Volunteers celebrate milestone in 'Whaleboat 1776 Project' - Newsday
John Janicek clutched a small glass of whisky as he leaned over the wooden hull of a replica whaleboat under construction at Bayles Boat Shop in Port Jefferson.
"It's one of my favorites," he said of the Balvenie Doublewood 12. "On this day, it's particularly good."
For more than 2½ years, Janicek and about two dozen other volunteers have undertaken a painstaking process to construct a replica armed whaleboat called "Caleb Brewster" in honor of the Revolutionary War hero.
Months of work remain to get the 24-foot ship ready for the nation's 250th anniversary next summer. But on Saturday morning, the volunteers had reason to celebrate.
They attached the final plank to complete the outer shell of the boat's wooden hull — a milestone traditionally marked as the "whisky plank."
John Janicek cracked a bottle of Balvenie Doublewood 12 to mark the nailing of the "whisky plank." Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Standing in front of the boat for a photo, each of the volunteers — most of whom have gotten to know each other through the "Whaleboat 1776 Project" — held out a glass for a toast.
"Been a long time coming," Janicek said.
John Janicek, left, and Len Carolan are part of the few dozen volunteers building the replica. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
The project, a partnership with the Village of Port Jefferson, aims to tell the story of Brewster, who grew up in Setauket and was a key member of the Culper Spy Ring who gathered intelligence on British activities on Long Island. Constructing the whaleboat nods to the village's shipbuilding history.
Len Carolan, president of the Long Island Seaport and Eco Center/Bayles Boat Shop, said the next phase involves work inside the boat. Volunteers will install the vessel's ribs, known as futtocks, which have be to curved to fit just right.
None of the volunteers are shipwrights by trade, or have specific expertise in traditional wooden boat building. So Carolan said they occasionally consult with a shipwright and will do so next week as the process of installing the futtocks begins.
Carolan said the whaleboat could be completed around March.
Most of of the volunteers have gotten to know each other through the effort, the "Whaleboat 1776 Project." Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Bob Gallagher, of Stony Brook, a retired health care executive, joined the group when he inquired about having Bayles Boat Shop help restore his Chris-Craft boat.
They offered to help, but had no space in the shop until the whaleboat project was completed.
"Might as well help out and see if I can speed up the process," he said.
Blueprints for the whaleboat, Gallagher added, were developed by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineer. But in the 1700s, the whaleboats were quite common.
"It was their version of a pickup truck," he said.
Large oars that will guide the ship currently hang from the shop's ceiling. The whaleboat will have a sail and a working replica British cannon at its bow.
Carolan said an upcoming goal is to raise funds to construct a shed to house the finished product. That will cost about $110,000, he said. Additional funds are needed for a documentary that will tell the story of Brewster and the whaleboat.
Janicek, 77, said it's important that the whaleboat survives in good condition for years to come.
"People will be enjoying it long after I'm gone," he said.
NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano has your guide to Fourth of July fun across Long Island.
