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SHAVINGS M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 0 7
CWB to Launch a New Docent Program! b y
Much discussion has been had, and everyone has agreed that docents can be important in making visitors feel welcome at far flung areas of CWB, such as the Long Shed, and at spots closer in, like the Boat Shop. Led by Americorps member, Bonnie Loshbaugh, a number of areas have been identified as docent stations. We’ll be starting with the Boat Shop – after all, it was CWB’s first building. Docents in the Boat Shop will explain what is being restored, the techniques and tools used, and will probably be working on a small demonstration project. Docents on the docks will chat with visitors about boat heritage and how the boats relate to our programs. We also hope to have docents on the Historic Ships Wharf who know the stories of these fascinating ships, and to develop docent positions connected to the steam launch Puffin, the Haida canoe Steve Philipp, and the Pirate. The first round of docent trainings will be this spring, during the first week of April, with
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practices and public speaking, and one about either the docks or the Boat Shop. Docents are, of course, welcome to train for both stations, but we would like them to make an initial commitment to one or the other. In the ideal future every volunteer will know everything! Of course, the very best docents will come from our volunteers who already know a great
deal to share with the public, and the ones who are passionate to learn. Come on down and share your love of our boats with visitors! If you would like to become a docent or you have a suggestion for our new program, please contact Bonnie Loshbaugh at bloshbaugh@ cwb.org or 206.382.2628.
Inside This Issue:
later sessions planned throughout the spring to familiarize volunteers with other aspects of The Center. Training will consist of two sessions – one to familiarize volunteers with docent March/April 2007
FOUNDER’S REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 News from South Lake Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 News from Cama Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Upcoming Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Junior Sailors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Buy a BOAT from CWB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Feed and Care of CWB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Shavings
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Volume XXVII Number 2 ISSN 0734-0680 1992 CWB
Shavings is published bimonthly by The Center for Wooden Boats 1010 Valley Street, Seattle, WA 98109 Phone: 206.382.2628 fax 206.382.2699
Our mission
To provide a community center where maritime history comes alive and our small craft heritage is preserved and passed along to future generations.
CWB Staff
Betsy Davis Executive Director Dick Wagner Founding Director Courtney Bartlett Curriculum Specialist Jake Beattie Waterfront & Youth Programs Director Geoff Braden Shipwright in Residence Crystal Goodner Operations Assistant Patrick Gould Boat Sales Manager & Instructor Bonnie Loshbaugh Americorp Member, Docent Program Julia Makowski Sailing Instructor Katy Mathias Business Manager Erik Neumann Grantwriter Edel O’Connor Boatwright & Workshop Coordinator Greg Reed Livery Manager, Dockmaster Sāādūūts Artist in Residence Heron Scott Lead Boatwright Eldon Tam Operations Manager Adam Karpenske El Toro Maintenance Manager
Board of Trustees Stephen Kinnaman
Mark Barnard Alex Bennett Caren Crandell Jim Compton David Dolson Gary Hammons David Kennedy Andrea Kinnaman
David Loretta Lori McKown Robert Merikle Walt Plimpton Chuck Shigley Denise Snow Bill Van Vlack
Design and production of Shavings by CWB volunteer Heidi Hackler of Dolphin Design, www.dolphindesignstudio.com. Printed by Olympus Press, www.olypress.com. Shavings
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Founder’s Report B y D ick Forty ardent customers and free loaders of The Old Boathouse packed in our living room & dining room. Displacement of our ancient log flotation houseboat was in consideration. It was the evening of the 3rd Friday of February 1976. The Old Boathouse was our classic boat rental. We invited 20, but the network of the traditional small craft clan works in mysterious ways. The announced purpose of the meeting was to explore whether we should have monthly speakers at our home and business. The hidden agenda of the meetings was creating a non-profit direct experience heritage small craft museum, based on the the living history provided by The Old Boathouse. All who attended the meeting, including Colleen and me, were wild idealists and optimists and we all raucously agreed. That instant the attendees automatically became our first Board of Trustees. At that time there were about 1,000 people who understood the values of direct experience learning. Then there was our Mayor and the heads of the Building, Engineering and Parks Departments who gave us cautious support. To everyone else we were hippies, crackpots and dreamers who were destined to fail. Historic museums where the public touches the stuff is heretical, we were told. Now about 75,000 people visit CWB each year and engage their hands and minds in history. They row, paddle, sail and steam our heritage boats. They build replicas, rehabilitate originals and learn a host of archaic maritime skills that widen their historic horizons and are of practical value. That was just what we expected. However, an unexpected flurry of questions to CWB began about 1990. They were from organizations and communities from all over the U.S. They wanted to know how to create their own CWBs. Many inquiries were from museums or boat groups who already achieved an administrative and programmatic infrastructure, but were looking for ways to draw in more people. CWB, the teacher of our community, was asked to be the teacher of teachers. Other requests were from communities wringing their hands about teenagers who had no interest in academic achievement and little self-esteem. They saw CWB as a tool to help those kids be proud of their learning abilities through direct experience programs. Adding to our repertoire of programs in maritime heritage skills, was a repertoire of inspiration, giving technical information and
