PT Foundry Makes Turnbuckles for Martha
Last week the team at the Port Townsend Foundry was pouring turnbuckles for Schooner Martha. The process is quite impressive. While the furnace heated up the ingots of aluminum bronze in the crucible, Alan and Pete prepared the molds of sand and then moved them to the pouring line. Once cooled, they sandblast and grind the pieces to perfection before being installed onboard Martha. Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op launched Martha last week and the work will continue at Point Hudson.
Port Townsend Foundry pouring aluminum bronze turnbuckles for Schooner Martha.
Alan prepares the turnbuckle mold at Port Townsend Foundry.
Pete, co-owner of Port Townsend Foundry, prepares to move the turnbuckle mold to the pouring line.
Martha’s New Boomkin End Cap
Schooner Martha is getting a new paint job this week and new hardware as well. Port Townsend Foundry is making beautiful new pieces for Martha. Here is a boomkin end cap that carries the backstay and boomkin stay to the transom. It was recently poured at the foundry and awaiting installation at Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op.
Schooner Martha's boomkin end cap poured by Port Townsend Foundry and awaiting installation at Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op.
The Schooner Martha
Schooner Martha, the oldest operating sailboat in Washington, is hauled out at the Shipwright’s Co-op for a Ballast Keel Replacement. The Schooner Martha Foundation received a historic preservation grant and donations to make this exciting project possible. Dave Grizwald made the pattern for the new keel and Robert d’Arcy’s crew began carving into the large solid sepele timber last week using traditional handwork. The keel will be two feet deep, with complex curves and notches. A lead ballast will be installed the full length of the keel. The mold for the ballast was poured at the Northwest Maritime Center. To see more photographs and some videos, visit Martha’s website.
Sepele Timber that will become the new keel.
Original keel bolts for ballast from 1907.
Doug Jones and Robert d'Arcy discussing the pattern for the rudder stock. The timber is purple heart.
Original 1907 timbers removed for restoration project.
Plywood pattern for the new keel.
The original centerboard slot will be filled and then topped with a purple heart timber.
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