The Albert Strange 1910 Gaff Cutter "Tally Ho" is in danger of being destroyed if she is not moved this summer. I go to Oregon to see how rotten she really is, and try to decide whether to take the project on.
Having decided to take on the restoration of Tally Ho, I clear the new site and wait for an enormous truck to bring her up to Sequim, Washington state... but will she fit around the side of the house?!
I'm on a mission to rebuild a 1910 gaff cutter called Tally Ho. Having moved the boat up the pacific coast of the US, its time to build a huge shed over her. But I only have a week, and there's nobody around to help..........-If you'd like to support the Tally Ho project, please Subscribe and Share. Thanks!
Before getting started with the Tally Ho restoration, I need to clear out the workshop and create a space for me to live in.
In this episode; I have to take off to Maine for some sailing work aboard the mighty Three-masted Schooner Adix, and then furnish and move into the workshop loft when I get back. I also make a lofting table for the Tally Ho drawings, , in a thinly disguised attempt to put off all the real work waiting for me just outside the workshop.
In this video I finally start actual work on the 1910 Albert Strange Gaff Cutter Tally Ho. Once I have cleared a bunch of timber out of the boat, I can begin removing the Garboards ( the lowest planks, next to the keel ). But they are stubborn, and don't want to leave the hull of the sailing yacht that they have been fastened to for 107 years.
In this episode, I start uncovering Tally Ho's huge teak keel timber, jackhammering the concrete out of the bilge and removing the prop shaft. I go for a hike with a new friend, and I get a worrying visit from the building inspector about my new boat-shed.
In this episode, I remove all the bronze keel bolts and then try to lift the whole 15 ton boat up off its lead keel. I also hear back from the local building inspector about my shed, and check out some more of the local scenery.
To help fund the project, in this video I go to work delivering a Three-masted Gaff Schooner from Rhode Island down to Bermuda. We leave Newport into the tail of a storm and have a fast and exciting sail South
In this video I brace the hull of the boat in preparation for removing the deck and take off some deck hatches. I get a visit from a lovely English girl, and also get my first voluntary labour from a very tall neighbour. Oh, and I buy some funky Roller Skates!
In this video I talk about why I am rebuilding this boat, when it would probably be easier to just build a new one. I also get some help to take off all the deck planks and demolish the deck beams, and I consider the next stages of work.
I get attacked by a rogue falling deck beam, remove knees and chainplates, and launch my Patreon page.
THIS episode, a load of friends help me remove the stringers, breast hooks, and other parts of the hull. We have a white Christmas in Sequim, and I have to make a very difficult decision regarding Tally Ho’s Keel Timber.
THIS episode, I make my decision about Tally Ho’s Keel Timber, and head off in search of some suitable timber. Once I’ve got hold of the Purpleheart, we have to figure out a way to move it! I talk about Scarph Joints and have to modify a chainsaw to do the job.
THIS episode, I cut and fit the big hook scarph in the Purpleheart for Tally Ho’s Keel timber. It’s a very dense hard wood, so it takes me some time, and lots of tool sharpening, to get the faces nice and clear, fitting well. Moving these timbers around is a real challenge because of their weight (the larger one is about 1.5 tons), but is possible with lots of levers, jacks and rollers, and is just the kind of work I enjoy.
In this episode, I travel to the UK to visit my family and do some work for a friend in his Boatyard, to save some funds to go towards Tally Ho. In Cornwall, I cut Floor Timbers out of English Oak, to put into a new-build foot-passenger Ferry. The really interesting thing about this Ferry is that it is a real working boat - it is designed to load passengers by driving right up onto the beach (where there is a waiting tractor with some kind of gangplank). The ferry company tried using Steel and Fibreglass boats, but neither material lasted nearly as well as their older wooden boats - the steel boats would lose their paint and rust, and the Fibreglass boats just fell apart. So, when they needed replacements, they decided to go back to traditional wooden boats. Apparently the last boat that Butler & Co built for them is the fastest and most fuel-efficient boat in their fleet.
This episode, I do some work on an old yacht in the Butler & Co shed; BANDOR, a 1938 Dallimore designed sloop. The Epoxy lamination goes well, despite the cold. The new Ferry build progresses, and I visit some friends who are rebuilding an old fishing boat to start a business with. We also meet a likely candidate for the youngest boatbuilder in Cornwall!
THIS episode, I visit local boatbuilder Luke Powell and his team, who are building an enormous Pilot Cutter called Pellew, which is a copy of the Vincent, originally built in 1852. Then I head back to Butler & Co’s yard in Penpol, and explain how I fit a shutter plank into the hull of the new traditionally built Ferry that is being constructed there.
THIS episode, I meet the Grandson of Mark Spinks, who Skippered Tally Ho in 1927 when she famously won the Fastnet Race, and continued to run the boat while she was under the ownership of Lord Stalbridge. We take a look at the rest of Tally Ho’s history, and then I travel to Bristol to meet John R-B, who builds replica Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters in the Underfall Yard, and who first took me on as an apprentice when I first started doing wooden boat work. He tells us a little about the history of Pilot Cutters, and talks about why yacht designers return again and again to their classic lines. Finally, I travel back to the US and take a long road-trip from Boston down to south Georgia, to visit Cross Sawmill, where a huge amount of Southern Live Oak (Quercus Virginiana) is being milled for me, to be used as framing stock on Tally Ho back in Washington State.
THIS episode, I am in southern Georgia , and I work with Steve Cross of Cross Sawmill to mill and grade lots of Southern Live Oak (Quercus Virginiana) for Tally Ho’s framing stock – one of the most historically important and best-regarded shipbuilding timbers in the world, which is no longer often milled commercially due to its extreme toughness. Steve mills the timber on his amazing and enormous homemade bandsaw, which is constructed from 5 forklifts, 9 semi trailers, and “god knows what else”, according to Steve. We also look at Live Oak trees in the area, including one that is claimed to be the largest Live Oak in the world… all the while keeping an eye out for Alligators!
This episode, I drive the 3000 miles back to Tally Ho from South Georgia, where Steve Cross has been milling Live Oak for me. I bed and bolt the 6’ Scarph in the new keel timber, and the Live Oak flitches arrive by flatbed. Then we create a framework inside to boat to spread the load of the props while I remove the Keel Timber from underneath it, all the while hoping that nothing breaks and that the boat doesn’t deform at all in shape or crush me underneath it!
This episode, I work on turning an enormous lump of Purpleheart Timber into a new Keel for the historic sailing vessel, Tally Ho. I make a plywood pattern from the old keel, then plane the surfaces of the new wood, before using a custom chainsaw jig to cut the rolling bevels. Poncho the parrot watches as we maneuver the heavy timber underneath the precariously balanced 20-ton boat, using jacks, rollers and levers. Finally – fresh timber in the boat!
This episode, I take some measurements and consider the hogging of the hull of the 1910 yacht TALLY HO, and then use jacks to bend the whole boat back into shape, having removed some of the Iron Floors first. I borrow a forklift, and then start the process of moving and restoring a massive vintage ship-saw – which is like a huge bandsaw but with a static table and a rotating cutting band. This impressive tool could be over 100 years old - perhaps even older than TALLY HO herself!
This episode, I investigate the part of Tally Ho’s history where she was almost wrecked on a remote Pacific Atoll, in 1968. Amazingly, I have been given photographs of Tally Ho high and dry on the reef, taken from the boat that towed her to safety! Because of the accident, part of the hull was rebuilt, but unfortunately not to the original lines. I assess the change in shape, do a little bit of lofting, and remove a lot of hull planks to give me space to rebuild the boat back into her original shape. Unfortunately, I also discover that the other side of the boat isn’t perfect either.
This episode, I take some more measurements of Tally Ho’s current shape compared to her original lines, and make a big decision about how to go about bringing her back to a more authentic and elegant shape. I have a visitor from England and we set about building a lofting floor in the workshop, making some very long battens, and beginning the actual process of lofting the original plans up to full size.
This episode, I continue lofting the lines of the 1910 Gaff Cutter, Tally Ho - enlarging them to life-size on the new 50’ lofting floor in the workshop. I get some help from a young Australian Shipwright, and have another very special surprise visitor!
This episode, I have a number of interesting volunteers and visitors, who help me out with various aspects of the project – a welding machine, a sign for the shed, some much-needed modifications to the massive ship-saw, a forklift service, and a ride in a classic muscle car. Meanwhile, I continue lofting inside the shed, and we are nearly ready to start re-framing!
