By Sonia Frojen, Team Longboat Instructor
Team Longboat has been working hard in the Northwest Maritime Boatshop on longboat maintenance, a yearly tradition of the class. By taking care of our longboats with students’ help, we empower students to learn about boat maintenance, grow their marine trades skills, and teach them to notice the details of caring for the boat when the haulout time is done. Paint and oil application that has been done by the students is given more care during the rest of the school year, with the normal wear and tear of using the boat.
Back in November, we were able to haul out Townshend as a team at the Boat Haven Marina. We washed the boat, unstepped the masts, and got the boat into the shop. Next, we scuffed and oiled oars, scraped and scuffed the inside of the hull, and washed sails and other gear to remove the grime that builds up during the year. We will continue maintenance after the new year, with hopes of launching Townshend by February, so we can continue exploring Port Townsend Bay and honing our skills as a team.
A special shout-out goes to Sam Trocano, Boatshop Maintenance Coordinator, for his mentorship and teaching of our students.
