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The Concordian

Issue #45, Spring 2008

 

Daniel D. Strohmeier

4/23/1911 - 3/15/2008

Daniel Strohmeier

From South Coast Today:

DAMARISCOTTA, Maine - Daniel D. Strohmeier of Damariscotta, ME, formerly of Scarsdale, N.Y. and Nonquitt, MA, passed away peacefully at home on March 15, 2008, surrounded by his loving wife Cheryl and family. Daniel was born in Newton, MA on April 23, 1911, to Bertram Augustus and Edith Dengler Strohmeier.

Daniel was an avid sailor and cruiser who was convinced that if the leaders of the world could share a glass of rum at anchor in a quiet harbor in the warmth of the cabin of a wooden boat, the world would be at peace. He received his BA in 1932 from Amherst College, where he was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and captain of the swim team. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and went on to MIT where he received his BS in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in 1934. Boats were his passion; after MIT he went to work for Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, MA becoming Vice President and head of the Shipbuilding Division in 1948. In 1951, he bought his first Concordia Yawl and renamed her after his first wife's father's schooner, Malay, which was built in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Daniel campaigned Malay up and down the East Coast over the next 50 years. In 1954, he entered Malay in the Newport to Bermuda race and won the Saint David's Light House Trophy for best-corrected time and overall winner. The following summer he repeated his triumphs taking overall honors in the Marblehead to Halifax race.

He went on to win many more races. While he always maintained a fierce sense of competition, the main object was to have fun. While in Bermuda in 2004 at a reception at Government House, he was asked what it takes to win the Bermuda Race, "three things; first, you have to have a good boat, second, a good crew and third, an awful lot of luck." It wasn't all luck; hard work and dedication played a major part in his many accomplishments. As a member of the American Bureau of Shipping and past President and Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, he was awarded the Vice Admiral "Jerry" Land Medal in 1971 for "outstanding accomplishment in the marine field." He was a long standing member of the Cruising Club of America, The Ocean Cruising Club, past Commodore of The Storm Trysail Club, life member of the Little Scorpions Club and memberships at the New York Yacht Club, Larchmont Yacht Club, New Bedford Yacht Club, the Cabedetis Boat Club of Round Pond, MA and a long-time member of the Fales Committee at the US Naval Academy.

When a member of the clergy once asked if he believed in Jesus, he quipped, "Well, you've heard of sailors out in storms at sea having the b'Jesus scared out of them, well he hasn't been scared out of me yet!" The clergyman nodded with approval. He will be greatly missed by all. We wish him calm seas, clear skies and a star to steer by.

Daniel is survived by his wife Cheryl of Damariscotta, ME; and his brother Bill of South Dartmouth, MA. He is predeceased by his first wife of 45 years, Marion Ferris Strohmeier of Akron, Ohio. Surviving four sons are Danny and his wife, Mary of Toledo, OH, John and his wife, Lenice of Beverly Farms, MA, Ray of Ivoryton, CT and Rob of New York City. He has 5 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a niece, Penni Jenkins of Walpole, MA. Brother-in-law Stephen Borowicz and his wife, Marie of North Dartmouth, MA and sister-in-law Madeline Borowicz of Manchester, NH.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, June 21, 2008, at the Congregational Church of South Dartmouth, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Bonnell Cove Foundation, 47 Fair Street, Guilford, CT 06437-2601.

From Cheryl Strohmeier:

Come Celebrate the wonderful life of Dan Strohmeier
Saturday, June 7, 2008
1500-1900 hours
At his home, "Base Camp Malay"
40 Nissen Farm Lane, Damariscotta, ME
Chowder Picnic and adult beverages will be provided
Hors' d'oeuvres and deserts would be graciously welcomed!

Dan always appreciated a good ditty or sea story so bring one along to share!

Please understand that this is just a gathering to celebrate his life and not a religious service. The Memorial service will be held in Padanaram on Saturday, June 21, at the Congregational Church. The CCA decided to have this get together for the folks who would not be able to attend the service in Padanaram since the Bermuda Race starts on the 20th. I am more than pleased that you would like to share this invitation with the fleet. Here are the directions to our home. If you know of anyone sailing in to Round Pond for the celebration, please let me know and I'll have them picked up and delivered to "Base Camp Malay".

 

The Concordia Company

www.concordiaboats.com

508-999-1381

Arapaho was the first boat we launched from our new inland location at 300 Gulf Road. She went in via trailer at the Dartmouth Town Landing on March 31st.

The masts were stuck at Davis & Tripp with Concordia riggers on April 4th, and she was tight and ready for sailing on April 11th. At time of this writing, we launched about 10% of our customer's boats and of the 12 "active" Concordias we stored this year, four are in the water.

After being at South Wharf since the beginning of the class, learning again to prepare the boats for use is critical. Reading Waldo's A Life in Boats, The Concordia Years, and how systems at South Wharf originated, feels timely and familiar.

