Port Townsend - 2024
Latest episode..
Tally Ho Departs ... Leaving harbour and heading North.
In this video we finish the work on the capstan, provision the boat for a big trip, and depart Port Townsend heading North to the San Juan Islands - the first stop on our big summer trip.
In this episode we visit the Brion Toss Rigging workshop and go through the steps involved in building Tally Ho’s standing rig. We see leatherwork, splicing, serving (including “throwing” the serving mallet), and setting the splice using a hydraulic ram.
In this episode Nic builds the chart table, and the nav area takes shape!
In this episode we catch up more thoroughly with progress on restoring Tally Ho’s capstan, and we also check out a fancy new cabinet installed in the head.
In this episode we start turning on systems in the boat - starting with the diesel-heating system. We also turn on the fridge and freezer, and the galley lighting!
Nic fits handles and locks in the doors, Patty cuts another hole in the deck, and Leo fits a large monitor in the Nav station.
In this episode we get ready to run out the Bowsprit! That means catching up with a lot of work that Bob has been doing modifying and adding to the “bitts” or the “samson posts”. We also catch up with the rest of the team and their various jobs, and even take a glimpse into the world of the duchess.
In this episode we attempt to run out the bowsprit… several times! But things do not go quite as planned.
In this episode we take a look at lots of ongoing and completed projects inside the boat. Leather upholstery, mirrors, lamps, and a liquor cabinet with backlit stained glass! Finally we remove all the covers and tape to get a real look at the progress in the interior of the boat so far.
In this episode we raise the topmast - this is an interesting operation because we are raising the top of the spar much higher than any of our hoisting points. I explain how it’s done and then we get on with it! After that Bob and I climb the rig to take a closer look and install the wind instrument.
In this episode we start with some tiling around the Woodburner. After lighting the fire, we follow the making of mast wedges, carving in the deck beam, a very fancy engine-room cabinet, and finally the installation of the cockpit winches!
It’s time! We have an imminent launch date! There is a heavy buzz of excitement in the yard, but the clock is ticking fast and there are some really big jobs still on the list. We cast lead ingots to stow in the bilge, paint the hull with green antifoul, hoist the gaff on board, hoist the topmast, and a million other jobs.
A huge thank-you to everyone who has supported and watched this project!
A big well-done here also to all the very many people all over the world who have contributed to the project to save Tally Ho, whether by generous gift or volunteering or just watching the videos, and ... from me ... to Leo and the whole crew for what they've achieved.
Now to get the final bits done and then watch to see where things go from here.
Tally Ho has launched, but there’s still a huge amount of work to do. The first job is to move the boat to a longer-term berth, which means starting the engine and driving around the marina - a terrifying prospect! Later on we visit Ratsey & Lapthorne - the oldest sail-makers in the world. The beautiful mainsail that they built for Tally Ho is bent to the spars and hoisted for the first time!
After 7 long years of work, and several decades on dry land, Tally Ho finally leaves harbour again.
After talking about our propeller pitch issues we go out for a second sea trial, and Tally Ho runs aground at low tide. Later, after some other work, we discover that our prop issue is a deeper problem that we thought, and could require changing our gearbox or hauling Tally Ho out of the water again.
After 7 years of hard work, we hoist Tally Ho's new sails!
New and Old Machinery - Gearbox, Propeller and the finished capstan arrives.
In this episode we finally make a decision about how to fix our gearbox / propeller issue, and we haul Tally Ho out of the water for a few days to get it sorted!
Meanwhile, Tally Ho’s original capstan arrives back at the boat, having been rebuilt by Keith Rucker and motorised by Webster’s Boat Machinery.
In this episode we start installing the Capstan, after sending it off to be coating with zinc and painted. We also take Tally Ho our for another sail, and this time hoist all of our light-weather sails - the topsails!
A short, bonus episode!
This video is a bit different from normal, but I’m excited to give a very quick real-time update to explain what is happening right now, and to talk about what’s going to be next for Tally Ho.
In this video we finish installing Tally Ho’s original capstan, which was on the boat when it first launched in 1910.
Tally Ho Departs ... Leaving harbour and heading North.
In this video we finish the work on the capstan, provision the boat for a big trip, and depart Port Townsend heading North to the San Juan Islands - the first stop on our big summer trip.