Conference unifix::sailing

One fun and interesting way to support the Gloucester Adventure:

On Sunday, June 25, an afternoon sail aboard the schooner ERNESTINA (built 
in Essex, 1894, and recently restored in New Bedford) is offered as a
fundraiser for the ADVENTURE.  The three-hour sail begins at 1:00pm from
the State Fish Pier in Gloucester (1/4 mile from the extreme northern end
of Rt 128), and costs only $20 per person.  Half the proceeds go to
restoring the ADVENTURE.  It's a great opportunity (and price) to sail on
a full-sized, genuine article Gloucester fishing schooner. 

Gloucester Adventure members can sign up June 5-10 (if you call, they'll 
be glad to make you a member and then take your reservation!) 

Reservations open to the public, if space is still available, June 11-15.

Further info, membership and reservations: call 508-281-8079.  It's BYOP 
(bring your own picnic).  Plan to board by 12:30pm.

    I am assisting my son bring his 34 footer up from Maryland to Long
    Island that week, otherwise I would like to participate.  Let's have
    another trip a little later as a fund-raiser.  We should be able to
    fill her up with Digital sailors.
    

RE: .2,

Great idea!  (I was waiting a bit to bring it up myself, so your timing is 
superb.)  I've already asked -- We can sponsor a DECsailors party on 
board anytime the boat is available.  This year she's necessarily tied to 
the pier, but we can establish an active interest while learning about her 
at rest, and begin thinking about an annual sail in the future. 

The "rules" are simple:  No official charge or cost for using the boat. 
BYOB and food; liquor is acceptable as long as we run it as a private
party.  The Gloucester Adventure committee (and I) would very much
appreciate those attending consider joining as members, as a way of
thanking the boatowners appropriately, and directly supporting our
membership drive.  And you get the newsletter, etc.  Larger contributions
will be accepted, of course, but no one will be strong-arming any visitors. 
Besides, we have lots of pretty nice-looking t-shirts, sweaters, books,
etc for sale in the ship's store belowdecks, which seem to sell themselves.

So,...how much interest is there?  If you reply affirmatively, is
mid-to-late summer best, or should we shoot for early fall (September)? 
A weekend day is best, I presume; Sat or Sun?  Afternoon or evening?  Want 
to have a catered meal on board, anything from Italian deli @$4-5 each on 
up to knock-your-socks-off authentic Japanese cuisine by Tamiko @$25-30?
Heck, we can have a sea-chanty-singing folk band, if you want (~$150).

I'd love to do this.  Just point me in the right direction and I'll make 
it happen!

J.

    
    I am ready!..  I think the idea, cause, and any other reason is
    a good one.  I like late summer/earyl fall, weekend, afternoon into
    the evening, maybe a "period" type NE buffett ( what ever that may
    be ).  You may even look into seeing if the DECBIGBAND may be able
    to make the evening!!  GREAT band...!!!  GREAT Dancing as well....
    Worth a try..  I'll be watching to see if the interest grows beyond
    ours..
    
    I wasn't able to get in touch with the person that sends the info
    out so I don't want to display his number and node untill I talk
    or make contact with him.  When I find out I will either put it
    in or let you know..
    
    `Charlie'

Sounds like a fine event to me- Id re-arrange a lot of other activites for it,
so Im not to fussy about the day or time- I just suggest setting a date soon
so others can plan around it- maybe some of our more distant readers may 
work a trip to NE if they have enough notice.

I like music, but the DECBIGBAND might be just a bit big for the deck of a
schooner!

OK, here's a stake in the ground (or buoy in the water, as it were:)

How does Saturday afternoon/evening 4-8pm, on a September weekend sound?  
Open weekends include Sept 9, 23, and 30.  

If you are interested, please reply to this note, including:

    - Your preference for a date.  
    - Do you want some music for a couple hours?  ($100-200 for a good 
        local folk group, who do some fine sea songs among others.)
    - Include food?  We can do chowder & bread (simple), fish, or whatever 
        we might want.
    - Would you like a brief oral history presented by someone closely 
        connected with the boat?  
    - Any other ideas or comments.

Think of what it's worth to you (and your family or friends who might also 
want to come; there's no practical size limit, since the boat's about 120' 
on deck, and we can overflow onto the dock if need be.)  Single membership 
is $15, family $25; please consider it a "moral obligation" ;-) to join
The Gloucester Adventure, Inc. (GLAD) as a way of paying our way.  If
enough people want to come -- 25 or more, perhaps -- we should be able to
get some food and music for another $10-15 per person. 

We'll also have a local or two aboard who knows the boat well (perhaps 
even sailed on her as a doryman) and can answer questions, show the video, 
and make it downright educational as well as entertaining.  

This could be a wonderful DECsailors get-together, without having to
coordinate float plans and full-weekend-long schedules. And if you want to 
sail to Gloucester for this rendezvous, there's lots of mooring and slip 
space within a few hundred yards of Adventure.

J.

    September 9th sounds good.
    
    Folk, fish & history also OK with me.
    
    Tally-ho,
    
    Ray

        Sept 9th is a'doable'. As a new member of Gloucester Adventer, I
        am pleased to see the interest. 
        
        I would certainly enjoy 'local', music. The more sea oriented the
        better. Food should be simple.
        
        Count me in for at least 2 and probably 4.

                Fred "STEP ONE"       

        
        

Looks like Saturday, Sept 9 is OK for most folks.  Unless a good reason 
comes up to change it, that's the day I'll have the GLAD secretary block 
off on the calendar for us.

It's also looking like chowder and cornbread would hit the spot for m,ost 
people, and certainly keep the cost down.  Figure on the order of $5 for 
food; the music cost is just a function of how many people attend, but 
should be only another $5 if we get a good number of people.

J.

    The September 9th date sounds fine with me.  As for the music idea,
    I would be willing to invite people from the FOLK_MUSIC notesfile
    to join us and bring all their favorite chanteys, sea songs, and
    instruments.  I'll bring my concertina.
    
    We had a good turnout a couple of years ago for a DEC folk music
    picnic in Rockport.
    

RE: .1,

The ERNESTINA benefit sails have been expanded, to include Friday
(evening, I think) and Sunday.  Saturday is already filled.

Call the GLAD number in .1 for further info.  Half of your $20 goes 
directly to the ADVENTURE restoration, the other to ERNESTINA for 
expenses.

J.

RE: .11,
>The ERNESTINA benefit sails have been expanded, to include Friday
>(evening, I think) and Sunday.  Saturday is already filled.

John, 
Just talked to Kattie(sp) at Gloucester Adventure, Sunday is filled,
Saturday is 50 out of 80, and Friday evening is sponsored by the 
Chamber of Commerce for the benefit of their building fund.

Hope to see you Sunday,
Fred

RE: ERNESTINA sails,

Basedupon the great success of the recent excursions, the decision has 
been made to offer the same type of daysails again later this summer.  
I'll post details as soon as I get them.

J.

Well, it sounds like Saturday, Sept 9 is as good a time as any, so I've 
booked the ADVENTURE for a private party from 5-8pm.  But here's the rub:  

I'm willing to do this because a) I want to work to support the vessel in
a direct way, and b) it'd be great fun to provide an opportunity for
DECsailors to meet each other face to face, especially in such an
appropriate setting.  To make "a" worth it, I need to know that at least
20 people will come who will sign up as new members ($15 indiv, $25
family) or current members who will donate at least another $15.  This
means $300-500 right there, and I'll have a fistful of matching gift forms
on hand so the total should be at least $600 minimum. 

Please let me know if you, or anyone you know, would definitely like to be 
there -- it's a "go" once I have 20 people expected (new sign-ups; a
family of 5 joining under one membership counts as 1.)  If we don't reach
20 by August 25, I can cancel without penalty, so no one is under any
binding obligation before then. 

If you reply or send mail to me, please also indicate whether you'd like 
the straightforward no-frills BYOB&M (M=munchies) approach, or would like 
a simple catered meal (+$5/*person*) and/or live folk music (probably 
around $5/person, too; >40 total reduces the cost proportionately.)

The mechanism will be simple:  If you say yes, I'll add you to my 
ADVENTURE.DIS, and once 20 people are committed, will send you a request 
for your check.  It won't be cashed till after the event, so if there's 
any reason to cancel, you can get it back.  If you (by group consensus)
opt for food or music, I'll try to plan economically while reducing my
financial exposure; any money left over will be donated to ADVENTURE, and
a full accounting posted here. 

The oar's in your boat...

J.

The following is verbatim from the new ADVENTURE brochure.  (So don't
blame the occasional lapses into marketing hype on me!)  It's perhaps a
more complete outline of the ship's situation than I've included in my
earlier entry. 

J.
___________________________________________________________________________

ADVENTURE -- HOME AT LAST

ADVENTURE is the last of thousands of wooden, two-masted schooners that 
made Gloucester the greatest fishing port in the New World in the days 
when the wind ruled the seas.

She was given back to Gloucester in August 1988 by Captain Jim Sharp, her 
owner and skipper for 24 years, with the proviso that she "be cared for, 
prominently displayed as a monument to Gloucester's history, and used for 
the education and pleasure of the public."

AMERICA'S LAST DORY FISHERMAN

A bowspritless "knockabout", 121 ft 6 in from stem to stern, ADVENTURE  
was built in nearby Essex in 1926.  Solidly constructed of oak and pine 
and carrying a full sailing rig, diesel engine and 14 dories, she spent 
the next 27 years fishing the rich outer banks of the North Atlantic 
Ocean.

It was heavy, dangerous work, winter and summer, in mountainous seas, 
storms, fog, snow, ice, and bitter cold.  Thousands of Gloucester 
fishermen and hundreds of schooners were lost, but ADVENTURE was a 
survivor.

In those 27 years of hard work, she consistently brought in great 
quantities of codfish and haddock.  Known in the trade as a "high liner", 
she was the biggest moneymaker of all time, landing over $4 million in 
fish during her career.  She was the only American dory fisherman left in 
the Atlantic when she wore out her aging crew and was retired in 1953.

QUEEN OF THE WINDJAMMERS

In her next career, ADVENTURE carried passengers on pleasure cruises along 
the Maine Coast from 1954 through 1987.  On August 27, 1988, she sailed 
home in glory to her original port of Gloucester, and one week later won 
the City's annual Schooner Race by half a mile.  Her Coast Guard 
certification as a sailing vessel has temporarily been withdrawn pending 
the completion of essential repairs.

EMBARKED ON A THIRD CAREER

When restored to sailing trim, ADVENTURE will sail again from her home 
port, giving passengers the thrill of crewing on one of the fastest, most 
beautiful and historic tall ships of our time.

Off Gloucester, they will hoist sail, trim sheets, and learn about 
navigation, ocean science and fishing.  They will stand their trick at the 
wheel, feeling through its old spokes the power of a 257-ton, gaff-rigged 
schooner thundering through the seas in a whole-sail breeze, experiencing 
for themselves "the way it was."

Contending with the forces of nature, testing strength and endurance, they 
will learn qualities of character, citizenship, and seamanship.  This 
working museum of life at sea will also serve as a floating classroom, 
offering a broad curriculum of sea and environment-related studies.

ADVENTURE

Two-masted knockabout schooner
BUILT:  Essex, MA in 1926
LOA:  121 ft 6 in
LWL:  107 ft
BEAM:  24 ft 6 in
DRAFT:  13 ft 9 in
SPARS:  Height of main topmast, 110 ft
        Height of foremast, 77 ft
        Length of main boom, 65 ft
SAIL AREA:  6500 sf
DISPLACEMENT:  257 tons
FISH HOLD CAPACITY:  160,000 lbs
PASSENGER CAPACITY:  fishing, 27; cruising, 37 plus 8 crew

Today, when majestic fishing schooners are all but a memory, ADVENTURE is 
a survivor whose importance as a symbol of the American fisheries has been 
nationally recognized.  Endorsed unanimously for the National Register of 
Historic Places by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, ADVENTURE will 
have a permanent place in our national maritime heritage upon official 
approval.  She is also under consideration for the prestigious designation 
of National Historic Landmark.

It has been 50 years since a vessel like ADVENTURE sailed from the port of 
Gloucester.  Yet the schooner is the symbol of everything Gloucester means 
to the world.  Now, again the city has one, a fabled schooner for future 
generations to see and feel and get on board and sail, to learn about, to 
learn from, and to enjoy.

THE GLOUCESTER ADVENTURE

The Gloucester Adventure, Inc.  is a non-profit group founded in 1988 as a 
tax-deductible corporation to:

o   Preserve the historic Gloucester fishing schooner ADVENTURE.
o   Restore, exhibit, berth, maintain and operate her at sea.
o   Develop multifaceted educational programs.
o   Heighten public awareness of the pioneering role of Gloucester in the 
    development of the American fishing industry.
o   Support and strengthen Gloucester's role in maintaining and protecting 
    the global resource of the fisheries.

