The Concordian
Issue #41, Spring 2006
Sumatra #76
Scott Dethloff & Suki Cupp, Port Townsend, WA
My wife, Suki, and I are the new owners of #76, Sumatra. Here is a photo of Sumatra underway in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Sept 2005. My wife and I bought Sumatra from Chris and Kathy Grace (Lotus #15) in September. Sumatra is happily moored in Port Townsend, WA, alongside of Lotus. Suki and I have two partners in the boat, Michael Delegarza and Paul Siefried. Michael and Paul are wood boat experts, artists, and craftsmen. We are currently rebuilding the butterfly and main companion way hatches, wooding the house and revarnishing, and upgrading some of the electronics. Stuart and Louisa MacDougall were the owners before Chris and Kathy, and did a beautiful job maintaining Sumatra. We plan on continuing with Stuart's philosophy of staying as true to the original as possible. Future upgrades will probably include an upgraded main sheeting system (with traveler), a new genoa, and a diesel cabin heater. Thanks.
Magic #36
Hank Bornhofft
Contrary to popular belief, she is not for sale. I did have a brief affair with a younger, smaller wooden boat last spring, but it's over. Due to miss-communication the listing stayed on the web much longer than intended.
She spent the first winter out of the water in 25 years at Triad Boatworks where she is getting some professional attention that I was not able to handle. The worn teak toe rails have been replaced, and Peter Costa is making a stainless steel tie rod mast step support. Although her step is a weldment spanning nine floor timbers, the reduction of compression load on the hull will minimize leaking when pounding to weather and extend the life of the boat (and maybe the crew!).
I finished the last of the teak deck re-fastening. Removing and replacing all those 2 1/4" screws burned up three bit braces. Spent most of my free time this winter reefing out and re-caulking the deck. Both this job and the fastening were not done because of structural problems or leaking but deck wear. Bungs wouldn't hold and the cotton was showing here and there.
I intend to take as much advantage of the inside storage as possible-red leading the bilge, replacing seacocks, and doing for once an unrushed paint job topsides and bottom. I figure I've done about 65 coats on the topsides in 25 years, of course always sanded and wooded twice.
"Magic" certainly benefited from all those years wet stored. There is no evidence of deterioration below the waterline and the bottom is fairer and smoother than any of the professionally maintained Concordias I've seem. For the sale that fortunately didn't happen last April a survey was done and the surveyor (a wooden boat owner and ex yard owner) said she was the best he'd seen.
Plan to go East this summer and hope that Brodie organizes another race to Castine on 7/30 as I read in the last newsletter was tentatively planned. "Magic" plans to cruise with the Blue Water Sailing Club in Maine and be on hand for the ERR. Hope to see many of you there--Hank
Boats for Sale
| # | Name | Price | Seller | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Vintage | $105,000 | Cannell, Payne &l; Page | (207) 236-2383 |
| 14 | Saxon | $85,000 | Gray & Gray | (207) 363-7997 |
| 35 | Memory | $35,000 | Cannell, Payne & Page | (207) 236-2383 |
| 3 | Halcyon | $59,000 | Nantucket Yachts, Inc. | (508) 325-5500 |
| 97 | Tambourine | $130,000 | Great Island Yacht Brokerage | (207) 729-1639 |
Sail Magazine
March 2006
"When Reg Smith bought his Concordia yawl, Egret, it had only one bilgepump. This proved up to the task of getting water out of the bilges after a wet sail, but Smith wanted a backup system. He mounted an electrical pump onto a section of 3/4-inch marine plywood and installed 15 feet of hose on both the intake and the outlet. Alligator clips connect the pump to the battery when needed and the portability of the pump and the length of the hoses mean that the pump can be used to such water from any part of the boat. An added bonus is that because the pump can run in both directions, it can serve as a saltwater washdown pump and an emergency fire hose. Smith sails out of Kittery, Maine, with his wife and a couple of small dogs.
Take a moment to understand your Marine Insurance Policy
Thomas E. Bosworth, CIC
President, W. & L. Howland Insurance Agency, Inc.
Paying insurance premiums can be a painful experience for everyone at one time or another. But insurance is a necessary part of today's world and it's important that you take a moment to make sure that your marine insurance policy is providing the coverage you need or think you have.
