We drove over the bridge to the Keweenaw Penninsula to visit my parents for the annual boat launching. They live on the water at the South Entry of the Portage Lake Shipping canal. 350 miles with no toad, the Monarch was a great ride. Arrived Fri afternoon.





On Sat morning I opened up the boat house doors and we got the cable winches ready.



A little pull across the level floor and then gravity takes over as we lower the cart down the rails.







Slowly down the hill and off the cart. Around the corner and docked.



Looks good in the front yard! 82 degrees today.



Haul the cart, close up the barn.





I think this is the 53rd year we have launched this boat. Dad is now 85, gets to run the cable winches. I run around opening/closing the barn, rigging cables and blocks. Now we just have a few drain plugs to replace, floorboards and carpets go in, and shaft connected. Almost ready for another season on beautiful Lake Superior.

Tomorrow we'll go back to being trolls (below the bridge)

Have Barth, will travel

Beautiful tradition.

Steve , Beautiful lines on the OLD girl . Is she a woody ? Bob

What beautiful memories for you to cherish.
Jim

Beautiful boat. Think I'll throw my blow up kayak in the rv.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim and Tere:
What beautiful memories for you to cherish.
Jim

DITTO
It is marvelous how you launch and store that big, heavy wooden boat.

quote:

Originally posted by crouch38:
Steve , Beautiful lines on the OLD girl . Is she a woody ? Bob

1927 Matthews 38 ft. Mahogany planks over white oak ribs. single screw, currently 85 hp 371 GM diesel, circa 1971. Cruise about 9 knots, ~750 mile range.

Dad bought that boat in early 1964. I was 10 years old. It was a wreck. It had caught fire and partially burned, was sold, then later grounded and sunk. It had oil stains halfway up the doors inside from the fiasco. Still has charred ribs near the engine. Launched first time late summer 1965. Should be no problem making 100 yrs old now.

As for memories, I grew up with that thing. It is one of the few things that have remained in my life for over 50 years. We recaulked every seam (almost 1/4 mile of seams!) the first two summers. Those who saw my 454 engine swap out the Barth side door can see where I started. A week after I graduated from high school in 1971 I swapped out the diesel engine in that boat. Built the hoist frame and ramp and winched it out the back onto a pickup truck by myself. (Dad left me there, had to return to work downstate) There are many places I can look at with great satisfaction, at the many projects we completed that have have lasted so long.

Since we built the boat house and railroad in about 1990 hauling/launching/storage has been a fairly routine process, as you can see.

Dad has kept after it all these years, really is one of a kind. I will try to remember interior photos soon, he has redone everything. Our first family RV.

Been neat to watch this report for the last several years. Is there a swelling period for the first week or so where you have to keep an eye on the bilge pumps? Looking forward to the interior pictures.
Tim

No problem with leaks. It is the driest wooden boat I've ever seen. After launch the pumps may run once the first day then pretty much nothing. I believe if we left the bilge and windows open the water would evaporate faster than it would leak. Could go weeks without pumping.

In heavy seas, the boat does show a bit more bilgewater after a long run. (I'm talking Lake Superior here... there were times I have been sitting on the cabin roof and couldn't see over the next wave... 9 to 10 footers)

The full back cabin is good for Superior's cool temps and weather. Warm and dry inside.

Secret recipe: Notice how shiny the bottom is? No visible seams? About 35 years ago Dad covered the bottom below the waterline with epoxy and Dynel (vinyl) cloth (not fiberglass, it won't give enough to move with the wood) The hull never really dries out much

The hull moves around a bit when hauled. The prop shaft will be almost 1/4" off when sitting on the cart. By the second day in the water it is back under .010 and we bolt the shaft back up.

Great story, Steve. She sails again!

Thanks for sharing. Let us know about any Lake Superior trips this summer.

Lou

The secret covered bottom! Good deal. I remember stories of yards around here hanging the boats in slings with a foot of water inside the hull overnight before launch just to improve chances of the pumps keeping up for the first few days.

The older Chris Crafts with the double planked bottoms were famous for needing soak time. Some of the older ones began to separate the outer planks and leaked like baskets for the first few days.

When Dad bought the Matthews it had been sitting on land for seven years. Planks were so dry you could see through some of the seams! We reamed the seams out, recaulked with cotton rope and seam compound. Didn't leak much the first year, as the planks soaked up, the seam compound was extruded like fins as much as 1/2". We had to cut off the "fins" and repaint the seams after the first haul.

After that, it did leak a little the first day when launched but never enough to worry. After he covered the bottom it has remained extremely tight for a wooden hull. If we rack it around on 6-8 ft waves on an 8 hour run it will run the pumps a little bit.

Wonderful story. Just the memories of the times you spent with her and with your dad. Priceless.
Jim

Jim you are so right. During the 60's my father was a professor at Michigan Tech, so he arranged to have limited class duties during the summer term. Summer of 1964 and 65 we worked nonstop.

We had to burn and scrape the peeling paint off the hull, and recaulk. The former owners had elected to take the easy way out when changing engine oil, ie simply drain it into the bilge and pump it into the lake when offshore.
Bad idea in so many ways... environmental disaster for the lake, but also the oil floated on the bilge water. Since the pumps suck from the bottom of the bilge they rarely got all the oil out. It sloshed around and coated the bilge with tarry goo. It was my job to use a putty knife to scrape all the goo into a pail and dispose of it. In the aft cabin it meant crawling around under the floorboards to get to the places under the engine and tanks. I came out looking looking like a tarbaby, literally. I filled many 5 gallon pails with that crap.

I will admit there were times when these jobs exceeded the attention span of a 10-11 year old boy and I was frustrated. Spent two summers as a boat slave. Now I can appreciate the satisfacton of long term custodial projects. I guess that's why I have 86 and 98 coaches, 68 airplane, 82 motorcycle and 71 VW bus.

Big day when we installed the first radar. Huge advantage in foggy Lake Superior. So many project memories.

We actually use it as well. Many trips to Isle Royale, been to Duluth, Canadian shore, Sault St Marie and Mackinaw Bridge. Took a honeymoon cruise in 1974. Many more memories...

Priceless, indeed.

quote:

I guess that's why I have 86 and 98 coaches, 68 airplane, 82 motorcycle and 71 VW bus.

But a really young wife, right Steve?