A Bit of History

Too many technical posts recently, here is a bit of personal history.  My paternal grandfather was a big yachtsman, and I have photos here that show how the Morrisons have been at sea for nearly 70 years!



1944 - On leave from the War  - Grampa Bob is on the far right in the t-shirt - Off the coast of Halifax NS




Serving aboard a Corvette in WWII...now THAT'S a windlass!!

 

HMCS Rosthern (K169)

At the shipyard~ Port Arthur Ontario 1940

1964 - Lake Ontario 6m racing



Ice racing in the winter

My San Juan 24 "Jelly Bean" off Salt Spring Island BC Canada 1997-2004

**See bottom of this post for more on Jelly Bean - over a 3-4 year period I gutted her, compeltely re-built the interior, painted her topsides by hand, built a sewing machine to cope with Dacron and sewed by hand all of the sails you see here.  I wired her from scratch, replaced the mast...etc etc.




My Nonsuch30U#400 2012-Present - New Zealand

"Jelly Bean" ~ a San Juan 24

I bought this boat very cheaply way back in 1997, and over the next few years I rebuilt her from stem to stern.

A much younger me, during her very first haul-out (not my dogs)

Topsides painted with roll-tip method, new mast and rigging, and outboard (for you guys from Canada, this is the Goldstream Marina on Vancouver Island)

Interior completely gutted.

Used the "tick-stick" method to create a structural bulkhead

Complete construction from bare hull, including ribs, floor, lockers etc

Stringers for the battens and insulation added, chainplates all cut from stainless sheet by hand

All cabinetry and joinery done by me, upholestery by my first wife.



I actually learned how to soak rattan overnight and stretch it onto a cabinet door frame. 

Created a panel with 12v DC and 110v AC for tools and charging

I modified an old sewing machine with a reduction gear for sailmaking

...and I sewed all my own sails

Then I built a tender to keep busy in the winter

I would have sold Jelly Bean for a tenth of what I invested in her, and I estimate I put 2000hrs into her.  A labour of love. 

She was featured in the January 2003 issue of Pacific Yachting magazine.