Progress Comparison & J24's

As you can see from the picture below, we've had to expand the scope of the photo's to include the end of the breakwater.

Oops! Thought I had left enough room when I started

taking pictures

Continued work with the Armour Stone

(click for a more detailed picture)

On a totally different note... I was at Poley yesterday (what a beautiful winter day) and ran into some old friends from the Shediac Bay Yacht Club - Jamie Storey and Paul Poirier. Some of you who sail on the RYC Cruise may remember Jamie. His family have been long-time sailors in Shediac and he has been a guest of Phil Pugsley at various times on various cruises. Paul is an old neighbour of ours from Grand Digue and sails a beautiful Tartan 3500, including taking a run with his wife, three kids and their dog, to the Magdalen Islands last summer. Jamie and Paul proudly told me that Shediac will be hosting the J24 Canadian Nationals this summer (August 3rd thru the 5th.) That should be some exciting racing! (Link to the web site)

Does anyone know if there are any teams or crew from the Saint John area headed to Shediac for this event? If so, post a comment or send an e-mail and I'll put their names on the Blog (and any other pertinent information - boat name, photo, etc.)

Photo Update - From Bruce Tennant

A quick post of the lastest photo's from Bruce. As usual, you can click on the photo to make them larger.

The Bitter End - Armour Rock Begins

So we've reached the 'Bitter End'! Not, in the BVI's I'm afraid, but the end of the breakwater. This should be a time of celebration! Now the delicate work begins of placing each and every stone in place as they work their way back.

Thanks for the photo's. How thick is the ice, Bruce?

So, should it be Armor or Armour? Can anyone help with that?

And in case you missed it, there was a Breakwater Committee update on Jan 18. (Click to Link)


Better adjust your waypoints for those foggy trips back
from Scouts Beach. Grey Rocks, Grey Fog, Grey Goose
- a recipe for disaster!


They have brought in the heavy equipment. Nice angle
of the photos, Bruce. That's a long walk out there!


Wanted: Man with a delicate touch!


I understand they built the pyramid's by hand. Judging
by the water temperature, that would explain why there
are no pyramid's on the Kennebecasis.

100 Meters - Jan 22

So I guess that means I won't be getting back that tunbuckle that was dropped overboard when I was rigging my mast a few years ago!?!


100 m mark. 10-15 more meters to go.


They are having to spend time now moving the ice
out of the way so they don't bury the ice (and have
it melt later, causing all kinds of problems)

Pictures - Jan 17th to 21st

Not a lot new since the last Project Update on Jan 18 (Link). Here are some photo's thanks to Bruce Tennant. Lots of snow and ice.


The black lump in the foreground is the silt boom


This photo was taken with a telephoto lens so
"objects are farther than they appear"


Don't try this at home. And you won't be able to walk
to the end of the breakwater when the project is
finished. There will be a pile of rocks all the way
out on top of this road, and a fence will be erected.


Look at the photo before this one, then think about
trying to back out a truck, this wide, when everything
seems white. But the driver probably think docking
a sailboat in a strong cross-wind would be a challenge
too. It is nice that everyone has something different
they are good at.


This picture is clearer when you click on it
(click on image for a larger version)

A Cool Project Update

With everything moving along well, and in the interest of not damaging equipment, they decided not to work yesterday, and were still considering what to do today. A decision was to be made at 10:00 AM. (Update: Work continues on the breakwater today)

Thank you to Hugh Scarth for a comprehensive set of minutes from the meeting with Valley Excavation last evening. Here is the synopses:

• The breakwater is out to 95 meters at this point. Of course the full length will be 120 m, keeping in mind that the visible length (above the normal water levels) will be about 114 m.
• They are using the amount of fill that they expected.
• The angle of the wharf is well within tolerance.
• They estimate that the "completion of the core, crowning and placement of the armour stone" will take about 3 weeks if all goes well.
• That will be when they continue work on the launch and haul pad and driving of the sheet pile. It is estimated this will take 2 to 3 weeks.
• Consideration is being made for the placement and support of the mast boom.

A cold spell puts things on hold. The two week
forecast is for warmer daytime highs.

Pictures - Jan 10th to 15th

Some photo's from Bruce Tennant. Click on any of them to see the full size.

