S. S. S. Lotus

 I took these photos back in early August 2019 in the village where I learned to swim . . . Sodus Point.   When I asked a few people about it, I heard that it was a wreck, it was done  . . .  etc. 

The small schooner clearly had been loved at one time.

Last week I learned the good news that the lift had loaded it onto a trailer to take it to a yard for  . . .

restoration!  So I finally googled it, which I’d not thought to do before, and lo and behold . . . it has pedigree!  It was designed by William H. Hand, and launched in Rocky River OH in 1918.  The S. S. S. means “Sea Scout Ship.”  Thirty years ago, it had been trucked to Rivendell Marine, in Monument Beach MA in 1991. 

All photos, WVD, and story to be continued.

Photo and discussion below can be found on FB, John Kucko Digital . . .  December 21, 2020.  By the way, John Kucko is a legend up in western and central NYS. Tugboat in the background is Donald Sea.

Since this post features a sailing post, let me share what I’ve been watching, based on a suggestion of a reader from South Africa.

First a trip from the Falklands to Capetown on an impressive boat this past summer.

Then I learned the name of the boat and the concept developer, Skip Novak.  Here‘s more Skip Novak.

Then I learned of his latest project . . . 2020 into 2021, appropriate for these days.

Thx, Colin.  This is good winter fare.

Teach Them To Yearn 3

Here are the previous posts in this series.  Here’s the complete A. de Saint-Exupery quote:  “If you want to build a ship [crew a ship], don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work , and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

I was thrilled to see Sea Dart II this past weekend, and then not far behind

Sea Horse!!

I was fortunate to see them;  I know the scouts know how fortunate they are to have this opportunity.  Sail on!

All photos and sentiments by Will Van Dorp.

 

Sea Dart II Again

I caught this T-boat back two years ago, and here she is again.  I’ve posted on this vessel before, (scroll) here and here. It’s the 1953 Sea Dart II, originally T-513.

She’s become a sign of spring for me.

A good old boat like this to learn marketable skills would have been heaven-sent for me as a kid.

 

Fly your flags high, Scouts.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

1973 Sea Horse

If you saw the 2015 tugboat race, you may have glimpsed this vessel . . .

She’s the current vessel of Ship 243 of Sea Scouts.  Here’s what her current mate says about her:  “Sea Horse was built in 1973 by Swiftships in Morgan City La.

Designed as  for Vietnam, she was never was deployed.  For some time she was used in the San Francisco Bay area as a training ship for Navy Special Forces.  Then she was used by the CIA for what,  who knows. She was covered in radar absorbing tiles.  There was afire in the engine room and then mothballed before we got her.”

Click here for details of what Sea Scouts do.

 

 

Sea Horse has been hauled out and for regular maintenance, which always costs.  Click here for details about how you can help.  Given how difficult most of us know it is to find a work niche for our lives, Sea Horse is a valuable driver in that search;  I wish there’d been Sea Scouts around where I grew up.   If you do FB, check out Sea Scout Ship 243.  Click here and here for two posts about another community on the water program.

The first two photos are by Will Van Dorp.  The others are all used thanks to Robert Meseck, currently Mate and soon to be Skipper of the unit.

Click here for a previous swiftship post on this blog.