For the first time in decades, there are schooners 'abuilding on the famed waterfront at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Dawson Moreland & Associates are building not just one, but two 48' wooden schooners in the best of Maritime traditions. These 'twins' will be built simultaneously, frame for frame, plank for plank, alongside the historic Lunenburg Dory Shop at 175 Bluenose Drive. Follow their progress from keel laying to launch!

An artist's interpretation of the Twin Schooner Project

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Look Ma, no jackets!

After months of sweaters, toques and gloves, we've been granted a sweet reprieve of insanely warm weather. Today, like yesterday, it is a startling 24 degrees Celsuis in The Dory Shop boatyard; that's around 75 F for our American friends. It's ideal weather for painting the easternmost schooner and caulking and sealing seams on her twin, the future Martha Seabury.
Of course every Lunenburger worth their salt herring is already predicting when the weather will turn and we'll be back to cool temperatures and maybe even a bit of the white stuff. Still we're all hoping that winter's back is broken and that we might just experience the highly rare (to the point of being fabled) thing they show in the Canadian Tire commercials. I think they call it spring. Here's hoping.
(please note: any typos in this entry were caused by the fact that it is difficult to type with your fingers crossed)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

For inspiration

As the weather continues to flip between mild and wild, we offer a little inspiration and some assurance that sailing season will come again.
The image shown, of two Nova Scotia schooners slipping past Kaulback Head on their way out of Lunenburg Harbour, was painted by The Dory Shop's master builder Jay Langford. Jay's also worked on the twin schooners and is an established marine artist.
To view more of Jay's work, and see our daily updates about the twin schooners and the small boats being built at The Dory Shop, please visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915108918

Friday, March 2, 2012

On to the second hull!


The hull of the stealth schooner (the one being built behind her twin sister and so hidden from view) is 99% complete and the gang has officially moved over to work on the one we generally refer to as "Ollie's boat."
Some snow overnight (too many Nova Scotians bragging about what a mild winter it's been have jinxed us!) but that didn't stop our gang from turning to this morning.