Day: May 21, 2010

From The Essex Shipbuilding Museum Website-

Join Gloucester native Gardner H. Winchester II for these entertaining, hands-on lectures and learn knot tying skills that are invaluable to all mariners.  This four part series is geared toward boaters aged 16+.  Each session is 2 hours long, starting at 7:00 PM, on the first Tuesday of June, July, August, and September of 2010.  Materials will be provided.  Workshop offerings consist of:

Tuesday, June 1, 2010: Knot Tying for Mariners: Participants will gain a basic understanding of line handling and knot tying.  Topics include proper line coiling and storage, the difference between a knot, a hitch, and a bend, the usage benefits and drawbacks of cordage of different compositions commonly in use today, helpful techniques for docking and anchoring, and the proper use of and how to tie the 7 knots most useful in the marine environment:  The Bowline family, the Trucker’s knot, the Tautline hitch, the Sheet bend, the Reef knot, Figure 8 stopper knot, and the Cleat hitch.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010:  Traditional Cordage and Line Handling: This lecture focuses on the historical usage of cordage and knots.  Participants will learn traditional techniques of canvas work and sailmaking, including roping and worked eyes, traditional splicing techniques such as working an Eye splice in natural fiber line using a Fid, traditional ropemaking and the construction of cordage, and the setup of dead-eyes and lanyards and the knots and seizing used in a traditional ships’ standing rigging.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010:  Advanced Knots and Splicing:This lecture will be a continuation of the Knot Tying for Mariners program.  The participants will learn the uses of and how to tie a Fisherman’s knot, Clove hitch, Carrack bend, Anchor hitch and Constrictor knot.  Other topics include: the uses of the different “hands” of cordage, how to make an Eye splice in three stranded nylon line, how to use a Fid and a Marlinspike, termination techniques for synthetic fiber lines, the handling differences between stranded and braided cordage, and block-and-tackle advantage subjects.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010:  Artistic Knot Tying:This workshop is geared toward those who are interested in the marlinspike sailor’s art of decorative knot tying.  Participants will learn the origins and traditional usages of several knots that are considered decorative today: the Wall sennit, the Crown sennit, the French hitch, Mathew Walker knot, Turks Head knot, Double Wall and Crown.  Participants will learn how to tie these knots and will make a “bell lanyard” key-fob to bring home.

Member Admission is $10 per individual session or $30 for all four sessions.
(Non-members pay $15 per session or $45 for all four)
To register for one or all sessions click here

Gardner H. Winchester II was born in Gloucester in 1958.  He was raised around boats in Annisquam and Gloucester.  His first boat was an original 16 foot Amesbury Skiff which he ran out of Annisquam.  He joined Sea Scout Ship 256 in Riverdale in 1969 and moved up to Sea Explorer Ship 56 in 1973.  In 1974 he crewed aboard the schooner Truant under Capt. Paul T. Harling on a summer cruise to Canadian waters.  He served two years as a guide at the Gloucester Fisherman’s Museum.  In 1978 he crewed with Capt. John Clarke on the Friendship sloop Irene out of Vineyard Haven.  He has served as racing crew aboard several traditional boats including Fore n Aft, a 1927 gaff-rigged Atkinson 28-footer, and Magic, a 41-foot Concordia off-shore racing sloop.  He has studied extensively the history of Cape Ann and its great fishing schooners as well as the traditional sailing ships the world over.  His first sailboat was a 22-foot Columbia, Olde Blue, which he bought in 1985 and sold in 1991 to buy his current boat, the beautiful 28-foot wooden L.F. Herreshoff designed, Jesse Boyce.  Both boats cruised extensively throughout New England.  He is a regular contributor to the message boards at Sailnet where his traditional anecdotes and suggestions have helped boaters around the world.

Cordage courtesy of Boston BoatWorks