Hull coverage, Protection and Indemnity (Liability Coverage) and your deductible are relatively easy to monitor, as well as your Navigation Territory and your lay-up period. However, when you dig a little deeper there are some very important coverage issues that all yacht owners should be familiar with.
I'll just mention a few.
The Federal Jones Act:
Most policies provide coverage for the Longshoreman and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA), however not all polices provide coverage for the Federal Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act or General Maritime Law. The LHWCA provides medical and wage benefits to employees other than seamen who work on or near the navigable United States waters and are injured on the job. (Someone working on your yacht: painters, mechanics, etc.)
In contrast The Jones Act is a Federal statute that provides a seaman injured in the course of his work entitlement to recover "maintenance," "cure" and "unearned wages". (A captain, crew, hired yacht delivery captain)
The United States Supreme Court has held that the following requirements must be met for a person to be considered a seaman:
The person must have an employment connection to a vessel that is substantial in both duration and nature. This employment must contribute to the work of the vessel. The vessel must be in navigation.
So what does all this mean? ....basically if you have hired captains or crew you need to have coverage for the Federal Jones Act on your policy. If you hire someone to deliver your yacht to or from a winter location do you need Jones Act Coverage? I would say YES, at the very least be sure to put your company on notice. Check your policy; does it include any Jones Act coverage automatically. There are polices that do.
Accidental Fuel Spill Coverage:
Your policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. So in the event of a loss especially a large loss a lot depends on policy language. Does you policy provide coverage for an "Accidental Fuel Spill"? Is your definition of accidental fuel spill the same as the company's?
It is important that these terms are defined in the policy language and listed in the policy coverage. Here again, there are companies that specifically discuss and define this coverage. Make sure your policy does.
Some companies may provide this coverage, but in the fine print you find language like; the most we will pay for damage or expenses caused by an accidental fuel spill is the amount shown in the liability section of the declaration page or $15,000 which ever is less.
Personal Umbrella Coverage:
If you have a Personal Umbrella make sure that you have your yacht listed and that you have the proper underlying liability coverage. In some cases your umbrella carrier may not be willing to add a vessel that is over a certain length. In that case you need to make sure that you're Marine Policy Liability limits are in line with your insurance and liability philosophies.
Unfortunately, as the world in which we live becomes more complicated so do the mechanisms that are designed to protect us. In the world of insurance, that means, understanding risk and exposure and then finding the markets that provide the best protection for our clients. Please take a moment to review your insurance policy and ask questions. Have a great summer and safe sailing.
The W. & L. Howland Insurance Agency, Inc. was founded in 1936 by Waldo and Llewellyn Howland to complement their growing boatyard, The Concordia Company.
Concordia Company
ECLIPSE (ex MISTY) #66
Lester McIntosh took delivery of MISTY in June 1959 and sailed her from Padanaram to Detroit with his wife and two small children. Based on Lake St. Clair she was successfully raced and cruised by the McIntosh family for 20 years.
In 1978, after the death of his father, son Tom McIntosh took over MISTY and moved her to Chicago, where she continued to enjoy an active and successful racing career. In addition Tom, to his credit, maintained her to an extremely high level.
In 2004, Tom came to the decision that MISTY and the McIntosh family were no longer a good fit and she was reluctantly put on the market. Apparently wooden boats are a rarity in the Midwest these days, and it seems the classic boat movement has not gained momentum there yet. In any event we moved the boat east to Padanaram in the fall of 2005 and thanks to Jon Knowles of East Coast Yacht Sales, it wasn't long before MISTY had new owners, Ford and Karen Reiche of Cumberland, ME (Casco Bay) and a new name ECLIPSE.
Tom McIntosh has taken delivery of a brand new MISTY, in this case a Beneteau 36.7 in which he will be able to race one design in a class of around 20 boats, as well as the distance races that he so enjoyed in the Concordia.
ECLIPSE is now experiencing salt water for the first time having been in the Great Lakes since 1959. Now fitted with a new radar system and diesel motor along with several structural upgrades turned up on the survey, she is well set for the next phase of her remarkable career.
