On the afternoon of May 11th, we hauled the schooner Heritage out on our marine railway for spring maintenance below the waterline.  A good wash with the power washer, some sanding followed by a new coat of bottom paint and she was ready to go back in.

Captain Linda has been varnishing the wheel and it's now ready to go aboard.

 

Captain Doug has overhauled the yawl boat and she's now back in the water as you'll see in a picture later on.

Yes, Ben is back this year.  Here he's putting the finishing touches on the anchor chain stop.

And here's the old and new.  Any of you who have been sailing with us a while know that character on the left.  That's right, Sam's here for outfitting.  No he won't be sailing with us but you may be lucky enough to be able to say hello to him on the dock at the end of your trip. Jamie on the right is here for outfitting and the first few trips.

Margo, all the way from Nebraska, is doing the fine art work of painting the diamonds on the deck boxes.

Ryan has been here since April 1st, busy sanding, painting and everything that goes with that.

 

Ben and Sean are aloft on the masts getting ready to hoist the topmasts into place.

There, topmasts up, she is the tallest schooner in Maine.

Two days of bending on sails and the mainsail is going on. Sean is standing on the boom near the mainmast.  You will remember him from last year for his Tantalizing Chili.  

Some of our crew.  Ben showing Jamie, Katie, and Margo how to furl the staysail.

Now for the main topsail. It's always a big puzzle to get it bent on correctly.

And at day's end, Capt. Doug reads "Hurray for Christopher: the Story of a Maine Coon Cat" to Killer, our Maine Coon Cat.  

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SEAN'S TANTALIZING CHILI

 

                                                                 

1          1-lb bag small red beans               

⅓         1 lb bag black beans

½ - 1    28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1          28 oz can diced tomatoes

 

Sauté with salt and pepper till soft:

1          sweet peppers  - cut in half & slice

1 sm     yellow onion                         

1 t.       diced garlic

 

Add ⅔ can of corn (drained) to peppers & onions and sauté 4 more minutes

                                

Add

1 lb.      hamburg, cooked with salt & pepper                    

1 t.       chili powder

1 t.       cumin (ground)

2 t.       pepper

1 T.      salt

1 t.       sage (ground)

2 t.       thyme leaves

1 t.       sugar

1 t.       cocoa

 

Simmer on low heat and serve.

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Looking forward to having you join us for silly hat night,