We’re not used to seeing the decks of our mostly tropical-sailing barque covered in snow, but that they are today. It’s not a good day to be working outdoors so Bosun School students are indoors, working on wrapping up a number of projects as they begin their last full week of classes.
Thursday December 8, 2016 What comes down out of the rig must go back up! Bosun School students sent down yards back in September, they have overhauled all the standing rigging attached to the yards, overhauled the yards themselves, and are now crossing the topsail yards again. The first one to go up was the …
It’s been an incredibly busy week here in Lunenburg. Captain Moreland and Maggie travelled to Sweden for a Sail Training International conference and Gabe has been busy doing workshops with the Bosun School in Captain Moreland’s absence. I had to interrupt, though, for something slightly different … this weekend is the first huge big weekend …
With a hull form derived from the famous Brixham sailing trawlers, our Picton Castle started her life as a fishing vessel after she was launched back in 1928, fishing from the ports of Milford Haven and Swansea in Wales. The actual castle for which she is named is quite close to Milford Haven. When World …
For the past few weeks, Bosun School students have been focused on sailmaking. It’s a good skill for a bosun to have – by making a sail, you understand how it works, why each part is the way it is, how to use it and how to look after it. There aren’t very many sailing …
One of the best first projects for any beginner sailmaker is a ditty bag. What is a ditty bag and why would one want to make one, you ask? Well, a ditty bag is a canvas bag, typically shaped like a cylinder, that’s used to hold a sailor’s tools. We have no idea why it’s …
Captain’s Log: Introduction to Sailmaking – Ditty Bags Read More »
Last week, after having served a number of footropes, Bosun School students moved on to wire splicing. Specifically, splicing an eye into the end of a wire rope. There are a number of uses aboard a ship for a wire rope eye. Aboard Picton Castle, we have wire sheet pennants for many of our fore …
Captain Moreland started the sailmaking section of the Bosun School by explaining the shape of a headsail and how to do a first layout of one of these sails. Bosun School students will start their hands-on practice by making a ditty bag (more on that later), then will learn how to repair sails, and will …
With Picton Castle in drydock, the Bosun School students are working on yards and rigging. As you may remember from previous Captain’s Logs, we sent down all yards on the fore and main masts except the course yards. Picton Castle’s royal and t’gallant yards are made of wood, her upper and lower topsail yards (as …
Picton Castle has now been in drydock for a week. The ship was hauled out last Monday at the Lunenburg Foundry for routine maintenance. We haul the ship out of the water every two years in order to inspect, clean and overhaul the hull and the through-hull fittings. She’s awfully impressive out of the water, …
Captain’s Log 10 October, 2016 – Drydock Continues … Read More »
