More on Our Jungle Schooner Rebuild

Our work continues in earnest everyday in spite of mosquitos, torrential downpours, tarantullas, burning tropical sun and all the difficulties of jungle survival. Our work continues even as we marvel at the many moods of the bamboo forest next to us, the river that flows both ways and the constant changing symphony of endangered South American nature music.

The most exciting thing we are doing now is bending thirty foot long purpleheart planks around the bulwarks of the schooner. This wood is a very hard top quality tropical hardwood and it would not be possible to bend the wood as much as we do if it was not very long. It is impossible to bend a two inch by six inch by ten foot plank into the curves we need. This is the place to get the wood we need for this job and I went to great lengths to arrive just where we are now. After all the hardships the Schooner Anne has faced and is still facing she deserves the best that will keep her strong and beautiful for a long time to come.

 

The photo shows part of the long plank I described bent and bolted around the bow. The cap of two inch purple heart is being screwed down to the two pieces of purpleheart bent on both sides of the bulwarks. We laid the big plank on top of the curved planks and then traced its shape and cut it out with a chain saw. Then we rounded the edges off with a big power planner and ground it down with a heavy grit disc on a big grinder. We will fit another plank out behind this one in much the same manner. This work is difficult and time consuming, but it is a pleasure.

In the meantime we continue with all the other details that the schooner needs. We work in the motor room and on our electrical system, our rigging, our spars and many other details. We are rebuilding the interior from the bow to the stern of the boat. Most of the interior was still good but doors were broken, pieces were missing and many pieces had to be removed to get at the insulation and hull behind them. We are also re modeling to make the schooner more beautiful and efficient. I have been doing this for many years. Often during the 1000 day Voyage in the middle of dangerous situations I rubbed against a little detail and marveled at how glad I was that I had done it and how helpful it was and how thankful I am. This kind of care and detailing is what gives the schooner her magic and part of what made it possible for her to sail continuously longer than any boat in history. So now in spite of our lack of funds and not knowing what we will do next or how we will survive we continue to work towards this mysterious elegance.

Please go see my websites:
http://www.1000days.net/ and http://www.reidstoweart.com/