Spartina- Jamestown, R.I.

29 June 09 Spartina
BOAT: Spartina
OWNER: Mike Power, Jamestown
DESIGNER & BUILDER: Palmer Scott, New Bedford, MA http://www.woodtoglass.org/builders/palmer-scott.html
LENGTH: 26 feet [7.9 meters]
YEAR: 1953
HULL: Fiberglass
HISTORY:
 As the Block Island Race Week http://www.blockislandraceweek.com/takes place in the rain off our shores, the folks at Clark Boat Yard in Jamestown  http://www.clarkboatyardandmarineworks.com/are hard at work inside their shed. They are restoring an erstwhile navy launch that is arguably one of the first fiberglass boats ever built.
Established in 1935, the Palmer Scott yard burned to the ground in 1936. Undaunted, the owners relocated and began building extraordinary wooden yachts noted for such things as spiral staircases and hand carved mahogany tillers. This went on until WWII when all production switched over to military needs. After the war, demand for gorgeous wooden yachts was slow. Approached by a chemist with a radical new idea- fiberglass hull construction- the company took off in a new direction. They built a “male” mold for Spartina and pioneered what has become standard practice today- vacuum bagging. The result, is a hull that is smoother on the inside than outside, and it is very thick and strong.
At 56 years old, this early attempt at molded construction is alive and well, receiving full attention as the rain continues to prevent outside work.

Can Do II- Oldport Launch- Newport, R.I.

9 March 09 Can Do II

BOAT: Can Do II
OWNER: Oldport Marine Services, Newport http://www.oldportmarine.com/
DESIGNER: unknown (possibly Bill Tripp) http://www.trippdesign.net/#/
BUILDER: Marscott Plastics, New Bedford, MA
YEAR: mid 1950s
LENGTH: 22 feet [6.7 meters]
HULL: early fiberglass
HISTORY:
Marscott Plastics of New Bedford, MA was one of the pioneers of fiberglass boat construction. Unsure of the new material’s properties, the first builders sometimes used wooden reinforcements, and often “overbuilt” the hulls. Can Do II is a prime example of this.
Lying derelict behind a shed in the late 1980s Can Do II caught the eye of Mike Muessel of Oldport Marine Services. Mike’s offer to buy the hull for $200 was rejected by the owner who countered with one of $150! The sale took place and work began.
The “boat’s” rotting frames were stripped away until all that remained was a fiberglass skin. New frames were molded in. Decks and consoles were installed and engine beds fashioned. Hydraulic, mechanical, steering, and electrical systems were designed and installed bay the experts at Oldport Marine Services.
Nowadays, Can Do II is something of a Newport harbor icon. She fully commissioned and floating year ‘round ready to perform any number of tasks.