First Armour Stone

In the picture below you can see the progress as of 8:30 AM, today. In addition you can see the larger armour stone that has been placed on the west side of the wharf section (in line with power pole, between the first and second pylons - click on the photo for a larger view.) Eventually there will be armour stone nearly everywhere.

If anyone has any questions on the project, please feel free to leave a comment, and I will do my best to find the answer.

Wharf progress - photo taken from flag pole in front of club

(click on photo for larger image)

Visible Progress

If you haven't been down lately, there has been a significant change in the breakwater's length as can be seen by this photo looking back to Dec 19, 2006.

Images taken from Rothesay Park Rd. (click for larger image)

Note: Photo added to Jan 7 "Council Meeting" post.

Just Photo's

Wow, the Club is getting farther and farther away!?!

Can anybody figure out what the weather is going to do next?

Thanks for the photo's Bruce!

Council Meeting

I understand the there have been large numbers of members of the club and members of the community down viewing the progress. But please keep out of the way of the truck traffic. They are a necessary part of the project and we certainly don't want to have any incidents!!! For those of you who are too busy or two far away to visit, we are pleased to provide you updates.

Rothesay Town Council Meeting:
According to the presentation given by Mitch Sanscartier at the Rothesay Town Council meeting this evening, 75 meters of the 120 meters has been completed out into the river. As mentioned previously, once the full length has been completed, the contractor will begin to build the material up and deliberately place the much larger 'armour stone' along the sides of the breakwater. Mitch, Hugh and I attended the Rothesay Town Council meeting this evening where we were presented with their previously committed contribution to the project. $50,000! That is a great way to start the year!

Hugh Scarth, Greg Colpitts, Mayor Bill Bishop and Mitch Sanscartier

Photo credit: KVStyle

Thank you to Bruce Tennant for these photo's:

Wharf Committee Update

I was fortunate to be able to attend the Wharf Committee meeting last evening. It was a great opportunity to make sure things were going in the right direction, both literally and figuratively! The good news is we are!!

There have been a number of excellent questions put forward by various interested members of the RYC. I will attempt to answer the top questions. If there is something I'm missing, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to get to the bottom of it.

1) The height of the breakwater is lower now that it will be when it is complete. The reason for that is that it needs to be wide enough for the trucks and excavator to get out to the end. When they have reached the end, they will start to build up the material to the predetermined level. That level, by the way, is the same height as where the wharf (old wharf) met the asphalt.

2) We are going to extend out the full 120 meters!!! That is great news! Our ability to do this is thanks to the generous support of the Regional Development Corporation and the Town of Rothesay.

3) Part of the contract is to place Armour Stone around the Breakwater. There is NO Armour Stone in place yet. This will be done after the breakwater reaches the full 120 m. They do this stone by stone and plan to bring in a larger excavator. Murray, from Valley Excavators, says they hope to have a machine with a "thumb" on it to help "place" each stone.

4) The angle of the wharf as it extends into the river is correct. In Tuesday's post (Jan 2nd) there is a photo of two stakes that have been placed as a "range" for the centre of the extended breakwater. These stakes were placed there by Fundy Engineering.

So that is the update for today. And as I have suggested before, please leave any comments or questions by clicking the "comments" at the bottom of each post!


Another load of the smaller stone being dumped on Wednesday morning


A couple of photo's from Bruce Tennant taken on Tuesday

Happy New Year

Updated Jan 4 - see below
Happy New Year to you and your family. 2007 promises to be quite a year for the RYC. A New Breakwater, 100 year celebrations and many new members will be hard to top!

The 2007 New Years Levee was very well attended. There were over 50 people in attendance. And there was a nice mix of new and long-time members there.

Thank you to all who made it down!

And thank you needs to go out to Michel Sanscartier for putting so much time into the preparation. And we always should acknowledge Sissy Scarth for her tireless committment as Social Director for the club.


A member inspects the work.


When I find out what these stakes
mean, I'll post an explanation.
UPDATE: this is a range for lining up the
construction - see Jan 4 post item #4
(click for a larger image)


Donna and Sissy enjoying the fireplace.


Odette and Gord, with the crowd in the background.

If anyone has any other comments or photo's they would like to share, feel free to pass them on!