Monthly Archives: January 2016

Touch Ups and Steam Progress

Joan Perkins of Padanaram Sign Shop & Boat Lettering has given our model life; having a name on the stern makes RELIANCE feel all the more real. It seems to be one more indication that we’re approaching the goal line. Joan came to us highly recommended by neighbor Dan Shea, and she’s everything he said and more. So many of our local business “volunteers” are the best in the game! Thank you, Joan!

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We’ve finished up a large majority of the blocks, so we’ve got Bern constructing stairs for our RELIANCE Display.

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Joe is touching up the deck; after all this time working, plenty of dust and assorted undesirables ended up topside.

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Meanwhile, Don has been working on the new steam exhibit as well as providing the RELIANCE project with an extra steady pair of hands, as required. The boiler, fire box, and ash pan will complement the stem engine he has restored.

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Join Us at the Frostbite Bash!

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Please come and join the Herreshoff Museum and RELIANCE crew at the Frostbite Bash on February 6th!! There will be dancing, food, and the RELIANCE model set up in the museum in anticipation of opening day. It will be a wonderfully fun, two-for-one opportunity you can’t miss!

Working Towards the Bash

Great work session this past week; Keith and Sandy hung the rudder, Steve completed a dozen shackles, Herb completed several more splices, and Bill started the viewing stand. We’re on schedule to move RELIANCE to the Hall of Boats for the Frostbite Bash!

Please come and see our boat at the Bash! A sneak peek before we rig her.
PS: Enclosed is a picture of our new Executive Washroom; better late than never!

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Winter Progress

Work has been progressing over this early winter on all the details of the rigging; the blocks, splicing, and making up the shackles are all getting done. We recently dry-fitted the main sheet system. You can see Herb in the background making a micro-splice. Poor guy!

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The Saturday crew has been working with extra gusto!
Laura completed all splices for the two topmast backstay runners and started the wire-manila peak halyard tail splice. Joe has been repainting the deck which, over the past two years in the shed, has become shop worn; Bern has been helping with making blocks.

Meanwhile, Burr delivered his latest masterpiece: the topmast cone assembly. You may remember that last fall, Bill fashioned the lignum vitae truck, and several years ago, Mike cast a topmast cone. Well, Burr took those pieces, machined the cone, then made the topsail halyard sheave and metal housing, and assembled everything together. We couldn’t even find the housing solder joint. So awesome!

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Did we mention that the average age of these guys exceeds 80?!