Ruth was designed by Thomas Colvin and is based on the Grand Banks fishing schooners of 100+ years ago. Surprisingly, it's actually less than 10 years old and was built in part for day charters/sailing instruction and in part for trade, as it also has a big hold for inter-island cargoes.

 

Obviously a 100ft long boat cannot have sail controls led aft, as is the norm on smaller boats these days. So, to avoid a lot of running around, the crew naturally divided into 3 groups. I was mainsheet trimmer, (with some helpers) so I never saw what was happening at the foremast and I still have no idea how they handled the foresails or moored the boat. It all gave a fresh insight as to how they sailed tea clippers and men of war in Napoleonic times.

 

The gaff mainsail is 145sqm, or around 1600sqft! with a 12m, 40ft long boom. Huge heavy wooden blocks did eventually lead to a winch but both hoisting the gaff and handling the main sheet was hard work for four of us.

 

I found climbing out to the end of the boom, which extended out behind the stern and was maybe 15ft above the sea, somewhat daunting. I had to do that after mooring up to fit one end of the sail cover which naturally was huge, bigger than many small boat mainsails.

 

Of course, as an engineless boat we had to pick up the mooring under sail. Somewhat challenging, especially as the freeboard was so high. But we made it, despite a riding turn on a cleat which required the whole crew - even the non sailors - to help untangle.

 

The reason for the sail was to "race" the "Tres Hombres", another engineless boat, this time a cargo running brigantine that was leaving for Holland a couple of days later with a full cargo of rum. More on that in a later video.

 

I took the heading photo from a bus a few days later, when it was stuck in traffic, again I was at exactly the right place and time!