The Schooner

Between 1986 and 1991 I had the incredible task of building a schooner for a businessman, who had the wonderful idea of buying and old wooden cargo vessel and completely transform it into a new one. The task required increasing the ship freeboard, a new teak deck, a new cast iron keel, new masts and stern. Also was required a different propulsion-steering system and a big electricity generating capacity.

The first photo shows the bare hull at the shipyard:

	This one was taken with the ship ashore. I'm the guy at the right, over the improvised gunwale
	The ship completed, on its final destination, Zárate, Buenos Aires - Argentina, after sailing from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires.
	Same as above looking at the bow.
	Yes, you're right! That's a car! The ship's owner wanted that way... The cargo hold has an elevator.
	At each side of the cargo hold, P&S, a 40KVA diesel generator. Between both generators goes the cargo hold platform (with a car).
	Mounting one of the supports for one unit of the two 270 HP diesel main propulsion engines.
	One of the MWM TurboDiesel TD232 V8 engines (270 hp), lower side, the Twin Disc MG509 marine reduction & reversion gearbox (2.95:1 ratio).
	All stainless steel rudder mechanism! Hydraulic actuation.
	Rudder stock, stainless steel.
	Flange detail of the rudder stock and spade coupling.
	Mounting the rudders.
	Stern view showing rudders and propellers.
	Generators control panel. From left to right: diesel motor control & gauges; generator instrumentation (current, freq., voltage); switch; sinchronoscope.
	Main bridge: rudder wheel hydraulic motor, compass, navigation equipment (right side) and propulsion engines gauges (above).
	As the original wooden masts were not fit for the new rigging, new masts were ordered, this implied changing the bowsprit arrangement. To do so, the original masts were cut and new diameters obtained on a lathe. New and heavy supports were needed for the new bowsprit, all stainless steel!
	The bowsprit was made of two original mast sections, coupled together with a stainless steel cylinder. The structure was preassembled on the shore and with a crane mounted aboard.
	Last but not least, the mirror view of myself and the main bridge. All woodwork was made aboard.

All electronics, illumination and power, control panels, control systems, hydraulics, steering mechanisms, propulsion systems, etc, were projected and construction supervised by the author.
All woodwork was made aboard by qualified artisans under author supervision.

author: Eng. Andrés Esteban de la Plaza

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