Launching the "Bonnie Sea"

Dear Friends and Family,
I think you know that for much of the past 2 years I've been building the Bonnie Sea, a 16' sailboat, in my shop in Medford, MA. I'm excited to share with you photos from today's (June 20, 2008) unusual "launch" of the boat from my shop which are in the above attachments. It has been 2 wonderful years of lofting, planking, steam bending, fitting, fastening, painting, and always trying to anticipate in what order all the hundreds of steps need to happen. Almost all of it has been hand work on curved and twisting shaped pieces.

From colonial times to around the time of the Civil War, Medford was one of the largest shipbuilding towns in Massachusetts. In those days the clipper ships were built on the banks of the Mystic River just a few yards from where they could be floated off on the high tide.

Boatbuilding exists again in Medford, a bit further from the Mystic River. Today I "launched" the "Bonnie Sea" from the 3rd floor of a 4 story industrial building at the edge of the Tufts campus. With the help of 4 large men and a crane from Titan Movers the 16' "Bonnie Sea" was moved from the spot in my shop where I have been building it for most of the last 2 years to a waiting trailer in the parking lot below as shown in the attached photos.

The boat is based on the 1872 Kingston lobster boat "Annie A Fuller" which is in the collection at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. I have adapted the design for pleasure sailing and changed from the original sail plan to a gaff rig. I'm still working on the mast, spars, and rigging.

If all goes well, the boat should be in the water later this summer. I have greatly enjoyed building it and learning lots of for me new construction techniques.
I thank all of you for your interest and patience with this passion of mine.

Come sailing,
Nathan

August 22, 2008 Launching at Winter Island