On the Pungo River

I trailered Annie to Behaven, North Carolina for a four day sail and camp this past week. It was a cold, blustery, rainy, calm, sunny, and warm trip. Three boats, five guys. A nice description can be found at Lingering Lunacy. I'll supplement Eddie's account with more pictures. I feel safe in saying that a good time was had by all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southbound

There is a new safety chain ready to mount on the trailer. There's a outboard ready to get its first pull of the season. There is more gear getting loaded in the truck. Tomorrow its over to Urbanna and Sunday morning early... south to North Carolina to rendezvous with friends to sail the Pamlico Sound. It is rather cold today, in the 40s (F) and raining, but the forecast for next week looks pretty good.

Will be checking in later but here's a couple new paintings before we head out.

Crab Steamin' Day

One Lung Skiff

An Old Gift

Spring readiness projects have been going well. Small repairs are done and tomorrow the weather looks nice for a trip over to Urbanna to re-rig Annie. The yard jaws needed new leather and I had just the right piece. I have been carrying around a bag of leather my dad gave me from the furniture plant he ran while I was a boy. He taught me how to make things and solve problems. His lessons have come in handy more than once on the water. There are only a few pieces left now after more than thirty years but it still feels good to find a use for them.

 

 

The Last One

We drove to Annapolis, Maryland yesterday for a family funeral at the Naval Academy. A bittersweet reunion with cousins. Now, all our parents, aunts and uncles have passed on. They were special and are missed.

Although only a couple of hours north, it was markedly colder. The Annapolis harbor was frozen and except for gulls and ducks, there was little activity on the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clay Work

Eleanor and I have been collaborating on maritime ceramic sculptures. I started by making boats in wood for her clay figures and have recently changed to clay as well. It is in the early stages but we have finished a number of pieces and have shown a few in our Florida gallery to good response. It has been a nice complement to our daily painting.

Bread Winner

Trophy

Eleanor's latest, awaiting glaze and fire

 

'Boatbuilding' in clay

Chilly

Snow is melting fast today. It's in the 50s (F) and probably won't last long. It dumped around 6" of powder this past week and over in the Urbanna area, where Annie lives, there was a bit less. Vera and John sent me this pic and said that the tarp "was doing its job". Thank you both for your help.... there is nothing quite like good friends.

A Drascombe's Rudder

I partially disassembled Annie' rudder/ tiller assembly to varnish the tiller and inspect. It is a somewhat different beast when compared to other small boat equipment. In most Drascombe boats- Luggers, Longboats, Coasters- the rudder slides down through a thin well and out the bottom. The configuration affords the mizzen mast and the outboard an amidships position. It does take getting used to.

I made a small, teak, slotted wedge to slip under the pivot section of the rudder when raised in shallow water. The heavy rod portion is covered in split PVC pipe and a thick sleeve bushing keeps the bronze rudder head from grinding in to the deck plate.

It all went back together and its off to the next pre-season task...

stainless steel 'knock-up' rudder

bronze rudder head assembly that accepts the tiller

rudder in raised position

'self-steering'

Shine is fine, but so too funk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Work

Spending these cold days in the studio with the stove cranking out heat. I need to work hard to have work ready for the spring season. Forging ahead...

Early Morning Still
acrylic on canvas  24 x 30
© Curtis Bowman 2015

and if you are interested in a custom boat portrait, send me a note...    hbdgcurt@yahoo.com