It’s Spring! The Cover is OFF!

Saturday April 26 was DCR’s Park Serve Day.

Despite the rain over 20 volunteers mustered to help take off the winter cover.  With the assistance of several DCR staff and an early start, the job was done before noon.  Some of the crew started at 8 am to try to get ahead of the forecasted rain and despite of reports of downpours in other areas the heaviest rain held off until the job was done.  Ernestina ex Effie M. Morrissey is Massachusetts’ Official Vessel and the volunteers were proof of that with some traveling from Boston and the western part of the Commonwealth to help out.

Step 1, Remove the plastic, here Ernestina's new DCR Supervisor, Paul Alexio, uses an improvised cutter.

Volunteer Joe Pacheco freeing the starboard side while his son Joey bags the trash.

The crew made short work of the plastic.

The cover was off the bow before 9

Screw guns made quick work of the fastenings

Soon the ribs were passed up to the pier so the battens and plastic could be removed.

There were a lot of screws!

By 10 the midsection was off

The aft beam will stay until next week but the forward rails were removed.

and the last few ribs are cleaned up.

Justin Keith, Nicky Cosio, Gigi McCoy and Mike Galvin

The Galvin family working for the third year in memory of their father Vasco Galvao who was a crew member on Ernestina in the early 1950′s and settled in the US in 1956.

Mary Meehan is ready to go sailing!

The aft beam of the cover has to be removed with a crane. Some ribs were left until that work can be done.

Thanks to all the DCR staff and the volunteers who made short work of this project.  Now Ernestina is beginning to look like summer is coming!