The Felicity Ann Project Campaign has officially begun! A big THANK YOU to all our past contributors and to the Lorber Foundation for $30,000 to continue the restoration of this historic boat, the FELICITY ANN.
ALL WE NEED TO RAISE IS $5,000 TO ASSURE FELICITY ANN SAILS AGAIN!
Please consider giving a gift. Every contribution counts!
WATCH THE FELICITY ANN CAMPAIGN VIDEO NOW!
The Crowdsourcing campaign kicks off September 10th running for ONLY 6 weeks! However, we’re able to receive gits now! Help spread the word or consider giving a gift to this 1952 journey inspiring a new generation. Learn more at http://www.nwswb.edu/felicityann
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Together, we can renew Felicity Ann as an icon of courage and a testament of spirit. Through a generous family foundation, 75% of the $40,000 dollars needed to restore the Felicity Ann has been raised! With your help, we hope to raise an additional $5,000 to match a $5,000 pledge through a Felicity Ann Crowdsourcing campaign to kickoff on September 10th, 2015! Any additional funds raised will be used for on-the-water training programs empowering women and the community aboard the Felicity Ann and scholarships for woman at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. Share with friends and spread the word for this 1952 journey inspiring a new generation. To discover more, visit www.nwswb.edu/felicityann
Jo, a 2015 Boat School Student
When looking around for boat building schools two years ago, I chose NWSWB because of an article I saw on the website about the Felicity Ann restoration. I was impressed that the school was able to bring in such an interesting project, but having no concept of the amount of time it takes to do an intensive restoration, assumed FA would be long gone by the time I became a student. I was therefore ecstatic to find out upon beginning my boatbuilding education that not only was Felicity Ann still there, I would be able to participate in the restoration during Winter and Spring term.
As a former history major, working on this project has been my first chance to engage with historic research outside of a purely academic setting. It was amazing to spend an evening reading Davison’s books and researching the history of the ship, and then the next morning walk up the hill and have that boat there right in front of me (even if we spent that entire first month cutting it to pieces, but that’s beside the point!)
There were of course times when the project became incredibly frustrating. One day, we discovered after dozens of unsuccessful tries at establishing a deck centerline that the backbone of the ship had twisted over time, and there was no way to get our deck beams lined up perfectly. I remember Jesse showing up the next day with a chainsaw and a can of gasoline and thinking for one wild moment that he’d just had it with this crooked little boat. (Thankfully, they were for another project!)
Jo, a 2015 Boat School students, sits on Felicity Ann’s original cabin top.
The good moments far outweighed the frustrating ones. Learning to work effectively as a team for tasks like planking has been incredibly rewarding, as has conquering my fear of the giant saws. We also had quite a small team working on FA at any one time, so we’ve been able to see each other’s boat building skills improve as the term progressed. The best example I can think of is going along the line of carlin joints we carved for our spur beams. You can easily tell where we each carved our first notch, they’re all a little gappy and we even had to pop a wedge in here and there. But as you go down the line of notches, you can actually see the joints get tighter and tighter as our precision improved.
My favorite part about this project though has been the wonderful community surrounding it, from the folks at the Community Boat Project, to the school administration and instructors, to the many, many people who have worked on her in the past. We’ve even had photos and plans donated from a gentleman who worked at the yard where Felicity Ann was built. I’m sure this community will only grow from here on out and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it.
-Jo
Hello from the Hammond shop for our final update on Felicity Ann‘s restoration for Summer 2015! The last month of the quarter was a big one for the FA team. Two more students joined the project so we were able to make a lot of progress on both the hull and deck structure.
Planking is almost complete on the Felicity Ann
The two major additions to our deck structure in June were four purple heart lodging knees in the forward deck and the construction and fastening of covering boards. While Felicity Ann already had hanging knees bracing the deck, the lodging knees are a new addition to add extra strength to the deck structure and prevent racking. We already notice a huge difference in stability with just the lodging knees, so once the hanging knees are replaced, FA will be a sturdy ship indeed!
Covering board installed
The covering boards we installed this month are made of cedar and run the length of where the housetop will be installed. They rest on top of the carlin and spur beams we installed earlier this year and are fastened with a water tight seal to the sheer strake. Which brings us to our next big milestone in the Felicity Ann restoration…
Spiling sheer plank
We have a sheer strake! Not only that, we’ve completely planked up the boat aside from one shutter plank on either side. This has allowed us to begin fairing the hull, and her beautiful lines are finally starting to show. The general consensus among the shop has been “Wow, she’s really starting to look like a boat again!”
-Jo
Along with basic boating and boat handling skills such as rowing, sailing, charting and knot tying, students are given leadership, teamwork, self-evaluation and feedback tools to help them be better community members.
Monday Students are introduced to the longdory and, basic rowing and sailing maneuvers.
