Volunteer Connection
Volunteer Connection
April 8, 2010
Greetings, Friends!
Membership Gathering This Saturday…
April 10th is coming! Don't forget our membership gathering from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, April 10. Beverages and appetizers will be served in the Akers Gallery. Come mingle and see what our Museum Campus has to offer. . . our store and art gallery, new exhibits, and activities rigging our sloop Friends Good Will. This is a celebration of spring and the promise of summer. We look forward to seeing you there! ~ submitted by Arlene Dickerson
The Registrar’s Corner…
The Museum Library has seen a marked increase in visitors recently. Registrar Judy Schlaack and volunteer Dick Brunvand spent several hours last week searching the photograph and postcard collections for relevant images to be used in the introductory Michigan Maritime Museum DVD. Producer Dick was thrilled to learn of the hundreds of photos and postcards on file at the Library. Watch for this DVD that will introduce and promote the Museum beyond our campus.
Another recent researcher, Cheryl Chidester of Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Inc.,
The library, located at
South Haven: Learn how you can make a difference in the health of our Great Lakes by celebrating Earth Day at the Michigan Maritime Museum on April 17 from 2- 5 PM. The Maritime Museum EarthFaire will focus on preserving and enhancing
The Earth Day activities will coincide with the United States Coast Guard Boat House and Vessel Clean-Up Day, the annual cleaning of the Museum’s restored Coast Guard life saving vessels with help from members of the St. Joseph Coast Guard Station. Other Campus happenings that day will include the annual spring rigging of the replica tall ship, Friends Good Will.
Lunch will be provided to those who help the Museum clean and polish the restored USCG boats in the Herbert Van Oort Boat House between 9 AM - 2 PM. These three vessels represent the last three types of wooden lifeboats used by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Museum is the only facility in the
The
Traditional Small Craft Association, Maritime Museum Chapter Update…
A milestone of sorts was reached, after 16 months of donut eating, coffee drinking and labor (?) construction on the Pooduck has been completed with the exception of those items to be installed after finishing, e.g. thwarts and hardware. The boat has been sanded to 120 grit and, with the exception of those areas touched up with fairing yesterday, is ready to prime. I expect the next session will see a coat of primer on most of the boat. We are at the point of ordering hardware: oarlock sockets, oarlocks, pintles and gudgeons. The oarlocks will be traditional open locks to teach traditional rowing skills. All the hardware will be bronze. The color as of now will be white on the outside with a sheer strip2 of a different color, an off white or tan on the interior with perhaps a grey bottom. Once a waterline is struck we may paint the bottom a different (darker) color if it stays in the water for extended periods. The oars have been taken off to be finished by individual members. I suspect one pair will be painted and one varnished, the decision being left to those doing the work. The subject of a sail rig game up again. It was decided that we already have two rigs in the shop of approximately the correct size. We will try these (one a sprit and I believe the other a standing lug) to see how they work before building our own. We will start on the design mast which will serve for any of the choices being considered at the moment. Those are: Standing lug, Sprit or Sliding Gunter. There was sentiment expressed that we should stick with the rig recommended by the designer, not wanting to try to second guess Joel White.
There was a brief meeting where the Classic Boat Show was discussed. We have received three paid registrations for this event so far. There's no need to wait until the last minute for this, the sooner we know how many boats are coming, the easier it will be to plan exhibit space. Advertising is out an published so we're looking for more participation this year. ~ submitted by Pete Mathews
A Call to Arms!
Calling all Friends Good Will crew to defend the honor of our Captain, Crew and Ship. On Saturday, June 5 at 0830 hours in the mess of Friends Good Will, the BLACK POWDER TRAINING for the armament of all able bodied crew of Friends Good Will will commence. Tony Ostenburg, certified National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association Black Powder instructor, will lead training in the art and safety of Black Powder firing of muskets, hand weapons, and cannons. At the end of the training session, each participant will be awarded a national Mussel Association certificate of competency in all aspects of black powder operation and firing. The class is a requirement for assisting with the gun, which should get a lot of "exercise" this ASTA summer!
The class will last until early afternoon and will be necessarily limited to the first 15 persons who enroll with Mary Stephens. Those already having taken the class last year need not take it again this year. Certifications earned last year are good through 2013, as indicated on the card. We will also schedule gun drills at other times, to be announced, for veterans already holding certificates. With so many new members of the Ship's Company, let's fill up this class and assure that there are an adequate number of us, trained to defend these
Ship’s Company Emergency Life Raft Training
All Ship’s Company Crew are encouraged to participate in the Emergency Life Raft Training on Friday, April 16, 2010 from 6-9 PM at the
South Haven, MI. On Sunday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m., the
Mr. Kennard will speak about the discovery and investigation of an early 19th Century schooner, which he and his partner Dan Scoville discovered on the bottom of
Kennard and Scoville have been very busy in recent years, finding shipwrecks of historical significance including the schooner C. Reeve, built in 1853 in
Kennard was also at the center of the excitement surrounding the find of H.M.S. Ontario, a Revolutionary War ship. This find has led to books and television contracts. The ship sunk in
The presentation will focus on the history of these wrecks, the archeology and science surrounding their discovery, the economics of the search and the current environmental condition of the
The
Get Your Rig On…
Nathan Haggar supplies bosun knives, spikes, and fids to the Ship’s Company. Knives are $45, spikes are $20, and fids are $15.
If you are interested, please contact Nathan at 269.236.5278
Custom Made Leather Sheaths…
Marcia Flynn is happy to make a leather sheath for anyone needing one for their knife, spike and/or fid. Prices start at $50.00. Call Marcia at 616.901.2018 or email her at marciaflynn@att.net.
Rigging Weekends…
We are looking forward to seeing veteran crew members and several of the newer members of the Ship’s Company at the rigging party which will start at 9 AM on Saturday, April 10. Remember this is an outdoor event and you are encouraged to dress appropriately (several layers are recommended).
Save the Date…
There will be a Ship’s Company Meeting on Sunday, April 25 at 12:30 PM in the Padnos Boat Shed. Captain Sikkema will discuss the upcoming ASTA voyages, crew scheduling, and other exciting events this summer.
Upcoming Activities at the Museum:
Date: Event:
Saturday, April 10, 9 AM-5 PM Rigging Friends Good Will
Sunday, April 11, 9 AM-5 PM Rigging Friends Good Will
Saturday, April 17, 9 AM-5 PM Rigging Friends Good Will
Saturday, April 17, 9 AM-2 PM Coast Guard Clean Up Day
Saturday, April 17, 2-5 PM Maritime Museum EarthFaire Event
Sunday, April 18, 9 AM-5 PM Rigging Friends Good Will
For the good of the cause,
Mary Stephens
Education & Volunteer Coordinator
South
voice: 269.637.8078
fax: 269.637.1594
www.MichiganMaritimeMuseum.org
posted by Executive Director | 12:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home