Streamer #22
Was also moved (from Islesboro, ME) to Padanaram to be sold. She is a fractional rig 39 with a short bowsprit, which seems to contribute to reduced weather helm and therefore superior speed.
She has had a structural recent restoration here at Concordia and we will be upgrading cosmetics this summer, once we get over the spring rush.
During the delivery from Maine she was involved in a road accident in which someone ran into her mast and broke it off just above the middle. The story was that when the police came they saw no evidence of a red flag at the mast head, and were ready to ticket the truck driver. At that point the driver pointed out the mast head, complete with red flag, in the back seat of the offending SUV! Thanks to insurance and our skillful shipwrights we were able to make a new upper half and scarf it on the original lower sections.
As of the end of April DOLCE & ARAPAHO are on their moorings while JAVELIN, ECLIPSE, WOODWIND, SNOWBIRD AND KESTREL are being commissioned in the South Wharf basin. We have six more yawls ashore awaiting their launch dates.
Have a great season of Concordia sailing!
Fleetwood #20
Kersten Prophet, Keil, Germany
Fleetwood went in the water since April 1st. She looks pretty well. I did two layers of new varnish on the cabin top sides, cockpit and other natural wooden parts. For the first time I used Epifanes Wood Finish Gloss (without sanding...) and I got a fine result. Hull topside has been polished and still looking good. The engine was out of the hull after an oil leakage on the gear side of the crankshaft. That was a surprise to me after only 12 years of engine life time. The engine is a 30 HP Perkins. Beside this the rubber mounts are renewed, the flange on the propeller shaft is new, machined together with the shaft and the lining of the complete system was done new. The result is a good running engine with less vibrations.
Spars got two layers of Clear Varnish. The spars are on the boat until April 11.
Anyhow, it's a little bit too cold for sailing. We had a long and cold winter with unusual ice on the Kiel Fjord until the 3rd week of March. The water is very cold. I'm looking forward to go out for the first afternoon sailing at the end of April!
Plans for summer are open until now. We have three weeks vacation at the end of July. We will see what is possible with our two little girls of 4 and 2 years of age.
Looking forward further I can report that next winter plans are fixed: Fleetwood will get a new lower stem!
Since 2005 she had a leakage in the area where the lower and upper part of the stem is connected. Several investigations were made. Taylor Allen from Rockport Marine gave the hint to check the leakage stops during the winter. Leakage stops have been reworked and the problems seams to be a little bit smaller. Sailing experience is still open. Survey by local boat builder Andreas Krause who is a grandson of Henry Rasmussen and a second yard brought up developing problems with the stem where it is connected to the keel. This area does not look so fine. Possibly caused by that the fore ship underwater paint shows diagonal cracks along the plank seams indicating some small movement in the structure. The screws can be avoided as a reason for that because all the underwater screws are renewed in 1996 at Rockport Marine.
Finally I decided in March to let Andreas Krause renew the lower part of the stem next winter. I believe this is the best solution for the long term behaviour of the boat. There is grown oak available that is stored for at least 8 years! The connection area of the lower and the upper part will be shifted by 200mm upwards. It is planned to do the repair in two parts from inner and outer side with one glued connection where the breadth of the rabbet is at its minimum.
I will keep you updated with some photos next winter.
All the best and happy summer sailing to all Concordia Owners and friends!
Kersten Prophet
Irene #103
Doug Cole, Bellingham, WA
After years of watching ever more expensive ice slowly melt away in the ice box, I finally decided to upgrade to the modern age. The choice of an engine driven compressor was foregone since we have no space for additional batteries required to run an electrical refer system. As several other Concordias (Malay and Golondrina) have used Seafrost and since they have been in business over 25 years, this seemed like the logical choice.
Several years ago I reinsulated the icebox. Removing the 1" black, stinky, powdery whatever-it-was insulation, I replaced it with 2" of rigid foam and a new stainless liner. Just in case, I installed a removable 3 x 10" cover plate on the aft face for future plumbing. This proved quite handy.
I took several photos of the engine and ice box and sent them to Cleave Horton at Seafrost. He then guided me through the selection of components - there are lots of cold plate sizes and shapes - and installation considerations. I decided to install a "Shore Assist" unit as well which would allow pre-cooling or general use while plugged in at the slip.