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reviewing plans and processes of future CWB’s. Our latest request for information is Fogo Island, Newfoundland. About ten years ago the prime industries of the eastern provinces of Canada ended. The cod that had drawn the Basques, Portuguese, French and English to the east coast of Canada since the 15th Century was now depleted. This was a total economic disaster for Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. Without the fishing industry, there was no work for the fishermen, processors, boat builders and saw mills. Fogo Island sits off the east coast of Newfoundland and was originally called Fuego (fire) Island by the Portuguese cod fishermen who saw the cooking fires of the Indian villages. Today, Fogo Islanders want to reinvigorate their economy and community by stepping back in history to the days of wooden boatbuilding and the seamanship involved in human and wind powered traditional small craft. They have asked CWB for a model and we are freely responding with basic factoids and concepts that would best fit their resources and goals. What’s in it for CWB, you might ask. There’s the prestige that can leverage our grant applications. How often do other historical museums get requests to copy them? There is also the opportunity to visit other CWBs in other regions. And there is the advantage of joint membership, privileges of discounts on boat use, sort of a maritime heritage Club Med. Plan your vacations around CWBs on the east coast, west coast, gulf coast, Great Lakes, Caribbean Sea, South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. Who would have thought that evening in 1976, the CWB would go global?
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On January 29th, 12 students from Billings Middle School started building two 8’ El Toro catboats at their facility near Green Lake. CWB’s El Toro maintenance director Adam Karpenske assists the students in their venture. Dave Pippin, a devoted shop volunteer is the liaison between the CWB and Billings. Dave is a faculty member at Billings as well as a very excited participant in the El Toro class. The students have been provided with two new building jigs, built to strict international El Toro racing specs, and square stock to build with. Over the course of the program the students will learn how to shape, fit and install the boat’s keel and chine superstructure, plank the
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hull, interior and trim, in addition to building a new mast and boom. The student-built El Toro’s will be painted, rigged and on the water in time to celebrate the end of the school year in early June. The new boats will then join the CWB’s El Toro fleet in their quest to create proficient, young sailors.
CWB Oral Histories Project
CWB is happy to welcome Shelly Leavens into our family of interns and volunteers. Shelly is a UW Graduate student in the Museology program with interests in exhibit design, collections management and local history. Her childhood with boats and past experience working with oral histories led Shelly to the CWB internship, where she will be designing and implementing an Oral History Project centered on the early history of CWB and its impact on South Lake Union small craft heritage. Our founder, Dick Wagner, will be the first narrator in the project, with many others to follow. In addition, and in conjunction with oral histories, Shelly will be organizing and compiling our archives and photograph collection, designing a photo show for our main gallery, and proposing a plan for interactive Shavings access on the Web.
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47 feet. It doesn’t seem like a very long distance to move, but it makes a world of difference. This January, CWB moved from our old office in Room 112 to another part of the Naval Reserve Building a whole 47 feet away. The new space, Rooms 115-119, features five distinct rooms, a big change from the single large room the staff shared before. The move was accomplished through the hard work of over a dozen volunteers, who helped the staff organize, move and clean every item. In addition to a quieter workspace, the new offices feature a much better view of the activities on the docks and in Waterway Four. Now the livery and sailing staff can keep that much closer an eye on the boats and sailors. Another great feature is our new archive room. This room will give us a dedicated space to preserve historic boat plans, books, and other publications. Room 112 is still in use by CWB, giving us a new indoor space for field trips, kids’ classes, adult workshops, and meeting. CWB would like to thank Seattle Parks and Recreation for their continuing support and a special thanks to all of the volunteers who made our move a success. Next time you’re at CWB, stop by the new office and have a look!
