Chesapeake Bay Skipjack

Ida may's Blog (102)

Link to Maryland Public Television's Documentary: The Skipjacks

Here's the link to MPT's Special: The Skipjacks, A Look At the Chesapeake Skipjack's Legacy

http://video.mpt.tv/video/1503838859/

Captains Art Daniels and Harold "Stony" Whitelock are featured among others. The Ida May even makes a brief cameo, sitting dry dock at Scott's Cove.

Added by ida may on April 14, 2011 at 8:20pm — No Comments

4/2/11: Mast Step and Knees

Tom Evans, Alain Pratte, Gordon, David, and Elbert Gladden work on the mast step and the mast knees.

Added by ida may on April 2, 2011 at 8:30pm — No Comments

Frank Antes, Tom Evans, Cody Donalds, and Elbert, Gordon, and David Gladden work on the inner stem of the skipjack Ida May. The stem fits great, or as Tom said, "She fits like a glove." Gordon gives Elbert a socket wrench that doesn't work very well and Elbert tells Frank to throw it in the river. This was a big job and we are happy to be over this hump.

Added by ida may on March 12, 2011 at 9:00pm — No Comments

3/5/11: Pulling Nails

Gordon, David, and Elbert Gladden and Cody Daniels pull large, rusty boat nails out of oak wood of the Ida May's deck. Pulling old nails out of oak wood is not an easy task. The oak grabs the nails and holds them fast. After we finish tearing off the deck, we will replace it with deck boards and then marine plywood.

Added by ida may on March 5, 2011 at 10:00pm — No Comments

1/17/11: Delivering the Cabin

Frank Antes, Tom Evans, Eldon Willing, and Gordon and David Gladden deliver the skipjack Ida May's cabin to Scott's Cove in Chance MD from Frank's wood shop in Tyaskin, MD. We built the cabin in the wood shop during the cold winter and now deliver it home to Chance. After we install the deck on the Ida May this spring, we will put the cabin on the boat. But that's a long way off!!!

Added by ida may on January 17, 2011 at 9:00pm — No Comments

12/17/10: Working on the Cabin at Frank's Woodshop

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden, along with Frank Antes and Tom Evans, work on the Ida May's cabin inside Franks' warm wood shop. Winter has chased us indoors and we appreciate Frank for letting us use his shop. Notice how long the steel rods are that we have to drive into the sides of the cabin. Nothing is easy. Lucky we have a Dewalt Rotary Hammer to drive the rods down. Once the rotary hammer drives the rods down deep into the wood, we use the sledgehammer and the 4 pound maul to… Continue

Added by ida may on December 17, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

William Kavanek (Fine Art Painter of the Ida May): In His Own Words

William Kavanek (1924-2008) was the preeminent fine art painter/interpreter of the Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Ida May. He was a carpenter for most of his life, working with Edward Tschauder and also with Walter Skor. Always having an art interest, and with no formal training, he began a successful career as a full-time artist in 1978, specializing in marine art. He became fascinated with the Chesapeake Bay oystering industry in general, and with this one skipjack boat in…

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Added by ida may on December 12, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

12/4/10: At Scott's Cove/Delusional

Elbert, Gordon, and David Gladden and Tom Evans work on the starboard side rail of the Ida May. Elbert's back was hurting him today; all that bending over and sawing with the circular saw. He's a real magician with the saw, though. Notice on the video how Elbert had to cut a difficult curve in wood. No straight pieces here! During fruit break, Gordon and Elbert discuss the 57 Chevy's they both owned and how things are different now than they once were.… Continue

Added by ida may on December 4, 2010 at 11:00pm — No Comments

12/1/10: At Beauchamp's Lumber

Gordon and David Gladden and Frank Antes go to Beauchamp's Lumber near Pocomoke, MD to have a taper and an angle cut on a long, thick piece of oak wood. This piece of oak will become the Ida May's stem piece. Mr. Scot Beauchamp owns a hydraulic saw, known as the "Wood Mizer," and he really knows how to handle it. We saved ourselves a lot of work by coming to Beauchamp's to get our stem cut. He operates out of an old chicken house.

