BOATS & GEAR
BOATBUILDING
BOATS & GEAR
BOATBUILDING
F/V INDIANA REINSTATED A Prince William Sound fisherman keeps his classic wooden State Boat in pristine condition for her 104th season By Brooks Townes
n even 50 wooden commercial fishboats got hauled out in Washington’s Port Townsend boatyards this spring. Most of them were down to Puget Sound from Alaska, many as old or older than their owners. One that checks all of those boxes was the bright red 56-foot seiner Indiana, built in 1917, in one fishery or another all of her 104 years, that was nearly derelict when Marty McCallum bought her 33 years ago. He’s her fourth owner. The second-generation commercial fisherman knew what to look for in old wooden boats,
Elizabeth Becker photos
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saw potential, and he could afford her. He nicked along fishing her that fi rst season. He’s fished her every season since, and made improvements in every off-season. In June, the Indiana was about to steam north again, once more better equipped for seining Prince William Sound’s pink salmon. In 1988, because the Indiana was affordable without a loan, McCallum had money for upgrades that might have gone to pay off a lender for a modern metal vessel. His boat’s configuration and gear are now up to date after this fourth extensive round of work in Port Townsend’s Boat Haven. She’s seen a lot of smaller upgrades under
Delays in getting materials during the pandemic meant the projects continued into summer — afloat in Port Townsend’s Commercial Basin.
National Fisherman \ December 2021
www.nationalfisherman.com
