Restoration

June 15, 2001

As both the mosquitoes and the shrimp begin to make their summertime appearance, the Cherokee crew makes quite a bit of headway. The fuel and water tanks were lifted by crane and successfully installed. (Our normal crane operator, George Brown, was unable to do the job because of a bad mulleting accident which left him severly cut by his boat propellor. He’s been in the hospital for a week, but is now home and on the mend.) The water jets have been fitted to the transom by Leonard, and the oak collars are being fiberglassed in place. We can’t leave out the amazing Thermapure System, able to macerate (is that legal in North Carolina??) waste and heat it to a temperature that renders all micro-organisms dead. The Coast Guard will be glad to know that it processes a product that results in zero parts per million discharge, whatever that means.

Leonard Guiding the Tank

The crew installed one water tank and three fuel tanks midship. The water tank holds 250 gallons, and it will be kept full by a reverse osmosis water-maker. One fuel tank holds 250 gallons, while the remaining two hold 700 gallons of diesel each. Let’s not calculate what that costs at today’s fuel prices – we’re sure diesel will get much cheaper by launch day…

View from Crane

Easing the Tank into the Hole

Drum roll please… Jeanette broke new ground in the project by starting the finishing process in the V-berth. That’s right, FINISH CARPENTRY! The faring she is doing is the last step before the final painting. When she completes this, Jeanette will put up paneling and ceiling. This will all be painted, and trimmed in varnished mahogany. Meanwhile, Jim is busy fitting panels in the aft bunkroom. These panels will be taken out of the boat and fared on a flat table, where the work is much easier and faster, and then re-installed.

Jeanette Doing Final Faring on Forward Bulkhead

Jim Fitting Wall Panels in Aft Bunkroom

Norm and Brooks have installed five deck beams in the forward stateroom area. This process took about two days. They are know doing the final epoxy coating in that area of the hull.

Norm and Brooks Installing Deck Beams

The waterjet project is moving right along, with Leonard at the helm. The process involves fitting the jet to the transom, measuring and fabricating oak collars for proper spacing, and fiberglassing all the woodwork into place.

In late-breaking fish news, the Fisheries Commission was just presented with a request to outlaw the gigging of red drum. Anglers have been restricted for some time to catching one drum a day, and nobody can keep one bigger than 27 inches. This cuts out the giant fish used by Outer Bankers to cook the traditional dish known as “ole drum”. Ole drum is seasoned with pork drippings and onion, and served up with potatoes. “Ole drum are as much a part of the heritage of Outer Banks and Down East Carteret County natives as buffalo are to the Indians and whales are to the Eskimos,” reflected Murray Fulcher of Ocracoke. What about the gigging prohibition? The Commission voted to outlaw the practice, because red drum is not supposed to be a “directed” fishery. You have to appear to have caught that one fish by accident, and there’s nothing accidental about a gig through the head. “We’re leaving nothing for the cowboys of this world,” lamented Fish Doctor after the vote.” “Don’t worry,” one of the state attorneys joked. “You can still shoot them out of the water with your Winchester.” Signing off for now, Barbara “Fish Doctor” Blake