The Log of The Santa Maria

Our navigational topics and activities along with the Federalist were a hit with the public as we celebrated "505" on the riverfront Sunday, August 3, 1997.

We helped the crew of the Federalist, Bob Squire and Peter Ansoff, rig the "World's Smallest Tall Ship" on Saturday morning, with several media crews photographing. The Federalist's crew had an organized plan to the process and in about two hours we were off and headed down river toward the Santa Maria.

Calm weather kept us from 'sailing' at that point but as we came up to the Santa Maria, she made a grand announcement with her cannon! Later on Saturday the crew had her sailing across the Scioto River with all her colorful flags catching the breeze. We had many visitors enjoying her as they toured the Santa Maria.

On Sunday, our featured day of the "505" Celebration of Navigation, we had a great turnout for the activities planned. The Federalist was out on the Scioto River several times. One outing found us being fired at with a cannon of volunteer Jim Green! Of course we fired back with the Federalist's! A few moments late as we passed by, volunteer Mark Gist fired his Swedish snap lock gun from the main deck of the Santa Maria. Once again, Peter hastily loaded the cannon and KABOOM! Yet another loud firing, this one from Mark's thundermug, shot out on the river.

The Federalist headed up the Scioto River in shallow waters; then was carefully down rigged. We all had a good time pitching in.

I want to thank everyone who helped make this day a success for the Santa Maria and the Federalist. It was an event that I hope we can build on for next year and beyond.

Cindy Sams

The following
articles have been taken from various publications.

Thanks to Andy Baum and Charles Tosi for setting sail(S) for the crew of CBS This Morning.

From the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau:

Nation's TV viewers will be awakening to Columbus scenes

Television viewers across America soon will be catching glimpses of Columbus people and places on CBS This Morning.

Hal Glicksman, a producer for CBS News Advertising and Promotion, contacted the Bureau on July 10 to arrange a series of spots featuring local personalities and attractions. Production was scheduled to take place in three days, so staff members Stephanie Miller and Beth Ervin, assisted by Amy Weirick of the Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism, quickly assembled an itinerary.

Mayor Greg Lashutka was among local notables who were taped. A segment in German Village featured accordionist Esther Craw and bass player Glen Wilson. "Bob the Fish Guy" promoted his North Market shop.

Other subjects included a costumed "Christopher Columbus" at the Santa Maria, Brian McBride of the Columbus Crew and Tony West and the Imani Dancers at the King Arts Complex. An impromptu spot highlighted a female construction worker who was putting up bleachers in Ohio Stadium's south stands.

The segments, which will be used to promote CBS This Morning, clearly identify the individual and Columbus. Each ends with the tag line, "There' s more to This Morning.''

Glicksman interviewed subjects and wrote scripts on the spot. Lines were quickly memorized. Despite the hectic schedule, everything went smoothly with few missed cues or on-camera "bloopers."

Audio and video services were provided by local CBS affiliate WBNS-10TV. Miller and Ervin accompanied the crew throughout the day.

The result was a total of seven 15-second and seven five-second promotional spots that will air weekday mornings at 8:30 a.m. during the next several months.

Update on Scarano Boat Building information taken from ASTA Tall Ships News, and a conversation with Bob Gilston, Scarano staff member.

Scarano Boat Building is at it Again
Things are hot up on the banks of the Hudson River! First: the Schooner Adirondack was launched on May 1st and is bound for Newport. Her first trip will be on May 11th, weekends until June 1st, then full time for the remainder of the summer. Secondly, the Schooner Imagine (LOA 70') is set for launch on May 15th. She is a brand new Scarano Schooner to be operating in Annapolis on June 1st. Thirdly, Scarano is proud to announce the coming of the Full Rigged Ship Friendship at the end of summer 1997. She is 171' LOA, and is being built for the National Park Service and will be bound for Salem National Historic Park. Please call Captain Dave Thompson at 1.800.701.SAIL for more information.

I learned from Bob that authorities in historic replicas are overseeing the building of the Friendship, a 1790's ship. At this time 10-12 smaller spars are being constructed, planking is 75% finished, and the 'tween' deck (one of two decks) has deck beams 90% completed. A Spring '98 sail date is planned.

SANTA MARIA FLAGS NOW FLYING

The return of two Santa Maria flags has livened the skies above the ship. We now have a new F&Y and Castille and Leon (with tails).

Ship Notes:

The Santa Maria will attend Kid's ZOOFARI again this year, at the Columbus Zoo, Saturday, August 16.

Santa Maria hours will remain the same for Sat.-Sun. for Labor Day weekend. Monday, Sept.1, Labor Day, we will be open 12-5. After Labor Day hours will be cut to Wed.-Fri. (10-3) by appointment and Sat.-Sun. 12-5 till the end of October.

The following article from volunteer Mark Gist coincides with our "505" Celebration and the Matthew's 500th Anniversary.

Five years after Columbus's first voyage of discovery, another Italian sailed under the Anglicized name of John Cabot. Cabot's voyage was financed by Henry VII (the Henry who took the throne from Richard m).

Cabot was the first European to discover North America since the Vikings. He probably took a similar route, also, since his traditional landing place in Newfoundland is not far from the only Viking settlement found in North America.

For the 500th anniversary of Cabot's voyage, a reproduction of his ship, the Mathew, was built and sailed over from England.

The Mathew has an extensive web site on the Internet and most of the following information came from the official Mathew site.

The Mathew was the same class of ship as the Santa Maria - called a Nao in Spain and Carrack in England. This type of ship is wide-bodied and square-rigged with 4-6 sails. It has a forecastle and a substantial quarterdeck.

The Mathew is smaller than the Santa Maria. No figures are given for its tonnages in period terms. but its modern dimensions are given. From this, I would guess the Matthew to be a ship of 70-80 tons compared with the Santa Maria's 105 tons.

The Mathew does not have a cabin, which is to be expected in a smaller ship. Even on a ship the Santa Maria's size, cabins were optional.

The Mathew's quarter deck is proportionately shorter than the Santa Maria's. Where you can touch the mainmast from the Santa Maria's quarter deck, the Mathew's ends far short of the mast - about halfway between where the Santa Maria's quarterdeck and our cabin end. This gives the Mathew a covered area little larger than our cabin. as on the Santa Maria, the main deck is open under the quarter deck.

The sides of the Mathew's hull level with the steerage are decorated with gothic arches. These might be shuttered I cannot tell from the information given.

The Mathew's forecastle is lower than the Santa Maria's, presumable to balance it with the quarter deck. The forecastle and quarterdeck are not pitched as steeply as the Santa Maria's (and looking at period paintings, I sometimes wonder if ours should have a steeper pitch).

The Mathew has a similar sail plan to the Santa Maria. It has five sails including a spot sail and a maintop sail The lateen sail is made off to a boomkin (a spar projecting from the stern) rather than to the railing as on the Santa Maria.

In addition to the tiller, the Mathew has a whipstaff - a bar that projects through the quarterdeck and fastens to the tiller. This allows them to steer from the quarterdeck. This may be an anachronism as my reference books indicate that the whipstaff came into use later. In any case, we could not have one since it would project into the cabin.

Beneath its historic skin, the Mathew is outfitted as a modem ship. It has a diesel-powered pump system that propels it at 7 1/2 knots plus providing circulating water for four sinks and two flush toilets. The hold has been outfitted as sleeping quarters. There is a modem galley with refrigerator and gas-stove beneath the forecastle and modem conveniences beneath the quarterdeck.