Week 35:  May 1-7
"Plan the work and work the plan."

All good projects have a plan.  Boats can have many plans, depending on how large and complex they are.  The "lines drawings" or simply "the lines" show the shape of the boat; construction plans show the shape and position of the timbers making up the boat.  In addition, there may also be cabin plans, sail plans, and system (electrical, engine, etc.) plans. 

The picture to the right shows the construction plans for ISABELLA.  At the very top of the picture (click on the picture to enlarge) are 3 cross-sectional views at three different stations (i.e. frames) of the boat.  Think of them as putting the boat through a gigantic bread slicer: each slice shows the outside shape of the hull at that point along its length. 

In the middle of the picture is a view of the boat as seen from above.  One half shows the deck; the other half illustrates the construction just underneath the deck. 

The side view at the bottom of the plans shows the profile of the boat, including its stem, stern, keel, framing, and deck structures. 

The scale of the drawing is also included (in this case, at the very bottom of the plans) so the shipbuilders can enlarge or 'scale-up" the plans to make and position the full-size pieces of the boat. 
 

Week 36:  May 8-14
There are many vital, though unglamorous aspects to boat building.  The never ending saga of bucking and splitting wood comes to mind, as does the constant cleaning and sweeping up. 

Staging is another example.  Climbing up and down ladders all day -especially with hands full of tools or heavy loads- is not only tiring, but dangerous.  So staging is set up to create a walkway around the whole boat.  Ramps from the ground as well as the shop (picture at left) make easy access.  The staging is reconfigured, raised or lowered as the work focuses on different areas of the boat. 

Made of 2" pine boards using 6x6" vertical posts and fastened with spikes, the staging is solidly built to take the load of several men plus tools and timbers.  Staging is an essential part of building the schooner ISABELLA. 

Week 37:  May 15-21
Work on the deck progresses.  The cambered beams for the after-deck are in place, the plywood is on, and is covered with fiberglass.  A plywood and fiberglassed deck is one of the few modern concessions to this traditionally-built boat.  The old time laying of individual planks and "paying caulking" between the seams is just too expensive to build as well as maintain. 

Francis and John are working on cutting out the holes and fastening the stanchions -vertical "fence posts" along both sides of the deck.  A couple horizontal planks will then be attached to the stanchions to prevent crew from falling over the side. 

Kerry has already covered most of the rough interior with a coat of protective (red) paint. 
 

Week 38:  May 22-28
While it's Harold's job to build the boat, it's the Museum's job to interpret it to the public. 

All winter the Museum has offered tours of the Burnham shipyard, special demonstrations, lectures, and events related to the ISABELLA.  Group visitors, of course, also get a special showing of this "living history project."

School groups, for instance, spend two-hours learning about why and how big wooden boats are made, along with the 350 year old heritage of building boats in Essex.  They are put to work bending planks, designing and building a small boat, moving heavy objects with simple machines, etc.  The culminating activity is then to head over to the Burnham yard to see up close a real wooden schooner being built.  

Here Kerry is explaining and answering questions about ISABELLA to a group of 5th graders. 

Week 39:  May 28-June 4
While not everyone may be interested in wooden boats (gasp!), building them today -especially large wooden boats- is a unique and exciting event.  Maggie Holtzberg, Director of the Massachusetts' Folk Arts & Heritage Program, interviews Harold as part of the Traditional Apprenticeship award. 

In between down-to-earth replies to Maggie's questions, Harold works on shaping the rudder aperture (the cut-away area either side of the propeller shaft).  By removing unneeded wood and rounding the edges, he reduces turbulence (i.e. drag) making the boat more hydrodynamic. 

The tool of choice for this job (which can be seen in his hands) is -yes, you guessed it!  An adze!  For some tasks the old tools are still the best. 

Week 40:  June 5-11
While designed and built in the same manner as Essex shipbuilders have been doing for the past 350 odd years, sometimes modern (power) tools or materials (e.g. epoxy and fiberglass cloth) are used where for financial or safety reasons it makes more sense.

In the foreground, Francis is spreading epoxy around the stanchions where they go through the deck.  These need to be water-tight.    

Jeff, in the background is working on the transom.  A double layer of plywood (i.e. modern material) has already been fastened to the forward side of the transom.  Jeff is busy hanging the bowed oak planks on the backside. 
 

Week 41:  June 12-18
Life may seem complicated, but as every elementary student knows, using simple machines makes life easier. 

How do you move a 6000 pound lead keel without someone losing a toe?  How do you raise a large, heavy sail with only one or two people?  How do you quickly jam a rapidly cooling, steaming plank up against the previous one so you can fasten it in place?  How do you split scrap wood so it is small enough to fit into the wood stove?  How do you make a hole to put the trunnel in? How do you lower a new 55 hp diesel engine down into the hull?  And just how do you get a wooden boat with several tons displacement into the water anyway?   

Whether a lever, pulley, inclined plane or wheel all (complex) machines are made up of these four components.  Go ahead and try not to use simple machines every day.  Unless you're in a comma you cannot do it.  If you typed on a keyboard or clicked a mouse to get to this page then you have used a simple machine: your fingers are levers! 

