Now with smooth 20-foot sections of Spruce the magic trick would be to transform the sections into single 40-foot sections. I understood that two ends would need to be cut on a diagonal and eventually glued together but how we would accomplish that escaped me. That is when Jim pulled out a bucket of parts,Continue reading “Nothing to Scarf at”
Author Archives: danharding824
What’s in a name?
Taking a break from mast building, I returned home for Christmas with a few boating chores to accomplish. One of them, which had been nagging at me was to pick a name for my boat. Now, there are many legends out there regarding what makes a ship unlucky. Some dockside superstitions I have heard overContinue reading “What’s in a name?”
Measured 10 times, cut once
I was never a good math student in school. (Stay with me, there is a point to be made here.) I could handle basic addition and multiplication but compound fractions and solving for x was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat. When Jim told me we were going to be doingContinue reading “Measured 10 times, cut once”
The Man with the plan(er)
At long last, my phone alerted me to a text from Jim Titus, asking me when I could come down to start building. “He’s really committed to having me be there to help,” I thought to myself. I would stop down to the shop that night to begin working. Our first task would be planningContinue reading “The Man with the plan(er)”
A handshake a prayer
Going into a business agreement with Jim Titus, is unlike going into business with anyone else. There are no signatures on a formal document. There are no estimates, timetables or schedules of anysort. No, with Jim, all decisions end with the handshake from a hand callused from a life of marine carpentry. A native NewContinue reading “A handshake a prayer”
Sealing the Deal
A few days after verbally agreeing to hire Jim Titus to build a wooden mast for me, it was time to as they say, put my money where my mouth is. I had to pay Jim for the wood needed for the construction. I assumed this process would include a trip to our local HomeContinue reading “Sealing the Deal”
Aftermath: A Wooden Mast’s One Night Stand
I found myself in a unique situation. I was a new sailboat owner; I had virtually no working knowledge of sailboats or sailing for that matter and I needed to replace the mast, which even I knew was an important piece. I mean why couldn’t it be some cushions that needed replacing, that I couldContinue reading “Aftermath: A Wooden Mast’s One Night Stand”
The Diagnosis
A few days after the masthead of my recently purchased Rhodes Chesapeake suffered catastrophic failure, it was apparent my sailing season was over. Anxious to find out how extensively the mast would need to be repaired. I asked the gentlemen at Clark Boat Yard to haul her out and pull the mast. I got aContinue reading “The Diagnosis”
Fresh Starts
Exhausted from the long first day of boat ownership, I made my way to the forward berth to get some much-needed sleep. I sleep well on boats, always have. Maybe it’s the gentle rocking motion or the sound of the water lapping against the hull, but I was out like a light. That was untilContinue reading “Fresh Starts”
Ruined Plans
Before my mast broke apart before my very eyes, I had a plan in mind as to how the day would go. After an afternoon of sailing, my girlfriend and I would run to shore, pick up a few last minute items then spend our first night aboard. We’d watch the sunset sink over theContinue reading “Ruined Plans”
Boy and a Boat 