JOINING THE GLOUCESTER ADVENTURE

Annual membership includes membership card and decal, a free subscription 
to the "Adventure Newsletter", free admission on board, a 10% discount at 
the ship's store, and reduced rates for sailing programs and other events.

Family - $25        Single - %15        Senior - $10        Junior - $5
                                        (65 & older)        (12 & under)

Besides T-shirts and sweatshirts, etc, also available are a 21-minute
video (with historic footage) and Joe Garland's 178-page history of the
vessel, "Adventure:  Last of the Gloucester Fishing Schooners."  (This
latter can usually be autographed by Joe if you make a modest additional
donation!) 

                   The Gloucester Adventure, Inc.
                              Box 1306
                        Gloucester, MA 01930
                            508-281-8079

RE: .14,

We're down to the wire -- a commitment to hold the on-board open house for 
DECsailors and their friends will be made (or withdrawn) this Friday, 9/25.

So far, I have only four commitments:  Ahern, Green, Darrow and Carrera.  
If there are at least 15 more of you who'll pledge to be there (or send a 
check for membership if you don't), then it's a go.  Please reply by mail 
directly; if it's getting close, I'll post the on-going tally here to 
encourage more of you to sign up.  ;-)

If not, then perhaps next year, eh? 

J.

(Honest...I'm *not* trying to wear you down by incessant replies to my own 
base note!)

But,

For those one or two of you who'd like the unique experience of actually 
doing some useful work helping to maintain and restore ADVENTURE, a "Call 
for Volunteers" has been issued.  Many different and interesting tasks are 
there to be done.  Either see Leon aboard anytime between 9 and 4, Tuesday 
through Saturday, or call the Gloucester Adventure, Inc., 508-281-8079.

J.

    John,
    
    I just woke up to the fact that we had not heard any more about the
    9th of Sept.
    
    In fact I was so lost that I went to Newport for the show.
    
    Are we to understand that fo all the eastern New England sail-noters,
    we did not have enough? 
    
    Fred
    

RE: .18 (once-planned 9/9/89 Adventure rendezvous),

Sorry I didn't make the outcome clearer to everyone.  I posted reply .16, 
and got precisely 0 further responses, so I cancelled our reservation on 
the boat the following week.

I think there are enough people, and perhaps enough interested people, but 
not interested enough to commit to attending.  If there's a groundswell of 
renewed energy to do something, I'll be glad to pick it up and run again.

Adventure's winter cover will be going on soon, which limits the romance 
of standing on deck somewhat, but a belowdecks Irish coffee and mulled 
wine party this winter is possible.  (I wonder if the previous conflict was 
with the still-sailable weather in early September.)

Still up for it,  J.

    I believe I heard that Evening Magazine (Channel 4, Boston, 7:30 PM)is
    doing a piece on the schooner Adventure this evening. I only heard the
    end of the radio ad this morning, so I may be wrong. Worth checking if
    you're home this evening.
    
    Fred Smith
    

[reprinted in its entirety from the most recent issue of The Gloucester
 Advenuture Newsletter:] 

                     UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

**Sail on the ERNESTINA

Once again, Dan Moreland and the crew of ERNESTINA are coming north to 
host mutually benefitting cruises.  This time, however, we are trying 
something new and different for our members.  We are sponsoring a two day, 
two night Sea Experience Program for those interested in discovering what 
it was *really* like to dory fish from one of the working schooners.

All hands muster aboard the Gloucester Fredonia Schooner ERNESTINA ex 
EFFIE M. MORRISSEY (built in Essex in 1894) on Friday, May 18, 1990 at six 
bells (3:00pm).  The ship will cast off at eight bells (4:00pm) and make 
her way outward bound for the banks.

All hands will stand watches as "dory mates" and the vessel will anchor at 
night in a harbor or on a fishing bank.  The next day, Saturday, we will 
set sail again for a fishing bank where we will anchor and try our luck 
from the dories and ship side.  The ship will return midday on Sunday, May 
20th.

