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Folks,
This is an update on the current status of the 52' Malahide trawler that I bought on Ebay in December 2005. I spent ten months working on her and preparing her to go back into the water. She went back in the water in October 2006 and spent the winter resting in the beautiful Wickford, Rhode Island. She did not have any significant leaks and has recovered from being out of the water for several years.
Tsmyne Too is now safely moored in Chatham's Mill Pond. We had a successful cruise from Wickford, Rhode Island a couple weeks ago. We left Wickford at 11:30 pm since the weather forecast was for strong winds on the following afternoon. We decided to take advantage of the relatively calm weather and left soon after we got to the boat.
We had two chart plotters and radar to guide us. It was an interesting experience navigating a large boat with instruments since we couldn't see anything. It was a little tricky getting out of Narraganset Bay because there was a temporary channel thru the Jamestown Bridge channel, but we got by OK. Steaming across Buzzard's Bay was a little rough in the five foot waves, but Tsmyne Too handled it fine. It has been rough every time I have traversed Buzzard's Bay. I am glad we did it in the nighttime calm but it was still bumpy. I was glad we had 80,000 pounds under us. The Rolls Royce engine just purred along at 1400 rpm driving the vessel between 8 and 9 knots depending on the waves and current. It was a great ride in relative comfort considering the air temperature was in the low 40s and the water temperatures were not much warmer. Tsmyne Too is a nice comfortable old boat. It was great being inside out of the chilly weather.
We got to the Chatham area at 10:30 on Monday morning. It was now blowing about 25 to 30 knots from the Southwest and the tide was about an hour from dead low. The seas were breaking all over the entrance to Stage Harbor in Chatham. We aimed for the middle of the channel and went for it. Tsmyne Too rocked and rolled in the breaking waves but went right thru them until she bounced off the bottom. The channel was marked as eight feet deep and we only drew six, but we had to power her over the bar which had apparently shifted during the bad storms a few weeks ago. It was a unique experience bouncing 80,000 pounds of boat across a sand bar with 25 + knots of wind on the stern and breaking waves all over.
Once we got inside Stage Harbor the real fun began! Pease Brothers Boatworks sent a pilot to help me guide Tsmyne Too into the Mill Pond where her mooring is situated. To get there we had to go thru a narrow bridge and then go up a winding creek that flows thru some clam flats. The pilot asked what our width was and I said about 16.5' and he said how sure was I about Tsmyne Too's width? I thought it was about right but hadn't measured it. Well, when we were about 100 feet from the bridge the pilot said "I hope she is only 16.5' wide because the bridge opening is about 17.0' wide." We now know that Tsmyne Too is narrower than 17'!
Then the Pilot added the following instructions: " We need to make a sharp turn to starboard about 40 feet past the bridge since the channel veers off to starboard." I pointed out that Tsmyne Too is 52' long which makes it pretty much impossible to make that turn. The Pilot responded that he made it thru in his 60' boat with twin 671 Gimmies without any trouble- but his boat is only 15' wide and has twin screws.
Since we were now nearly at the bridge, it was all academic since we had already committed to going thru the bridge and up the creek. We were moving about three or four knots against a strong ebbing tide and the wind was on our stern at 25+ knots. So we were in for an interesting time. I aimed for the middle of the bridge opening. When we were about 3/4 the way thru the bridge opening, I put her in reverse hard and swung the stern around to port missing the bridge by inches and swung the bow around to starboard and motored up the creek. It looked like I actually knew what I was doing! At that time, I pointed out to the Pilot that this was only my second time driving Tsmyne Too and I was just beginning to learn how to manage her.
We then motored up the creek going thru a series of S turns. The clammers on the flats ran for their lives as they saw the monster coming up the creek. We then ran aground in the middle of the creek. It really wasn't a big concern because we were out of the wind and the bottom of the creek was pretty flat. The tide would return in a couple hours. So I asked the Pilot if he would prefer to wait for the tide or would he like a deepened channel to the mooring field. The Pilot choose to keep going and we plowed our way thru the mud with our large prop spewing clam and oyster shells from our stern. The old Rolls Royce can really deliver some torque and power when she needs to. After about 30 feet we broke free and gently motored into the mooring field. The channel is now a little deeper and wider!
Tsmyne Too is no worse for the wear and is very happy on her new mooring. Our crew did a wonderful job and we had a great time. We traveled about 110 miles in eleven hours. Tsmyne Too is safe and sound in her new home after 18 months of hard work on my part and a four year wait on her part. She is a happy boat swinging from her mooring.
Have Fun!
Dave Hemenway
Tsmyne Too
52' Malahide Trawler
Chatham, MA
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