The good news is that our facilities are far better than they ever were. If we find challenges with our facilities, upgrading them is sensible. For the first time since 1969, Concordia Company is on land that it owns.

Looking forward, we are building a new storage shed this summer which will be ready for the fall. It is a 60' by 108' arena with cedar shiplap siding and a fabric roof typically used for horse riding. It will have 8 doors and a dirt floor.

We look forward to hosting the 70th Anniversary of the Concordia Yawl Class and we are very excited about the potential for a great turnout.

Please visit www.concordiaboats.com for details. In the "calendar" on the home page, you will find a link to details or you may go directly to:

http://www.concordiaboats.com/reunion_2008.php

To date, we have, registered 31 yawls. We also have paper "maybe" responses totaling 15. We will also start a "forum" strand with the hopes of linking owners who are coming with a boat, to owners who are coming without a boat but who want to sail.

As a very important aside, we now have 2 "inactive" yawls. Our own Diablo and IYRS's Malay I. We need to put together a plan to get them back to the "active" side.

To that end, we are going to be coming up with a plan this summer - potentially a collaborative effort between IYRS and Concordia. If any of you all are interested, or have any great ideas - please be in touch!

Yankee #37

James M. Cosgrove, Liverpool, NY

Season No. 52 opens on Lake Ontario with a May 16 launching in Sodus Bay, a week for making-up and rigging her, then a day's passage west to her summer mooring at the Henderson Harbor YC. All winter long, I've been anticipating that trip and planning cruises with friends through the approaching summer months. We're all excited about flying her new main and mizzen sails built by Hood Sailmakers in Newport R.I. Her headsails were replaced with new Hoods only a few years ago.

YANKEE highlighted the '07 season by showing off her colors at the international Antique and Classic Boat Show in Clayton, New York, on the St. Lawrence River, where she garnered the "Best Sailing Craft" trophy. The weekend show was a fun and rewarding experience as we hung out on the dock, greeting hundreds of show-goers who admired and praised the Concordia's lines.

I'm now finishing up fresh coats of varnish throughout the cockpit and rails. The winter inside allowed plenty of time to scarf in a new section of topside plank over a main chainplate, where a leak had softened the mahogany. This became a fussy, demanding job, since it required routing a section of the sheer stripe to blend perfectly with the existing stripe, as well as recessing the replacement board's inside to allow room for the bronze fittings. Another task completed over the winter was the installation of one-inch thick marine soundproofing foam around the engine's covering panels.

Yankee

The upcoming season will be my ninth with Yankee. She will soon be ready, as her owner surely is, for the pleasures and adventures of another Concordia summer.

Weatherly #33 (ex Sunda)

Paul Castaldi & Sharon DeLucca,Bristol, RI

Update on Weatherly from Brodie MacGregor

The structural part of the hull restoration is complete and, as can be seen in the accompanying photos, we are now working on the deck and interior.

Weatherly Weatherly

Teak Decking Systems in Florida is making a pre-made teak deck to our pattern, and it is scheduled to ship tomorrow (April 25). In the meantime we have fitted, sealed and painted (underside) and installed the marine ply subdeck. We are also well along installing new teak covering boards and toe-rails. We are planning to install the teak deck starting May 4.

While work on deck progresses we have been rebuilding and reinstalling the interior joinery. The electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems are progressing as completion of the joinery permits.

The owners have carefully analyzed a wide range of equipment alternatives and Weatherly will feature a mast tie-rod system, Luke CNG galley and cabin stoves, all new wiring and electrical panel, a custom polyethylene holding tank system, a set of new sails from Doyle Manchester, a new Garmin electronic system featuring a mast-head wind speed /wind direction device with no moving parts. Weatherly will showcase some of the latest thinking in systems, all perfectly suited to the ambiance of the Concordia Yawl.

Check her out when you come to Padanaram for the 70th, Anniversary Regatta August 8-10.

Abaco #102

Jonathan & Dorothy Goldweitz, Stamford, CT

As we launch and commission Abaco for her 40th season, we are reminded of the question frequently asked by our sailing friends each fall and over the winter: "...any major projects planned this winter?" Unless we do have a major upgrade or refit planned, our usual answer is "no" or, more honestly, "we don't know yet". That was the case last October when we decommissioned earlier than usual to take advantage of a Chesapeake Bay cruise with Jon's college roommate, one of Abaco's crew on her maiden voyage out of Padanaram in 1969.

