Current status of Virginia - 2020
December 2020
Winter has arrived in the boatyard, but work continues outside just as the shipwrights in 1607 continued thru the winter. In the Kennebec, piles are being driven to support the wharf.
Inside the boatshed, the process of making the deck waterproof continues. This calking consists of forcing oakum into the gaps in the deck planking and then sealing it with tar.
The Jane Stevens Visitor Center is closed this winter due to COVID-19 concerns but rigging can be seen between vendors at the Bath Farmers Market on Saturday morning. Only 17 customers are allowed in the freight shed at a time. A number of the vendors are set up outside, and some are only doing pickup of pre-orders.
Both the freight shed and boathouse can be visited from the comfort of your own computer using our virtual tour.
The plans for the launch of Virginia are still uncertain as COVID is still raging despite our hope for the future. As we deal with the pandemic of 2020, we should remember that in the years 1607-1610 there was a major pandemic among the native population of Maine.
November 2020
Winter is fast approaching and with it a large increase in COVID-19 rates in Maine. Work on Virginia continues, but with existing teams of volunteers. We continue to monitor the Maine guidelines to ensure the safety of our volunteers. The shallop Jane Stevens is back in her tent in the boatyard.
Work on the wharf is starting in the boatyard with a team installing the landing. This is actually a septic tank filled with stones, with a wooden deck. The permanent parts of the wharf should be in place this year.
Inside the boathouse, one team is working on the bulwarks with the transom, prow, and port quarter in place. Another team is working to calk the deck and the smell of tar fills the boathouse. A third team is working in the engine compartment and will be installing tanks. Yet another team is installing the lead keel, with 5 or the 6 pieces in place.
In the boatyard, the larger spars are mostly done, but Fred still has some smaller pieces to keep him busy this winter.
In the freight shed, work on the rigging continues, but they will soon need to share space with the Bath Farmers Market.
October 2020
Outside in the boatyard, Virginia’s rudder is taking shape, and the initial shaping of the bowsprit is complete. The Kennebec looks closer as a piece of the fence is down to start work on the wharf.
Inside the boatshed, work continues on the bulwarks, with the prow and transom done, and a lot of planks done on the port quarter.
In the freight shed, rigging work continues. The tops’l is bent, and work continues on other spars, and the various lines needed. We have an extra month in the freight shed as the Bath Famers Market will stay outside thru November.
An interactive 3D virtual tour was made on October 12, so you can see the various pieces of the ship on that day, including the rigging in the freight shed, the deck and below deck in the boatshed, and some spars in the boatyard. There are also drone shots above the freight shed with the trees in their full fall glory. The shallop Jane Stevens is now out of the water, but you can see it floating in the current from directly above in the drone view from above the Kennebec.
Work has started on an online exhibit The Art of the Virginia as we continue to adjust to the virtual Covid-19 world.
September 2020
The pine log for the bowsprit (the spar extending forward of the prow) is in the boatyard, and Fred Gosbee is hewing it. This is the last of the spars and masts for Virginia. Fred might need to concentrate on his music when we run out of woodwork for him to do.
The main deck (that is the only deck) of Virginia is complete. There is still work on the hatches and work is starting on the bulwarks (the planking above the deck). The railing is done and the first bulwark plank is on. The rest of the pine boards are patiently drying inside the freight shed.
In the engine compartment the mounts for the engine are being readied. This is 17th century ship meets 20th century propulsion. The mounts are a 6×14 inch block with cutouts to match the contours of the bilges.
Inside the freight shed (and sometimes in the boat yard) work continues on the rigging. There seem to be innumerable pieces of rope both short and long to twist and braid and tar.
Most of the approvals are done for the wharf, and the old dock supports which were visible at low tide have been removed.
August 2020
On the floor of the freight shed, a first look at the sails. We are starting to “bend” the sails onto the spars. This is the tops’l which is the first one out of the bag. The color is tanbark which was used as a preservative.
Work continues on the main deck which is getting ever nearer completion.
Below decks in the engine room carpenters are fitting beds for our diesel motor, and even lower than that, more lead blocks are being winched into place and bolted to the keel.
Behind the scenes, volunteers are speccing out and sourcing all of the other equipment needed for the propulsion and other systems.
July 2020
More of the crewe have returned to the boat shed to continue work on Virginia. In the freight shed work has resumed on the rigging. The safety of the volunteers is still very important and we are taking precautions. The decking is mostly done and the transom is built out. In the boat yard the rudder is starting to take shape.
The Visitors Center is open after being reconfigured to allow social distancing.
June 2020
The boat shed is coming back to life with a restricted set of volunteers. There is still a lot of working going on at home including building the rigging.
Much of the decking is in place. Pieces of the lead keel have also been waiting in the boatyard, ready to be installed.
March 2020
The Virginia is waiting quietly in the boat shed, and the clover is growing in the boat yard. Inside the freight shed pine for the bulwarks is drying. The boat shed is flying the quarantine flag. The crewe of Virginia is working at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The launch of Virginia has been delayed until 2021. This will also give us time to construct a wharf next to the freight shed.
The six pieces of the lead keels are delivered. These are used instead of ballast. These are very heavy (3000 pounds each) and were handled by heavy machinery until they got to the boat shed. There old fashioned methods like rolling on pipes and a tripod crane were used to move them. This turned out to be the last work day BC (before COVID).
The sails have also been delivered in their sacks. We can see the color of the sails when the sacks are opened.
