The "Widowmaker"

Former Glory: Main, Top'sl, Square'sl, Jib, Flying Jib

Ridiculous

As the self-elected Chairman of the Board of the Widowmaker Restoration Project, I decided today was the day. A long weekend ahead, a total crap weather forecast, and way too much time in the Hobbit Hole recently all lead to my decision to begin restoring Cap'n Wayne-o's boat: The Widowmaker.

Why such a petrifying name? You might rightfully ask. The boat is 15'-9" ish overall, and made mostly out of construction grade plywood, galvanized 6 penny nails, rusty drywall screws, and schmooey. She was also "designed" to carry more sail than a tall ship. (See opening shot). Certainly WAY more sail than is advisable or sane. She is not even 16 feet long, and has a SIX foot bowsprit. In non-nautical terms: ludicrous. Oh, and she was built 12 years ago, and has since been residing in the crawl space under the Sail loft.

This nonsense all started in 2000 ish when Wayne-o rigged the Tole Mour on Lake Washington in Seattle. He found himself with a gang of boatbuilders, riggers, and sailmakers working on a full time gig on a lake--with no boat to sail. They literally held some plywood together, drew a few lines, nailed it, and cut off the rest. Plans? What Plans? It was old school, quick and dirty "by guess and by God" boatbuilding. They had access to 55 gallon drums of epoxy, so they actually bothered to tape the seams on the hull. Don't get me wrong. The hull proper is not glassed--just the seams. Get'r'dun.

Wayne-o said they sank her more than once, got "pulled over" for speeding, and sailed her drunk as a monkey--but NEVER got passed by another sailboat that summer.

The Widowmaker has been in the hands of a few other folks over the years, and the rig has been cut down to something less preposterous, but the 6' sprit is still a bit foreboding. My comrade Liz (from the perfect sailing adventure) is pretty sure we're going to swim in this thing. She's got the hypothermia figures dialed in just in case. Fourteen minutes. That's PLENTY of time.

Look at that stick!!!

Frankly, this is my dream boat. Flashback to 1985. Anyone remember a certain brush painted red datsun truck named "The Mobus"? Best vehicle of my life. What's the connection? TOTAL BEATER. I love it.

Today we got the topsides sanded, tomorrow "dura-glass" marine grade bondo in the deck and hull, and hopefully paint on Sunday. Rig inspection and minor woodwork odds and ends on Monday. Flip her in a few weeks, scuff and go on the hull, and hit her with some bottom paint. Sand and varnish some spars, rig her up, and blow up the bay to Port Townsend for a victory pizza one Saturday night. Sleep in the boat(eep?), sail home Sunday.

Total cost:
$50 sandpaper and bondo. 
Free paint, boat shed, sea chanteys, and encouragement from Wayne-o.
$26 victory pizza.

Springtime sailing of hand-me-down garbage made by awesome folks after a cold, wet, shitty winter:
Priceless.