I had several concerns about the installation on a Concordia. First, would space allow for proper location and access of the various components and second, would the added complexity of such a major "system" put us in jeopardy of violating a basic premise of owning a "simple" Concordia? To answer the first question, there is enough room, but not by much. If I were any larger or less agile, I would have had to hire out the installation. The second will be answered at the end of this season.
The first step was to install the compressor. I made a plywood mockup of a mounting plate and then had it replicated in 3/8" steel. Since the sump tank would no longer be required for melt water (we will miss that extra water for washdowns!), the compressor and other components would be mounted in the area between the engine and ice box, then fully enclosed. The compressor uses dual belts and an electric clutch. Next was to mount the cold plate. In order to drill the stainless I had to remove the liner and take it home to the drill press and cobalt drills. Not a small task, but one with which I was already familiar. Once the cold plate was mounted, the condenser and other various components were mounted and copper pipes run and connected. The cold plate has two loops, one for the engine drive and one for the Shore Assist, a compact 115-volt unit about the size of a series 24 battery which I located aft of the galley outboard of the cockpit. (Irene has full length fuel tanks on both sides of the cockpit with no cockpit access to these lockers.) Making these connections along with routing the tube from the ice box aft, down and back forward to the engine area was where the contortion was required.
Once all the connections were made, the system was drawn down by vacuum pump for several hours, leak tested and then charged with 134-A refrigerant. Then as the instructions say, "Start the engine and make ice!" Indeed, that's how it worked. As with installing any major component, this is not a project to be rushed into just prior to commissioning or in mid-season. I started in October and finished the end of March. Though while we might miss the adventures of seeking ice in remote locations, such as the time on the West coast of Vancouver Island when I inquired at the local fish processor - " 'Ow many tons 'ya need, lad?" - we are looking forward to a new modicum of convenience in the galley. Depending on ambient temperatures, we can expect to run the engine once a day for 30 minutes, which is pretty normal for our type of cruising in the Northwest. After a season of operation I will report on how that turns out.
Off Call #58
Peter Castner
OFF CALL is getting her second coat of Varnish this week, topsides will be painted next week .Then we should be launched May 4th which is very nice. There was not much to do this winter, rewired some electronics to make them more dependable but that's about it. Kind of a bonus year with just normal maintenance. As owners, you know that is Code for: "I'm looking forward to getting over to Vinalhaven and the other Islands and getting some early Spring sails and overnights in."
After much searching we located a fantastic Peapod built by Jimmy Steele. Sort of a coincidence it ended up coming from another Concordia owner. So we will be towing her instead of the Avon this season.......it should be great to row around instead of the usual.
Abaco #102
Jonathan & Dorothy Goldweitz, Stamford, CT
We have not written since last spring and a lot has happened since. After a late commissioning due to new engine installation and redesign of cockpit drains, we finally sailed Abaco from Hamburg Cove to Stamford, but soon headed back east. After stops in "old favorites" Block Island, Cuttyhunk and Marion, we left for the Cape Cod Canal early one Saturday morning and after a brisk jib and jigger beat past Provincetown, we enjoyed a backing wind and rode a fresh northwesterly all the way to Tenants Harbor, Maine. We spent the next week sailing without a schedule, gathering mussels and visiting with friends before we had to head home. An overnight passage from Christmas Cove to the Canal, then on to Cuttyhunk provided some thunderstorms with the most vivid 360-degree lightening we have ever seen.
Later in the summer we sailed in company with Dom Champa and Praxilla east to the Connecticut River and Hamburg Cove and then on to Shelter Island. The next weekend found us back in the river to race in the Governor's Cup Regatta, out of Essex. We enjoyed seeing many of our friends from Hamburg Cove and were fortunate to win our class after a start where the wind speed was less than that of the current. The following weekend we raced the Pequot YC Classic Regatta and took first overall in the spinnaker class. Old friend and well-known sailing historian and writer John Rousmaniere helped us sail Abaco to victory that day.