Intern Shelley Leavens recording oral histories with CWB founder Dick Wagner
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News from South Lake Union A Plan Ahead of its Time b y
South Lake Union’s starring role in Seattle’s development didn’t start yesterday – For the first half century it was a terra incognito of primeval forest. Then our decision makers noticed it. Two interesting and conflicting plans were proposed. Both had public benefits in mind. One favored a sophisticated plan of architectural and transportation enhancements. The other offered a solution to some of Seattleites’ immediate needs. Read on to see who won the crown. Some cities reach a level of development and never change. Venice looks the same today as it did 500 years ago. The newest building in Venice’s Piazza de Marco was completed in 1492. Seattle, however, has never stopped changing since the first huddle of log cabins in 1851. In the 1890’s R.H. Thompson, Seattle’s first city engineer put together the foundation of growth from a pioneer settlement to a cosmopolitan city. Thompson flattened some of Seattle’s precipitous hills, installed a water and sewer system for a population of 400,000, a road system and purchased thousand of acres for parks and playgrounds. This was the frame for a city beautiful. Seattle brought in the esthetic experts to create the scene. In 1903 the Olmstead Brothers, landscape architects who had designed Central Park in New York, New York, were hired to make over New York, Washington. The Olmsteads gave Seattle high grades for its outstanding natural vistas and convoluted geography that enhanced its neighborhood character by their geographical borders. The Olmstead plan made our major parks works of art with views of mountains, saltwater and fresh water, including the State University campus. They designed pathways to link the open spaces. In 1906 Virgil Bogue, Seattle’s Municipal Planning Director, submitted a proposal to give Lake Union a special identity. All the street cars, ferries, railroads, and shops could Shavings
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have a common terminal at the south end of Lake Union. It would become the transportation hub of Seattle. South Lake Union would become Seattle’s new downtown. The design was classic renaissance in layout, architecture, materials and details. South Lake Union in the 1850’s and 60’s was heavily forested. Its principal occupants were deer, bears, and mountain lions. By 1883 this area, once part of David Denny’s claim, was annexed to the city. Soon thereafter it became the Cascade neighborhood. By 1900, there were restaurants, groceries, boarding houses, laundries, single family residences, churches, a bowling alley, a brewery, a baseball field, and a kindergarten. It was a workers neighborhood. The famous labor leader, Dave Beck, grew up in Cascade. His first job was in a Cascade laundry.
The taxpayers of Seattle rejected Bogue’s proposal, by ballot, in 1912. No wonder. South Lake Union was becoming an industrial asset. They didn’t need to pretty it up with fancy transportation terminals. South Lake Union was becoming a hard core working site, not a sophisticated coffee sipping place. R. H. Thompson tuned in on the SLU ambiance and chose it as the location for Seattle’s first municipal garbage dump. Thompson called it the Solid Waste Destructor No.1. It burned garbage including at least one dead horse a day. Steam from the burn was used to run the nearby asphalt plant and laundry. The clinkers from the burn were used for road building. One hundred years later, Virgil Bogue is smiling in his grave! The dump is gone, the streetcars are coming.
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Interpretative and Exhibit Master Plan Update b y
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Great progress continues to be made with the development of a Master Plan for the Interpretation of Maritime Heritage at South Lake Union. This master planning process is being funded by a Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant that is administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation. One could very understandably, look at that jumble of words that is used above to officially describe what CWB is undertaking, and see it as clearly as one sees Rainier on a cloudy day. In an effort to provide further clarity on what CWB is up to, we have outlined a few questions that an interested member might have about the Master Planning project. Why did CWB get a Federal grant from the Department of Transportation? The Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant provides money for a wide range of facilities and activities including the creation of bicycle trails, scenic highway programs and, in this case, planning for a a transportation museum. So what’s the big deal? This is a spectacular opportunity for Seattle, Lake Union area communities, CWB and the Maritime Heritage community as a whole, to create a joint vision of how to tell our shared story of the history and future of the maritime industry, March/April 2007
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maritime recreation and life on Lake Union and Seattle. What we hope for is to be able to further emphasize the commonalities that bind the maritime community as well as highlight the unique strengths of the various organizations that make up this community. Through this planning process CWB and the other participating organizations, will better position themselves to apply for, and receive funds for implementation of this joint vision. How can I learn more? To learn more you can go to the website that we have specifically created to keep members and the public informed about this process, http://www. cwbplan.org. How can I get involved? On the project website, http:// w w w. c w b p l a n . org, you can take a survey to express your interest in the various areas that the master plan will be focusing on . Additionally you can sign up for an electronic newsletter to keep up to date on what’s going on specifically with the master planning process. You can also contact our Community Involvement Specialist, Matthew Stubbs via email at matthew_stubbs@loudmonks.com with any ideas, questions or concerns.
