In The Workshop

Not all preparations for the voyage are taking place on the boat. Recently, EYE of the World volunteer and supporter John Jernigan lent us his skills and time to help repair some cracked welds on the boat's bow pulpit.

In June of 2008, when crew members were delivering the EYE of the World vessel from Florida to Virginia, they stopped near St. Simons Island, Georgia and spent the night in an anchorage to meet a mechanic in the morning to do some engine work.

That next morning, a 100 ft private motor yacht leaving the fuel dock accidentally drove into the anchorage and before the captain could correct his course, the stern quarter had smashed into the bow of the EYE of the World vessel.

The most significant and visible damage was to the sailboat's bow pulpit, which was bent off to the side by the force of the collision. Besides being an eyesore, a number of the welds in the stainless steel pipe had cracked and required major attention.


Fortunately, John is a member of TechShop Durham, a 25,000 square-foot membership-based workshop in Durham that provides members with access to tools and equipment, instruction, and a creative and supportive community of like minded people working on various projects. He was able to TIG weld the cracks and return the bow pulpit to it's original condition.

Special thanks to John and the fantastic resources at TechShop Durham.