After haulout last fall we decided to proceed with the wooding of the deckhouse and toerail brightwork, a project that was delayed by the previous winter's new engine and the associated bilge repairs and refinishing. We will be launching late again as varnish coats are still being applied daily, but hope to get in a southern New England cruise to Nantucket in July. In September we plan to join the CCA National Cruise aboard our sister ship Irene. She is maintained to the standard that Concordia owners all strive to meet, and it will be great to cruise with Doug and Margie again. We especially look forward to testing out their new Sea Frost refrigeration system.
We look forward, as usual, to meeting up with other Concordias and their owners wherever we cross tacks this season.
Sarah #27
Margo Geer, St. Augustine, FL
Well, not much has changed since the November newsletter. SARAH continues to sit safe and sound in the warehouse, but I find myself in an odd position where my life has been so full of work (needed to pay the warehouse rent and other bills) and opportunities to travel and sail, that entire weeks go by without any time to work on SARAH.
In March I attended the 2nd Classic Yacht Symposium sponsored by the Herreshoff Museum and had the pleasure of meeting Jan Rozendaal (#49 - MOONFLEET) and Vagn Worm (#1 - JAVA). I have also had many opportunities to crew locally and in several regattas around Florida. There are certainly worse problems than having too much work and too many opportunities to travel and sail, but work on SARAH has languished.
The only real project news is that in March, at the urging of my assistant and friend, Claudia, we organized a "Volunteer Day." Basically all the local folks who had offered to give me a hand if I ever needed it got an invitation to come out and be a part of the show. I had a range of projects ready to go, so that folks could cut bungs, remove calcified tape [Jeff Makholm can attest to my habit of leaving tape on a bit too long], sand, paint, bung, or pull screws. Over the course of the day we had about 18 folks come through and lots got done. In return, I had food, soda and "adult beverages" for the folks who were kind enough to give their time. On top (literally) of the time consuming items that got knocked out, a major accomplishment that day was the construction of a work platform at deck height so that when I start reassembling the interior, I have an 8' x 16' work area that I can step to from the side deck.
I have set a goal of having SARAH out of the warehouse by November, but given all of the amazing opportunities I have to travel, sail, learn, and expand my horizons, it's probably a 50/50 shot. Even if there's not much getting accomplished on the project, life is good! Stay tuned!
-M
Owner Survey
Polaris #71
How long have you owned your Concordia?
20 years
2. Vessel name and hailing port.
POLARIS, Bena, VA
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
I knew about Concordias previously and liked the fact that it was a comfortable, able cruising boat, but after an article in National Fisherman in 1976, I knew a Concordia was the boat for me and I would buy one
4. What future plans to you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
Plan to use it on the Chesapeake Bay. I enjoy the fact that it is so original and has not been modified dramatically. Fastenings are in better condition than those being hauled out every year. Boat stays in the water all year. No evidence it is needed but at 50 years old I would consider repairs to the fastenings.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
New sails would be nice, but the sails are useable.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
Put in new lift muffler to replace old stand pipe. Replaced old Paragon with a Velvet drive. Received centerline keel bolts. Received iron floor originally and received new white oak floors in 1986 with all bronze tie rod system that seems to work very well. Mast was re-glued in 1986. Maintenance was to keep the finish varnished and in good condition. Modifications: Full width dodger and boom gallows. Makes boat more safe and comfortable. Wish List: Will continue replacing rest of keel bolts in the future.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
No. My goal is to keep POLARIS in original condition. It is fun the way it is. I don't want to turn it into something it's not.
Sumatra #76
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
7 months
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
SUMATRA, Port Townsend, WA
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
Love of wooden boats and the opportunity to sail with other lovers of great wooden boats, including Chris and Kathy Grace (LOTUS #15), and my partners Michael and Paul. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc. Many. Wood and re-varnish all the brightwork, paint the topsides, weekend cruises with family and friends, occasional racing, cruise the west coast of Vancouver Island, north to the Broughtons and south to Mexico.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
Bulkhead heater, GPS chart plotter, improved anchoring systems, new jib, boat canvas that acts as sail cover and shades the brightwork and better sound insulation around the diesel.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
Rebuilt companionway and butterfly hatches to repair damage and reduce leaking in heavy weather, varnished, engine maintenance, miscellaneous others. Goal is to keep the boat as simple as possible, while still being comfortable and safe.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
Not really.