This experience is offered in whatever weather nature gives us.  ERNESTINA 
provides all food, mattress and one blanket.  Accommodations aboard ship 
are 19th century traditional sailing ship upper and lower bunks.  We ask 
that people not smoke below for health and safety reasons, but smoking is 
allowed on deck, downwind at the discretion of the Captain.  Alcoholic 
beverages may be brought aboard, but may only be consumed in moderation 
after the day's sail is completed.

This is a hands-on, sea-going experience where you are the crew, although 
no prior sailing experience is required.  Applicants should be in good 
physical condition.  On acceptance of your application, additional 
information will be sent to you.

The cost of this unique trip is only $225.00 per person.  A $50.00 non- 
refundable deposit is required to reserve your berth.  Please let us know 
as soon as possible if you are interested; the trip is on a first-come, 
first-served basis, and there are only 25 berths available.

For those of you who are not interested in spending this much time aboard, 
we are also offering a half day sail on Sunday, May 20th from 4:00-8:00pm 
for $25.00 per person.  Once again, this is a hands-on seagoing experience 
where you are part of the crew.  This trip will allow 70 crew members to 
participate, but it is still on a first-come, first-served basis.  We will 
require a $10.00 non-refundable deposit to hold your reservation for this 
trip.

For info or an application:  The Gloucester Adventure
                             P.O. Box 1306
                             Gloucester, MA 10930
                             508-281-8079

For those (apparently few) schooner fans among you, a couple of short 
local cruises are offered, in conjunction with the schooner Adventure, 
which will receive some financial benefit from each:

1)  The "Harvey Gamage", a genuinely fine vessel built nearly twenty 
    years ago for the charter trade, is offering a weekend cruise out of
    Boston, leaving Sat Sept 1 morning and returning Mon Sept 3 evening. 
    The cost is $295 per berth, and includes all meals.  Participants will
    be able to sail in the Gloucester Mayor's Race for the Esperanto Cup
    on Sunday, which should put you in the middle of up�b to a dozen good-sized
    schooners.  It's quite a sight if you haven't seen it before!  Call
    508-281-8079 for details and reservations. 

2)  The "Ernestina" offers two half-day sail-training programs on Monday 
    Sept 3, out of Gloucester I assume.  Each costs $25; call 508-281-8079
    for details and reservations. 

3)  On Sept 21 the "Ernestina" will offer another sail training/dory 
    fishing weekend.  It's a 2-1/2 day, 2 night trip out a ways, and is an
    excellent opportunity to learn what New England's founding industry was
    all about.  $279 per person.  Same telephone number as above. 

J.

    I saw a short article in the Globe yesterday with some teasing
    information about a schooner race off Gloucester next weekend.  the
    only location/date/time information was Sunday, 10:30, in the Atlantic
    Ocean.
    
    Any further details known??
    
    Ron

RE: .23, >>>  Any further details known??
    
Most of the schooners arrive a day or two early into Gloucester, and 
either tie up to one of the many Inner Harbor piers, or anchor somewhere 
in the Outer Harbor.  The starting line in the past has been near the end
of the Dog Bar Breakwater off Eastern Point, so good shore viewing is
available for those who wish to walk out.  The course can vary depending
on the wind speed and direction; sometimes they go out to Halfway Rock and
back (towards Boston, for those of you without a chart) or up to the Cape
Ann Whistle off Thacher's Island.  Finish line is usually at the Start line. 

It can be a bit pandemonious out there, but great fun, and sometimes quite 
a sight.  Each year we hope for wind; too often, there's been less than 
enough to make those big guys move.

For more details, call the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, 508-283-1601.  
There are usually several sightseeing boats available to the general 
public.

J.

    This weekend's the schooner race in Gloucester.  Several boats are
    coming, but the list wasn't firmed up when I was on Adventure last
    Sunday.  They'll be open to visitors on Saturday and then head out
    Sunday morning for the race which will be somewhere out beyond the Dog
    Bar breakwater.  The Pilot won't be in the race as she's got some
    repairs to be made.  She's still tied up at the dock, her absentee
    owner off in California somewhere.  
    
    Adventure is now berthed for the Summer next to the Coast Guard station
    on Harbor Loop.  They've been serving Sunday morning breakfasts in the
    foc'sle from 9 'til noon as a fund raiser.  Scrambled eggs, bacon or
    ham, home fries, banana nut bread, juice and a bottomless mug of coffee
    for $5.  They won't be serving this Sunday because of the race.