November 7 Morehead City to Swansboro 20 4 miles

We headed off in the ICW through Bogue Sound and this is hard work because the sound is so wide and the deep channel so narrow. I ran us into the sand at one point but we dropped the sail and backed off. Yes, I tried to sail, using the small jib only, which gave us an extra knot or two, but the strong gusty wind blew us off the course auto pilot was trying to steer; and with trimming the sail came the inattention that led to the grounding.  So no more sailing today. 

We were underway from 9:30 to 1:30. Most of the way was a few degrees north or south of due west. Ilene called the Coast Guard who told us that the live shelling at Camp Lejeune would end at noon, hours before our arrival, so we could anchor at Mile Hammock Bay. But just a half mile after we passed Swansboro, “Pipe Dream,” which has overtaken us, was coming back the other way and told us that the live firing would continue until 5, too late for us to arrive there. So we too did a “U” turn and anchored in Swansboro.

The pencil is pointing to the white spot to the right of the town, where we are anchored. In the lower left, just below the line "X---X", is a magenta line labelled "St M 230" (Statute Mile 230 since Norfolk), running perpendicular to the double dash bordered magenta line indicating the route of the ICW, which shows how crooked it is. And below the knife blade in the lower right corner it says Bogue Inlet, through which, in the photo below, we saw out to the Atlantic for the first time since Cape May, NJ.

We also saw the dramatic effect of the swift running tide. It was ebbing  and as we came to the Inlet our speed picked up to 6.6 knots, only to drop to 4.2 knots as soon as we passed the inlet when the same outgoing tide was running against us.

Here in Swansboro we  are one of eight boats and are on 80 feet of chain in 17 feet of water. The big factor here is the tide which caused us to face the other way when it changed. We happened to anchor next to “Island Time” and used our dink for the first time on this cruise – I’ve been out a month today! The town is quant but we failed to find a postcard though we did find this Gekko,

made from the steel top of a 55 gallon drum, at a gallery.














This house was built in 1778.

   Here were ashore, our heads framing ILENE.

Tomorrow is a long day to Wrightsville Beach, almost 47 miles. So its early to bed.

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Applying Thermal Imaging To Metal Boats

Applying Thermal Imaging To Metal Boats

This was a topic that fellow marine surveyor Jack Allinson and I presented at the 2013 IBEX ( International Boatbuilders Exhibition & Conference). I am new to thermal imaging, but over the past year Jack Allinson has proven its worth when it comes to metal boats. Mr. Allinson has been applying thermal imaging to marine surveying since 2003. Here at DBYS I am working on my Level 1 certification and have acquired a Flir Thermal Imager to add to my tool box for my metal boat inspections. Thermal imaging or also known as Infared Thermography, has been used in factory inspections, home inspections and marine surveying of composite boats for years.
When we apply it to metal boats it gives us  "better set of eyes" along with visual inspection and audio gauging. We have found that often where thermal anomalies are found there is trapped moisture and/or corrosion, and paint voids. One of the benefits is the ability to see the structure of the boat and location of the tanks. I find this very helpful to speed up my layout for UT/audio gauge inspection 

  From our presentation:
Infrared thermal imaging and correct interpretations of surface thermal patterns can be a real boon to cost-conscious clients keen on the price point required to find metal wastage, trapped and hidden moisture, and to document the water routes (trails) created when dewatering a vessel. On most UTM jobs, as much as 60% of the work effort goes into planning and implementing where to take the random spot checks for plating thickness. With the right environmental conditions this work can be easily reduced by half by scanning the shell plate with an infrared thermal imager.

 

In the images below the transverse framing and longitudinal stringers are visible.  I will post other photos at a later date that I have been able to locate corrosion.

Steel Brewer Schooner

Steel Dix 47

Steel Dix 47

Aluminum Utility Boat

 

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Boatbuilding Lark Scow Part 1

Other posts on the Lark scow.

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Peter Gilbert of the Erieau Lark fleet in Canada has started a new Lark scow (named Pinky Too, his Dad built Pinky 2 and Pinky 3) using the Kerr plans. He sends along some photos. The Kerr plans follow the original C.G. Davis plans in using a lot of frames. Instead of sawn frames, Peter has laminated the arc sections. He is planking the bottom of the Lark with plywood but with a hi-tech twist; he is using 3mm plywood with a carbon fiber sheathing (I wonder how this will square with the Erieau Y.C fleet as Peters construction may possibly result in a Lark considerably lighter than the current boats.)

I like how these builders determine fairness using a full glass of beer as a sight-line.

The solid timber side planks hold everything together before the bottom and deck goes on.

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