One of my next endeavors was to visit the astute and friendly folks at the
Toms River Seaport Society. I was hoping that they could point me in
the direction of a sail maker who would be amenable to remodeling an existing sail.
Sure enough a gentleman named Joe
Lappin, an 85 year old seasoned sailor, offered me the name of Beaton
Sailmakers in Mantaloking, NJ. Of course, I understand that sails are a
priority; but they are, however, one of the tasks on the time line,
that can be ALAP ( done As Late As Possible.) I took advantage of the
extra time to investigate just what I actually did have in the way of
viable sails. I did not want to be embarrassed or disappointed by showing up at the sail shop
with unrealistic expectations.
The
sail suit, that I was planning on re-purposing, was 40 years old. They
are made of sturdy Dacron material and appeared to still be serviceable. As
you can see in the photos, I staged them up on the Kingfisher mast for size
and proportion. There was almost enough material in the original jib sail to
make the main sail for Harriet. In the interim of time, my
friend Chris had sent me the dimensions of the sail that he had
recently designed and had constructed for his Kingfisher. I felt
confident that I could present Beatons with a doable request. I called
ahead to Beatons and made an appointment, with Mark Beaton. I rolled up
the old sails and off I went to the shores of Mantaloking.(about 16
miles)
The place was a little difficult to find, as it is well off of the main
road and a part of other nautical venues. I asked a yardman for
directions to the sailshop and he pointed to a huge weathered building.
He said, "up at the top of the stairs." After ascending almost three stories of a narrow
creaking stairway, I found myself in a genuine sail loft. The ambience inspired a feeling
akin to having stepped back in time. Reality quickly returned,
when I spotted a young man with a notebook computer, talking on a cellphone. I waited
until he had the opportunity to introduce himself as Mark. We rolled out my
sails on a polished wooden floor that was about the size of a tennis
court. Mark reviewed the dimensions that Chris had supplied, then began
measuring and making his calculations. He said, " I will do what I
can." He suggested that it could cost $250.oo +/-. I agreed to let him
do the work.
About three weeks later I received an e-mail invoice from Mark, for
$145.oo. I called him at first chance and asked if that meant that the
sails were finished. He responded, "Pick them up anytime." The next day
I went back to Mantaloking. I was very happy at having accomplished the sail aspect of this project. I
discussed the price difference with Mark and he said that the job didn't
take as long as he had anticipated. I was pleased,
not only with the craftsmanship of the work, but also by having found a man of
integrity. A nice feeling these days. Once at home, I laid the sails out on the living
room floor, to inspect the work.
Well'p, as you can see in this subsequent collage photo, Harriet now
had her gown for the big spring dance. I am very satisfied with the result and
price from Beaton. The next step would be finishing the trailer details.
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Walt'z Kingfisher Project Page 4