RawFaith

RawFaith was a wheelchair-accessible, wooden sailing vessel built and owned by George McKay in Maine, United States.

RawFaith
History
United States
Name: RawFaith
Owner: George McKay
Operator: George Mckay
Builder: George McKay
Laid down: 1999
Launched: 2003
Fate: Sunk on December 8, 2010
General characteristics
Type: three-masted schooner rig on unique homemade hull
Displacement: 300 T
Length: 80 ft (24 m) at waterline, 88 ft (27 m) on deck, 118 feet (36 m) sparred length
Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m)
Height: 80 ft (24 m)
Draft: 7 ft (2.1 m)
Notes: 3,000 square feet (280 m2) sail area. White oak wood hull, Douglas fir masts

Construction

RawFaith was built in Addison, Maine, by George McKay and his three sons. Construction took 28 months, spread over four years. The construction was performed using old methods and new technology. This was exemplified in the use of a half hull model ship, steam box, 16th-century lines, and other old shipbuilding techniques, but using power tools and laminates to aid in construction and bring strength to modern standards. She was constructed out of white oak. Rawfaith was not built using shipwrights or naval architects. She was controversial in all aspects and was regarded by most professionals as being poorly built and designed.

Design

RawFaith was designed with 16th-century race-built galleons such as the Revenge in mind. Raw faith was intended to be wheel chair accessible. The ship was designed by the owner with no previous knowledge of naval architecture. Accordingly, the vessel did not actually resemble any galleon or traditional vessel, and was rigged as a schooner. However, the mast and sail configuration was also atypical.

Purpose

RawFaith was wheelchair accessible, and the intent was to provide free sailing adventures to groups which would normally be deterred from sailing by a member in a wheelchair. Many accessibility features had not yet been installed, though the captain's daughter, a wheelchair user, lived aboard for many months.

Controversy

RawFaith had been the target of criticism for her lack of seaworthiness.[1] On Thanksgiving Day 2004, she was rescued by the United States Coast Guard about 80 miles (130 km) off the Maine coast after the rudder mechanism failed and the top of the foremast snapped off. She was towed to Rockland, Maine, to undergo repairs.[2]

In another incident on May 9, 2006, all three masts snapped during another storm off the coast of Maine. One of the crew was struck in the head by a piece of the falling mast, but not seriously injured. RawFaith was rescued by the Coast Guard cutter Seneca about 50 miles (80 km) off Mt. Desert Rock and was again towed to Rockland for repairs.[3]

Sinking
Two of RawFaith's masts protrude from the water as the ship sinks into the Atlantic Ocean on December 8, 2010.

On December 8, 2010, RawFaith began taking on water in rough seas off the coast of Nantucket and sank in 6,000 feet (1,800 m) of water. Two people had been rescued from the ship by a helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod the previous day.[4]

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References
  1. http://thebollard.com/2010/05/10/adrift/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Robicheau, Leanne M. (July 21, 2005). "Repairs Under Way on Sailing Vessel RawFaith: Captain Hopes to Have Ship Inspected Soon". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  3. "Galleon Loses Three Masts: Crew Injured". Sail-World.com. May 15, 2006. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  4. "Maine-built Sailing Vessel Sinks off Nantucket". Cape Cod Times. December 8, 2010. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2010.

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