T/T Abaco

Over the past few months, as we have reviewed our weekly winter boat maintenance and pre-launch checklists, we realize that even though we had no major projects planned, there are always quite a few details to address to keep a forty-plus year old wooden vessel both seaworthy and looking pretty. Here is what we found:

First, the usual work we do (or have done by the experts at Cove Landing Marine):

Next there is the list of things (that we made while aboard last season) that needed to be checked over the winter:

Additional items that came up last fall at decommissioning or over the winter:

As one can see, a winter that started with no major projects had quite a number of small and medium-sized projects to attend to. These kept both us and the yard staff busy so we could keep our schedule of a mid-April launch. Now that Abaco is afloat, there is a new commissioning list of items to check, stow, and test. Then we need to start this season's list of items to address during the season or in the yard next winter. Did we add sailing to the list??

Hope to see many of you as we sail in southern New England this season and join the Concordia reunion in August. We plan to sail to Maine and Nova Scotia again in 2009.

Off Call #58

Peter Castner, South Freeport, ME

Hello All! Warm weather has finally arrived here in New England. I just visited our Beloved OFF CALL last weekend. My son, Chase, and I watched as the Paint Crew applied the first coat of top side paint to the Starboard side. It went on amazingly fast. The gloss level and depth of the Epifanes paint is amazing, and the transformation is wonderful. The Varnish work is also progressing nicely so it won't be long till launch. I hold to the theory of first in and first out. I like to get in the water early ahead of the mob and let her sit for a week or so before stepping the spars. I think they refer to this practice as "letting her find herself".

We had Paul Haley survey OFF CALL this winter. It is the first time we have had her surveyed since our pre-purchase survey by Giffy Full 18/19 years ago. She is holding up exceedingly well. However, as with all of the A&R built Concordias, the time is coming up to take care of the "dreaded center line rebuild." For those who have done it you know what that is all about. Basically get all of the iron fasteners out before they damage the wood they are passing through. So we have this work now scheduled for next fall upon an early haul out. Our intent is to use the opportunity of having pretty much everything removed down below. I want to get things spruced up with some additional paint and varnish work and will probably clean and repaint the engine.

I've been fore warned the true cost in these types of projects is the : "while we are doing that, why don't we........."

We are looking forward to the 70th in Padanaram as I'm sure many are. It should be great to get the fleet together. I've not been south of Portsmouth NH in around 9/10 years so it should be a hoot. We are also planning a celebration for the OFF CALL this Summer as it is her 50th Birthday this year as well!

See you in Padanaram !!

Whimbrel #96

Pieter & Susan Mimno, North Marshfield, MA

Whimbrel is a brightwork 41 built in 1964. We acquired her in 1975 and, if anything, she has improved with age. In fact, she is aging much more gracefully than Susan and I! Whimbrel's homeport is Marblehead, MA during June and July, and we cruise in Maine in August and September.

Whimbrel

For many years, we navigated using only a compass, depth sounder and paper charts, and resisted the urge to install all the latest nautical gadgets. However, Bob Vaughan, who has maintained Whimbrel meticulously at the Seal Cove Boat Yard for many years, finally convinced us to spring for some improvements. First came a new Yanmar 30 HP diesel replacing the previous Westerbeke that died from excessive carbon buildup. This was a result of running the engine at low RPM for extensive periods of time. Clearly, diesels like to run fast and hot. Next came a new Force 10 propane stove/oven, which revolutionized Susan's on-board gourmet cooking capabilities. Following that, Bob installed a Sea Frost engine-drive refrigeration system, which at last made us independent of hunting for blocks of ice on shore. The compressor for the refrigerator fit neatly within the engine compartment and the holdover cold plate is mounted in the original ice chest on the aft wall, leaving space for two ice trays on top and lots of space below for foods requiring both very cold and more moderate temperatures. Bob carefully fitted in the Force 10 and Sea Frost units without requiring any changes in the layout of the galley space.

Whimbrel Whimbrel

We had been told for years that we should install a roller-furling system for the jib. I am an inveterate racing sailor and delight in changing jibs repeatedly to get just the right sail for the conditions. However, Bob Vaughan gently reminded us that we were rapidly approaching the geriatric sailing years and a roller-furling system would make a lot of sense. We finally agreed to have a Harken unit installed and have been amazed at how useful and reliable the system is. Like many other Concordians, we wondered why we didn't make the change earlier.

A recent addition to Whimbrel's capability is the installation of an electric windlass system. My aging back had given me more and more trouble hauling in a heavy anchor and it was time to get some help from a windlass. Bob found what was probably the last bronze Lewmar Ocean 1 windlass in existence and installed it in a manner similar to that shown for Abaco in Issue #33 of the Concordian. We used 100 feet of 5/16" HT chain spliced to 150 feet of 5/8" rode. Two stainless steel chain grabbers and spliced lines take the load from the chain to the two bronze deck cleats. The chain feeds directly into a locker in the bow and the system includes a salt-water washdown pump. A 35 pound Bruce anchor rests on a bronze roller forward of the bow and two additional anchors are stowed on deck.