Added by ida may on December 1, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

11/21/10: More Deckboard Replacement

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden and Cody Donalds replace deck boards on the Chesapeake Bay Skipjack, Ida May. Gordon and Elbert tell a story about how as young men on a mudlark, Gordon fell waist deep into quicksand-like mud and had to be rescued by quick thinking Elbert. For lunch today, Gordon treated everyone to a oyster fritter at the Deal Island Volunteer Fire Co. and boy was it tasty. Wesley Price comes down to Scott's Cove Marina to watch the Gladdens work.…

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Added by ida may on November 21, 2010 at 9:30pm — No Comments

11/13/10: Replacing Deck Boards

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden and Tom Evans replace deck boards on the Ida May. Wesley Price comes down to supervise the action. Unfortunately, we left a tube of the 5200 caulk in a cold place and the caulking solidified in the tube, making it impossible to squeeze out. We know now to leave the caulking in a warm location.

Added by ida may on November 13, 2010 at 8:00pm — No Comments

11/6/10: Cabin Demolition

Elbert, Gordon, and David Gladden tear the rotten cabin off the Skipjack Ida May. The Gladdens are turning into quite the demolition crew. Tara took off today so David did was forced to do double duty as videographer and laborer. David had difficulty doing both jobs, and the footage shows, but he still captured enough to make an interesting 10 minute movie. Tom and Frank were out of the area and not able to work this Saturday. The Ida May is looking less and less like a…

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Added by ida may on November 6, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

10/30/10: Stem and Davits

Elbert, David, and Gordon Gladden and Frank Antes tear out the stem piece of the Ida May. The old piece (which might be an original from 1906) will be saved and used as a template for the new stem, which will be cut from a solid piece of oak. The stem is (at the bow of a vessel) an upright into which the sidetimbers or plates are jointed. Gordon and David also remove the davits from the stern of the boat. The davits are two large, goose-necked pieces of steel that are used to suspend and…

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Added by ida may on October 30, 2010 at 10:00pm — No Comments

10/23/10: Stem and Bowsprit

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden, along with Frank Antes and Tom Evans, work on the Ida May on a cool but comfortable fall Saturday. Everybody works on a different part of the boat. Frank and Gordon tackle the starboard sides and Tom paints the starboard rails that will go back on the boat once the sides are complete. Elbert and David, to their dismay, find that the stem piece in… Continue

Added by ida may on October 23, 2010 at 8:30pm — No Comments

10/16/10: Mast Step and Side Railings

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden and Tom Evans work on a windy fall day

on the Skipjack Ida May in Chance MD. Tom sands and paints the old

railings. They are still in good shape and will be put back once we

patch up the starboard side. Gordon and Elbert find that the top layer

of the mast step is rotten, but not too difficult to take out and it

won't be hard to replace either. We sure did miss Frank Antes, who had

prior commitments elsewhere. Notice the camera… Continue

Added by ida may on October 16, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

10/2/10: Replacing Starboard Railing and Peeling Up Line-X

Tom Evans, Frank Antes, and Elbert, David, and Gordon Gladden work on a beautiful fall day at Scott's Cove on the Skipjack Ida May. We finally replaced some of the rotten railing on the starboard side of the boat, but we have much more to do. Tom and David blistered their hands prying up the thick, plastic-like coat of Line-X on the deck. The Line-X was a failed experiment to preserve the deck and won't be reapplied.

Added by ida may on October 2, 2010 at 8:00pm — No Comments

9/25/10: Rotten Wood & Rusty Nails

Gordon, Elbert, and David Gladden, Frank Antes, and Tom Evans continue to tear out rotten wood and rusty nails from the starboard side deck and railing of the Skipjack Ida May. Most of the railing will be salvaged,
but the wood under the railing is rotten as it can be. The nails are especially hard to pull out of the oak ribs. Our backs and shoulders are sore to say the least.

Added by ida may on September 25, 2010 at 11:30pm — No Comments

9/18/10: New Helpers

Brice Stump's marvelous article in the Salisbury Daily Times alerted the Delmarva community that the two 70 year old owners of the Skipjack Ida May could really use some help to complete the restoration of the boat. And the community responded. After reading the article, Frank Antes of Tyaskin MD and called Elbert Gladden up and offered his expert boat carpentry services. He is literally an answer to a prayer. We cannot thank Frank enough. He is featured prominently in this week's video… Continue

Added by ida may on September 18, 2010 at 8:30pm — No Comments

Ida May Will Not Be In This Year's Deal Island Labor Day Skipjack Race

Sorry to report that the Ida May will not be in the 51st Annual Deal Island Labor Day Skipjack Race. Although we have made certain milestones, such as finishing the bottom, we are still many months away from completion of the boat. We have much work to do on topside now, but we vow to be in next year's race. For information about the 51st Annual Deal Island Labor Day Skipjack Race, click on link below.…

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Added by ida may on September 2, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments