Tour Wyrill
Welcome aboard. We are Mary
& Bob, Wyrills owners and caretakers since 1998. There are a number of ways
to say her name, but we pronounce it as whirl, with the Y silent.
A 1930 issue of Pulp & Paper Magazine which we found at the British Columbia Historical Archives in Victoria, B.C. stated: Pacific Mills LTD of Ocean Falls, BC are having an inspection cruiser for the use of company officials built by the Boeing Aircraft Co of Canada's shipyard at Coal Harbor (Vancouver), BC.... This craft is to measure 62 feet by 15 feet beam, and will be planked with 13/4-inch fir, over steam bent oak frames spaced 11 inches apart. Cypress will be used for the decks and cabin top, while the inside finish will be red cedar paneling with teak trim.
As
we go aboard at the aft gate you see the 2000 rebuilding of the scuttle to
access the aft cabin with the glass inset in the door and the open aft teak
rail much as it was when Wyrill was launched in 1931. The stern deck, the cabin
bulkhead, 26 planks and 8 frames of the aft hull were also replaced due to dry
rot, continuing the extensive restoration work started by her previous owner.
In the center of the aft deck is
the hatch to the lazarette which contains the 400 Amp house battery bank and
the 260-gallon water tank.
Walking up two steps to the
mid-deck you will see two masts. Seventy-six years ago the boat carried a high
frequency AM radio transceiver and the antenna spanned between the masts. Now
the antenna serves a modern Amateur Radio HF radio. The masts were designed to
carry steadying sails fore and aft for use in high seas.
On the mid-deck are a lap strake
rowing/sailing dingy and an inflatable both launched with the aid of davits.
Moving forward we pass the Dog-House which carries the stack, housing the
exhaust and muffler, and provides light to the salon below. On the stack, with
permission of the Boeing Company, is a replica of the Boeing Canada logo.
On the foredeck, we find the
anchor windlass. Wyrill carries a 165-pound anchor and 250 feet of 1/2 inch
chain on her starboard side, with a second 65-pound anchor on 600 ft, 5/8 rode
on the port side. At the place of honor on the fore staff is the Sequim Bay
Yacht Club pennant. Wyrill is a member of the Classic Yacht Association and the
CYA pennant flies at the top of the foremast.
As the
tour continues we enter one of two Wheelhouse doors where we see the wood ships
wheel and instrument panel of the helm station. Also here is the light display
panel for three bilge and three fire alarm sensors. Wyrill is equipped with
both a digital depth sounder and a plotting depth/fish finder as well as a
24-mile radar, which displays GPS data. Two marine radios, one also a
loudhailer, and the second radio linked to the GPS to enable digital May-Day
transmissions if required. Enclosed in a classic wood box is the ships compass.
Electronic navigation is done on a laptop PC linked to the GPS, but we also use
paper charts to track our position.
On the port side of the
Navigation Station, there are stairs leading down to the forward crew cabin,
with large port lights on each side for natural light. Here there are two
bunks, upper and lower, with mahogany seaboards and brass bunk lights for each.
On the port side there is a bench seat and forward is a Lavatory, with a sink
and a Wilcox-Critenden manual head.
Returning to the Wheelhouse, on
the starboard side we see a large table, with a self-storing center leaf,
providing seating for 6 to 8 that serves double duty for dining and charting.
To port are a large oil heater and built-in bookshelves. There are windows all
around allowing a 360-degree view. At
the aft of the Wheelhouse, stairs lead to the lower cabin.
As we
enter the lower cabin, on the right you see a refrigerator and matching
freezer. To your left is the galley with upper and lower cabinets on both sides
of a four-burner propane stove and oven. A large stainless sink completes the
galley as it wraps around the starboard side. A round oak table sits in front
of a long settee. The settees on both sides of the salon make into four bunks.
On the aft salon bulkhead there is a full height, hanging closet and a large
oil stove sits next to the door to the aft cabin. The salon floor is synthetic
hardwood and the port lights provide good lighting.
Aft of the salon is the master
cabin with a double bed to the starboard and a built in chest of drawers.
Against the aft bulkhead on the port side is a ladder leading to the scuttle
door to the aft deck and a hanging locker. On the port side is the door to a
Lavatory, equipped with a Vacu-flush head, sink and large shower.
Returning to the wheelhouse
there is a floor hatch that leads down a ladder to the Engine room with its
6-foot headroom.
Immediately, we observe the Volvo-Penta
main engine that drives a 30-inch, three bladed propeller. All areas of the
engine are accessible and there is a walk space of over six feet around three
sides.
Going from the right, we see the
heat activated CO2 fire suppression tank and the Perkins engine that drives the
7.5K Generator.
Next is the first of two 400
gallon diesel fuel tanks, located on the port and starboard wings. These have
recently been thoroughly cleaned. The fuel is filtered by dual Raycors ahead of
the engine filters.
On the aft bulkhead we see the
main domestic water supply valves and the hot water tank that is heated by
shore power, the generator or the main engine. There is also the water pressure
tank and pump.
Further around are the second
fuel tank and a workbench with drawers, tool storage and bins for spare parts,
filters as well as other containers required for Wyrill’s operation.
The main power distribution
panel (a sub-panel is below the wheel) is adjacent to the stairs to Wheelhouse.
Wyrill operates on 32 VDC, 12 VDC (through a 32-12 convert), and 110 VAC via a
charger/inverter, shore power and the generator.
As we climb the ladder to the
Wheelhouse I hope you have enjoyed the tour and will come back again.