Envolee #81
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
25 years
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
ENVOLEE, Gibson Island, Maryland
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
Most beautiful boat I had ever seen. Still is.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
Cruising often with family and friends in Buzzard Bay, Vinyard Sound.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
Continuing to keep it in top shape. Most of out item wish list has been done.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
ENVOLEE has been in the good hands of Peter Kosta at Triad Boatworks for the past 9 years. During that time we have: Converted the water system to hot/cold pressure. Installed hot/cold cockpit shower. Stripped paint, sick hull and topsides. Pulled and replaced keel bolts. Replaced deadwood. Installed roller furling on head stay. Installed anchor roller. Stripped and repainted entire interior. (It looks great) Added self-tailing winches. Converted to all rope halyards. Added Garmin GPS chart plotter.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
No
Arapaho #85
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
Purchased ARAPAHO in August 2001.
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
ARAPAHO hails from Padanaram
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
My next door neighbor in Boston is Rusty Aertsen. For many of you, that's all I have to say! I sailed with Rusty many years ago on Kestrel, the one-of-a-kind Ray Hunt designed Concordia 31 sloop featured in Waldo's second book. Rusty later came to know Brodie MacGregor, purchased his own yawl, SNOW BIRD (#59), and then formed consortia to save two derelict yawls, STREAMER (#21) and SUNDA (#33). After speaking with another wooden boat owning neighbor in Boston during one summer evening in 2001, I could put off wooden boat owning no longer. I asked Rusty about his projects. He said they were unavailable, but took me to Padanaram the next weekend to view what was there. Two were for sale, bit one (TAMBOURINE #97) was under contract. The only other was ARAPAHO, which had sat in the corner of the Concordia shed for almost a year. The previous owner had purchased ARAPAHO after sailing with Rusty. He had been turning down all offers during the summer. On hearing that Rusty had both "personally selected" a buyer and opined on what it was worth, that owner sold it to me on the spot for that price---less than what he'd been theretofore turning down.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
We cruise ARAPAHO in Buzzards Bay and environs from mid-April to late November. Late in July we head to Maine for much of the month of August. We've settled into just a handful of races: The Round the Island race (around Martha's Vinyard) with Steve Donovon and our great friends on DAME OF SARK (#86). We've also done the Eggomoggin a number of years now, and much enjoyed the Cape to Castine race last year. With Brodie's knowledge and foresight at Concordia, every little thing on ARAPAHO remains well tended. We have no plans to modify her or to add anything in particular, other than navigation electronics and radar, that isn't in keeping with how she was originally fitted out.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
We've no major modifications planned (no hot water or refrigeration, that is), not even anticipating roller furling for as far as the eye can see. Maybe just a windlass is we can modify one as charming as that on CORIOLIS. We have a marvelous old 1978 Westerbeke, which under the care of the Concordia mechanics runs like a top. It will not do so forever, alas, so re-powering will certainly be on the docket in a few years. Our CNG stove is simple, but I find that we have no real desire to bake anything, and we'll probably keep it (unless we can find a replacement that puts out a few more BTU's on the burners for boiling the lobster pot). But whatever we get must fit the original space. We compete with the other Pandaram based owners to see who can find the neatest old A&R fittings (like the swim ladder and various Rune Goldberg original contraptions) that we find from time to time in the Concordia attic and are made in the yard or cast in bronze in the local foundry. There's not much left to wish for, except to see our local Concordia friends, and dear distant ones (like the irrepressible Douglas Adkins) on the water a bit more often.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance or comfort?
We removed iron floors (which every 41 has had to do) replacing with oak. The feathering 3-blade MaxProp we installed is wonderful. We may put in another holding tank some day, but after being closely involved with the disassembly of SARAH (27), I have a novel idea where to put it, which even Concordia hasn't tried.
Is there anything you would do differently?
No. For our family, ARAPAHO was the right yawl which came at the right time, and carried with it the right yard, sail maker, equipment, next-door neighbor and new friends among fellow owners. Other than avoiding a rock or two with which we've become personally acquainted, we wouldn't change a thing.