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S o u t h Spring Livery Hours
The lengthening days and warming temperatures herald the start of our Spring livery hours March 19th. We’ll be open noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week so come on down and enjoy the lake. Also mark your calendars for Memorial Day Weekend, when our hours expand to an 8 p.m. closing time. Please remember that you must have a valid checkout card to sail a CWB boat. Checkouts are by appointment and cost $10. During your checkout, we’ll check to make sure you’re comfortable handling traditional small boats. Rowboats are available to everyone, no matter their experience level. If you have any questions, please contact Greg Reed, greed@cwb.org.
Summer Youth Internship! Spend your summer outside and get work experience somewhere fun! CWB youth interns work directly with our wooden boats and the people who use them. Learn about our historic sail and row boats, help with the repair and maintenance of our El Toro dinghy fleet, and assist with youth sailing classes and field trips. Contact Jake Beattie at CWB if you interested in applying for this position.
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It Takes an Island... b y
Camano Island is, geologically, a part of the Puget Sound inner sea. Actually it is becoming an island apart from the rest. This is because of the gang of preservation stewards on the island. From the 1850’s to the 1930’s its land use ethic was resource extraction. That means all the firs and cedars were logged. The next phase was recreation. Over 17 waterfront resorts were built on this 17-mile long island in the ‘30s and summer cabins popped up everywhere. Indigenous flowers and trees were replaced by species that were nostalgic reminders of distant homelands and Norman Rockwell paintings. In the 1990’s Camano Island preservationists arose to bring back the natural resources of Camano. Through their efforts a large corps of The Friends of Camano Island Parks are regularly helping the County and State Parks as well as ensuring the miles of nonvehicle trails are kept in best condition.
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The Beach Watchers are just as vigilant in monitoring and keeping the beaches and tidelands healthy. The Whidbey-Camano Land Trust has recently organized the purchase of 3,160 acres of the tidelands of Livingston Bay, on the northeast side of Camano – the bay is an inlet off Port Susan. This property was donated to the Nature Conservancy in order to preserve it as a migratory fowl stopover and a recurring habitat for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout, as well as an incubator for many other marine species. The Livingston Bay flats will be added to the 4,000 acres of Port Susan that the Nature Conservancy acquired about 10 years ago. These preserved tidelands are part of the 13,000 acre Stillaguamish and Skagit Rivers Wildlife Area, where 90% of the migrating fowl of western Washington winter.
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As of September 2006, Phase II B has started at Cama Beach. Advanced Construction Inc. is building the Welcome Center, the upland Comfort Station and has started the rehab of the historical structures. The work is expected to be complete by the fall of 2007. The subsequent phase, which will open the park, will include the rustic retreat lodge and the dining hall. This phase should start this summer and finish in 2008 when we will have our grand opening. With the scheduled completion of the current phase for fall of 2007, we are planning an event for the park. We hope to have an open house to allow the community to see the park and learn how they can get involved. Involved groups, including our enduring partner CWB, will be asked to help us hold this event. This will also provide our partners with a chance to recruit new members. Completion of this current phase will allow CWB to take possession of their buildings, and begin their rehabilitation work. For questions or concerns about the progress and status of the project, to volunteer, or to be added to the mailing list about the opening of Cama Beach, please contact Cama Beach State Park (360) 387-7542 or e-mail at cama.beach@parks.wa.gov For more information on Camano Island State Park, please call (360) 387-3031. Shavings
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From the preservation sites of Iverson Spit or Port Susan or English Boom or Skagit Bay, bird watchers can add to their sightings log book. In the fall and through the winter one can see loons, western grebes, ruddy ducks, cormorants, dunlin, Canada Geese, Brant Geese, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, Shovelers, Pintails, an assortment of sparrows, all five North American falcon species, about 8,000 trumpeter and tundra swans and about 65,000 snow geese from Wrangell Island, Siberia. In 2003, the Whidbey-Camano Land Trust acquired a 440 acre old growth forest and old growth wetland: Camano Ridge Reserve and a 31 acre Davis Slough property that is a nesting site for over 600 Great Blue Herons. The Whidbey-Camano Land Trust also purchased 2.5 acres on both sides of Kristofferson Creek, flowing into Port Susan. This is Camano Islands’ sole salmon spawning area. The area acquired will enable the creek to preserve its original configuration and surrounding environment. The dedicated support of countless Camano Islanders has added to the County & State park lands to bring back its once perfectly balanced and bountiful natural environment.
