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 »
While Picton Castle is in drydock, Bosun School students have been carrying on with projects related to Picton Castle’s yards. All yards except the course yards were sent down last week. Picton Castle’s royal and t’gallant yards (the top two yards on both the foremast and mainmast) are made of wood. The upper and lower
With the high tide on the morning of Monday October 3, 2016, Picton Castle was hauled out of the water on the marine railway at the Lunenburg Foundry. We take the ship out of the water every two years so we can clean, inspect and repaint the hull. The last time Picton Castle drydocked was
Bosun School students have been working on sending down yards. On some other ships, this is done with the assistance of a crane. On Picton Castle, we use the lifting power and mechanical advantage in the ship’s rig to lower the yards down to deck. Although sending down yards sounds like it may look
