[Transcription from a journal entry from 1949 by my paternal Grandmother involving a sailboat restoration. No syntax, grammar or punctuation changes are reflected. The characters: Patricia — Roger/Buck’s Mother; Owen — Roger/Buck’s Father; Roger/Buck and others. Pictured (but not mentioned), Roger’s Sister, also named Patricia.]
The Saga of the good ship “Sailbad, the Sinner.”
By Owen, Roger (Buck) and Patricia.
Know ye all men by these presents that for long and many years the Viking blood in the Nelsons called for a sailing ship, and this story tells how their wish was finally fulfilled.
July 17, 1949
On summer day, Owen and Ivan Fiscus, our good friend and neighbor went to Gregory’s Marina for some supplies for his yacht, the Rounder. While there, Owen saw a sad little boat on land, but thought he could detect good lines under the tarp which covered it. He came home and spoke of it to Roger (or Buck as he is more commonly known). Buck got Phil Lockhart, his bosom pal and buddy (our other boy) and they dashed down to inspect the ship. He, too, was most enthusiastic and found it could be had for $200, the storage bill which had run up against the boat. Buck was working at Vernor’s and felt he could buy it, but Owen wanted in on it saying he just had to have a boat interest. So between the two, they raised the $200, and the sad little ship had new owners, (paid July 31) and never before have there ever been such enthusiastic owners. Such plans were made! All the neighbors were enthusiastic too, and Ivan and Harold gave generously from their stores of accumulated treasures. Such good friends they proved to be!
Our boy, Phil, came to the aid of the sad little ship too. Since Buck was working daily, he came forth with an offer to work on the boat daytimes and get it ready for the water. Buck didn’t get home until after seven which did not leave him much time for working. The week of July 25 to 31 Owen was away on vacation, so Pat drove Phil down everyday. The sun was broiling; the boat out in the open — poor Phil! First glimpse of the boat for the narrator of this tale filled her with a mixture of dismay, regret at the purchase and amusement for a more forlorn sight you never saw. A dirty, paint peeled, weathered 30 foot double ender stood alone in the yard of the marina. Whatever color she had been originally had been obliterated by the wind, sun, and storm. A dingy white canvas covered her cabin on the outside. Inside was a mass (or mess) of cluttered up odds and ends, ropes, pulleys, anchors, lamps, mattresses, etc.
Hope was high in our three men however. Nights, Bill Snow came down to help. He was enthusiastic too. Phil’s first job was to caulk the bottom with heavy black caulking and cotton. Then a gray caulking and cotton was applied above. The boys painted the bottom with copper bottom paint and put one coat of flat white on the upper part. “Take her home” say Co-Captains Buck and Owen, “we will be able to do more at home.” Buck tried the engine on land, and lo! After three years, it started right up.
August 1 was on a Monday; Buck got off work at 3PM and got there just in time to help with launching. After being taken off the ways (during which operation Roger is sure the men strained the keel) the boat went over to dockage under its own power! Hurrah for our little ship, sad no longer, but happy to be back in its habitat.
Of course the boat leaked; it had been on land over three years, and the keel was strained in launching! Buck pumped it out at 7PM, at 9:30 PM and at 12 AM Owen, Pat, Buck, Phil and Jim Gregan (a faithful chauffeur) were there examining it. We all were a little worried and Owen went down at 6:30 AM Tuesday, August 2, to pump her out. Reported not too much in her. Tuesday night, Harold Hermansen and son, Peter, took our men down to Marina, and for safety’s sake towed our little ship home. Roger said this would make her ashamed but since we didn’t know the condition of the gas tank, we thought this the wisest course. They picked up the sticks at Bayview Yacht Club and came home safely. Now our little ship is tied up here at our own dock, and even now begins to assume a more nautical air. Buck’s job at Vernors has expired so Wednesday, August 3, Thursday Aug 4 and Friday, he and Phil put in many backbreaking hours washing, sanding and painting floorboards and deck. They painted the cockpit gray; also the floorboards. Each night Owen comes home with more supplies. For their cost, a log has been kept separately further back in the book. The next week inclement weather (too hot) kept work at a minimum but Pat sanded, scraped and painted two coats of paint on the first cabin and now it looks fine. Red stanchions are aluminum painted and all else is white, a fine, gleaming white. Incidentally Roger is working at Briggs, not much time for the boat.
Owen is home a few days the week of August 15, and with a powerful sander loaned by Harold Hermansen, sanded the decks. Pat caulked the holes in the canvas and cleaned up the mess left by the sander. We were almost too tired to move! Next day, Buck put a coat of tan boat paint on the deck and Owen began to assemble the mast and boom which Buck had painted black with a white top and red trim. Pat was errand girl — ran to boat supply stores and finally the mast was ready. Owen spent the evening soldering eyes in the cables and on the morning of August 18 under its own power our ship motored to Gallagher’s boat wells where Ralph Smith, (another friend of Buck’s who has helped a great deal), Earl (Owen’s brother), Owen, Gallagher and Buck stepped the mast and the boat proceeded homeward looking very spruce.
Now Roger and Ralph spent the next four days painting and scraping and varnishing the tiller and the cabin rails and the inside rail of the cockpit and after much labor, and application of sander, hand sanding, varnish remover, acid … go to the bottom of the layers of paint. Another helper now comes into the picture. Don Fires, a boy Buck works with at Briggs whom he knew at Southeastern. Phil is away on vacation this week. The boys used a mahogany stain on the boat and varnished two coats of varnish. We lay the sail on the grass and found it did not fit. Evidently, it had been sailed with a double reef. Owen, Bill Snow, Phil and Buck cut a new pattern and Pat sewed the one side up. Saturday, August 21, we go the mainsail up and on the hoops. Then Saturday, Buck put on the jib and Sunday Harold Hermansen made a new rest for the boom. Ralph, Owen and Buck worked all day Sunday on the boat and at sundown it was pronounced ready for a shakedown test the next morning. Our boy Phil had returned from his vacation and Owen announced so important a day called for a vacation. (Forgot to say that in addition to the many other things Owen had a new gas tank made and he and Buck installed it. He comes home every night with something).
