Blessing Electron's Keel

Almost 6 years ago, I posted about a new project being undertaken by Eamon Doorly at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - the rebuilding of the sloop "Electron".

Progress on the new boat at the time was minimal - only the stem, keel, and transom were erected, and only for display purposes, as other projects required Eamon's attention.

Construction of the boat is once again underway, and the Museum held a keel laying ceremony on December 12th to mark the occasion. 

Frames and gunwhales have been added to the Electron's keel as construction continues. 

A crowd gathered in the boatshed on the wharf in front of the museum in the early evening to hear about the project and see Captain Phil Watson, the current skipper of Bluenose II, perform a blessing of Electron's keel. 

Boatbuilder Eamon Doorly (glasses, facing camera) speaks with Captain Phil Watson (back to camera, also visible between the boat's frames) during the event. Holiday lighting provides the green and red hues to the boat's frame, even more appropriate when one considers the Red and Green colour scheme for Port and Starboard running lights and channel markers.

Construction of Electron will continue throughout 2025 with an expected launch date sometime in 2026 - the project will provide an opportunity for students of the Museum's boatbuilding school to try their hand at a project somewhat larger than the typical small rowboats that they build.

A view of the mast step and the hole in the deck where the mast will pass through. 

Another view of the boat's interior with the party ongoing in the background.

In the meantime, the ongoing construction will also afford visitors to the museum with a better appreciation of Nova Scotia's boatbuilding heritage. 

Reconstructing Electron

I have been following the boat-building adventures of Eamonn Doorly at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic over the last few years, in particular his reconstruction of the schooner Hebridee II - which I have covered here before. 

Hebridee II is sitting out the winter in a shelter on the waterfront.

With Hebridee II in the lean-to outside, Eamonn felt the boatshed on the boardwalk was looking a bit empty inside. Not wanting to disappoint visitors to the museum, he has begun a new project to demonstrate Nova Scotia boat-building tradition. Museum staff believe that Electron, Eamonn's latest subject, was built between 1895 and 1920 at the Obed Hamm boat shop in Mahone Bay - though he hopes to be able to narrow down the date further over the coming months. Electron herself is sitting in a tent in the museum courtyard, looking rather the worse for wear.

Electron propped up in her tent in the courtyard behind the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. I don't think she has seen the water in many years.

Looking up from underneath the bow at the round hole where the mast penetrated the deck.

Looking aft.

The small cuddy cabin ahead of the cockpit.

Electron's boom still lies on deck in this photo looking forward. 

Looking forward through where the transom used to be. The stern post pokes up to the left of the photo. As with the plastic cockpit drain pipe, I'm assuming the many screws poking up through the ribs are not original. 

The original tail feather is the member in the middle of this photo, and the two members on either side are referred to as the "apron" - beams fitted to increase fastening area for the planking. The two beams on the far left and right sit on top of the ribs, so I assume they are not original.

Electron's copy is starting to take shape in Eamonn's boat shop. Eamonn cautions that while he is reusing the original keel ballast, this will be a new construction, and not a restoration. Supported by the roof of the boat shop, the boat's new Red Oak stem, and laminated Douglas Fir keel and tailfeather, plus the transom are now erected - the bow and stern supported by temporary pieces of wood, and the keel by chain leading to a chain lift in the rafters. The chain, at least, is connected to the permanent lifting points from which the finished boat will be lifted in and out of the water when she is complete.

From right to left, the new boat's Red Oak stem leads down to the laminated Douglas Fir keel and ballast, then up again to the Douglas Fir tail-feather with the transom visible at the stern. The boat's lines are drawn on the white plywood in the background.

The notch in the stem is called the "rebate" - this is where the planking joins up with the stem.

The new keel along with the reused ballast from Electron, with the cable and chain support leading to the rafters.

The tail feather on the right transitions to the transom, held together by what I assume is called the transom knee. Electron's transom had some serious "sheer", otherwise known as the angle from the vertical.

Leaning against the plywood upon which the boat's lines are drawn are several molds that will allow the new boat to match the lines and shape of the original Electron. The molds are temporary, and will only be fitted to the boat's keel until the planking is in place, and will then be removed.

Eamonn tells me that while he is using similar building techniques to the original, there are differences - the original builder did not have access to laminated building techniques such as that used in the new boat's keel, and where the new boat will be sailed, Eamonn has provided a rudder post stuffing box instead of the traditional "built-up rudder stock well".

Construction is not expected to be speedy - Eamonn intends merely to erect the bones of the new boat for the time being, as he currently has other museum projects on the go. He hopes to spend more time on her starting summer 2020. I, for one, can't wait!

Many thanks to Eamonn for answering my many questions so that this blog seems somewhat more knowledgeable that I am myself on the subject of wooden boat building. Anything herein that is technically sound is probably from Eamonn, and anything that isn't correct probably resulted from my own knowledge or lack thereof.

Hebridee II Rechristening and Relaunching

After being relaunched about a week ago, and spending several days alongside in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic this week having her masts and rigging fitted, Hebridee II returned to the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Club for her rechristening and relaunching ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 14, 2017. I had expected to miss this event due to some business travel to Ottawa, especially considering my flight arrived 20 minutes late, but my taxi driver somehow delivered me to RNSYS with just minutes to spare. 

Hebridee II on the launchway when I arrived.

General Manager of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Kim Reinhardt, began the proceedings.

Commodore David Stanfield of RNSYS.

Commodore David Stanfield of RNSYS.

General Manager of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Kim Reinhardt.

Grandchildren of a previous owner of Hebridee II were present for the blessing.

Grandchildren of a previous owner of Hebridee II were present for the blessing.

One of the grandsons did the honours with a bottle of champagne for the rechristening.

Shortly after the rechristening was complete, builder Eamonn Doorly and his team of volunteer workers all boarded Hebridee II for the trip down the launchway.

The ladder is removed, and Hebridee II is lowered down the ways.

Launching of Hebridee II.

Feet wet!

Launching of Hebridee II.

Launching of Hebridee II.

The instant Hebridee II floated off her cradle.

Once more in her native element.

Hebridee II backs out of her cradle under her own power.

After launching, Hebridee II headed for her former berth in front of the RNSYS clubhouse.

Hebridee II coming alongside.

Hebridee II coming alongside.

Hebridee II will return to the Halifax waterfront soon, and Eamonn will hopefully soon begin sailing trials.

Hebridee II - Back in the Water

After an 8 year rebuild in the waterfront boat shed at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Hebridee II is finally back in her native element. The Bluenose Jr. class schooner was originally built in 1953, and took to the water again this morning. 

Rolled out of her builder's shed, and turned 90 degrees, Hebridee II is seen on July 6 ready to be put on the back of a truck for the trip to the Royal Nova Scotian Yacht Squadron.

Launched at RNSYS, her builder Eamonn Doorly brought her back to the waterfront under her own power on July 7th and tied up opposite HMCS SACKVILLE in the same camber. 

Hebridee II lying alongside in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

Without her masts and various other bits, she is riding a bit high in the bow at the moment. Eamonn plans to step the masts early next week.

I took this shot from the deck of SACKVILLE in order to get a slightly higher perspective.

Instead of the more traditional marine diesel engine, Hebridee II now has an electric motor for auxiliary power. While this is a greener powerplant and better for the environment, this system also has the more immediate benefits of being quieter and having fewer thru-hull penetrations, and also means you aren't subjected to the smell of diesel fumes below decks.

Eamonn assures me the topsides were scratched by trees during her road trip and require touch up, but everything looks pristine to me.

I will try to update this post with more photos next week as the masts go up.

Personally, I can hardly wait to see her under sail on the waters of Halifax Harbour this summer.

Revisiting Hebridee II

About a year ago, I was given the opportunity to tour the boat shed at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, where the schooner Hebridee II is being rebuilt from the keel up. Last week I had the chance to revisit her and see how the reconstruction is progressing. While the hull itself doesn't appear to have changed much, the cabin and interior are progressing nicely and it is easy to see the difference a year has made.

Hebridee's cockpit.

A coaming has been built around the cockpit, and floorboards have been added inside the cockpit itself. The space under the deck on either side of the cockpit is unfinished, with the engine compartment in between right under the cockpit.

Belowdeck area starboard of the cockpit.

The cabin roof has been added and painted, and the cabin interior it being fleshed in as well. The galley is at the foot of the companionway on the port side, and will have a small stove top as well as a sink with a hand pumped tap.

Starboard deck looking forward.

Looking aft at the foremast step, cabin, and foremast boom (or gaff?).

I then headed to inspect below deck.

Companionway and galley.

Galley and sink.

Opposite the galley is often a small Forward of the galley is a midships dining and berthing cabin - I assume this will receive some sort of dining table at some point.

Hinged chart table on the left, to starboard of the companionway ladder coming down from the cockpit.

Midships cabin and looking forward into the cuddy (forward) cabin..Unseen at the moment is the step for the main mast which is in the middle of the cabin. Presumably a floorboard has to be cut up to make room for the mast.

Midship berth.

I didn't pull out the hinged shelf in the middle of the image all the way, so I didn't think to check if there are meant to be one or two sleeping berths on each side of this cabin.

Underside of the cabin roof.

Between the miships cabin and the cuddy is the head.

Head.

Forward of the head is the cuddy cabin, where two bunks and storage are arranged on either side of the step for the foremast.

Cuddy cabin.

Up on deck, the bowsprit is made, but can't be installed yet due to the small size of the shed.

Bowsprit.

I can only imagine Hebridee II looks longingly out the windows of the boat shed at the other museum boats in the water, anticipating her own launch which is currently scheduled for 2017.

The view out of the boat shed.

The full gallery of these images, plus the images from 2015, are on my Smugmug site.