When I wrote last it was May, a wet and rainy sort of may here in oregon and across the Pacific Northwest. Wet and rainy it was, but mild. As the spring turned into summer Jon finished the fabrication of the deck iron mounting ring, a beautiful laminated teak ring. It was mounted and finally Amatheia was tarp free. As the summer progressed so did the progress on the cabin interior. It was slow work, real slow.
Colin came up, on his way to Duke University where he was accepted for a graduate program. As it turned out he had to leave before the launch on August 31st, and so we’ll wait for his first visit home to show him her paces. But Colin stayed for over a month, and life was good with he and Jon painstakingly fitting each piece of teak trim, each gump and batten. It’s a slow process, and they took it in stride, cutting and then sanding to fit each and every piece. Each day Amatheia looked prettier and prettier inside, with the work progressing in very slow segments. David worked a bit as well, finishing the cabin handrails and installing some of the trim in the v berth area. The handrails proved to be a breathtaking experience. There was quite a curve fore and aft in two directions, one following the curve of the cabin sides horizontally and another (much larger) curve vertically. But after much slow jacking the rails were fit, and they are beautiful.
The diesel was hooked to water and fuel and started almost immediately. A happy event and one that made consideration of a re-power unnecessary. The folks from Cook marine came over and installed a new packing gland. No shaft replacement necessary. Happy days indeed!
We drug the old cushions down from the attic of the garage, vacuumed them off and installed them on Amatheia. Funky but somewhat useable for now, her new cushions will have to wait until this winter. The cook stove was installed, the Dickinson solid fuel heater was mounted and stove pipe and pipe trim installed. A new toilet was bolted into the head. The Nav station cover was installed sans laminate counter top. The teak surface isn’t perfect but looked good nonetheless. permits and registration were applied for and application for Federal documentation was made. The engine was hooked up and started in the yard, she ran smooth. The date was set for August 31st.
The mast work began in earnest with sanding and priming taking place. All the various fittings were refit, and lots of fastener holes were drilled and re-tapped. A tent was built over the mast and 3 coats of Brightsides were artfully applied by Jon and Colin. The work was superb and lots of compliments received on the attractiveness of the finish. Jon applied 3 coats of Brightsides to the shear stripe in Kelly green. They look great.
In among all those projects were dozens more, filling of the trail board holes (the trails boards were warped and removed). The brightwork was sanded and another coat of Cetol applied (has it been a year already?). Lights were installed, and mast reassembled, the spreaders installed, spreader lights renewed, and new tricolor on the top and the list goes on.
Finally she was lifted and placed on the truck. Jon’s friend came over and painted her name on that afternoon, Amatheia receiving her new name while nestled on greg’s truck ready for her trip to the launch.
Launch day dawned a bit chilly and with a slight drizzle. And it all happened in a flash. She was picked up, lowered into the waters of the Columbia, the mast lowered down, shrouds attached and before we knew it the yard guys were offering to lead her back to the end of the dock, they had another job to do and Amatheia had to move!
The Farymann started on the third roll, and off we went, motoring slowly out the channel and around Hayden Island to her new slip at Tomahawk bay marina. Jon climbed the mast while underway and shot a photo from the top.
The next 6 weeks saw Jon and I and various others take her through her paces up and down the river. I grew accustomed to moving her in and out of her slip. We sailed and motored and simply enjoyed the lovely fall. Amatheia looked so proud her slip, her brightwork and paint gleaming, gently rocking j the breeze. We made lots of coffee, toasted her with champagne and scotch and spent a few nights sleeping on the settee, rocking gently and listening to the sounds of geese, herons and the occasional rainfall.
There is lots to do. her sails are older and tired, the finish inside not quite complete. There are doors to mount, icebox covers to build and a final coat of varnish to apply. But she floats, happily, in the waters that lead to the sea. And when I’m aboard I can almost hear her murmur in her sleep, dreaming of all the tomorrows that lie just ahead.
See more about Amatheia at http://www.amatheia.net
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