit of a start, but it will certainly be easy to find "Zephyr" in Boston Harbor. John worked some on "Zephyr" during the winter, but mostly he worked on other G&B projects. But when spring rolled around, he was deep into hardware catalogues and busy making spars and cleats.
Launch day, finally April 25th was launch day, finally. "Zephyr" was trailered over from the schooner shed, where she had spent the winter, and placed on the beach, where John mused over electrical connections and Adam Smith put her name on the transom. A few hours later, the crew and a few passers-by ran her down a low tech railroad into the water.
Christianed and in John even remembered to christian "Zephyr," or did he simply find a bottle of beer on the beach? Shortly, she was at the dinghy dock where John carried on the spars, rigged the sails and prepared for the sea trial the next day.
And off she goes And, one very happy John, with Adam as crew, takes off across the harbor.
Destination reached A few days after "Zephyr's" sea trial, John and his son Jesse set off for Boston at 7:45 a.m, under power due to almost no wind. About 1:00p.m. an exhuberant John called to report they had gone through the Cape Cod Canal and Plymouth was in sight. About 12 hours later they were entering Presidents Road, the southern entrance to Boston Harbor. Jesse is profiled against the setting sun.
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