GLBBS Students Deliver Historic Project

CEDARVILLE, MI – Students in the Comprehensive Boat Building Program at Great Lakes Boat Building School (GLBBS) have completed their portion of a commissioned project for the tall ship Friend’s Good Will which sails out of South Haven from the Michigan Maritime Museum.
Beginning in December 2015, students worked to build a replacement crossjack or cro’jack yard to replace the failing 36 foot, 400+ pound spar currently on the Museum’s tall ship. Made entirely from douglas fir, chosen for its rot-resistance and strength, this project offered Instructors Pat Mahon and Andy James the opportunity to teach students a variety of valuable boat building techniques.

“With the cro’jack, students learn how to do a proper spar taper and they literally build the tools they need to do so,” said James, who has previously been a Friends Good Will crew member.

IMG_0628“They hone their milling skills, get to work with epoxy and a plethora of hand tools like hand planes, draw knives, and spokeshaves,” added Mahon, the School’s Head Instructor. “Its invaluable to developing their confidence and hand-eye coordination.”

The massive spar will arrive by trailer in South Haven today. Ultimately, it will be painted black, by Museum staff and volunteers, to match the pine tar that would have been used on a ship from the early 1800s.

The Friends Good Will cro’jack yard is the latest in a string of historically significant projects that GLBBS students have been a part of recently, including a whaleboat for the Charles W. Morgan (of Mystic Seaport) and a pilot gig for the USS Constitution (US Navy).

About Friends Good Will

The original Friends Good Will was built in Michigan at River Rouge in 1810 as a merchant vessel. She served as a supply ship for the federal government, was taken and armed by the British, then recaptured by the United States, ran ashore in 1813, and was ultimately burned by the British near Buffalo in 1814.

On August 29, 2004 Friends Good Will departed the shipyard of Scarano Boutbuilding, Inc. in Albany, NY for South Haven, Michigan. A member of Tall Ships America, the ship supports their mission of education through tall ship culture in North America. It is available for educational sails, passenger sails, dockside boardings, charters, weddings, and conferences. For more information please visit the Michigan Maritime Museum online at www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org