an introduction

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 10:17 am

Howdy folks. My name is Charlie Jones. Rachel talked me into registering here, after she introduced me to the site when she visited us a few weeks ago.

We live outside Port Lavaca Texas, close to the shores of Matagorda Bay, in a small community called Magnolia Beach. I'm a woodworker and wooden boat builder by trade. You can see SOME of the stuff I've built at www.Harmonyboatworks.com. I've built boats from the 6'6" dink in the last picture here, up to a 35 foot Cross trimaran.

My wife Laura is an enthusiastic sailor, inshore and off, and makes her living as an artist. You can get an idea of her work from her site- www.griffithart.com

We have recently completed a total restoration of a 1961 dutch built Rhodes Meridian 25. Don't have a website set up for our rebuild as yet, but here's a few pics showing before and after. The rebuild took us 18 months. Should have taken less time but I was finishing a B and B Yacht design Princess 22 for a customer that was delivered last October so that kinda cut into our own boat work time.

AS she was found in a boatyard in Rochester New York, 3 days before they were going to chain saw her-

After our rebuild

Under sail in Matagorda Bay, July 3rd this year.

Laura did all the brightwork varnishing AND also did all the installation.

I hope I can add something to these forums, even if we DON"T sail a Triton:)

Post by **Tim** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 10:42 am

Charlie,

Welcome! Nice work on Tehani. I am acquainted (online, that is) with the previous owner of your boat in NY, and I'm sure he must be pleased to know that she went to such capable hands.

Glad to see another derelict saved from an unsavory fate.

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:55 am

Thanks Tim. You must mean Jon Flowerday. He and I have been internet friends for years now. Since way before he actually acquired Tehani.

Jon and I were chatting one night and I asked him how the restoration was going. He told me that since he'd had two more kids she was too small so he was gonna get rid of her. I asked him how much he wanted and when he found out we were interested for Laura and I, he said "come get the boat". Six days later we were underway to New York with an 18 foot flatbed in tow. Jon is a helluva nice guy and has been sent pics of the entire rebuild as we progressed.

By the way, our "shake down" trip was 5 weeks and 1600 miles, from here to Florida and return. We launched on a Tueday and got underway the Thursday of the same week.

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:38 pm

Whoa. What an incredible job. Welcome to the site, it's nice to have another, obviously very skilled, member contribute to the constant maintenance and restoration we all go through with our old boats.

It's also nice to see another Gulf Coast sailor on the board!

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:47 pm

Charlie,

Hey, welcome to the board - glad to see you here!

I've "known" Charlie and Laura for years as names on the Trailer Sailor bulletin board, and I finally got a chance to meet them in person a few weeks ago at their place in Texas.

Lucky me :-) They're great people (just like they seemed online). Not to mention skilled boatworkers who take *lots* of photos as they go along. I'm excited that Charlie decided to join us here.

Their boat is a gem, as you can see. I got to take a sail on it with them in their home waters, and even though I nearly passed out from the heat (well, it was Texas in August after all) I still enjoyed myself immensely -- it's a lovely sailer in addition to looking so smart.

As always, I say "more photos!" :-)

--- Rachel

jhenson · Post by **jhenson** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:04 pm

Charlie,

Those are some dramatic before and after photos of the boat. What woods were chosen for the cabin ceilings, sole, and elsewhere belowdecks? Thats a lovely boat!

Joe

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:57 pm

we used three woods in the boat. All the interior trim is ash, varnished only, The sole, and steps coming in from the cockpit at the galley area are oiled teak. All exterior woods are the original mahogany or if we couldn't save that, new mahogany worked over to match. The varnish we used throughout was ZSPar 2015. Incidentally, one of the toe rails we were able to salvage was a piece of mahogany 26 feet long !! The other side we were forced to scarf join a new piece.

The boat also has a wooden mast and I built a new boom for her- The mast is 28 feet and is box section- all pieces are full length Sitka Spruce- there are no scarfs. I built a box section boom using clear fir. Both of those are varnished also.

Laura sewed the bimini the morning before we left on our trip.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:32 pm

I think Charlie] should be promoted from "Bottom Sanding Grunt" straight up to "Boat-Obsessed Person Extraodinaire"

Beautiful work, Charlie and Laura!

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 7:37 pm

Welcome, kindred spirit. Very nice work.

oh, and I second Peter's idea!

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:48 pm

#218- Tehani was through New Orleans via Harvey Lock and Industrial lock
on our way to Florida in May and again coming home in June. We got nailed by a huge thunderstorm JUST as we cleared Harvey on our way back west and had to anchor up in Harvey canal for 3 hours. Fortunately we found an open space to hang in.

This would have been on the 6th of June and interestingly enough was almost exactly 22 years after my FIRST pass through Harvey west bound when I also got pounded by a huge thunderstorm just as we exited the locks.

Ya think somebody there doesn't like me?

windrose · Post by **windrose** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:01 pm

Hello Charlie, it's Angie (from the BYYB-- I also have a Triton). Welcome aboard. Tim has a nice place here (sort of like Frank's place, except geared towards old plastics). Glad to have you along.

Launched my Triton in June. Got my Weekender, Fat Chance, out of mothballs this past weekend to get her ready to head to the southeast mess-about at the end of September. Any chance you might make it, it is going to be a good time. My Pop is hosting, he will be launching his PC, Magnolia.

Folks, check out some of Charlies work. He is a master woodworker and boat builder extroadinair' (not to mention, a legend among the Backyard Yacht Builders):-).

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:13 pm

Ya think somebody there doesn't like me?

No way, we're pretty friendly down here!

The weather, on the hand, isn't always cooperative, particularly in the summer, when we have showers and thunderstorms almost daily. It's making my paint project interesting.

I would have loved to have seen Tehani as she breezed through. Next time you go through New Orleans, don't be afraid to drop me a line. I promise I won't make you work on my boat. Plus, I ALWAYS have cold beer aboard.

windrose · Post by **windrose** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:42 pm

Charlie, why not have Laura post the cruise over here too. By the way, I am enjoying the installments and am anxiously waiting for when Laura is not so busy so we can get the next installment. :-) Nice style, lots of fun to read.

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:04 pm

Hi Angie- You're gonna give me a big head talking like that!! But thanks. I told Laura what you asked- she says perhaps. She's REALLY working hard out there in the studio right now, but after Labor Day that will be over so she says she'll be back to the series. She's gotten 4 or 5 gourds done and is working on a painting too.

218-Laura says NEXT time we go to Florida we're gonna be WAY offshore. She has decided she IS NOT a waterway cruiser- blue water suits her much more *grin* But should we get over that way we'll surely let you know.