This episode, I get some more help to remove a lot of Tally Ho’s hull planking. The volunteers grind and hammer copper rivets, while I finish lofting the intermediate frames inside the workshop. Finally I make the first frame template, and cut the first futtocks for that frame, shaping the Live Oak timber using the huge ship/bandsaw, a large circular saw, and the custom sawzall assembly.
This episode, I work with some volunteers to cut out more futtocks, and assemble the first pair of Frames using Southern Live Oak - to replace the old English Oak frames that Tally Ho was built with. To fasten the futtocks we use Black Locust Treenails (Trunnels/Trennels), which are traditional wedged pegs, used for centuries in ship-building and timber-framing. We also get some more of the copper fastenings removed, build some adjustable trestles, and establish the centerline of the boat. Finally, Cecca and I take an overdue little holiday to the furthest reaches of the Olympic Peninsula.
This episode I install the first pair of Frames into Tally Ho, notching the Live Oak very slightly into the Purpleheart Keel timber. I also explain how I calculate and transfer bevels from the lofting floor to the templates and frames. I have some volunteer help, and we cut pieces for the next set of new frames, and I also receive delivery of the last of the Live Oak from the sawmill in Georgia.
This episode we develop some jigs and tables that will help the framing process go faster. The surface planing jig uses a large power plane to make one face of a piece of timber completely straight. A large assembly table lets us put frames together far more easily and accurately. Pancho observes, and tries to resist destroying the new frames! This episode is early because I won’t be able to post next weekend.
This episode we make a few more frames, and I talk about the jigs and products that I use to bed the frame-heels into the keel pockets. I get some help from fellow youtuber Wood by Wright, and Kurt works on servicing the blade guides and making some other modifications on the huge ship-saw. Finally, we have to pack up shop and leave the country!
This episode I visit the massively impressive new Pilot Cutter being built in Cornwall, UK. She is named the Pellew, and is a replica of the 68′ Falmouth Pilot Cutter Vincent, which was built in St Mawes in 1852. I have a conversation with Luke Powell, Project Manager and Chief Shipwright, about their progress since last time I visited the project 6 months ago. We discuss the enormous mast that is currently being made, and also the challenges of managing a project of this size and scope.
This episode I visit Chris Rees, a very experienced boatbuilder who was behind various impressive projects including the enormous 3-masted lugger Greyhound and the replica fishing lugger Spirit of Mystery (which was sailed from the UK to Australia by Pete Goss as a tribute to the fishermen who undertook the same trip in the 1850s). He shows me around the boat that he is currently working on - a 1905 Pilot Cutter named Letty - and also tells me a little about how he became a boatbuilder. Finally we look at another boat that Chris is hoping to bring back to life - a historic local ferry, which up until recently was apparently the longest continuously running ferry in the country. Originally a Steam powered vessel, it was later modified with a diesel engine, but Chris is hoping to equip it with an Electric motor for the next period of service.
This episode I visit two incredible projects that are both happening in Cornwall UK. They are both giving new life to traditional wooden fishing boats, but they are doing so in very different ways! Charlotte and Jess have rebuilt and converted their wooden fishing boat into a motor launch with a banquet table, and have started a business taking people out around the Cornish coastline for hand-cooked meals on board. Steve is maintaining and repairing his 110 year-old Danish Fishing Trawler, which has begun to work once more – but this time she is fishing for garbage! Steve has been clearing up rubbish and trash from the Cornish coastline for years, but now plans to use the huge fishing schooner to scale up the operation and clean less accessible areas, raising awareness of the issues of marine plastic waste at the same time.
This episode I return to Washington State USA, and get back to work on Tally Ho! First I give a brief tour of the project, and a little overview of the work done up until now. I get the ship-saw set up again, and then get on with cutting a few more futtocks and assembling another couple of frames. I also talk about my plans and ideas for the future of the project, and how I’m going to try and speed things up!
This episode I welcome Francesca back to the workshop and introduce a couple of volunteers who are going to stay here for a while to learn some boatbuilding and help out with the project. But before they arrive, I have to replace the huge roof of the shed over the boat, and make some improvements to the workshop kitchen, with a bit of furniture joinery. Then I show the guys how to fit a pair of new frames, and we also cut out all the pieces for the next set on the shipsaw. Now we have four pairs of new double-sawn frames in the boat, and another pair ready to assemble.
I thought it was about time you guys got to know me a little better. This video - edited and presented by Doug at SV Seeker - is a series of questions and answers about my background, my work, and the Tally Ho project. I talk about my motivation for taking on a project like this, and the various challenges that present themselves along the way. Please note that this was filmed a few months ago, so there are a couple of details that are out of date. Thanks to Doug for making this happen.
Well, I’ve done something very silly and cut the end of my finger. Why would I do that, you may ask?! Well, it was all going a little too well, so I thought it was time to add a little drama to this project! In other news, making and installing the new frames has been progressing pretty well, and we have now replaced every station-frame in the centre section of the boat! We also finished the “roller-furling” roof on the new covered area beside the boat. Eventually, Ben and Steve had to leave, but I’m now getting some more help from Brad, who drove up from Oregon. Feel free to guess how I injured my finger, but it wasn’t on the table-saw or the ship-saw! (and yes, I am fully capitalizing on this injury to try and get more YouTube views)
This episode, we continue replacing frames, starting now on the intermediate frames in-between the station frames. Washington is hit by severe wind and power cuts – will the boat-shed survive?! Brad is still helping out, and we are joined by a young guy from Illinois who is keen to help out and learn a little about boatbuilding. In other news, we get a Christmas Tree in the loft, and make some improvements to our bunk-room.
This episode, I start by installing and running a new helical cutter-head in the planer thicknesser, before making a pair of oak frames with the help of some volunteers, and notching those intermediate frames into the keel timber. Then I take a trip to Port Townsend, where I visit the Western Flyer, a historic fishing boat which once took John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts around the Gulf of California. Finally I visit Edensaw, to buy the huge purpleheart timbers which will make up the remaining pieces of Tally Ho’s new centerline!
This episode, after a little work on the frames, Cecca and I take a trip to Vancouver for my VISA interview at the US consulate. When we get back to the USA Cecca has to head back home to the UK, but we start building a new team with three guys who arrive to help out – including one who has been here already. We get the huge Purpleheart timbers for the rest of the centerline delivered by truck, and we discover a very old bullet embedded deep in one of the pieces of Live Oak framing stock. At the end of this video we have replaced almost every frame in the centre-section of Tally Ho!
This episode, while the team keeps on building new frames, I make the templates for the Stern part of the Centerline, from the lofting floor. The ShipSaw gets some love and affection, and the framing of the centre-section of the boat is completed! Kirt and I talk about his really exciting idea about speeding up the next phase of the project, and despite a snowstorm, I make the first few cuts on the Sternpost timber with the Chainsaw Jig.
The yard is full of deep snow, but we have no time to spare! Finn and I cut out all the remaining Stern Assembly pieces from the huge Purpleheart timbers, and then use power-planes, hand-planes, chisels, and a new router sled, to shape them to match the templates as precisely as possible. Then we have to try and assemble this extremely heavy and expensive jigsaw! Once they all fit together, we use the forklift to hoist the whole Stern Assembly upright so we can check all the joinery from both sides.
With the deadline of the “Frame-raising party" looming, the race is on to try and get the Stern Assembly into the boat! With a strong team now, we are able to lift most of the pieces by hand, but have to make use of hydraulic jacks to lower the Sternpost Tenon into the Mortise. We also make improvements to our Treenail making process, build a new frame (16a), and I take a trip to the Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop to thread Silicon Bronze bolts with one of their machines.
Before the rest of the volunteers arrive, we have to get the huge timbers of the Stern Assembly bedded and fastened into the stern of Tally Ho. First we drill the holes for the bolts, using a 6’ long drill bit in a custom-made jig. Then we lift all the pieces with jacks and ropes, and fill the gaps with Tar and Felt. When they are back in place, the bronze bolts are driven through and tightened up, and lo and behold – the Stern Assembly is ready to accept new Frames, just in the nick of time! The last weeks have been especially hectic, so this video is a little shorter than usual, and hasn’t covered all the amazing work that Arnaud, Finn, Thom, Kirt and Tim have been doing to prepare for our intensive Frame-raising period, which is just beginning! Next video we will meet all the volunteers, old and new, and start mass-production of the stern frames.
