Day Six - Setting Sail
After last night's late test run, we know exactly what needs to be done before launch. Reenergized, we set to work rewaxing places on the pontoons that had leaks. And, of course, the deck had to be made ready for launch- a team climbs on top of the trailer to mount the benches, the tiller stand, and the mast socket, so that when we reach the water, we will be able to slide the boat right in.
Deck layout is of the utmost importance - after all, we intend to spend significant amounts of time onboard, and so we take a moment to stop and make a diagram, complete with moveable "benches" torn out of paper and drawn on so we can try different orientations.
Miles and Gabriel use waterproof tape to cover the additional wax added to the seams- just one more anti-leak protection.
A look at the deck layout of our ship- Ben and Lauren finish attaching the benches.
Your Daily Goat.
"All hands!" - After a quick lunch, we head back to the barn to load up.
And we're off.
It takes us all morning, but when the time comes, the long anticipated "T.S.S. Conundrum" (T.S.S. stands for "Tinkering School Ship") is lowered into the water for its maiden voyage by an excited group of tinkerers. Even after yesterday's successful hull test, we still can't quite believe that the ship is afloat and working.
Named for the conundrum we faced in naming the ship - we couldn't reach a compromise between proposed names, the T.S.S Conundrum was named seconds before launch, to ensure we avoided the bad luck of launching an unnamed boat.
Liora and Emma help with the lacings that connect the pontoons to the deck.
The rudder team, Liora, Serena, Lauren and Nova, with Gabriel's help, attach the tiller. Out on the water, the steering works like a charm.
Megan, Elizabeth and Yoel enjoy the feel of the sea and the view from on board. We are off on a grand adventure.
A little ways into the harbor, after settling in to the feel of the boat, we anchor to a buoy and raise the sail. Gever helps control the boom, surrounded on all sides by boat-riding tinkerers.
Portrait of a Tinkerer: Megan wraps a towel around her life vest for warmth.
Look! Our boat docks! We are convinced that our ship has proved to have buckets of yar (it was determined earlier this week that yar, the nordic for "sea-worthy and beautiful," comes in buckets).
Megan and Lauren. Tinkering School forges the best of friendships.
Despite not getting home until 9pm, the tinkerers adamantly advocated for the traditional campfire- it is, after all, the fourth of July. Fires at Tinkering School are like nowhere else- the group here gathers round to throw sawdust carefully into the fire, forming brilliant fireballs.
All in all, it's been a long, successful, satisfying day. We finally quenched our fire at 1:30am, and went in for bed. Today, we successfully finished and sailed our 17 person boat - and those moments on the water sailing out own craft were like magic. As we get ready to set sail and head home from camp, we hold on to the magical moments - be they building, sailing, or making fireballs with sawdust and cooking spray in our fire. We, the masters, are unstoppable.
An inscription on a bench on the T.S.S Conundrum. For us, Tinkering School is reaching for our dreams. Can we build a giant boat? One that can carry us, and stay afloat? Yes. Hold fast to your dreams, and you can achieve anything.