Monday morning was clear and calm, but we must fare forth. Owen painted the numbers on the boat and we were ready. Captain Buck, Captain Owen, 1st Mate Phil, 2nd Mate Pat, 3rd Mate Ralph started out but picked up Frank Sullivan along the way. Got to Charley’s dock for gas — it took three gallons! When we got to the mouth of the Lakewood Canal, Own announced that the motor was not running right and we would have to turn back! This, after Roger, Ralph and Ronnie Rose had worked on it so much and thought it in good running order. Frank urged him on, and Owen, in spite of his better judgment, did so. We struggled up the river, just a little better than holding our own against the current. Finally we cleared the Marine Hospital and Grosse Pointe dock and headed for the bay where we raised the sails. No wind! In the dull interval however we were able to see overside and found the propeller full of weeds, so Buck went overside and cleared it. We started the motor and found it much improved and all of our spirits improved accordingly. However the consensus was that the reverse gear needed adjusting.
Then we crossed the channel and found a wind!!! Our boat started up like a racehorse answering the bell and SAILED!!! And painted!!! How happy and thrilled we were. We sailed for about an hour, then the wind died down and we came home very triumphant. Beautiful day this was too for the tryout.
August 24 Roger got the ice box up from the basement. Earl gave him a new door for the cabin so he and Don Fires sanded and scraped these all day and got them varnished.
August 25 — Earl down to fit door and Gallagher down to adjust the motor; now it’s in fine running condition. Owen worked on the boat till noon. Fires painted the deck, Roger varnished again. Buck and Fires and Giegan stayed home today and later in the afternoon went for a swim — reported the motor works fine. Home before dark.
August 27 Buck and Fires to Silversteins for lamps and kerosene and other sundries. Phil came down with a portable radio and his bathing suit, all the equipment he considered necessary for a weekend trip. Don Fires arrived (with a) jacket, towel etc. Jim Fenley came down with food and after loading on the fire extinguisher, life jackets, clothing, bedding, stove, the five boys — Finley, Fires, Lockhart, Nelson and Smith announced they were ready to shove off for the weekend. A very lively wind was blowing and alas for our patch job — the sail pulled out about two minutes after it was up! They sailed to Belle River in 2 & ½ hours on the jib however and there met the customs man who asked the name of the boat … who shall name it? After hours of pro & con — Buck and Pat had held out for “SAILBAD, THE SINNER” so that is the name he gave. They had a good time in Belle River, Ontario, and started home Sunday — a gray day without much wind but had to motor a good way home.
So thus the sad little ship is rejuvenated and once more sails the waves and is loved and petted and praised by her owners, and is emerging from her dingy state into quite a craft — even has a new name. Subsequent events in her life will be narrated by your rambling narrator, 2nd Mate “S” Sailbad the Sinner.
Weds August 31, Hot day so Buck, Phil and Bill Buerge went for a sail and a swim. A sudden squall came up — wind and rain blew fiercely. Buck dropped the sail and anchor but wind kept blowing the boat so they had to ride out the storm in the trough of the waves. Cabin did not leak however so they sat in there until the rain was over.
Sept 10 Sat. Pat, Buck and Phil out for a sail. Wonderful breeze. Boat performed beautifully. Wonderful sailor.
Sept 11, 12 — Buck and Ralph out fishing. No fish, no motor trouble either.
Sept 16 — Owen’s birthday. Rog and Owen for a sail. Very wonderful. Wind blew so hard, jib was underwater. Rog hurt his back and could hardly walk.
Sept 25 — Pat, Owen, Phil, Don Fires out about 4 for a fine sail. Good wind. Last sail for Owen who died October 9, 1949 en-route to hospital.
Oct 9 — Rog, Phil, John Grant, Earl out for a short ride. Ran aground in the canal.
Oct 22 — Phil and Pat worked all day getting “Sailbad” ready for winter.
Oct 23 — Phil and Earl took Sailbad minus mast etc over to Jones’ for the winter. Hope next season brings the best for our sturdy little boat. Storage bill was $60 on Sailbad. Went down to ship Christmas Holidays and made everything ship shape. No damage due to weather so far — months pass.
April 30, Phil and I started work — purpose was to get in water as quickly as possible — for me (hard end position on the ways). We just scraped the bottom and sides — painted them and put on a boot top and in the water she went. Had trouble starting the engine due to condensation. After ½ hr. Sparky, Phil and I were on our way to home dock. Put two new set screws in prop shaft and eliminated slippage — day by day work was done and cruises were taken — accompanied by food and enough beer to wash it and this city of Detroit down the river. Sparky, Phil and myself went to Belle River overnight. About 1st week in July I met a swell girl — she and her friend have been going out on the boat with Phil, Sparky and I. She seems to like me and the boat and I seem to like her — so fortunately I have the boat, my girl Phil & Sparky — swimming, eating, drinking, staying up late and running all over hell!! But as it does every fall — cold weather came. Took my ship to Foresters as Jones said he couldn’t handle it. Cost $20 more to haul up this year making it $80 — so far, all is ship shape and cover is about shot!! But does not expose anything vital. Am looking forward to spring to go in water.