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Upcoming Family Boat Building
Instructor: CWB Staff and Volunteers Session 1: May 19, 20, 26 & 27 (Weekends at CWB) Session 2: June 30 - July 3 (Saturday-Tuesday at CWB’s Annual Wooden Boat Festival) Session 3: August 18, 19, 25 & 26 (Weekends at CWB) Session 4: October 20, 21, 27 & 28 (Weekends at Camano Island State Park) Time:10:00 AM - 6:00PM Cost: $1,300 members / $1,450 non-members
Under the guidance of a professional boatwright and assisted by CWB’s volunteers, families will build the Union Bay Skiff, a simple but great wooden sail and rowing boat designed by boatwright Brad Rice. We’ll supply everything needed to build the boat and we’ll launch all the boats at the end of class! The boat is capable of carrying two people. Families will take their boats home for painting and miscellaneous finish work. No previous woodworking experience required.
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Native Style (HAIDA) Paddle Making
Instructor: Sāādūūts Session 1: May 12 & 13 Session 2: October 6 & 7 Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Saturday & Sunday) Cost: $225 members / $270 non-members
Sāādūūts, CWB’s Master Carver and Artistin-Residence, will lead a two-day class on traditional Haida style paddle making. The Haida, of the Queen Charlotte Islands and Southeast Alaska, have fascinated all who have visited them, from the first travelers and explorers of the late eighteenth century to the anthropologists of the present. To early visitors the Haida presented a culture with complex social organization and rich artistic expression, which displayed a fine and fulfilling balance between man and the natural and supernatural worlds. Sāādūūts will talk about the origins and uses of various native paddles (including the “whale’s tail”!) and how the paddles work to balance the canoe. Students will learn about the different properties of wood used to make paddles and will be guided through the processes of layout and the use of hand and power tools to shape the paddle. Paddle patterns and finishes will be discussed. Take home a canoe paddle to finish or decorate as you like.
Bronze Casting Workshop
Women’s Woodworking:
An Introduction to the Basics Instructor: Hannah Browne Session 1: May 9,16, 23 & 30 Session 2: October 3,10, 17 & 24 Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Wednesdays) Cost: $200 members / $240 non-members
Ladies! Have you always wanted to learn woodworking but never had the time or encouragement? Join Hannah Browne for four sessions in the wonderful ways of woodworking. In addition to learning how to safely use hand and power tools, this workshop will cover basic joinery, laminating, fastening, and finishing techniques. Walk away with the knowledge and confidence to embark on your own woodworking projects. Tell your sisters, girlfriends, mothers and daughters to sign up! March/April 2007
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Instructor: Sam Johnson Session 1: April 21 & 22 Session 2: October 13 & 14 Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Saturday & Sunday) Cost: $280 members / $350 non-members
Sam Johnson will introduce the basics of patternmaking, sand molding and bronze casting during this engaging hands-on course. Students will make patterns of their design to cast tools, boat hardware and other objects in bronze. Boat builders in particular often need special bronze fittings which are not available but can be cast without great expense. Anyone who has ever lost an oarlock will appreciate learning how to make copies of original hardware. Learn how to build an inexpensive furnace and how to use all the tools necessary to cast hot metal using sandcasting technology.