One of Bob's most interesting improvements to Whimbrel was epoxy-gluing all the topside seams. Over the years, Whimbrel's mahogany planks had shrunk sufficiently to cause working of the planks in a seaway. Since she has never been caulked, this caused occasional leaks and cracking of the topside varnish, which can be a problem in a brightwork boat. Bob's solution was to sand the wood on either side of each seam, let the boat dry out thoroughly, tape all seams inside and out, and finally inject a non-viscous epoxy glue into each seam every two feet with a hypodermic needle. The result was an extremely tight hull with no leaks and no cracking of the varnish even after beating into heavy seas.

Whimbrel's only significant structural problem has been electrolysis in the mast step area, which is common to many 41s. Repairs involved replacing sections of deteriorated frames and replanking a portion of the bottom.

We are usually the last of our sailing friends to install electronic gadgets on our boat. But we finally succumbed to GPS and radar, both of which have proven to be extremely useful, particularly in fog-bound Maine.

Susan and I hope to cruise for many more years aboard Whimbrel. She is beautiful, comfortable, fast, and sails like a dream. I am still amazed when lobstermen in Maine come alongside and remark "Man, that is a beautiful boat!"

Please feel free to contact me at pmimno@mimno.com. Susan and are looking forward to seeing other Concordia owners at the 70th reunion and we hope to cross tacks with you in Maine.

Captiva #100

John & Laurie Bullard, New Bedford, MA

Captiva spent another winter in the newly expanded, but still caring, Triad Boatworks in Mattapoisett. Peter Costa and his fine crew had no major projects this year. We replaced a few ancient winches. Doug Tuxsworth redid the topsides. His last job looked like new for 3-4 years; he is a master with paint and varnish. We are still trying to find a bottom paint that is environmentally friendly and stays clean - pretty much a contradiction in terms. We are back to E-Paint, made locally here in Falmouth.

No plans for extensive cruising for this summer. We are hoping to join the 70th reunion, but I may have to sail on one of SEA's ships in the Pacific at that time. We will still be happily sailing out of New Bedford, the top fishing port in the country, the greatest secret in the New England yachting community. IYRS had a great visit to New Bedford last summer as part of the Classic Yacht Cruise, which Laurie from Captiva and Dom Champa from Praxilla helped to organize. If you want friendly accommodations in a port that has been continuously sending people to sea for about 250 years, this is the place to visit.

Whisper - Moana #9

Rob & Lynette DesMarais, Clinton, AR

#9 is coming out of neglect retirement and will soon be heading to Arkansas. I know that may seem contrary to logic but it just happens to be where I am presently living. With all the rain that we've been having, it may turn out to be a prophetic decision.

If any of you know a little bit of her past history, it would be nice to get a little sense of her escapades. I know she has been laid up in the back yard of Richard Fewtrell, a shipwright in Lyme, CT for the past 16 years. Her most recent owner, Oliver Jones, with good intentions, never quite got around to returning her to a previous era. She appears to be 95% intact with hardware and tack. There was definitely some sadness of her current state when personally visiting in March but also some encouragement when I didn't fall through the deck or the mizzen and booms were in almost perfect condition. I didn't care for the galvanized steel used in the tangs and bolts but the spruce looked great. I do have a blue and white flag that came in one of the many boxes of smelly stuff from the1985 Classic Wooden Boat Rendezvous in Mystic, CT. Perhaps it was her last time afloat?

As to my personal little history with wooden boats. I owned a 35' Knutson sloop that was built in 1958 for 5 years in Portsmouth, N.H., and I built a nutshell pram as a tender. Recently, in 2006 I launched a Swift Solo high performance skiff that I built, to give me a little bit of fun until I figured up what I wanted for a real boat when I grew up, again! I had been researching the 6M class and was going through mentally the build/rebuild/restore conundrum. When I showed the sorry pictures of Whisper (thank Margo and her post to the WoodenBoat Forum) to my wife, the other option was the 6M Cherokee (a new build), she said, that's your boat, go buy it. I think she just wants to keep me home for the next ten years?

I am planning to be present for the 70th so if invited on any of your boats, I promise to take only pictures and some advice. I will be chartering a boat that week and will have 3 other friends with me. If any of you need a hand trimming some sails for the race on Saturday, I'll have some experienced crew, some more skilled than others.

Lastly, I'm looking forward to having #9 grace the pages of future issues with her progress. I can be reached at drrld@artelco.com.

Golondrina #65

John Eide, Portland, ME

September, 1963
"3 Rescued From Yawl Stranded At Scituate"
"Three men were rescued by Coast Guard helicopter and boat last night after their 40-foot yawl went on the rocks off Sand Hill Beach in heavy seas."