Students list what they think are qualities of a good leader
“I got to steer the Longdory between two boats on my first day. Scary but awesome!” – Ryan
“The ‘All About Boats’ summer school program has brought together people of multiple skill levels, from those of us who have been with the longdories for years to those for whom this is their first marine experience. The experienced come together to help those who are new to the boating scene under the benevolent guidance of our two wonderful captains.” – Ælf
Student list of good team member quialities
“We learned both rowing and sailing today. They seem so different yet are easy and fun to learn.” – Roo
“As a team we conquer our maritime challenges together, having fun along the way.” – Emily
“We learned how to set up/take down the sails, as well as how to control the sails”
“As someone who does not go sailing or rowing very often it was very exciting to see how people work as individuals while sailing or how people work in unity while rowing. So far this has been an incredible experience.”
“Learning maritime skills and team building with a group of new friends.”
Points if sail and current eddies in a narrow channel
Tuesday We learn knots, play in strong current and learn how to cheat our way upstream, and learn how to maneuver the longdory under sail without using the tiller.
“We’ve been learning tricks for rowing upstream” – Roo
Erik Wennstrom of Salish Rescue helps our students practice for a crew overboard scenario
Wednesday Exploration, different uses of oars, learning to get real live person back in the boat, and the start of voyage planing.
“Today we ran a Crew Overboard Drill with a real person, during which I learned a great deal. These water safety skills are something I think I will use in the future.” – Noah
“As a team, we dip our oars in the salty mud below. Moving our boat through the iridescent green water, using our new skill of pointing oars.” – Emily
“On Wednesday of our adventure we tried many new things, like pointing oars and learning how to use a chart. When I personally was able to leave my comfort zone, that was when I had the most fun”. – Roo 
“Today I learned new knots and hitches”
“Today I got to be the bow-watchman, which is basically telling the person on the tiller what is up ahead. It was great!” – Ryan
“With oars a drumbeat in their ports we took soundings around Skunk Island, familiarizing our selves with the sea scape. Then, we approached the lagoon, sneaking in, beat reduced to 2, pause, 3, pause… We navigated the channel and resumed making way along the green of the far shore. I search of the truth behind the rumored location of the Fountain of Youth. We found the fount, near the end, bubbling up from where… no one knows”. – Ælf
“One thing I really liked about today was learning to point oars”
Voyage planning
Thursday Students wrap up two possible float plans. We prep and pack for our Voyage. Practical charting exercises.
“Today I learned to navigate my way through any waters, using charts and simple tools. It feels good to have a better understanding of how people have been finding their way through the seas for hundreds of years.” – Emily
“More than just boating skills, the Community Boat Project program teaches skills to interact with and lead a group. I think this is some of the most valuable teaching that goes on anywhere.” – Noah
Meal planning
“I had a great time learning about what goes into navigation.” “Today the instructors let us students plan our voyage and it was very fun.” – Ryan
“We navigated the breadth of chart 18464 for a variety of scenarios, from Latitude and Longitude to Distance and bearings and for a final challenge, triangulation at night.” – Ælf
“On Thursday we focused on next week’s voyage preparations. After a couple hours of prepping and packing we were given the task to practice navigation.”
“I really had fun learning how to use a chart and navigate with one.”
Friday Students study and test for their WA State Boater’s Card. More sailing practice along with some reefing.
“Today we have our second guest speaker. Can’t wait!” – Roo
“It never occurred to me that I would be testing for my WA boater’s card by age sixteen. Today, that was made possible by this great class.” – Ryan
“Friday, the day that marked the end of our day-sailing week, we studied for the Boaters Education Card, which allows us to handle boats greater than 15 horse power. Such a card may very well be the ticket into a future position in the marine environment”. – Ælf
“Today our group watched the video and took the test in order to receive our boater’s card. Among many useful pieces of boating knowledge, I learned that there are PFDs specifically designed so that you still get a perfect summer tan, while staying safe around the water. How ironic!!!” – Emily
“For our final day with the daily voyaging classes my group and I got to take a test that gives us a chance to get our boaters card. We where also able to go on the water for a portion of time one last little trip before our weekend.” – Alex
“On Friday I learned about the rules of the road for water and who has the right of way in different scenarios.” – Ethan
“This class is very eduicational but really fun. I’m glad I decided to
come. Can’t wait for the trip that starts tomorrow!” -Roo
Next week we embark on a 5 day Voyage circumnavigating Marrowstone and Indian Islands!
Hello again from the Hammond Shop at Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding!
We moved on from carlins and spur beams and the new theme of last week was blocking. There are several different types of blocking on a boat, but their main purpose is to provide extra strength and support to the deck and the structures on it. Blocking also gives you more “meat” to fasten things to. For example, Felicity Ann has a deck-stepped mast, so rather than having only an inch of decking to fasten the mast’s tabernacle to, we now have an inch of decking plus an additional inch and a half of purpleheart blocking to fasten to and support it. We also installed additional sapele blocking toward the stern of the boat and douglas fir sheerline blocking which will support the deck edge and the covering board. Our next step is to carefully plane and sand the tops of the blocking to fair them with the curve of the deck.
-Jo
Purple Heart Blocking Douglass Fir Sheerline Blocking