(Answers to above questions in case you were not sure:  rollers and levers; block and tackle; wooden wedge; splitting mall -i.e. wedge with a lever; drill, which is an inclined plane wrapped around itself; chain-pull -i.e. block and tackle; wedges and levers along with some grease and gravity). 

Week 42:  June 19-25
Work begins on the foredeck.  The curve of the boat as it comes to a point in the front is clear to see, as is the need to steam the thick oak planks to get them to take such a bend.  The starboard-side clamp (i. e. horizontal plank on the inside upper edge) is still temporarily fastened before being screwed in place.  The gentle curve of the deck beams going from one side of the boat to the other is also evident. 

While difficult to see because of the criss-crossed staging planks, over a foot of (rain) water is sitting in the bottom of the boat.  While this may seem like not a good thing, it actually is.  The water keeps the planks from drying out.  Besides, if the boat can hold water on the inside then it also can keep water on the outside.  This will come in handy when the boat is launched! 

Week 43:  June 26-July 2
Everyone pitches in to help.  Leo, the owner's son, is busy sanding the last few top planks.  Note the dust cloud! 

Leo has been stopping by throughout the building of the ISABELLA to help out with whatever the day's project is. It all adds up, plus he will have a solid understanding of how the boat is built and where everything is.  Go Leo! 

Week 44:  July 3-9
The spars are ready...

These are beautiful pieces of art.  You just want to hang them above the mantel; they are much to nice to be out in the sun!  Rick and Dave have done a great job crafting these.  They started life as a fir tree, showed up at the shipyard as 2x10 planks, and are now rounded, tapered poles (up to 40'). 

The funny-looking round things on the rope are called "parrel beads."  They go around the vertical masts and hold the spar against the mast.  They are round so the sail and spars can easily be raised and lowered.  The top horizontal spar is called the "gaff."  The bottom horizontal spar is called the "boom."  There is one each for both masts. 

Week 45:  July 10-16
Are those some of the largest dovetail joints you have ever seen?  Nate has been busy building a heavy-duty box surrounding the aft deck hole.  A water-tight cover will eventually go on top, providing access to the engine compartment. 

The ship's wheel is also (temporarily) in place. 

Everything is coming along nicely and everyone is now thinking about the launch.  But when?  Well, only Harold knows for sure, but it won't be long! 

Week 46:  July 17-23
All winter, when you have on so many layers of clothes you can barely move, it hurts to take a deep, cold breath, and you spend breaks next to the hot wood stove in the loft, you dream about warm weather.

Be care what you wish for:  you might get it. 

The temperature has been in the 90's for the past few days; the sun beats down for hours at a time.  Man, is it hot!  Nevertheless, the work goes on.  The foredeck is now on and covered with fiberglass.  Harold (red shirt) is chatting with the crew early in the morning.  Everyone is thinking about how hot it's supposed to get later in the day...and wishing for the weather to break.  After all, winter wasn't that bad, was it?  

Week 47:  July 24-30
We have a launch date!  Sunday, August 13th at high tide.

Like a Rubik's Cube there seems to be so much still to do that it cannot possibly be done, but somehow the last few pieces will go quickly and everything suddenly all fall into place in time for the launch. 

The foredeck cabin trunk takes shape.  The darker, orange-colored boards are mahogany.  A crew member shapes the edges of the trunk with a router.  In the bow, the slot for the bow sprit is visible; in back of it is the post (still to be finished), which will be used to tie lines to when the boat is at anchor or against a dock.  Another hot week. 

Week 48:  July 31-August 6
Only one more week till launch. 

Jeff is still working on the transom at one end of the boat.  Bob is quietly seated on a staging plank in the shade of an umbrella carving the name of the boat up in the bow.   Harold's son Alden, a friend, and another crew member are busy applying putty in the plank seams (hidden behind the side staging).  Aaron is working on more deck projects.  Dave and Stan are tarring the rigging.  And a couple other crew members are working in the shop.  Harold is overseeing everyone as well as dealing with the myriad launch details.  Whew! 

Yes, the boat is pink with a lovely green stripe!  No, these are not the final colors.  The pink provides a nice contrast when doing the final sanding and shaping of the hull.  (It is kind of cute though, don't you think)! 

Week 49:  August 7-13
3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 13, 2006.  A gorgeous day.  After a brief ceremony, the ISABELLA slides quickly and gracefully into the full waters of the Essex River. 

Hundreds of people have come to watch history come alive.  Launchings were once so commonplace that people barely turned their heads to watch.  Nowadays, the launch of a new Essex vessel is a rare and stirring sight.     

Week 50:  August 14-20
The boat may be in the water, but there is still much work to do.  The spars -vertical masts and horizontal booms as well as bowsprit- need to be added.  The last of her ballast needs to be put in to adjust her trim in the water.  Not to mention all the gear, such as extra line, anchors, lifejackets, etc.  Plus a hundred other last tasks to finish before she is ready to sail away.  No rest yet: the crew stay hard at it. 

Week 51:  August 21-27
Here she is!  It took months of work to create her, but finally she is free of the land.  With her wings unfurled she heads along the Atlantic coast. 

The Essex-built schooner ISABELLA.