Jim Emmons, the second owner of Golondrina, and two friends were bringing the boat from her summer home at Biddeford Pool back to Padanaram for the winter on a Sunday in September of 1963. They left Glouchester late that day, waiting for the winds to abate, with the plan of spending the night in Scituate before continuing through the Canal the next day. However, the winds built and the crew mistook street lights for the entrance to the harbor, causing them to ground on Long Ledge, off Sand Hill Beach. They were not able to back her off the rocks due both to the rising seas and the loss of the rudder. At 10:30, they radioed the CG which sent a 36' boat from the Scituate station as well as a 'copter from Salem.

golondrina golondrina

The 'copter lifted one of the crew, a 65 year old fellow from the Pool, to safety, but on the second attempt, the rescue basket became tangled in the rigging and had to be cut free. The CG then dropped an inflatable raft which Emmons and the remaining crew member were able to swim to before being towed to the 36' CG boat. All three crew members were wet and extremely cold but unharmed.

"Tide Pushed Stranded Yawl Onto Shore"
"The yawl Golondrina, thrown on Long Ledge yesterday by rough seas, was washed ashore on Sand Hills Beach near Rebecca Rd. and Lighthouse St. by the high tide at 2 a.m. today."

As the tide rose, Golondrina was freed from the rocks but washed up on the beach within about three boat lengths of the concrete seawall. Fortunately, she grounded again before breaking up against the seawall.

Jim Emmons asked the harbor master, Robert Duffey and fisherman Thomas Duggan, captain of the While Lady, to salvage her. On Monday morning, they set three anchors in an attempt to hold Golondrina off the seawall. But, she began washing toward the seawall, so the CG was again called.

"Saves Yawl Off Scituate"
"CG Prevents Wreck"
"The Coast Guard followed up its dramatic Sunday night rescue of three men aboard the $35,000 yawl Golondrina with a spectacular salvage Monday as the vessel, beached during the night, came perilously close to smashing the seawall at Sand Hills."

With Golondrina drifting toward the seawall and with high tide nearing, the CG was asked to assist. Chief James Knapp had been observing the salvage during the day so he brought his 44' lifeboat with its four man crew around from the Scituate CG Station. Knowing the waters, he safely threaded the boat through the rocks to a position where he could then float a line, buoyed with six life jackets, ashore. Duffey, Duggan and Linwood Hart from Golondrina's insurance company, fastened the line to the mast. The CG 44'er easily pulled her off the beach and brought her to the town pier.

Other than the lost rudder, Golondrina seemed to have suffered no other serous damage. Emmons stated that "her bilge was dry as the day she was commissioned."

WOW! I didn't know all this when I bought Golondrina. When I was re-covering the deck and had to remove the toe rail to do it, I discovered that the starboard genny track was broken. I subsequently uncovered a few sister frames on the same side so I knew something had happened at some time. I can now only assume that the damage occurred during this dramatic grounding in 1963.

So Golondrina was almost lost on two occasions. This grounding, in 1963, and then going on the beach at Chocolate Hole on St. John, USVI, in Hurricane Klaus in 1984. The damage from Klaus was far more extensive, with nine frames and seven planks on the port bottom needing replacement along with the rudder, again, and the worm shoe.

History

I was introduced to this chapter of her history as I got to know Lela and Jim, daughter and son of Lolita and Jim Emmons, the second owners and namers of Golondrina. Lela and Jim were little kids when their family purchased the boat in either 1959 or 1960 but they both retain fond memories of family sails along the coast of Maine.

I also learned from them that Golondrina, originally named La Reve, was delivered to San Francisco. I knew she had gone to the west coast, one of six (nos. 42, 46, 51, 54, 65 and 103) that never went though Pandanaram, but I didn't know much more. I've included two photos, one of her being offloaded under the Oakland Bay Bridge and the other in her new home, Sausalito I assume. If anyone can id the place, let us all know.

Golondrina Golondrina

At some point, shortly after I got the boat, someone mentioned that she had been sailed around from San Francisco, thru the canal and up to Connecticut when the Emmons purchased her. Jim told me that he recalls his father mentioning that she was in fact loaded on a rail car and trained across country. So she might have the record of being the Concordia Yawl with the most rail miles under her keel!

Lela and Jim also have fond memories of exploring Biddeford Pool's nooks and crannies in Golondrina's pram - not an original A&R pram but an identical copy made in England. I discovered the existence of the pram about the time I bought Golondrina in 1991 and have been trying to acquire it ever since. I've written about my attempts in previous newsletters so I'm not going to go over that again. Let's just say that it's now in my shop as I write this, on long term loan, in need of tender loving care as well as many dutchmen, lots of sanding and quarts of varnish. You'll get a chance to see her, with the original "GOLONDRINA" painted on her transom, at the 70th.

Summer of 2008
This summer is Golondrina's 50th anniversary. Nothing special is planned other than making her look her best, giving her a birthday party, doing the Eggemoggen Reach Regatta and then the 70th in Pandanaran. Just the usual. All photos are from an album that Lela and Jim loaned me. Passages in quotes are from Boston area newspaper articles of the grounding, September, 1963, also from the Emmons.

