Dear shipmates,

It’s hard to believe we are already past the halfway point in April! I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the status of the vessel:

• Bids to have work done to rehabilitate the stem, foredeck, and planking above the waterline along the foredeck, as well as applying a temporary cover over the main deck were posted. We had a mandatory bidder’s conference on Tuesday, April 8. In order to put in a bid for the work attendance was mandatory. We had representatives from Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, DN Kelley Shipyard, and the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center. Bids are due in my office by Noon, May 1. I anticipate making a recommendation the following week. The ship should be available to leave about mid May.
• I was informed two weeks ago that the Save America’s Treasure grant funding would not be released until the Massachusetts Historical Commission approved the project. The project notification form arrived their Friday, April 4 along with a six page narrative, two ship’s blueprints, two US Geological Survey Maps, and 36 annotated photographs showing where the proposed work will be done.
• The Master Shipwright contract position was posted on Friday, April 11th with responses due April 23. This contract position will serve as my liaison with whatever shipyard is awarded the contract.
• The ship’s emergency beacon has been re-registered, which is good for two years. The beacon has been tested and works.
• Prior to the ship leaving for the yard, I will have a complete inspection and overhaul of the engine including a sea trial. It has not been fully serviced since 1998. We will also be purchasing one life raft to meet US Coast Guard requirements plus a few other items such as signal flares and charts.
• Thanks to Annie McDowell we are beginning to receive responses from our Response for Goods and Services contracts that will enable us to purchase goods and services much more efficiently.
• Ship’s carpenter, Manny Silva, was employed offloading tools and supplies from the ship and delivering them to a storage room at the DCR Ft. Phoenix facility in Fairhaven. He also inspected all survival suits, making sure the bladders work as well as waxing the zippers. He has repaired the runner and roof to the engine room hatch, which was rotten, and will begin removing the winter cover next week
• Todd Croteau from HABS/HAER will indeed be hiring former Ernestina Captain Dan Moreland to assist with the historic documentation of the ship. They plan on beginning work once the vessel is hauled out. The bulk of the work will be completed by the September deadline but we will not have a final product for some 15 months from then because of the extensive editing and review process. We should see a draft to review late summer. They will also provide us with pdf files of the book so we can reproduce it at will. If there are funds left over, HABS/HAER will purchase archival supplies for our collection.
• Thanks to NPS Superintendent and Ernestina Commissioner Celeste Bernardo, we were fortunate to have David Vitriolli, NPS Museum Services, visit Ernestina’s office, the Corson Building, and storage facility at Myles Standish State Park in Carver. David had a copy of an inventory of our records that was done prior to the move from the Water Street office. He is revising the inventory and has made recommendations as to what to save and what to dispose. We were also fortunate to meet with Sean Fisher, DCR Archivist, at Myles Standish. Sean inventoried our records there and made recommendations of what to save at our office or store at the DCR facility in Danvers. He also was making arrangements to have a commercial shredder at Myles Standish so that unnecessary documents such as time sheets can be disposed. Annie coordinated the effort and did a splendid job as usual.
• We have received copies of the auditor’s final report, which was clean. The lateness in receiving the report was due to finalizing the business plan that was approved and submitted on March 1.
• Plans to have a fundraising concert event at UMASS Boston in June have been postponed to a future date. There was a great deal of discussion at the most recent Commission meeting and the desire is to get more faculty involved in the event planning and general audience education and awareness. Kudos to long-time volunteer Mary Anne McQuillan for spearheading this effort.
• The Ernestina Commission meetings are scheduled for Fridays, May 16, July 18, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 7, and December 12, 1-3 p.m. at the NPS Visitors Center, New Bedford. A June meeting date has not be set.
• I am also pleased to announce that Captain Tommy Grace will be joining us next week for the summer as our interpreter.

As you can imagine, we are all excited about the ship going into the yard but there is still a lot more to do and we need your help. Please join us as we chart a new course —Ernestina will sail once again with your help. Tax- deductible contributions can be made to: Schooner Ernestina Commission, Box 2010, New Bedford, MA 02741-2010. For more information or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at paul.brawley@state.ma.us or by calling 508-992-4900. Let’s work together to keep Ernestina sailing!

Fair Winds and Following Seas,

Paul J. Brawley

Executive Director