Dame of Sark #86
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
7 years
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
DAME OF SARK, Edgartown, MA
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
She was previously owned by a long time friend who was selling. It was a good opportunity to own a classic yacht and learn how to sail her from that friend.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
Newport - Bermuda 2006.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
Nothing left.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
Complete structural rebuild. New floor frames, mast step, keel bolts, re-laminated side frames, new Yanmar, new rudder, stove, DC refrigeration, electrical system and several sets of sails.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
Buy a plastic boat...just kidding...but the boatyard bills associated with doing this boat right are not for the faint of heart.
Katrina #94
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
2 years (In our family since 1964)
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
KATRINA, Brookline, Maine
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
My father owned her until his death - she was his pride and joy! We have inherited her and are attempting to keep her up "in the manner to which she was accustomed"!
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
We always race in The Eggomoggin Reach Regatta (we won The Concordia Class last year! Amazing!) The boat is well equipped. Yanmar, good sails and roller furler. She is finished bright and well maintained by Benjamin River Marine.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
Instruments - wind speed/direction and a chart plotter.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
KATRINA had a centerline rebuild about 5 years ago. New keel, floors, etc. She has never leaked and performs beautifully with standard Concordia equipment except for a non pressurized Origo alcohol stove and bronze 2 speed self tailing winches which help a lot. We use a furler rather than the self-fending jib.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
Nothing comes to mind.
Captiva #100
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
10 years. She has been in the family since she was built in 1965.
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
CAPTIVA, New Bedford, MA
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
My parents bought their first Concordia, MEMORY, in 1954 when I was seven. So I have now sailed a Concordia for over 50 years. We sail mostly on Buzzard's Bay, which is what Concordia's are designed for. Both Laurie's and my parents sailed Concordia's. Now that both of our parents are gone, sailing CAPTIVA is a way to be with them.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
I hope we have done all of the major work. Thanks to Triad, CAPTIVA is in excellent shape. As long as I'm working and vacations are limited, our sailing is mostly around Buzzards Bay and nearby waters with an occasional trip to Maine or Long Island Sound.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
I think we've got pretty much what we need.
6. What repairs/modifications gave you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
Thanks to Triad's Ed Doyle we are in pretty good shape. New sails within the last two years. New engine last year. (Boothbay Marine) New deck, keel bolts, head, electronics, and a lot more varnish where my parents had paint.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
Don't think so. Not on the boat anyway!
Abaco #102
Jon and Dorothy Goldweitz, Stamford, CT
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
Dorothy and I acquired Abaco from my brother Mark almost 18 years ago, soon after the Concordia 50th Reunion Cruise. Mark had bought a new Concordia Yawl (#102) from Waldo Howland in late summer 1968 and named her Abaco. She was commissioned early the next spring, and we began sailing her together in April 1969.
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
ABACO, Stamford, CT
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
See above. Mark was smitten with the beautiful lines and dazzling brightwork of a Concordia Yawl we saw in Cotuit Bay on Cape Cod in August 1968. A week later we toured the Concordia yard with Waldo, and then took a two week charter on Cantata (now Ariadne). The rest, as they say, is history.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc
Only southern New England coastal cruising planned for this summer. In 2007 we would like to enter the Marblehead-Halifax Race, then join the CCA National Cruise in Nova Scotia later in July and the Stamford Yacht Club Annual Cruise in Maine in August. No repairs or modifications currently planned, but we have almost finished our second round of stripping and refinishing the brightwork (on the cabin sides, cockpit coamings and toerails) since owning Abaco.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
Refrigeration (12-volt) is next, hopefully next winter. A new (bigger) spinnaker for the M-H Race would be nice. Of course more time to sail her!
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
We have made many....and most have been well described in issues of the Concordian going back to the late 80's. Below decks autopilot (for the wheel steering) with an oversized hydraulic ram, radar and a Lewmar anchor windlass with all-chain rode are easily the three best cruising upgrades we have made. Self-tailing primary, mainsheet and reefing winches, roller-furling jib, a larger battery bank (AGM), new wind instruments and a bullet-proof holding tank are some of the other improvements we have made.
7. Is there anything you would do different?
No. I have enjoyed racing and cruising Abaco for 37 years and have no regrets about the upgrades we have made. We have attempted to do everything to maintain the traditional classic beauty and simple systems on this vessel, both on deck and below.
