New from the Inside Out

One step forward in the Porcupine process required a step backwards. When we received the donated hull from the Palmertons, the interior they’d decided on was already partially installed. They’d obviously been working from forward—the “V-berth” was home to a guest cabin tricked out with excellent storage and varnished trim, all it wanted was a mattress to be move-in ready. Working aft, a convertible settee/bunk and a library complete with risers for chairs were close to completion. Behind them, the galley and the forward head and shower were roughed in and taking shape.

However, since Porcupine will require roughly quadruple the number of bunks the hull came with, we’ve had to do some rather wholesale renovations. In removing the interior, we’ve tried to use the same care it was installed with, and we’ve packaged up the artfully carved, meticulously varnished pieces for return to the Palmertons as both a memento and thank you for the donation that started our whole project. With all furniture and fittings removed, Porcupine’s interior seems impossibly voluminous for a 42’ vessel. She won’t stay empty for long—within a year it will be fully fitted out and teeming with eager minds.

Though our plan always included a re-creation of the interior to suit Porcupine’s role as schoolship, the actual process was strangely melancholy. Transforming someone else’s dream into a platform for sparking thousands of dreams isn’t something most of us have much experience doing. Organizationally speaking, however, it’s not new territory for BMC. Like so many other boats, staff, and especially students, Porcupine will leave our boatshop transformed and sailing in a new direction.

All Best,

Jamie Trost, Team Porcupine, and the BMC Staff