PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II winterizing efforts continue steadily in spite of the continued rain.

Winterizing PRIDE involves more than just being sure plumbing does not freeze. All of PRIDE’s extra spars and rigging come down before a wooden winter cover frame is assembled to support a plastic shield protecting PRIDE from rain, snow, ice and sun. The process of assembling that wooden frame is tedious and detailed…and can be assembled in the rain…so the crew have been doing so for three days now. Weather forecasters are advertising they think weather will begin to dry up tomorrow (Saturday)…if true…this will permit the actual spread of plastic come Sunday.

The protection of a wooden boat like PRIDE whenever a significant length of time is going to be spent tied up without a live-aboard crew is a somewhat daunting affair. This is due to the need to prevent water and sun from having continued opportunity to work on the wood of the ship. Any haphazard execution of such a protective effort will completely defeat the intended goal. Water is an agent for ruining painted, varnished or oiled surfaces and eventually the wood. The sun is an agent for damage as well. So the winter frame and cover must succeed in preventing any leaks and any direct sunlight while also providing a lot of ventilation…because wood without ventilation is a curie dish experiment in the making. This is where the conscientious crew member is so vital for succeeding in assembling the wooden frame and spreading and securing plastic.

We have a deadline as well. End of next Tuesday. I think we are on schedule…but there is no real slack time available left. So I hope we can spread plastic Sunday…if not sooner. I hope we can complete the final cleanup of all crew personal belongings and ship equipment stored ashore and the ship herself cleaned up completely by end of Tuesday. I would also like the crew to spread more oil on the lower masts and black hull paint on the lower part of the hull…maybe Monday…but only if we are finished with the plastic.

The rain has not exactly delayed us…especially if it does indeed dry up Saturday. But the rain has made the crews work quite tedious. But they are a wonderful bunch of professionals. I believe they will get everything done well and on time.

Signed,
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II