The Schooner Surprise — Maine’s Most Famous Daysailing Windjammer

Fitting Out

by Jack on April 27, 2010

Spring Ritual in the Boatyard

In the sailing world the rites of spring always include lots of scraping, sanding and painting as the weather warms and day lengthens. This is especially true for wooden boats owners like ourselves. Since Surprise is proudly celebrating her 92nd year we are vigilant about maintaining her to the highest standards. Our National Register status does not limit us on choice of paint color or any restrictions like that but we keep our maintenance schedule in line with her historic character. Soon we will be sailing that history once again on Penobscot Bay. We hope you will get to enjoy it with us and evaluate our painting for yourself. Now it is time to change the sanding disc on the orbital sander.

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The new Granite Steps

by Jack on April 9, 2010

The new Granite Steps

We continue to make progress on our house renovation. Yesterday the new front steps were installed. Our contractor Ryan Lawrence found us an economical supplier of granite which we selected just last week. He had them delivered and installed and now we have a proper front entrance. Meanwhile, Matt and Gary have almost completed the two sets of wooden steps and porches for the kitchen entrance and the back deck.

While this work has been going on we have removed the plastic covers from our masts at Rockport Marine and we are getting ready to work on rigging and fitting out Surprise for the sailing season. Ahh Spring!

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A Michael Salmon Feast

April 6, 2010

After our recent success during this Christmas holiday feast, which was inspired by Michael Salmon’s cookbook (In the Kitchen with Michael Salmon), we celebrated the arrival of spring this week with another one of Michael’s delicious recipes. This time it was “Flounder ”Oscar” with Maine lobster (see p. 155) and we served it to two [...]

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The Red Front Door

March 31, 2010

It’s a sure sign that we are making progress on the house renovation when the carpenters gave us permission to paint the front door. We are hoping to have the major work completed in another two weeks and then we can finish interior painting and installing appliances.

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Sails for Haiti

March 23, 2010

Several sailors in Southern Maine organized a collection of used sails to be sent to Haiti to help supply temporary shelter for the many thousands who lost their homes in the earthquake. We were able to donate four used sails which we brought to Pope Sailmakers in Rockland. They drove them to Portland last Friday [...]

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Safe Anchorage for the Winter

March 3, 2010

Although much of the heavy snow has hit south of us (poor New York and D.C.), the Maine coast has received many winter gales so we have been quite happy to be hauled out at Rockport Marine only a few feet from the shoreline but happily “high and dry”. Spring will be here soon.
We are [...]

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The new deck

February 10, 2010

After several snow events and some bitter cold weather, Ryan’s crew (Matt and Gary) have finished the new cedar deck. The stairs will go on when the ground thaws. Meanwhile we are looking forward to some lounging and grilling!

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Christmas Eve at the Harbor

December 25, 2009

We stopped late Thursday afternoon on Bay Road to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate before going home to wrap the last presents. The sun was low in the sky and cast some great shadows on the windjammer fleet and Mount Battie. Merry Christmas to everybody. We hope your New Year will be peaceful, happy [...]

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