The Center for WOODEN BOATS
Program Catalog 2007
These are just a few of the over 30 workshops and classes CWB has to offer in the next three months alone! Some of the upcoming classes and workshops include: • SailNOW! • Girls’ Spring Break Sailing Camp • Captain’s License US Maritime Academy • Basic Power Boating • Canoe Building • Restoring the Shrimpo • RaceNOW! • Serendipity with Watercolor • Engineer for A Day • Caulking • Aleut Ikyak Baidarka Kayak Building • Introduction to Spinnakers • Docking Under Sail • Varnishing Brightwork • Sail Making • Lofting • Knots I & 2 For more information on these or any of our other workshops and classes, stop by CWB, visit our website www.cwb.org, or call 206.382.2628 and request a catalog.
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C o l l e c t i o n From the Boatshop B
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I always love the feeling of finishing a boat, putting on that last coat of varnish, installing the last of the hardware, and figuring out all the details you’ve forgotten. Case in point: the dory Q’ona. A unique boat by even the saltiest standard, the Q’ona is a modified Cape Anne Dory with a gunter rigged main sail and a small jib. A gunter rig is very similar to a gaff rig in that it has two booms, an upper and lower, but the difference is the upper boom is peaked to a near vertical position giving the rig an appearance of a Marconi sloop. So why not just have a Marconi sloop? The boat was built as an expedition vessel, specifically (believe it or not) for a voyage from Seattle to southeast Alaska in the seventies, and during such a voyage, as the boat becomes becalmed and starts drifting back towards Seattle with the tide, the poor saps in the Q’ona would need to take the whole apparatus down so as to be able to put oars in the water and do some rowing. To this end a small main mast sized hole has been cut in the aft bulkhead to accommodate the length of the mast, also the stays for the main are built of three strand line so that can be untied easily. All I can I say is this might be our coolest boat in the collection, and now that it’s officially restored, a new stem, new transom, new deck, as well as all the finish work, it will once again be available for rentals come spring and sun down here at CWB. One of the cooler repair jobs right now is the work being done on the Woodshole Spritsail boat, the Plover. I hauled this boat out due to excessive leakage at the bow of the boat which was causing it to be unusable and unsafe for livery rentals. We investigated by reefing out the seams up forward and discovering flaws in the plank edges; flaws being defined as large gaps between the edges of the planks. Upon further investigation, or reefing as we call it in the boatshop, we found that this was a common problem throughout the bottom of the boat,
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probably due to excessive caulking and faulty planking work. So instead of replacing every other plank, we devised a method for replacing all the edges of the planks using a router with a half inch straight cutting bit. To do this we first had to figure out the distance from the center of our router to the edge of the router base, then for each seam that we wanted to repair we fastened a batten to the hull this exact distance. After passing the router along this batten we create a half inch gap between each plank which we then filled with two quarter-inch pieces of wood, one of which has a six degree caulking bevel cut into it. To fasten the pieces to the original planks we used West System epoxy and temporary wedges driven between these two pieces as temporary clamps. Sounds complicated? It’s actually a pretty straight forward process and the end result is a uniform caulking bevel and a tight plank which can then be caulked. Come check this out if you’re curious to see this repair; the boat will be out for a couple of more months as we finish all the woodwork and cosmetics. Here are some of the other projects underway by the shop crew: • Readying the Northwest Seaport boat the Twilight for youth field trips this spring and summer. We’re rewiring the bilge pump system, creating a fish hold, installing glass in the pilot house windows, and painting the house. • The 15’ tugbout Captain Pete is getting a new purpleheart stem, repairs to the cockpit coaming, a new instrument panel, and replanking in the bow. • The H-12½ Shrimpo is getting the last of her planking finished and will be moving in to the Northwest Seaport shop in March for an interior restoration class taught by Eric Dow. If any of these projects catch your eye, please come by and check them out, or if you want to help out contact me by my email hscott@ cwb.org.
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THE BOOK NOOK
Ask the Captain Dear Captain Pete, Why is a bathroom on a boat called a head? Sincerely, Ellie Mae
Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone Reading level: 5 and up Little Tim lived in a house by the sea. He wanted very much to be a sailor, but his parents said he was much too young and must wait for years and years, until he was grown up. That was far too long to wait, of course. This classic book has everything needed for a great sea story – a stowaway, a great storm, a sinking ship, and brave friends. You can almost taste the salty air and feel the ship under your feet. I think everyone who reads this will want to run away to sea!