Irene #103
1. How long have you owned your Concordia?
I purchased Irene in 1985.
2. Vessel name and hailing port?
IRENE, Bellingham, WA
3. What drew you to your Concordia?
I had looked at Concordia listings for several years, all of which were on the East Coast. By chance I heard from a mutual friend that IRENE might be for sale. She was only a few hours drive from home, near Seattle. On first look she looked rather rough. Down below, however, she was nearly new and had a dusty dry bilge. It didn't take long to determine that most of exterior issues were cosmetic.
4. What future plans do you have? Cruises, races planned? Repairs? Modifications? Etc.
Until retirement in a few years we plan local Puget Sound and British Columbia cruising. Then Alaska beckons.
5. What items do you have on your wish list? Refrigeration? Windlass? New sails? Etc.
A windlass will be an eventuality if I am to cruise after age 65.If I could figure out how to install a feathering propeller without having to build a new rudder I might consider one. You might laugh, but the original electrical panel is working fine. Though I am running short of locations for new connections. Modern running lights on the bow pulpit would be nice.
6. What repairs/modifications have you made and how have they benefited the vessel's upkeep, performance, or comfort?
After twenty years most of the systems have been addressed. I replaced the original Westerbeke diesel with a Westerbeke 44A, added what is considered basic navigation for today's standards (less a chart plotter), have replaced all the sails, some twice, except for the spinnaker and stays'l, converted the alcohol stove to propane, replaced the Concordia heater with a diesel heater and just this year installed a Seafrost engine compressor/shore assist refrigeration system. I redid the original canvas decks twenty years ago with Dynel and epoxy.
Mystery Photo
Mystery Photo Debate - Final Chapter? - Hopefully!
From Jack Sumner (who started the Mystery Photo series with his submission of this picture four issues ago:)"It was very interesting to read the detailed thoughts and analysis of my 1954 Concordia picture. In your November issue, Joe Callaghan, the Mystic Seaport Ships Plans Concordia expert, did set the stage for the proper identification.
I believe the pictured Concordia is # 9 Whisper, built in 1952. At that time, there were two boats with New York home ports - a 39 and a 41. After careful review, I would say the rigging and the keel belong to a 39. In Elizabeth Meyer's "40th Anniversary Book" the 39 #11 built in 1952 has two sets of spreaders and a jumper. A careful review of my picture shows 'a little fuzz' caused by the town power lines in the background, which certainly could be the jumpers so #9 would no doubt have the same rig as 1952 built #11. The 1954 41's (#18) only had one set of spreaders and the jumper.
Also, I have checked out the 41 keel and it is much longer and it is not cut away like the 39. Therefore I fee quite certain the picture is #9 Whisper."
How about a new mystery photo folks? - ed.
Miscellaneous News & Notes
By now everyone should be used to receiving their newsletters a couple of weeks past the promised printing date, and I can only say I'm sorry. I'd say I'll try to do better with the next issue, but I don't think you'd fall for it.
In the time between issues I try to acknowledge all e-mails received, print a hard copy, and save the e-mail to a special folder, but I am still worried that in the thousands of e-mails that have dumped into my in-boxes in the last 6 months that I may have missed a contributed article or picture(s). Same for items received via snail-mail. If you ever send something that doesn't end up in the newsletter, please let me know so I can retrieve the item and ensure it gets priority for the next issue.
Several owners have requested a list of boats and their hailing ports (like Skip Bergmann used to do). Included with this newsletter is a list - working from the information forwarded by Skip and updated with what information I have received over the past two years. However, many of the boats have changed hands and while I have addresses for most owners, your boat's hailing port may not be the same as your mailing address on file. If everyone could look at the list and let me know any corrections, I will continue to update the list.
This issue includes the survey responses from the last 1/4 of the fleet. I've received a couple of ideas for questions for the next round, but I would sure like to hear from you. Please let me know what questions you'd like see and what information you would like exchanged.
I have Concordia Burgees available (16" x 24") at $40.00 each (includes shipping and handling) Subscriptions are $20.00 per year and checks should be made payable to Margo Geer. The mailing address is above. Thank you all for your continued support.