After weeks of hectic preparation, we begin the big push to re-frame the stern of Tally Ho! For these 3 weeks, we have 10 people (including myself) working full-time on the boat; Kirt (USA), Finn (UK), Arnaud (Belgium), Thom (UK), Pat (USA), Max (USA), Robert (UK), Glenda & Bill (USA). After a few days spent training all the new members of the team, we get into full-swing frame production, and are able to achieve our goal of getting one pair of frames made and bedded per day! There is a great sense of camaraderie in the yard, and after making 7 frames we celebrate our progress by taking our little gaff-rigged dinghy out for a lazy Sunday sail.
Now we enter the final week of intensive Frame Production, with the team of volunteers going at full swing to finish reframing the entire stern of TALLY HO before our deadline. Spirits are high, and we celebrate by throwing a party in the workshop, and then organizing a very small dinghy regatta in the nearest bay. The fully-framed stern of the boat looks amazing, and it’s time for a short break - so after all the volunteers have left I pack up my own things and head back to the UK for a couple of weeks. Featuring; Kirt (In spirit -USA), Finn (UK), Arnaud (Belgium), Thom (UK), Pat (USA), Max (USA), Robert (UK), Glenda & Bill (USA).
This episode is a little different from usual – it is part of my recent presentation about the Tally Ho project at the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London. In this part of the talk I explore Tally Ho’s history, beginning with her designer Albert Strange, leading on to her Fastnet Race win of 1927, her collision with a reef in the 1960s, and her transformation from classic yacht to commercial fishing boat and back again.
This week we continue with the 2nd part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club presentation. This part of the talk focuses more on my own story before I began working on Tally Ho – from spending my late teens travelling abroad and busking on the street, to my first sailing and boatbuilding experiences, and my journey in a 1947 Folkboat from Cornwall across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.
After a holiday on a beautiful aluminium yacht in Turkey, Cecca and I head back to the US, where Tally Ho is waiting. I get two new volunteers, Joe and Jack, who start off by making Frame Templates for the bow. In preparation for the new Bow Assembly, we cut the old Frame Heels and Hood End Fastenings, spring out the planks and frames in the bow, and remove the old Stem and Forefoot.
…in which we finish the templates for the bow assembly and cut out all the pieces with the chainsaw jig. Meanwhile, I have to deal with a damage to a power-plane, the Shipsaw, a chainsaw, part of my camera, and my wallet! Jack and Joe lose their minds organising all the fastenings in the workshop, and I get to do a bit of amateur furniture-making with a mirror-stand for Cecca. We plane everything in sight, and eat our lunch on a very expensive boutique purpleheart table.
In this episode we finally dry fit the purpleheart bow assembly timbers. In other news, we come up with a short-term solution to a damaged Babbitt bearing in the Ship-saw, and we remove Tally Ho’s Transom. We say goodbye to Jack and Joe, but meet two new volunteers, Renaud and Rowan. The chicks are growing up and I nearly drop a big timber on my head.
A worrying thunder-shake in the new stem means I have to make and install a large graving piece. After making some wedges and cutting notches in the scarph joints, we assemble the Stem, Knee, Forefoot and Mast Step in the bow of Tally Ho… lifting the gigantic stem overhead with the forklift is quite an amazing sight! After a tiny bit of trimming we drill and counterbore the holes for the bolts, and then cover everything (including ourselves, of course) with a thick layer of tar before putting it together for the final time and bolting it up - the centreline is complete!
Having installed the new Stem, it’s time to replace all the frames in the bow of the boat! Eight awesome volunteers show up and we get straight to work, training them to build double-sawn Live Oak frames. We start out at half-speed while everyone learns their jobs, and then gradually increase the pace. My old friend Joe is helping out with filming and editing, while his girlfriend Nadine cooks for us. I have a feeling that the tea-break banter is going to be strong, this month!
In this episode we follow the life of a single Futtock, from being marked on a template to being installed as a finished frame. Frame-raising 2.0 is going well, with more than half of the last section of Frames installed already! In other news, Cecca finds out that Janice is actually a boy…
Tally Ho is fully re-framed! In this episode we see the final part of the frame-raising party, as we make and install the last of the frames that make up the bow of the boat. We also work on the Fashion Pieces, and take some time to do some local sailing. Finally, a container-full of really long timber arrives from Suriname, and we have to figure out the logistics of moving it around.
After the busyness of the Frame-raising, it’s just me and the boat again for a while. I have some tough decisions to make as I look into ordering the timber for the deck-structure and planks. After a slow week of theorizing and office work, I finally get back onto the tools, and mark the position of the Rabbet and start cutting the shape of the cutwater into the stem.
In this episode, I cut the rest of the shape of the Cutwater into the Stem, using a chainsaw. Then I plane it smooth, and shape the transition to the square stem-head with a grinder. I also take a trip to Bellingham, where I look at the Oak Deck Beams on a beautiful old schooner. Finally, the huge timbers for the shelves and stringers arrive by truck, and in order to move them around I have to practice my welding and improvise a timber cart.
In this episode, I ask the question “is Tally Ho still the same boat?” ...I explore the ancient philosophical question of The Ship of Theseus, and how that problem applies to this project and also to our understanding of the world in general. While I consider all this, we recap the work that has been done on the boat up until now, starting with when I was first shown Tally Ho in Oregon over 2 years ago.
In this episode, after roughing-out the starboard side Rabbet into the Stem, I make a jig to transfer the measurements for the shape of the Keel Timber from the lofting floor to the boat itself. Then I start working on actually shaping the keel to its final shape, firstly using a TurboPlane wheel on a Grinder, and then switching to a good ole’fashioned Adze. I also add some small pieces of Purpleheart to complete the shape of the Forefoot, and make a small book-stand for my hosts here.
Rowan returns to give me a hand, and we finish shaping the keel with Adze and power-plane. Then we carve some shape into the Stern Assembly, roughing out the Stern-post with a chainsaw first, before cutting the remainder of the Rabbet into the centreline. The chickens enjoy watching our progress.
In this episode we install the Fashion Pieces, which will form the connection between the hull planking and the transom. We have to cut the heels, drill and chisel the notches in the centreline, and bed them with Red Lead paint and bedding compound (Dolfinite & pine tar). Rowan also works on fairing the bottom of the frames in preparation for the cast bronze floor templates. Finally, I work on adjusting the frames to be fair at the sheer line, in preparation for the beam shelf (sheer clamp) and bilge stringer.
In this episode I start by adjusting the position of some of the frames, and fairing them all on the inside. Then I cut and fit the scarph joins on the big 6-1/2” x 3” Angelique timbers. Along the way, I do a stress test on the 28’ long timbers by parking a vehicle over each end, and jacking up the middle with a 20 ton bottlejack. The chickens and Pancho the parrot lark around as usual.
In this episode Cecca and I travel to New York, where we house-and-dog-sit for some friends. I drive up to Connecticut to meet Duke at New England Naval Timbers, who supplies large pieces of semi-seasoned White Oak. I select enough curved and straight logs to make Tally Ho’s Deck Structure, and then we mill it into the appropriately sized flitches. We also get a ride on a state-of-the-art New York Tugboat (courtesy of McAllister Towing), and I even tag along with a Harbour-pilot while he navigates a huge container-ship out of NYC harbour.
As I’m away from the boat for a while, this is a Q&A episode! Will TALLY HO sail with a GPS? Where will her first (post-rebuild) voyage be? Will I be building a replica of the original tender? Could a dolphin, if properly trained, operate my forklift?! For answers to these THRILLING questions, and more, join me for a cup of tea and a chat in episode 64.
In this episode, I return to Cornwall to catch up with Luke Powell and his team, who are getting ready to launch the replica Pilot Cutter PELLEW. Luke talks about how this project came about, how to start a career in boatbuilding, and why we should all be building wooden boats!
Back to work on Tally Ho! After returning to the West Coast, I start by planing and bolting the beam shelf scarps joints. In the process, I buy a vintage pipe threading machine and use it to thread the bolts. After a 3500 mile journey across the USA, a Pink Fireman arrives with a trailer-full of White Oak for TALLY HO’s deck beams, which we unload with the help of a forklift and a stubborn parrot. It’s good to be back!
In this episode, I finish planing the beamshelves, move them into the boat, and start the process of bending them around the inside of the frames - creating some big loads and some scary creaking noises… Meanwhile, Marshall helps by cleaning up the vintage threading machine, and we send a broken part to Keith Rucker for repairs. In other news, the StarBoat finally finds a great new home, and I have some really exciting news about the future of the project!
In this episode, I finish twisting the beam shelves into place, bending them into their final positions forward and aft. I receive the repaired part of the pipe threading machine in the mail back from Keith Rucker, who brazed together the broken pieces and replaced the bushings. After reassembling the threading machine, it works wonderfully. Finally, I need to work out an efficient way to fabricate bolts to fasten the beam shelves to the frames, and so I make a few haphazard jibs to help. Pancho takes a bath, and I find another Shipwright to work on the project with me!
I’m very excited and grateful to welcome another Shipwright onto the Tally Ho rebuild! We also have a new volunteer here, so the 3 of us and Cecca get to work making bolts, fastening the Beam Shelf, and making Deck Beams to span the the boat and support the deck itself. Meanwhile, Pancho has a stand-off with some chickens and Cecca reintroduces herself… sort of. We also have a discussion about deck camber, and what “constant camber” means when constructing the deck of a yacht.
It’s time to start building the Deck Structure! Firstly I take a look at the old Beam Shelves and analyse the 110 year-old joinery of the original boatbuilders. I decide to replicate these joints and we start fitting the King Beams, starting at the stern and working forward. Pete cuts out the Carlins and Half-Beams before joining me fitting the main beams, and Patrick starts with planing and sanding the beams prior to install. After lots and lots of chisel-work fitting the main beams, I look at the original Carlin joints, and then fit the aftermost Carlins that make up the Lazarette hatch.
In this episode we finish building the majority of the deck structure! Lots of dovetails are cut, and the deck layout emerges as we add carlins and half beams one by one. We also begin making the templates for casting the solid bronze floors, and start the renovation of one of the original teak hatches - which I am hoping to reuse on the the deck. In other news, Pete’s dog meets Pancho, and Cecca does some metawork.
In this episode we face a major dilemma - having found that one of the White Oak logs had porous grain (bad news!) I have to make the painful decision of whether or not to replace 19 deck beams that we already made from it. Meanwhile, Tally Ho’s planking stock arrives and is stacked ready for planking. The frames get faired and the bilge stringers get made, scarphed, and finally bent into the hull of the boat. Finally all is well, and Patrick teaches us some useful boat terminology.
This is the day - the big reveal! With the deck structure fastened permanently into the Beam Shelf, we can remove the temporary cross-palls and finally see Tally Ho’s internal space and the underside of the deck structure. But before we bolt them into place, we have to prepare the deck beams by sanding, chamfering and varnishing them. Luckily we have the help of a new volunteer - Clark. We also fasten the bilge stringer to the frames, and take care of the most satisfying job of all - trimming all the frame-heads with a chainsaw!
In this episode I work on repairing and reinstalling Tally Ho’s original transom timbers. Being Teak, they have escaped rot, but have a lot of damaged areas and holes that need to be filled with plugs and graving pieces. I also need to add a couple of new planks, so I visit a friend with some Teak for sale, and have a look around his interesting workshop. The planks are joined together with vertical splines and fastened to the stern of the boat. An assortment of animals try to get in the way, as always.
In this extra-length episode, Pete and Clark show the process of making individual patterns for each of the floors, laminating thin strips of ply into the boat and then shaping and sculpting them into the shape that we need. Patrick returns to help get the boat ready for planking, and we take the patterns to Port Townsend Foundry, where we learn all about the exciting bronze casting process, pack some moulds, and pour the first two floors for Tally Ho. When the molten bronze has solidified and cooled, we can break them out, grind them down, and take them back to the boat to see if they fit! Meanwhile, Pancho keeps her beady eye on the hens, and Backtrack expands his repertoire of napping spots!
In this episode I focus on the final install of the transom, using a couple of old tricks to ensure that it stays watertight. The planks get bolted to the sternpost and eventually fully plugged and varnished. Pat keeps busy at the Port Townsend Foundry, casting more Floors in Bronze. Clark fits the Floors into the boat - grinding, sanding and polishing them to ridiculous perfection! Meanwhile, Pete works hard on fairing the Rabbet and beginning to fair the outside of the frames, while Pancho keeps an eye on him and busts out some funky moves for the camera!
In this episode we take a look at the names of the basic parts of a wooden boat. Hopefully this will help people who haven’t had much experience with traditionally built vessels to better understand what we are doing on Tally Ho! After that I start working on the hanging and lodging knee patterns, creating a jig to taper stacks of plywood for the laminated arms. Pat’s wife Bonny helps us out with some grinding whilst Pat casts more floors at Port Townsend Foundry. Clark fits the floors into the boat and Pete continues fairing the frames for planking, only stopping occasionally to tell me exactly what he is doing…
In this episode we calculate the locations and sizes of all the hull planks, based on the complex shape of the hull. I’ve never done this before, so we get some help from the Lead Shipwright on the Western Flyer Project (Shipwrights Co-Op, PT). I’m also very excited to welcome two new members to the team - Rosie, who is going to be in an apprentice-style role, and Charlie, who is going to be helping out with video production! We also continue working on the floors, fairing the frames, and making long battens for the lining-out. Meanwhile Backtrack finds a new favourite napping spot and Pancho steps up her dancing game.
In this episode I start thinking about the plank fastenings for Tally Ho. Using copper rivets is the strongest and most authentic choice, but they are not available to buy in the size I need. Just as I am trying to work out the smartest way to make the rivets, we receive a mysterious box in the mail, from a fan. Amazingly, someone has custom-fabricated a machine for making copper rivets out of round bar! We also work on making all the patterns for the hanging knees, which will be cast in Bronze at PT Foundry. Matt and David join the team, and get stuck into grinding bronze, and Rosie gets into her stride laminating the patterns. Backtrack is unamused by the baby chicks.
Cutting the Prop aperture and boring out the hole for the stern-tube are intimidating jobs - you only get one chance to get it right. But it’s easier to tackle these tasks before the planking goes on, and I’ve had the help of a shipbuilding engineer to work out the best shape and size for these alarming new holes. Also in this episode, I finally make the template for the final shape of the transom, and Pete fairs it into the rest of the hull very nicely - more-or-less completing the tedious but valuable fairing job. The shapes of the lower planks get lined out and marked on the frames in preparation for fastening the floors.
Having poured all the smaller bronze Floors, we have to build a bigger flask in order to cast the largest ones. Packing these big moulds isn’t without it’s setbacks, and we experience the frustration of having the sand collapse onto the ground after a whole day of shovelling and ramming. Eventually we make a successful pour, and after this piece is ground and finished it is bolted into the boat alongside its siblings. Meanwhile, the last of the patterns are made - including all the Lodging Knees and Breast Hooks. The crew become obsessed with a small wooden puzzle that arrived mysteriously in the mail - all apart from Pancho, who is beyond the limitations of puny human diversion.
In this episode, we focus on the fitting, shaping and polishing of the cast bronze Hanging Knees. We cast the last Floor, and production is speeding up in the foundry, with an average of two pieces being made every day! Meanwhile, Matt makes THOUSANDS of copper rivets for fastening the hull planking, and Pete fastens more floors into place - taking advantage of different fastening techniques in the areas where bolts cannot be used. Rowan returns to the project, and tries - unsuccessfully - to finally make friends with Pancho.
We have finished casting! In this episode, the final lodging knee is cast by Daniel - his first time pouring the molten bronze, and not without a little bit of fire & chaos! After a celebration, we work on installing the last of the bronze floors, planing the planking stock, and riveting the first lodging knee into the deck frame of the boat. Backtrack, like the rest of us, is unimpressed with yet more grinding.
At long last all the bronze hanging knees, lodging knees, breasthooks and floors are fastened into the boat! In this video we show the final parts of the process, including some welding of the most unusually shaped knees. We also do some more preparation for planking - planing more of the huge boards and finishing the line-out. In other news, Backtrack gets some slick threads, and Pancho shows a hint of halloween evil…
After a much-needed week off, we head back into the yard and begin the next stage of the rebuild - making and fitting planks! The last stages of the lining-out are completed first, and then templates are made and transferred to the wide boards of Wana that make up our planking stock. After the planks are cut they get various bevels before being hung and fastened to the boat! Meanwhile all the planking marks are transferred to the other side of the boat, the knees get one last polish, and we mill up some Purpleheart to be used for Butt Blocks.
In this episode, we start to get the “hang” of the planking! The first quick job is to put the Stopwaters into the centreline seams - softwood dowels which will swell up and prevent water ingress. Then the first Angelique Garboard is hung, and is quickly followed by more Topside Planks and Broads. Meanwhile, I jury-rig a circular saw to cut rolling bevels, which helps speed up cutting the planks out. The other guys get into the swing of riveting, with the help of a homemade “Dolly” (otherwise known as a “Bucking Iron”). We are still speeding up, but by the end of the first 2 weeks of planking we have 12 planks on the boat, which I’m pretty happy with!
I can’t put it off any longer, a final decision has to be made about Tally ho’s engine! In this episode we start by looking back at the boat’s early Paraffin engines, and then go on to discuss some of the options for a new “power-plant”. Vintage or modern, new or used, diesel or electric or paraffin or... nuclear?! There are a lot of options, and each one has good and bad attributes, but in the end I come to a decision which I hope is going to give all the reliability and simplicity necessary at sea, but with an exciting twist!
It’s holiday season, so happy Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, or whatever! As Saint Nicholas screams overhead in a pandemic-proof jet-powered sleigh, the Tally Ho crew are are merrily cutting planks and pounding rivets. In this episode we get to know the voluntary crew a bit better as we learn new things about Clench Rings, Butt Blocks, and Bucking Irons (it may sounds dirty, but I promise these are legit boatbuilding terms). On Christmas day we have 31 planks on the boat!
Well, what IS Pete doing?! In the last video we got to know part of the crew a little better, and now it’s time to learn a bit more about Pete Stein’s story. We start the New Year by taking his boat out for a sail with the whole crew, before getting back into planking Tally Ho. In between cutting out and hanging planks, Pete shows us his own workshop and tells us a bit about his train-riding days, including a pretty wild accident that changed his life for ever. In other news, drills are broken, rivets are peened, Pancho enjoys the staircase, and Rosie receives a large box of Shipwright’s tools from a local legend.
In this episode we start by looking at sailing yacht rigs in general - we discuss some of the most common types of sails and rigs and how to tell them apart, with help from some examples in Port Townsend. Then we have a closer look at Tally Ho’s original sailplan before meeting some of the people who have been involved in planning her new rig. We have to do some detective work to determine the changes that were made to Tally Ho’s rig in 1927 - the year she won the Fastnet race - but finally we are confident in the dimensions and ready to draw a new sailplan and order the sail cloth that will become Tally Ho’s sails.
After 5 long weeks, it’s time for a planking update! There was so much footage to work through and edit, and so much information to cover, that I’m making this episode in two parts. In this first part, as well as catching up with the planking progress, we strength-test the copper rivets - initially using a very dodgy forklift/lead setup, and then subsequently on a 250-ton hydraulic ram! We also discuss plank widths and caulking / corking bevels, Rosie cuts out her first plank, and Pancho finds her way to the rooftop. Part 2 of this video coming very soon!
In this second part of the video we continue to hang more planks on the boat, getting closer and closer to closing up all the gaps and making the hull watertight. We discuss more questions that have been asked about planking, and an adventurous chicken closely inspects our work. Matt explains the new Butt-Block clamp, Pete talks about Whisky planks, and Pancho struts her stuff in the snow.
After the snowstorm last week, we start this video with Tally Ho full of snow! But it quickly melts and we get back to the business of cutting and hanging planks. I make some blocks to go between the sheer strake and the beam shelf in the bow, and then pattern and make the sheer strake (the very top plank) from Angelique. I also receive a large and worrying envelope from the Clallam County (our local county council) ORDERING me to stop making videos and receiving donations online! Can they do this?! Will I keep making videos? Will the boat get finished? I tell the WHOLE story.
Okay, we have a lot of BIG news! These developments only really happened yesterday, so this is fresh off the press, and I was up all night finishing this video. It seems we might have resolved our issues with the county, but we are going to have to make some big changes - which will be very challenging, exciting, and hopefully positive in the long run! Also - Rosie has her own exciting news, Pete tells us what he's doing, Rowan tries to remember what he's doing, and chickens get incarcerated.
There may be no audio on this livestream (play your favourite album in the background!) Make sure you tune in on Saturday to watch the full edited video in much higher quality, and with audio. Many thanks to the people who kindly provided us with the delicious whisky!
In this episode we hang the last of the regular planks and start making “shutter planks” - the planks that fill a gap between already fastened areas of planking above and below. These require more careful patterning, but are extremely satisfying to hammer into place if they fit properly - but will they ?! Before we hang the very final plank (the Whisky Plank!) I trim the plank ends flush with the transom, which really visually transforms the boat. Finally the Whisky plank is hammered into place, and the crew celebrates with a well earned wee dram.
BONUS TIMELAPSE VIDEO! I took a bunch of photographs from various different angles while we were planking TALLY HO, and intended to create a time-lapse for the previous video - but it was more work than I anticipated and I did not get it finished in time. So I’m releasing it as a short bonus video! I hope you guys like it.
In this episode we take on the glamorous and exciting job of fairing the hull! We start with power-planes and then use a variety of grinders and sanders for our initial fairing, taking off the worst of the high spots and shaping the outside of the boat into a smooth curve. Fairing can be a surprisingly complex and difficult job, but is essential for the next steps of the project, which we discuss - caulking, sealing, painting, and so on.. Meanwhile, Rowan makes a ridiculous quantity of bungs and David works inside the boat, taking off the sharp frame corners with a spokeshave.
This episode is all about Caulking (or Corking, depending on your location). I start by visiting Port Townsend, which has an unusual number of very skilled and proficient Corkers. We briefly discuss the history of Caulking and we meet Brad from the Port Townsend Shipwright’s Co-op, who is putting together a crew to help us Caulk Tally Ho! Brad and Paul (Shipwrights Co-op) Jordan Bard (Bard Boatworks) join us for a Saturday and demonstrate the amazing skill and rhythm of a highly practiced Corking crew, getting over a third of the boat Caulked up in one day. Huge thanks to these guys for getting involved and spending their free time helping us out! After that it is down to Pete (another very highly skilled Corker) and me (a highly UNskilled Caulker) to finish the hull. Along the way we discuss the different traditional tools, methods and materials that are used for this fascinating and hypnotic process.
In this episode we work towards sealing up the timber of the hull, inside and out. First we varnish the interior of the boat, using a traditional varnish that should hopefully hold up for decades. Then we get a serious workout with some good-old-fashioned “torture-boards”, we glue and trim plugs, and we get a little closer to painting and moving the boat. We have a bit of a change of crew as David and Rowan head back to the East coast, and we get some great help from some local guys. Meanwhile Pancho delights in a game of hide-n-seek.
In this episode we welcome Megan and Patrick to the crew, and then continue with fairing the hull and preparing to move the boat! As well as organising a new workshop and place to live, we start deconstructing the boat-shed and lofting floor. Meanwhile, I carve the scallops into the prop aperture area that will help to improve water-flow over the propeller.
In this episode, we - you guessed it - paint the boat. This video features some of the most satisfying blue-tape peeling footage ever to have existed! We also explain how we find the waterline, why we don’t want to varnish the planks, why we haven’t filled the seams yet, and so on. Pancho observes, Backtrack snoozes, Patrick and Megan paint a bed-frame.
We look back at all the work that got this project to where it is now, from the very first glimpse of Tally Ho 4 years ago right up to her present condition as an almost fully rebuilt hull. I answer a few questions about the project and talk about some exciting plans for the future!
In this episode we attempt to slightly enlarge the lead ballast keel by pouring a layer of molten lead on top of it. Before we actually pour I discuss the reasons for doing this and we fabricate a large “pig” to melt the lead in. Unfortunately when we actually pour the molten lead things do not go as planned! ….and now I’m left with a very difficult decision.
In this episode we move Tally Ho! Before the move we experience a crazy heatwave with record-breaking temperatures, and I have to take some drastic measures to keep the boat cool. Next we take the boatshed down, revealing the lines of the boat without any visual obstructions. I also finally introduce the owners of the property where Tally Ho and I have been living for the past 4 years, Raul and Darlene. They tell a little part of their story and we all get a bit emotional. Finally, Associated Boat Transport arrive with their amazing hydraulic trailer, they load up the boat, and thanks to some incredible driving we manage to squeeze her through the tiny gap between the house and the trees, with no room to spare! I have a hair-raising trip to Port Townsend watching my boat speed down the highway ahead of me, and finally we arrive safely in the new location.
In this episode we finally get back to work on Tally Ho! ….Leo and Pete fair the deck structure with power-planes, Rowan and Patrick pay the bottom-seams, and Pancho destroys anything she can lay her beak on. Meanwhile we meet some neighbouring craftspeople, watch some boats get launched, and discover the advantages of a concrete floor… (dolly-skating!)
This episode is all about planning for the interior of the boat. First we get hold of some beautiful Douglas Fir and mill it down to be ready for bulkheads. Then we take a look at the new drawings for the accommodation layout, and compare them with the original drawings from 1909. When I am happy with our design, we start to mock up the proposed interior to get a real feel for the space. We also get a new small boat for sailing around the bay, and we challenge ourselves to find a suitable name for it!
This episode sees us getting back to some constructive woodwork! But first - I make some important changes to the interior layout mockup, before Rowan rips it all apart with great enthusiasm. We say goodbye to Patrick and welcome a new character to the team, and we suffer some inclement weather in the boatyard. Finally after a lot of patterning and cutting, the full-width lazarette bulkhead gets installed in the boat, with the second bulkhead not too far behind. Huzzah!
In the last 2 weeks we’ve made a lot of progress on the bulkheads, and the construction process has become quicker and more efficient! As we install the Dug Fir double-diagonal boards, the space inside the boat gets a lot more defined. Also… a piece of history in the mail - some hardware from TALLY HO, sent by the grandson of the man who skippered the boat in the 1927 Fastnet race! In other news, I decide to auction off one of my smaller boats, and Rowan shows us his favourite boatyard doggos!
In this episode I make the Mast Partners - a big chunk of Oak that holds the mast in place within the Deck Structure. Pete caps the Bulkheads and installs the tie-rods. Rowan and Richard keep making great progress on the remaining Bulkheads. In other news, I’m desperately looking for someone who is regularly importing Canadian Softwood Lumber into the U.S, and has an established Annual Customs Bond in place! If you think you can help, please email info@sampsonboat.co.uk Regarding the auction from the last video, the dinghy is now listed for sale on craigslist after the winning bidder pulled out - so if you’d like to buy the boat and can pick up locally, please make me an offer!
We’ve been busy! In this episode, we finish a bunch of big jobs that we’ve been working on for a while. All the athwartship bulkheads are now installed, the Mast Partner has been bolted into the deck structure and carved out to accept the mast, and the final Teak plank of the Transom has been made and fastened! In addition to this, I spent some days at our previous location in Sequim, sorting and removing some large piles of timber and catching up with Pancho. Rowan gets go grips with the TIG welder and makes a fancy bronze bracket for one of our bulkheads, and Nina joins us to help varnish the Transom.
Lots of progress on the boat this week - Firstly, the guys fill the bilge with hot pitch, followed by some cement! Although slightly disconcerting at first, cement is actually a really useful material in boatbuilding. Richard has been working on the Bulwark Staunchions, which are made of White Oak and will support the Bulwarks, a kind of fence around the perimeter of the deck. Pete has been making the aftermost deck beam, or transom cleat, which will support the end of the deck strakes.
It’s time to line out TALLY HO's deck planking - deciding the positions and sizes of all the deck strakes, the cover boards, the king planks, and so on. To figure this out we take a look at a wide variety of different wooden boat decks in the yard, consider the different parts, and then draw the layout on the deck planks using battens. I also take a quick weekend break sailing the beautiful schooner MARTHA around the San Juan islands, and we take a look down below and meet her captain. Back in the yard, in the midst of a storm, we receive a large delivery - the Alaskan Yellow Cedar for TALLY HO’s deck!
In this episode I make and install the Sampson Posts (otherwise known as Samson Posts or Bitts). Lots of big joinery and visit from Pancho makes for a fun week.
In this episode we follow Pete, Richard, Rowan, and our new crew member Jake, as they tackle a whole range of different tasks. The biggest ongoing job is the deck blocking, which is essential to receive the nibs of the deck strakes and also for bolting various deck hardware down to. Pancho visits us briefly to watch some boats get moved around the yard, Richard works on the cockpit area, the deck stock gets processed, and I discuss possible changes to the video format.
In this Christmas special, we have to move 7 tons (14,000lbs) of lead from the old workshop to the new one. The 5-ton original keel is far too heavy to move in one piece, so I have to cut it into smaller pieces - with a chainsaw?! We also get a tour of ROEDDA, a beautiful 1931 wood fishing tender, and we meet her new owner and captain Alex.
After a snow-white turn of the year, Richard braves the cold to cut the engine beds out of some huge pieces of Purpleheart. These beams will support the engine and connect it to the hull, so they need to be extremely strong and well fastened. In an unlikely looking white van, we find a large wooden crate - the engine itself! Having broken it out and stared at it for some time, I discuss how this Parallel-Hybrid Diesel-Electric engine functions, and why I chose it.
This week we take on a job that we have been putting off for many months - to sand back and varnish the entire deck structure. It’s a little crazy to try and varnish in such cold weather, but it’s going to be a lot easier to do this before we install the deck blocking and deck planks! Luckily we have plenty of hands, with Patrick returning for a third time, Jake’s final week, and some extra help from our friend Nina. We also continue to process the Yellow Cedar deck stock, adding the caulking bevel and chamfers and painting the underside. Backtrack makes a rare appearance at the lunch-table, and the travelift rumbles past the workshop with another unwieldily load.
Finally, the time has come to begin working on Tally Ho’s new Ballast Keel!
EPISODE 118 Pouring a Lead Keel (Pt 2)
Having cast the 17,000lb Lead Ballast Keel, we finally break it out of the mould and take a proper look at it! After trimming the ends and cutting a key with a chainsaw, we have to figure out a way of moving it around, in order to get it underneath the boat.
Catching up on all sorts of work that has been going on whilst we were casting the keel - deck strapping, engine bed bolts, bulkheads, and so on!
After so much design and preparation, the time has finally come to lay the deck strakes! It’s a hugely exciting and rewarding process and it goes pretty well. We also take a close look at The Lady Washington (Washington’s State Ship), and build a mezzanine deck for better working access to Tally Ho.
At last, it’s time to bolt the ballast keel to the bottom of the boat - before we sail off without it! Auger bits get welded, counterbores get sharpened, and a series of huge holes are drilled through hardwood and lead before Aluminium-Bronze bolts are driven in. In other exciting news, we lift the engine into the boat, paint the engine beds and bilge, cut an access hatch, and fit the staunchions - it’s been a busy couple of weeks!
In this episode we focus on the interior of the boat - finishing the engine-access hatch, building bunks and slats, and making corner posts and partitions. We also add more coats of varnish to the hull interior, and even get a visit from our old friend Pancho! Finally, it’s time for me to take a trip back to the UK.
This episode may not be for everyone - It is all about the basic theory of sailing boat stability, and the details of the stability calculations that we have done to ensure that Tally Ho floats properly to her designed waterline and maintains her original sailing characteristics. I’ve been back in the UK for a month and no physical work has been done on Tally Ho during that time, so this video is entirely dialogue and diagrams! However, this less glamorous work is extremely important for authenticity and sailing performance.
There has been so much going on in the workshop this week! …and to top it off, I think this is one of the best videos I’ve made! The other guys aren’t back yet, so it’s just been me and Patty holding the fort. We’ve been working on sole-boards, engine drip-tray, chain locker cladding, cockpit design, diesel tank design, fitting the stern tube, painting bulkheads, varnishing cypress/oak panels, and sailing Stromboli!! This is actually a pretty normal couple of weeks around here, but in this video I’ve tried to give a sense of all the different things happening at once, rather than focus on one specific subject.
Pete and Zeal fit the covering boards… these wide planks go around the outside of the deck and cover the connection between the deck and the hull. They are a very complicated shape due to all the plank-nibs, and they are cut out of huge boards of Teak.
It seems like Tally Ho may be nearly finished… but is she really? And when will she finally be re-launched? In this episode we take a look at the work left to do, the steps left to take, the order of tasks, and the likely timeframe. We also catch up with the progress over the last couple of weeks, with a lot of interior joinery, a sliding bunk mockup, drip-tray and sole board installation, and a mysterious teddy bear.
The Western Flyer is a 73’ purse seiner built in 1937 in Tacoma, Washington. In 1940 she was chartered by author John Steinbeck and marine biologist Ed Ricketts for a marine specimen-collecting expedition in the Gulf of California. Steinbeck’s book about their journey, The Log from the Sea of Cortez, is considered one of his most important works. After a hard life of fishing, the Western Flyer sunk and was left for dead… until a marine geologist named John Gregg stepped up and purchased the boat. The Western Flyer arrived in Port Townsend in 2015 and since then has been painstakingly rebuilt and restored by the Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop. On the 29th June 2022 she was pulled out of the shed on rollers, launched, and towed to Seattle for engine and systems installation.
As Tally Ho's king planks get installed and the covering boards get trimmed and rounded-over, there is a dramatic change as the deck suddenly starts to look like the real thing. Also in this video; we meet the new shipwright on the team, we get a visit from Pancho the macaw, Leo catches the dreaded virus, and Pete launches his boat.
In this video we take a tour of Tally Ho’s interior, which is coming together pretty quickly now! George has been building some beautiful bunk-sides from the original 112-year-old Teak planks. Richard is building bunks and Oak cabinetry, and Patrick has fit a lot of Ash sole-boards. Meanwhile, Leo works on figuring out the companionway steps and battery locker, Clifton fits the Skylight sills, and Pete adds some more Purpleheart to the Centerline… there’s a lot going on!
In this video we finally get the batteries installed in the boat! But first we have to build the battery locker and a heavy-duty purple heart rack to hold them. We also install a lot of sole boards, bunk-sides, and a secret locker…
In this episode we install the Aquadrive thrust bearing (which requires an extremely shiny and strong custom stainless steel bracket), the coupling, the stuffing box, the prop shaft, and the propeller! Our neighbor Dylan help us with lots of machining work as we cut the shaft to length, cut the keyway, face the coupling, and so on.
After a quick review of our open house weekend, we meet the main characters who will be responsible for Tally Ho’s electrical system, as well as the other systems in the boat - plumbing, heating, diesel, etc. Tyson makes a great start with the electrical supply and distribution system, wiring in loads of shiny and exciting blue boxes from Victron. We also catch up with Patrick and George, who have both been busy with other projects on the boat, including some satisfying bronze-work and a Cherry cabinet / wardrobe in the aft cabin.
In this episode I search for - and find - the perfect sailing tender for Tally Ho! We also meet the crew of a local fishing schooner that delivers their Alaskan Salmon by bicycle, and witness a trawler-yacht be transformed with a spectacular paint job.
After a long wait, we finally receive our welded plastic Diesel tanks... and then it all goes wrong.
In this episode we follow some really interesting and complex joinery on deck. The hatch sills, built by Clifton, feature some mind-bending half-lap mitre joints and some very challenging coves. The bulwark termination block is an unusual feature that Tally Ho was originally built with, and gets remade from some large purple heart blocks. We also receive some beautiful new tanks which get installed in the bilge, and have a lot of fun playing with some knives.
In this video we make progress all over the boat - the engine-room sole is laid, the diesel-engine exhaust gets installed, and Zeal joins the team again to do some caulking and fair the keel timber. We start work inside the head, including the glamorous job of trying to position the toilet itself, and we meet Pat Mahon, who starts constructing the deck hatches! In other news, we watch the Schooner Martha get lifted out of the water, and George finds a creative use for an original keel bolt.
In this video we have some very exciting developments regarding the construction of the Mast and other Spars. Elsewhere, Clifton does some stunning woodwork building the cockpit coamings, and Nic drills several holes in the boat!
It’s time to build Tally Ho’s rudder! We start by purchasing a gigantic piece of Purpleheart from Edensaw, which Zeal cuts into several pieces using the chainsaw mill. Later in the video he starts the shaping and assembly process, using Coaks (blocks of hardwood set into the flying surfaces) to add to the strength. Elsewhere, Patrick makes some beautiful doors and drawers for the wardrobe in the aft cabin, Clifton begins the construction of the cockpit, and some of the crew take the dinghies on a camping trip.
In this video we cut and shape long boards of Wana (Red Louro) to plank the bulwarks with. The strakes are then fastened onto the Oak bulwark staunchions, creating a wood wall around the edge of the deck. We also meet Bob, a new member of the crew whose first job is to make the Channels - large Purpleheart blocks that get fastened on the outside of the hull in order to spread the rigging away from the bulwarks and cap rail.
In this bonus New Years episode, I go to collect Tally Ho’s new Diesel Tanks from Bellingham on Christmas Day!
In this episode we finish planking the bulwarks - but before the last planks can be fastened, the stanchions themselves have to each be cut down to their final length and have a tenon cut into the top. Meanwhile, Patrick makes a beautiful oak post inside the boat, as well as a bulkhead that divides the galley and the chart table. The winter weather bring snow and flooding, causing disruption in the boatyard but creating some beautiful scenery.
In this episode I return from the UK (with a brand new visa!) and catch up with the crew and the amazing progress they have made on Tally Ho. While I was away, Patrick built more furniture in the aft cabin, George installed the freezer in the Saloon, Clifton constructed the cockpit footwell, and so on. We meet Erica, who is joining us to help with systems install work, and finally we catch up with the beautiful teak companionway deckhouse that Pat Mahon has been building.
In this episode we follow the construction of the main mast, which is built of 8 long staves of high quality Sitka Spruce glued together in a barrel-staved construction with West System epoxy. We talk about different types of mast construction, and look at why wooden masts are often built hollow and what components are encapsulated inside. We also catch up with a few other projects around the yard - Nic has returned and is working on the cabinetry in the head, George is building a fort in the saloon, and Joe has some shiny stainless plumbing fittings to show off. Patrick makes another wig and George tries to interview some Seagulls…
The sun is shining in the boatyard, but the temperature has dropped - there’s a thin layer of ice on the water in the marina. Inside a large green hanger several boatbuilders struggle to wrestle aluminium diesel tanks into a wooden boat. Meanwhile, the cockpit footwell is subjected to more vacuum-bagging, to glue up the beautiful teak cladding.
In this episode we follow a lot of amazing woodwork - Zeal bolts together and shapes the huge purpleheart rudder, and Nic fits builds some elegant cherry cabinetry in the Head. We also get a visit from some local musicians, and George cooks Salmon with an oxy-propane torch - it’s just another day in the boatyard!
In this episode we trick Patty with some fake poop, we shock our faces with microcurrent in the name of capitalism, and we discover the best places to warm tortillas on your diesel engine. On a more serious note, we also talk about the dangers of electrocution at sea and catch up with progress on Tally Ho’s systems - including a full explanation of the electrical distribution locker, the black water plumbing system, and the hybrid shaft-clutch mechanism.
In this episode we work on Tally Ho’s front door, which will be a traditional frame-and-panel door built with quarter-sawn Oak. We talk a little bit about the history of front doors on traditional boats, and the door opening is cut with some precision chainsaw-work. Also in this video - Zeal caulks most of the deck seams, and the beautiful main companionway hatch and cockpit coaming get installed onto the boat.
In this episode Leo builds the Teak companionway steps, Patty installs some beautiful aluminium brackets, George builds out the saloon, and Joe explains the latest developments in the engine room. In other news, the Duchess of Desire goes yachting, and the bulbous-bow comes to the big screen!
In this episode we follow a (slightly stressful) day in the boatyard, catching up on the dozens of jobs currently in progress - from the galley to the deck furniture, the rudder, the winches, and so much more. We meet riggers and spar-builders, and even Gandalf the grey stops in to say hi.
In this episode Zeal fits the cast bronze rudder hardware to the boat, and he and Patrick hot-rivet the gudgeons through the purple heart stern-post. Nic does some beautiful work on the “front door” and we find out where this door is actually destined to live. We also follow the construction of the trim tab, which is made from Alaskan Yellow Cedar with a bronze pin running through it, and then protected with G10 plate and fibreglass cloth.
In this episode we follow Bob as he builds some beautiful wooden strop-blocks for Tally Ho’s rig, and explains their purpose.
In this episode Patrick and I decide to become masochists and join "SEVENTY48" - a 70 mile rowing race from Tacoma to Port Townsend. We also catch up with the progress on Tally Ho’s beautiful mast and other spars, which are being built at the Northwest Maritime Center.
In this video I get started making Tally Ho’s cap rails - the large Teak pieces that curve around the top of the bulwarks. We also get out for a sail on another old British Gaff Cutter, the bulwarks get faired, and Paddy does a dance!
In this video we hang the solid Purpleheart rudder onto the stern of the boat! Firstly though, Zeal has to do some impressive shaping work using an Adze, chisels, grinders and more. We also catch up on progress with the Teak cap rail, and the Bulwarks get their first coat of paint.