Dear Ellie Mae, A long time ago (and sometimes still) the word head was used to mean the top or forward part of the boat. When someone said they were going to the head it meant they were going to the forward part of the boat. The sailors would climb down onto an area with grating on the floor to relieve themselves. The grating allowed the open sea to wash up and help keep the area clean. We still use the term head even though we have modern toilets and they are usually not in the forward part of a boat. Thanks for an interesting question, Sincerely, Captain Pete
Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury Reading level: 10 and up Mikey is a 13-year old boy who works on his step-father Bill’s charter fishing boat, the CrystalC. This story gets your interest right away by showing the hardships their family faces and hinting at what might happen on the day’s charter. Over the course of the trip, Mikey realizes the world is more complex than he thought and has a very tough choice to make. The great descriptions of trying to catch a really big fish help make this a fast paced book with lots of action and adventure.
If you have a question about sailing, boats, or the water, write Captain Pete at The Center for Wooden Boats.
How To Tie A Cleat Hitch This hitch is used to keep a boat tied to a dock. Try it by following these three steps. 1.
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B u y a B oat from C W B ! A Snowy Delivery
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The picture to the right is of a 23’ Norwegian “Kutter” sailboat being delivered from CWB to its new owner’s home in Port Townsend during the recent cold spell. We got lots of second looks on the ferry and the last quarter mile wasn’t as easy as we hoped. Snow and unpaved roads conspired to make towing the 2,200 pound boat a little tricky. The picture shows the shop the boat will be housed in while it undergoes a top to bottom restoration. William Garden Sloop 47’ LOA. This boat is owned by Front Desk volunteer Ros Bond. He w i l l d o n a t e $12,000 to CWB if we find a buyer for him. It’s all teak, and it’s the best built wooden boats we’ve ever seen. You’ll get a perfect boat and CWB will get some cash to help us provide all the programs that you know and love. Please call for full specs and more info. $149,000 23’ Norwegian Kutters. One of the sexiest daysailers ever built. These little racers are the pocket sized descendants of boats like the R Boat Pirate and the Dragon. They’re nimble, easy to single hand and a real hoot when the breeze picks up. They were donated as a fleet of four and we’ve decided to sell them individually. They all need work, but they’re worthy projects. $3,000
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1974 32’ Trojan Repowered with modern Mercruiser engines that have only 540 hours of use. Newer inverter and wiring. A great deal on a solid boat. $15,995
Another 23’ Kutter! Fully restored. This boat has had a full structural restoration. It has a new stem, new floor timbers, many new or repaired frames etc. Basically anything that needed to be replaced has been. There are some minor cosmetics that still need attention, but they are truly minor. Come down and take a look at this beautiful boat. $11,000
28’ Norwegian lapstrake cruiser. What a find in Seattle. This boat is a true Norwegian Classic Motor Snekke. It’s planked lapstrake style with Norwegian Pine on Oak frames. The fastenings are copper rivets. It’s powered by a Volvo diesel. The cabin is roomy with a v- berth, enclosed head and dinette in the forward cabin. The aft cabin has a nice vberth. The center cockpit is very roomy and safe. The boat looks very sound, runs great, and should only need cosmetics and new carpet to be a show boat. $7,500 18’ William Garden Designed Sloop. This is the famous “Diane” that is featured in William Garden’s book of Yacht Designs. The story is that is was built by a man who was blind and had only one arm! It’s has a small cabin with two berths. The cockpit is very
roomy for a boat this size, and exceptionally comfortable. It comes with a 5 hp Four stroke Honda outboard that is about 2 years old. The boat is in great shape and should only need some minor cosmetic work above the rail. $7,500
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On January 10th, The Center for Wooden Boats was thrilled to receive a grant award of $20,000 from The Norcliffe Foundation, a non-profit family foundation located here in Seattle. The purpose of the award is for the preservation of a number of CWB’s collections, including rare books and periodicals, historic hand tools, historic photos, documents, slides, and original boat plans. Preservation methods will include new, weather resistant display cases for nearly all of these artifacts, and duplication and electronic archiving of boat plans for public viewing in person and on the CWB website. These improvements are expected to occur over the next six months. We’re also excited to announce that while assessing our collection of historic photographs, a new photo exhibit profiling 30 years of The Center for Wooden Boats will be curated and displayed in the Boathouse. The Norcliffe Foundation serves “to improve the quality of life of all people in the community by the application of financial and human resources.” We at CWB are happy to once again join in this goal and thank the foundation for their support.
