We now have access to some of the keel bolts nuts and are trying to pull the bolts. You can see some examples of the bolt nuts visible above the top of the keelson and the 30 ton hydraulic puller being used to pull the bolts.

One bolt has largely come out but we were unable so far to budge the remainder of the keelbolt downward with a drift and sledge hammer. We can see that 7/8" bolts were used and that there is corrosion at the joint between keelson, keel and false keel, the three primary layers othat make up the 'backbone ' of the ship.

Our conclusion is that the best solution is to run 15 to 18 new galvanized bolts down through new holes along the length of the keel.

This afternooon we have rented a 40 lb electric jack hammer and will start pulling the cement in the fishold tomorrow am.

Carl Moberg USCG came to ship this afternoon.  He looked at all exposed keel bolt heads througout the ship, observed the keel bolt we removed, saw where the plank had been removed and looked at the fastenings, looked at the garboard and scarfs on the keel and false keel and inspected the zincs in the seachest. He thinks that adding keelbolts is a reasonable plan but would like us to get at more information. He would like to expose the top of the keel and futtocks in at least one frame bay, preferably one in both the fishhold and the  fo'c's'le to determine the condition of the futtocks underneath the keelson and how it is all fastened together.

Our plan is to start in on the fishold tomorrow am where we think we can remove enough concrete and lead to expose below the keelson to the keel.  We are hoping that we can find similar/enough information in the fo'c's'le working from the outside and not yet jackhammering away from the inside.

Captains: Sophie Morse and Amanda Madeira

Schooner Ernestina on the ways at Kelley Shipyard.

Amanda Madeira and Sophie Morse discussing the strategy for the haulout.

Shipwrights pull fastenings as the plank is removed.

Keel bolt nuts exposed in the fo'c's'le. It is a standard practice to fill bays between the frames with concrete to facilitate water flow in the bilge to the bilge suctions.

30 ton hydraulic jack used to pull shafts, in this case a keel bolt.

The crew at lunch.

The bilge pumps are coming out for a full inspection.

The fish hold table and fresh water tank is removed to expose the top of the cement. We will hammer a swath out down the middle of the cabin to expose the top of the keelson.