Luna #88

Stephen Symchych, Newton, MA

We're hoping to do a bit of racing and other less solitary pursuits on Luna this summer. The reunion at Padanaram is definitely on the agenda. In the prior week-- the first weekend in August-- Buzzards Bay Regatta will be running a class for wooden boats. In anticipation, we've placed an order with Harding Sails-- our local maker-- to restock the sail inventory. Plans are for a somewhat old-fashioned miter cut with narrow panels, brown stitching, more than the usual handwork on cringles, and other period touches.

Last season, after a bit of head-scratching, we also figured out how to mount an asymmetrical chute without using the pole. Brodie and Stuart will have more useful information on this, but essentially we drilled a hole in the pulpit just forward of the headstay. This hole takes a small U-shackle, onto which we snap on a snatch block when the time comes. The tack line can then be led through the block to the bow cleat. It would work with a little less friction if we had two cleats on the foredeck, but the kite flies pretty well even so.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in August. Give a shout if you are passing through Marion in your travels.

Irene #103

Douglas Cole, Bellingham, WA

The Pacific Northwest Concordia fleet, consisting of Coriolis, Irene, Kodama, Lotus, Sumatra and Vintage, are planning a summer rendezvous to celebrate the yawl's 70th anniversary. Doug Adkins has invited the group to his summer home on Orcas Island. It will be the first PNW gathering since the photo shoot at Stuart Island with Neil Rabinowitz for the 50th book in 1984. We are looking forward to the gathering as a means of getting acquainted with some of the newer members of the group and to congratulate Vintage owners Richard and Eleanor Baxendale on the completion of an extended rebuild. Some PNW owners are planning to attend the 70th Reunion at Padanaram and are looking forward to renewing long-time acquaintances and establishing new ones.

Concordias For Sale

#NamePriceSellerPhone
#55Kiva$75,000Doug Hoffman(203) 259-0493
#93Eden$105,000Cannell, Payne & Page(207) 236-2383
#71Polaris$110,000Commonwealth Yachts(866) 401-4190
#86Dame of Sark$285,000Dodson Boat Yard(888) 258-2957
#44Lacerta Concordia Company(508) 999-1381
#2Malay I Concordia Company(508) 999-1381
#78Matinicus$145,000Cannell, Payne & Page(207) 236-2383
#95Diablo Concordia Company(508) 999-1381
#35Memory$35,000Cannell, Payne & Page(207) 236-2383
#3Halcyon$48,000Sparkman & Stephens(877) 242-3563

Goldeneye #80

Claudia Turnbull, Amagansett, NY

Here we have a few pictures we took of our Concordia, Goldeneye, #80, at a mooring in front of Brooklin Boatyard late I the afternoon the day we returned from last summer's Eggemoggin Reach Regatta.

Goldeneye Goldeneye

An extremely foggy race and when that cleared at the end, dead calm, as you can see in the photos.

The third picture is of the canvas removed in winter of 2006 from Goldeneye's cabin top. It was replaced at Taylor and Snediker in Pawcatuck CT after 46 years of service and revealed the date of its application as 23 March 1960, stated in the continental manner and coming off upside down and backward from the underside. We cut that piece out and hung it in the shed for safekeeping.

Goldeneye

Sarah #27

Margo Geer, St. Augustine, FL

As usual, I look back at the prior issue to see where we were six months ago, and it seems like the launch was a million years ago. All the months and years of slogging away, just seem so distant. What matters now is that SARAH is in the water. And She is happy and safe and dry (well pretty much dry). When I get out of my car at the marina and see her sitting there, I can't help the instantaneous broad grin that crosses my face.

Life with a wooden boat being what it is, we have had some adventures. Her third night in the water both bilge pumps voted to quit, and I arrived that morning to floating floor boards. My shipwright James, being the adaptable guy that he is, and rushing over at my frantic phone call, used the ice box - which was floating around the salon - as a tool chest.

That wasn't the best morning I've ever had, and it probably took several years off of my life. The flip side is that I have already had many wonderful times with her. I've spent several nights aboard, sleeping comfortably on the floor by the mast step since her interior isn't in yet. It is such a joy to just sit aboard and enjoy the feel of her in her element.

We've also had our first (and second) collisions with pilings coming out of the travel lift. The second collision gave me an appreciation for the rakish angle the bow pulpit already sported, and the helmsman's comments concerning full-keeled boats in cross currents aren't printable. Frankly, a very unladylike string of expletives came out of my mouth too.

Positive accomplishments include a new paint job, which caused SARAH to receive a favorable comparison to ABACO by some folks from Cove Landing Marina, and the stepping of her masts in time for her to make the Blessing of the Fleet.

Sarah Sarah

Current items on the "To Do List" include measuring her for new life lines, new standing rigging, and assessing her sail inventory so I can make a decision where to start. Unfortunately, SARAH will not be coming north for the 70th Reunion. I will be there, but to have SARAH there would just require me to push myself, the people helping me, and SARAH too much.

On April 5th, I was honored with the opportunity to speak at the Herreshoff Classic Yacht Symposium. Submitting a paper on SARAH's restoration was an idea that first occurred to me when I attended the 2005 Symposium. Having the paper selected for publication and presentation was an achievement much like the day of the launch. The picture on the right, SARAH in full dress ship on the way to the Blessing of the Fleet March 18th, was the final slide in my presentation, and a picture underway was a fitting punctuation mark to that part of the "Sarah Story."

Sarah

I got to spend the day before the Symposium at Concordia Company seeing the new setup and generally disrupting progress on all fronts and picking everyone's brains. I got great information from the rigging department on installing the radar unit on the mizzen, and I had the opportunity to chat with Chris Hall and take quite a few pictures of WEATHERLY's interior, which is in a similar state of re-assembly as SARAH's. Back in Bristol, Paul Castaldi and Sharon DeLucca invited the Concordia folk over to their beautiful home, and on Saturday I got to meet a couple of new (to me) Concordia owners and visit with several others. All in all an excellent weekend.

Vintage #51

Richard & Eleanore Baxendale, Seattle, WA

On Friday, April 4th, we took Vintage on her first test sail after a 16 month restoration at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend. When we arrived at the fuel dock, the attendant passed over the fuel hose and said "diesel."

Vintage Vintage

After about a minute of fueling, she screamed out a penetrating "STOP, STOP" She had inadvertently handed me the non leaded gas hose instead of the diesel and we now had a bunch of it in our new tank! The crew just looked at each other in disbelief.

Vintage Vintage

Vintage had been splashed on March 5 and had been spending her time before the test sail with the huge number of details necessary to bring her to completion. I might have been excused for thinking that the yard had no intention of ever letting our boat go, but everything addressed needed addressing.

Vintage

Back to the gas dock: The contrite attendant very efficiently produced pumping apparatus and a large gas can and, within fifteen minutes, all the bad stuff had been extracted and the right stuff put in. We then had a flawless sail tacking back on forth in Port Townsend Bay with the Olympics gleaming in the distance while the rigger fine tuned the rigging. The new engine produced 7.5 knots at 3,600 rpm with minimal vibration. Everyone went back to the slip happy.

To bring us down to earth, a couple came by as we were putting on sail covers and said admiringly, "What a beautiful boat." The boat expert between them continued - "I know, I know, don't tell me. It's a Cheoy Lee."

Actaea #17

Tony Harwell, Palatka, FL

Actaea has found a new home in Palatka, Fl about 45 min. southwest of Jacksonville, Fl. We finally got her moved in March after not working on her for more than 2 years.

Actaea Actaea

We trucked her up and went directly in the water, stepping her mast, and taking her to her new berth at the Downtown Marina. After doing some much needed maintenance on her exterior, I started on her interior. I seems I'll have to remove everything, strip it, bleach it, and then finish it. Not sure how long it will take but I have set a goal of 6 months. 2 months have past and I don't think I'm going to make it. This will be by far the biggest puzzle that I have ever worked on.

Actaea

For Sale

Dyer Sailing Dinghy, 7' 11" Midget

blocks

Excellent, hardly ever used (sailed twice). Translucent bottom (light still comes through Concordia skylight hatch), cabintop tiedowns, mahogany seats, forward cabintop chocks, 6' 6" foot Shaw and Tenney ash oars. New, $3600. Sell for $2000. Also, Yamaha 2 hp, 2 cycle outboard, $150. Mattapoisett, MA

bergmann@cape.com, 508-548-1365

Original Concordia Cabin Heater

heater heater

Purchased new, as a spare, in 1956, for another yawl, this stove has never been used, other than as an ashtray in the owner's son's garage. I got it after he stopped smoking and his wife demanded that it go. I've dismantled, cleaned, blackened, recaulked and then reassembled it. Missing is the lid handle. Concordia will sell you a replica for $4281.20, but they don't have one.

You can have this one for $3,000.

Three bridge deck main sheet blocks

blocks

Original, except that they have new ash cheeks, new bearings and new center pins. The swivels work and worn spots in the eyes have been built up to original thickness. It has five of the original A&R coins. One mysterious replacement. There is nothing like these on the market today. The closest you could come would be about 100 Euros ($150us). You can have this set for $350.

Contact me at: jeide@meca.edu

Editor's Notes & News of the Fleet

I do not have e-mail information for the following boats:

#4 - Tempo
John Heubi		 #5 - Duende
Kurt Kavanaugh		 #8 - Papajecco
Salvatore Nicotra		 #16 - Maggie Dunn
Armand Sutton
#19 - Otter
Robert S. Keffer		 #29 - Feather
Adam Lindeman		 #39 - Donegal
Terrance McClinch		 #42 - Margaret
Robert Hovey
#44 - Lacerta
Stephen Loutrel		 #52 - Taliesin
Dan Harple		 #53 - Dolce
Charles Ansbacher		 #60 - Principia
Bruce Flenniken
#61 - Tam O'Shanter
David Soule		 #64 - Live Yankee
Graham Aero		 #69 - Houri
John Chatfield		 #71 - Polaris
Kenneth Brittle
#72 - Tecumseh
Kevin Luzak		 #75 - Portunus
Judith Parker		 #78 - Matinicus
Alan Shapiro		 #81 - Envolee
Claude Engle
#87 - Allure
Ben & Ann Niles		 #89 - Woodwind
Gary J de Simone		 #91 - Snowy Owl
Richard Taylor		 #97 - Summer Wind
Carole Brackett
#98 - Madrigal
Robert Bass		 #101 - Sea Hawk
Reginald Butler

Some owners have requested regular mail only and that is fine. Their names are not listed above. But if you have an e-mail, we're using that more and more these days to convey time sensitive items.

It helps me more than you know if you'll include your name, boat name, and boat number with your communications. I should know all of this by heart, but with 103 boats, several boats changing hands each year, and multiple owners in some cases, I haven't mastered it yet.

Concordia newsletter subscriptions continue to be $20.00 per year and your support is appreciated. If you haven't sent a check in a while, or don't remember the last time you did, please do.

Also available:
Burgees - $40.00
Concordian Newsletter - Complete Issues 1-44 - $125.00
(I know these were previously advertised at $75.00, but I based that on 500 pgs x .15 and neglected to take into account the color copies, the $8.00 binder, postage, and the time spent punching them and making sure all issues were present and in order. Those of you that ordered early got a deal.)

Please check your hailing port on the enclosed list. If it is incorrect, please let me know. If you've already let me know, and I didn't correct it, please accept my apologies and let me know again. Because may boats have hailing ports that are different than their owners' mailing addresses, keeping this list in order is quite a task.

I especially want to thank all of the folks that have responded with pictures of their boats for the 70th Anniversary article I am working on and for the folks that took the time to send a written article and/or pictures for the newsletter. Right now I am approximately 25 boats short, which means I've heard from or found pictures of 75+ of the fleet. If you haven't gotten me a picture, or if you're one of the 10 or so owners that promised something, but hasn't come through, now would be the time to take care of that.

Java

Not only did we have a number of folks that sent information for the newsletter, most items arrived well prior to the deadline and all were very well done. As promised, I'll have these in the mail the first week in May, but I came close to having the newsletter out early this time.

Snow Bird

Deadline for the fall issue = October 15, 2008

Racing News

Eggemoggin Reach Regatta August 2, 2008 (and feeder races)

www.erregatta.com

Concordia Contact: Ann Ashton - AshtonAnn@aol.com

In addition to being the contact person for the ERR, Ann has offered laundry facilities at her house to participating Concordias. She also suggests that you sign up for a mooring at the Castine Yacht Club as her house is across the street.

As I mentioned previously, I will not be bringing SARAH to the 70th reunion, but I will be there and I hope to meet every other owner!

Duende #5

From Pat Crosson

Charles Adams, longtime owner of #5 Duende, died on March 28, 2007 after a long struggle with heart disease. Pat Crosson, Charles' wife and sailing partner, wants him to be remembered for his love of life and adventure and for the many wonderful years spent on Duende.

Charles and Pat bought the boat in the late 1970's and spent several summers cruising on the coast of Maine. As a twosome in 1981 they sailed her across the Atlantic the old fashioned way, with tiller steering and a sextant for navigation, and then spent ten summers on her cruising the coasts of Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The first month of every summer was devoted to boat work - painting and varnishing and the like in wonderful out-of-the way harbors and down-and-out boatyards. They had wonderful adventures every summer and many many near disasters - aground overnight off the island of Valencia in the Republic of Ireland; sailing back and forth five times between two fog-bound ports in Ireland, unable to see their way into the rocky harbors; dragging 5 anchors in Portree Harbor on the Island of Skye in 100 knot winds - and survived them all. They sailed in beautiful surroundings and enjoyed it immensely. Duende performed superbly through all of it and made them proud. Each time they sailed into a new harbor crowds would gather to see the beautiful boat.

Duende has been back on the coast of Maine for several years and has been lovingly cared for and sailed by its new owner, Charles' nephew, Kurt Kavanaugh. Kurt will keep the Concordia tradition alive

Please note this piece should have been included in the fall newsletter.

My condolences and apologies to the Crosson family. -Margo