Carpenters Start Work in ‘Sunbeam’ Main Salon
BELFAST, ME — Following safety measures, Front Street Shipyard carpenters start work on Sunbeam’s main salon. As before, we thank Front Street for their Twitter photo updates.
Read MoreTag: Captain Mike Johnson
Sunbeam Update – Capt. Mike’s Glimpse of Life as Actual Captain
BELFAST, ME — After spending months addressing design aspects of the Sunbeam not directly related to her operation, I was finally able to get aboard and get a glimpse of my life as an actual captain. Due to [coronavirus] distancing regulations, the yard crew left the marine electronics for me on Friday night. I went…
Read More‘Sunbeam’ Update – Insulating the Main Salon
BELFAST, ME — The Mission’s boat Sunbeam is having its routine major refit at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, ME. The first Sunbeam photos out of Front Street, about a year ago, were of a Sunbeam with its interior gutted for the first time in a quarter century. The expansive surface rust made a startling…
Read MoreNew Insulation Adds to ‘Sunbeam’ Comfort on Cold Maine Days
BELFAST, ME — This photo, taken February 2020 by Mission Communications Associate Hunter Billings, shows Sunbeam Captain Mike Johnson examining new insulation cut-and-fitted as part of the Sunbeam routine major refit at Front Street Shipyard, Belfast, ME. Capt. Mike said the insulation will make a big difference in crew and visitor comfort aboard the boat…
Read MoreA Fresh View from the ‘Sunbeam’ Pilot House
BELFAST, ME — Sunbeam Captain Mike Johnson demonstrating one of the new anti-fog pilot house windows. This photo was taken late February 2020 by Mission Communications Associate Hunter Billings at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, ME. Before and during the Sunbeam routine major refit, Capt. Mike self-produced walk-through video updaters on the work in progress.…
Read More‘Sunbeam’ Updater – Meet Freelance Welder John Stoklas
BELFAST, ME — Sunbeam Captain Mike Johnson spends much of his workdays at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, ME overseeing the routine major refitting of the boat. Both Mike and photographers at Front Street continue doing a good job chronicling the Sunbeam refit and the craftsman doing the work. “This is John Stoklas,” writes Mike,…
Read MoreA February 2020 Birds-Eye View of the ‘Sunbeam’
BELFAST, ME — Mission Communications Associate Hunter Billings was at Front Street Shipyard, Belfast, ME with Sunbeam Captain Mike Johnson. The two men went on a Sunbeam “walk through,” with Mike Johnson narrating current aspects of the boat’s routine major refit, while Hunter caught it all on video and digital photographs. Their goal? To produce…
Read MoreNew Generators Ensure a Quieter, More Efficient ‘Sunbeam’
BELFAST, ME — “The new Northern Lights Generators were hoisted into the Sunbeam engine room on Wednesday, February 5. These will be a big improvement over the removed units. They are more fuel efficient and have an insulated sound enclosure (not installed yet) that will considerably reduce the noise in the Sunbeam living area,” said…
Read More‘Sunbeam V’ Updater – A Testament to the Boat’s Quality of Construction
BELFAST, ME — Front Street Shipyard, where the Sunbeam V is having its routine major refit, today posted these two photos of a welder attaching a metal plate underneath the Sunbeam. Sunbeam V Captain Mike Johnson explains why. He said, “The plate is replacing an area of the hull under the bilge pumps that suffered…
Read More‘Sunbeam V’ Update – Pilothouse Nearing Completion
BELFAST, ME — Earlier this month, on a video-conference with Mission Administrators, Program Directors, Program Managers, and others, Sunbeam V Captain Mike Johnson said he is pleased with the way in which the Sunbeam pilothouse — his office on the water — is coming together. The first photo of the pilothouse during the Sunbeam refit…
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