In this episode we install a lot of exciting and shiny new equipment into Tally Ho’s supersonic engine room. We also install the cockpit footwell, which encloses the engine room and also means we can actually sit in the cockpit! In other news, Zeal sands the deck, revealing the beautiful sharp seams between the Yellow Cedar and Teak deck planks. Batten down the pod bay hatches, Hal.
In this episode Patrick builds the Galley and Zeal installs the Chainplates!
In this bonus episode we see the deck prisms and the head cabinetry get installed!
In this episode we talk about how close Tally Ho’s launch might be, we talk about the work that is left to do, and we talk about how you can come and see us and the boat in person! We also see some carving work on the bulwark planks, as I try to replicate the original designs.
In this episode we focus on different jobs that have been going on around the deck of Tally Ho - building the skylight hatch, decking the cockpit, refurbishing the original iron hardware, and building kevel cleats and quarter-knees! We also take a field-trip to help a legendary local boatbuilder turn his final boat, and Patrick has a transformative experience with a suitcase!
In this BONUS episode I shape all the Teak cap rail pieces and fit them to the boat! We also catch up with a few different jobs going on in different areas, including fitting the bronze bobstay fitting.
In this episode we catch up with a lot of different cabinetry jobs that have been going on inside Tally Ho, including the oak frame-and-panel doors, the saloon seating, the galley countertop, chart table seat, and much more! We also meet a few new members of the crew, talk about the upcoming open house, and witness a lot of tomfoolery, as per usual.
In this episode Zeal finishes the main rudder, hot-riveting the pintles in place and mounting the trim-tab on bronze gudgeons. We also prepare for our “open house” event, which involves mounting the skylight hatch on deck and showing off the bronze winches.
In this episode I finally get around to finishing the Teak companionway ladder that is the main entrance to the boat. Underneath it is a critical electrical distribution locker that contains a lot of technology that mustn’t get wet, so I have to design and make some watertight locker-lids! Meanwhile, Bob does some beautiful work fabricating some custom bronze vents for the lazaretto and installing an elegant fairlead through the bulwarks. Oh - and the Duchess has a baby!
In this short bonus episode we make final preparations to move Tally Ho out of the big shed-hanger. That involves a lot of work on the cockpit, fitting the diesel fills, constructing the stem band, fitting the mainsheet gybe buffer, and of course many silly crew antics! Plus a special appearance from Pancho.
In this episode we move Tally Ho out into the big wide world! ….we also get the forestay eye-bolt installed, the exhaust systems get finished, and the mezzanine gets dismantled and rebuilt again.
In this episode Tally Ho gets a mast - for the first time in decades! ....and then we have to take it out again.
Leo leaves the country - it’s up to Patrick to tell the story this week!
In this episode we finally step Tally Ho’s mast! But first, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done on the spreaders, attaching them to the mast and making brackets to hold the radar, VHF, lights, and more.
In this episode we hang Tally Ho’s boom on the mast - but before that, we see Zeal construct the solid Teak and Purpleheart Fife rail, and Nic works on some cherry cabinetry for the chart table area. The Duchess of Desire has a shocking encounter with mortality.
In this episode I have some very sad news to share. Later on, we get stuck into some interesting and complex woodwork.
In this episode we install a lot of deck hardware, including the steering compass and gammon iron, we see an impressive electrical panel coming together, and we build a shed over the deck. But did we mount the compass in the wrong place?!
In this holiday special we tour the boat and catch up with all the projects that are currently ongoing or finished but haven’t been in a video yet! They include winch bases, electrical panels, cabinets, a very versatile ladder, and even some Christmas lights.
In this episode we visit the Brion Toss Rigging workshop and go through the steps involved in building Tally Ho’s standing rig. We see leatherwork, splicing, serving (including “throwing” the serving mallet), and setting the splice using a hydraulic ram.
In this episode Nic build the chart table, and the nav area takes shape!
In this episode we catch up more thoroughly with progress on restoring Tally Ho’s capstan, and we also check out a fancy new cabinet installed in the head.
In this episode we start turning on systems in the boat - starting with the diesel-heating system. We also turn on the fridge and freezer, and the galley lighting! Nic fits handles and locks in the doors, Patty cuts another hole in the deck, and Leo fits a large monitor in the Nav station.
In this episode we get ready to run out the Bowsprit! That means catching up with a lot of work that Bob has been doing modifying and adding to the “bitts” or the “samson posts”. We also catch up with the rest of the team and their various jobs, and even take a glimpse into the world of the duchess.
In this episode we attempt to run out the bowsprit… several times! But things do not go quite as planned.
In this episode we take a look at lots of ongoing and completed projects inside the boat. Leather upholstery, mirrors, lamps, and a liquor cabinet with backlit stained glass! Finally we remove all the covers and tape to get a real look at the progress in the interior of the boat so far.
In this episode we raise the topmast - this is an interesting operation because we are raising the top of the spar much higher than any of our hoisting points. I explain how it’s done and then we get on with it! After that Bob and I climb the rig to take a closer look and install the wind instrument.
In this episode we start with some tiling around the Woodburner. After lighting the fire, we follow the making of mast wedges, carving in the deck beam, a very fancy engine-room cabinet, and finally the installation of the cockpit winches!
EPISODE 185
It’s time! We have an imminent launch date! There is a heavy buzz of excitement in the yard, but the clock is ticking fast and there are some really big jobs still on the list. We cast lead ingots to stow in the bilge, paint the hull with green antifoul, hoist the gaff on board, hoist the topmast, and a million other jobs.
A huge thank-you to everyone who has supported and watched this project!
Tally Ho has launched, but there’s still a huge amount of work to do. The first job is to move the boat to a longer-term berth, which means starting the engine and driving around the marina - a terrifying prospect! Later on we visit Ratsey & Lapthorne - the oldest sail-makers in the world. The beautiful mainsail that they built for Tally Ho is bent to the spars and hoisted for the first time!
After 7 long years of work, and several decades on dry land, Tally Ho finally leaves harbour again.
In this episode; After talking about our propeller pitch issues we go out for a second sea trial, and Tally Ho runs aground at low tide. Later, after some other work, we discover that our prop issue is a deeper problem that we thought, and could require changing our gearbox or hauling Tally Ho out of the water again.
After 7 years of hard work, we hoist Tally Ho's new sails!
In this episode we finally make a decision about how to fix our gearbox / propeller issue, and we haul Tally Ho out of the water for a few days to get it sorted! Meanwhile, Tally Ho’s original capstan arrives back at the boat, having been rebuilt by Keith Rucker and motorised by Webster’s Boat Machinery.
In this episode we start installing the Capstan, after sending it off to be coating with zinc and painted. We also take Tally Ho our for another sail, and this time hoist all of our light-weather sails - the topsails!
A short, bonus episode! This video is a bit different from normal, but I’m excited to give a very quick real-time update to explain what is happening right now, and to talk about what’s going to be next for Tally Ho.
In this video we finish installing Tally Ho’s original capstan, which was on the boat when it first launched in 1910.
In this video we finish the work on the capstan, provision the boat for a big trip, and depart Port Townsend heading North to the San Juan Islands - the first stop on our big summer trip.
In this video we finally get to enjoy sailing Tally Ho after 7 years of work! We meet the whole crew - familiar faces, and a few new ones. We travel with a historic 1922 motor-yacht, we crash our drone in the woods, we make fresh pasta, and some of us say goodbye - for now.
In this video we sail TALLY HO North, all the way up the inside coast of Vancouver Island, BC. We hoist our Jackyard Topsail for the first time (with a small snag!), we test our Autopilot / Self-steering gear, and we transit some crazy rapids. We also run into some dolphins, say goodbye to some friends, and swim in a glorious lake. Oh… and we also find the "largest burl in the world"!
In this video we continue to sail North, doing some metalworking repairs and modifications on the way (after we luckily come across a metal-lathe!) We visit the huge abandoned cannery at Namu, and discover layers of history under the detritus of industry. Nick shows us how to start the amazing 1941 6-cylinder Gardner diesel engine that powers Argonaut II, before we set sail across the notorious Hecate Strait.
In this episode we take a break from our big shakedown cruise for a special full-boat tour around Tally Ho, at sea! What is it like to live on the boat? Which parts work, which parts don’t work? Where do we all sleep? Why don’t we wear shoes!? We also see the construction of our Saloon bench, which was built out of Cherry in Port Townsend before we left, AND we hoist our jackyard tops’l and see a lot of humpback whales.
