Shutter Plank celebration - join us!

We've finally set the date for the long-awaited Shutter Plank celebration for our twin schooners, and all things considered we think it's going to be a great way to brighten up the otherwise dull, grey post-holiday month of January.

So please join us here at The Dory Shop at 175 Bluenose Drive, Lunenburg on Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. as we mark this construction milestone and enjoy a bit of true Maritime fun.

As an added bonus, there should be a half-built Banks dory, made by participants in the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association's Employment Preparation Program, on display in Plant 1 (half built as they will be mid-way through a two-week course with Jay).

Hope to see you on the 21st!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from everyone here at Lunenburg Schooners!

We've all had a great holiday, even had a bit of snow on Christmas Eve that lasted (rather perfectly) though Christmas and Boxing Day, then melted away so as not to cause us any inconvenience. The full gang is not yet back, but will be soon, at which point we have a little shuttle plank business to attend to.

Meanwhile, we must share the following link. It's to a blog that's kept by Tony's wife, the talented milliner (that's hat maker to yous!) Anna Shoub. Seems Tony made their son a very special Christmas gift this year. Have a look and we're sure you'll agree this is one lucky boy to have two parents so talented and thoughtful. http://www.hatjunkie.blogspot.com/2011/12/castle-for-prince.html

Holiday wishes from Lunenburg Schooners

The boatyard is still today and covered in white after our first big snowfall, the gang all gone home to celebrate Christmas with their families and friends. As the big wet flakes fell, muffling all noise save the call of the fog horn and the softest lap of waves upon the piles, there seemed complete peace in our corner of the world.
As we pause to mark the holidays, we hope all those who are our friends, clients and followers may also enjoy a quiet moment, as well as great joy and hope for the year ahead.
Sincerely,
The Boatbuilders and staff of Dawson Moreland & Associates and The Dory Shop
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Hoho trumps shutter planks

So our plans for a pre-Christmas shutter plank ceremony got derailed. We couldn't meet our initial plan of doing it last weekend and now we've got some of our gang heading off to be with their families for the holidays.

As much as we want to share this milestone event with the public, it is at its heart a builders' celebration and so we'll postpone 'til early in the New Year when the gang is all back, bloated with turkey and cookies and such, and then we'll add those last planks, one for each of our twin schooners. Unless Santa's elves get other ideas...they wouldn't!

More media spotlight!

Over the past week, Dawson Moreland's Twin Schooner Project here at The Dory Shop in Lunenburg has been blessed with a great deal of media coverage.

First, there was an interview with Phlis McGregor of CBC Radio's Information Morning last Friday. Then there was the premiere of the documentary Nova Scotia Schooners on CBC Television's Land & Sea on Sunday. And finally, having done radio and tv, that left only print and voila! there we are in the December issue of Canadian Geographic as part of an article on a resurgence in traditional trades.

All this coverage has been great! Tho' it's getting to the point where dear ol' Dave Westergard is going to need to get himself a manager! (I can assure you, having suggested this, that he is NOT interested).

We're particularly delighted with all of the messages from folks who have either been following the project or are just now learning about it. Many thanks to all! (And remember, you can click on the images below to get a better view of the article).

We're getting there!

If you missed Sunday's premiere of the documentary Nova Scotia Schooners on CBC-Television's Land & Sea, you can now watch it online at http://www.cbc.ca/landandsea/2011/12/schooners.html

Meanwhile we've been falling behind on posting pictures from The Dory Shop boatyard where the hulls of our twin schooners will very soon be completely planked up. See how small that remaining gap is? Why it's less than the size of Bub's head!

But quality work cannot be rushed and so the date of our shutter plank celebration still eludes us. Stay tuned ~ when we know, you will!

Get a load of the width of this boat lumber!

View from the interior

Schooner documentary airs tomorrow

One last reminder about the premiere of the new documentary Nova Scotia Schooners on CBC-TV's Land and Sea tomorrow at noon (check local listings). There's an interview with Capt. Tom in today's Chronicle Herald in which he talks about the show. It also features a great photo shot out in The Dory Shop boatyard. Check it out at http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/38959-director’s-cut-schooners