Godspeed and Discovery

[rbgarr]

The 50' Discovery was launched last weekend here in Boothbay Harbor and she's been out on sea trials yesterday and today. Nice calm weather for it.

It's pretty cool to see her coming back into the harbor under full sail. If I hood my eyes so I can't see anything else as she ghosts along in view through the pine trees, I can imagine what it must have been like to be aboard a vessel like that when they first reached these shores.

http://www.historyisfun.org/jamestown/newgodspeed.cfm

[bholderman]

Its an amazing thing, I can't get enough of em.

[Bruce Hooke]

Pretty cool. I like the idea of trying to imagine what it must have been like to be on the original Godspeed, or imagine what it would be like to be on the shore seeing this strange vessel arriving off your native shores. For that matter, on the Maine coast, Champlain would be another reference point for that era.

[Nanoose]

Great name for a boat. We're dreaming of the next one...(already!...sshhhh...don't tell Nanoose!!). Actually, we miss living aboard, so we're starting the "what if"n stuff...."when we retire..."

So, anyway, one thing led to another (the Liveaboard thread with the planning process out there for us to see didn't help either!)...and then we're saying,"What would we name her?". Godspeed. Like it.

[rbgarr]

She'll be coming back into the harbor in a while and will be visible on a local webcam as she goes by. I'll post again when she appears on it: http://www.maine.gov/dmr_webcam/bbh/

[ishmael]

A fantastic book along the line of first European eyes. I can't recommend it highly enough. "America As Seen by Its First Explorers". Bakeless.

"Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes - a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."

Fitzgerald.

[bholderman]

Imagine them two along with Mayflower and Half Moon:

http://www.halfmoon.mus.ny.us/

[Woxbox]

And don't forget the Kalmar Nyckel:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f92/Woxbox/KalmarNyckel.jpg
www.kalmarnyckel.org (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org)

[bholderman]

And don't forget the Kalmar Nyckel:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f92/Woxbox/KalmarNyckel.jpg
www.kalmarnyckel.org (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org)

Dock all these ships at Mystic, park a rennaisance fair next to them and you could easily get lost in time.

[Sailor]

I say again, When is sombody going to replicate Cutty Sark? Fine If nobody else will do it give me 50 mil and I'll do it. Think of Cutty Sark on a broad reach in the southern ocean making 17 + knots in huge rollers.......I'm getting excited just thinking of it.

[David Stimson]

We are getting ready to deliver DISCOVERY to Jamestown - hope to depart Tuesday if the weather allows. rbgarr, and anyone else who is interested - c'mon by for a tour. I'll be around the shipyard Sunday & Monday......

David

[bholderman]

Sir,

Although it sounds like you may be busy, pics would be wonderful.

[Ben Fuller]

David,

I was lucky enough to catch you coming in on the first day of sailing. It made me wonder what it was like pushing these small vessels up into the Davis Straits. I am envious, quite the most interesting ride on the coast. Lots to be learned in sailing her. How did/ does she sail say in comparison to the schooners that we are used to seeing up here? She looks nimble, just the thing for pushing into the unknown. Guess that I will have to be satisfied square sailing the faering unless you need another deckie volunteer.

Fair winds,

[David Stimson]

Ben-

I wish we had room for you, but we have four bunks and six crew as it is. DISCOVERY has very nice underwater lines, with a long easy run. The day you were here, we had her trucking along at 6 knots in a 15 knot breeze. Quite responsive and maneuverable too. The only differences I can see between sailing DISCOVERY and Maine schooners is that the schooners will obviously point higher and can be sailed with a smaller crew.

We are not very experienced with square rig, but with a little practice, we were able to tack out of the harbor against a light southerly breeze.

I tried to figure out how to attach photos, and didn't have success. I think the files were too big. If I can get it figured out, I'll post a few pics.

David

[Ken Hutchins]

David, do you have stop overs scheduled during the trip, or is there areas where you will be close enough to shore to catch a view along the way?

[David Stimson]

Ken -

The plan is to head straight for the Cape Cod Canal - about a 20-hour run - as soon as the weather allows, and then stop only when the forecast starts to look bad. There is one planned stop in western L.I. Sound for oil change and valve adjustment. Some people have expressed envy about the trip, but I don't see it as a pleasure cruise this time of year and look forward to having it be over. I like winter sailing, but not when there is time pressure involved. The trip will, however, allow me to extend my personal record of 30 months in a row of going sailing at least once/month - made possible by an ice-free harbor here at the shipyard.

[Ben Fuller]

Cruise is mostly about learning..... always a pleasure but sometimes not pleasant. Weather windows are interesting. Today with the solid northwester would have been nice, with a north easter to follow.

We used to sometimes have to do a short stern board tacking the lestabat. Of course there is no shame in wearing!

I have been impressed with the sailing quality of the big single squares, pointed higher than I figured I know.

Have not made the 30 months straight under sail, but might have it under paddle.

See if you can talk Eric into bringing her up here sometime, maybe when we get Virginia built.

Fair winds,

[ishmael]

Hi, David.

When is the sail date? I'd like to have a tour, and may stop by tomorrow. It would be nice to see you again.

Jack

[David Stimson]

Jack-

Looking pretty good for leaving Tuesday afternoon to catch fair current in canal on Wednesday PM. C'mon by the shipyard today or tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you - we probably won't recognize each other.....

David

[elf]

Hi David - stopping at Dick and Laurie's on the way? Love to come look it over while you're around.

[ishmael]

Hi, David. Just a note to tell you not to look for me today. Life gets in the way. Some other time. It would be good to catch up, and I'll bet we'd recognize one another.

Fair winds.

Jack

[rbgarr]

David, do you have stop overs scheduled during the trip, or is there areas where you will be close enough to shore to catch a view along the way?

Ken-

I hear the DISCOVERY has pulled into T WHarf in Boston Harbor.

[elf]

Well, he left yesterday morning and expected to be going through the canal early this morning. How did you hear that he was in Boston?

[elf]

Some friends of David who live around the corner just said that they're only travelling during the day. So I guess they'll make the canal by sometime tomorrow afternoon.

[elf]

Went through the canal 45 minutes ago. Dark. No good pix. Sorry.

[David Stimson]

That was T-wharf in Rockport,Mass. We coast hopped instead of going straight to the canal because of strong northwesterly. The delivery was completed on monday, January 22., with no problems. The trip took 13 days from port to port with two overnights. The first overnight was from Rockport to NYC,m and the second from NYC to C&D canal - two big bites that helped shorten the trip considerably.

David

[rbgarr]

I don't know why I said Boston harbor. My brother lives on Rockport's harbor and called me when you entered port there. Glad to hear you made it to VA all right.