A letter from a member
Dear BetsyI was very pleased to read your article on “Leaving a Legacy” in the most recent issue of Shavings. It was an excellent primer on planned giving – not a subject that often comes up in casual conversation – and a reminder that now is the time to take care of the details. I never had the pleasure of meeting CWB sailor Michael Walsh, who passed away last summer, but I know I would have liked him because we shared the same passions (wooden boats) and the same precepts (give back to those people and entities who have given to you). He wanted those who wished to memorialize him to donate to CWB. Whether it’s adding a bequest to CWB to your will or requesting that memorial donations be made to CWB, it is such an easy way to help ensure that all the pleasures of CWB continue to be available to those who come after us. There is one point that wasn’t in your article: CWBers need to be “Living Legacies.” It is a beautiful thing to remember CWB in your will and memorials but don’t forget to be an active donor and supporter while you’re still here enjoying all that The Center has to offer. If you didn’t manage to put some dollars in the pot for the year-end campaign, how about sending in a “year-beginning” buck or two. Thanks to everyone at CWB for all they do to enrich our life experience and our community’s heritage. Judie Romeo Life Member
CWB Wish List
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A pickup truck Firewood for the shop (unpainted) Wooden Boat Magazine Issues # 1-12 Kids’ Books DVD Player Refrigerator (please contact us first!) Storage space
To make a donation, please call 206.382.2628. Thank you!
March/April 2007
March/April Shavings Contributors: Courtney Bartlett • Crystal Goodner • Patrick Gould • Adam Karpenske Shelley Leavens • Bonnie Loshbaugh • Erik Neumann • Greg Reed • Judie Romeo • Heron Scott • Matthew Stubbs • Eldon Tam • Dick Wagner • Jeff Wheeler Shavings 11
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U p c o m i n g CWB’s Annual Meeting March 16, 2007, 6pm
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Mark your calendar for the Festival! Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival: June 30-July2 Seafaring Family Fun Day: July 4
Come join us as we celebrate a great year of accomplishments and share our plans for 2007.
Set your travel plans and reserve your spot at this year’s Festival! Due to July 4th falling on a Wednesday this year, we’re planning two different, but connected events.
Third Friday Speaker Series: One Man’s Ongoing Love Affair with Wooden Boats March 16, 2007 CWB, 7pm
Our annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival will be the weekend before Independence Day and will include all of your favorite exhibits, vendors, activities and boats. We even have a few new surprises up our sleeves. On July 4th, you’ll still have an opportunity to see the boats plus we’ll have extra activities for the kids.
Richard Friedman has been a commercial fisherman for 11 years, on a classic wooden vessel. Then he purchased a Norwegian built deep sea trawler Explorer fitted out as a yacht in Ireland. Friedman with his wife and three kids voyaged on the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific. He now takes charters in the summer out of Sitka, and cruises the wilderness of SE Alaska. Richard will talk about the highlights of his many experiences.
If you would like to participate in this year’s festival as an exhibitor, please visit our website, www.cwb.org for an application and details on this year’s schedule. Visiting vessels are encouraged to stay for both events! Keep your eye on Shavings for updates!
Schooner Martha at 100 April 20, 2007, 7pm The Schooner Martha will be celebrating her 100th anniversary throughout 2007. Her captain, Robert d’Arcy, will review Martha’s extensive restoration program—both completed and ongoing. More information about the Schooner Martha Foundation can be found at www.schoonermartha.org. See CWB’s program catalog for scheduled sailings.
Armed Forces Day Weekend May 19 - 20, 2007 SLU Wharf will feature restored wooden military boats built during World War II side-byside with modern small craft used by today’s Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force and Army.
Camano Island Mother’s Day Weekend Sail May 12, 2007 An annual tradition the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend. Take this opportunity to take Mom for a free sail off of Camano Island. Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Seattle, WA Permit No. 1583
1010 Valley Street, Seattle, WA 98109-4468 206.382.2628 • www.cwb.org
Join us for our Annual Meeting! March 16, 2007, 6pm