Columbia River Gill Netter

[Jay Greer]

For those who were asking if a Columbia River Gill Netter was similar to "Butcher Boy", here are some photos of my friend Jerry Hamptons boat "Ida J." The boat will be 100 years old next year. Needless to say, a lot of restoration has gone into her!http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p2eb3ec8e923323f7e38efb5909b337da/ec7859d6.jpg

[Paul Pless]

thanks for that pic,



is that a west coast incarnation of Jamie (uncas) ?:p

[Jay Greer]

Here is another.
Jayhttp://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p90467bdbca008dd18adddd8fd0cc7d29/ec785ab5.jpg

[Jay Greer]

Stern Shot.http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p05d14a26d599ee664068fbf9ea2be256/ec785927.jpg

[dmede]

Nice boat. Jay can you explain the black patch mid-ship and the boards just above your friends hand in the middle shot?

dave

[JimM]

Here is a picture of a model of a Columbia River gillnet boat used by the fisherman working for the various canneries before the advent of make-brake engines.

http://historywired.si.edu/images/enlarged/230.jpg

[ron ll]

Did all the Columbia River Gilnetters have the house aft? Or were some built with the house forward? My boat is sometimes confused with a CRG which obviously it is not.http://www.ronlloyd.com/oddstuff/profile.jpg

[Jay Greer]

Nice boat. Jay can you explain the black patch mid-ship and the boards just above your friends hand in the middle shot?

dave
Dave,
The boat was set up for crab fishing in Alaska. The dark section is an over lay of chafing and stain protection. Jerry is rigging the boat for sail as well. Hopefully, it will be displayed in the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival next year.
Jay

[JimD]

I never tire of looking at old fishing boats, either remodeled for recreational use or still set up for fishing. Thanks for the pics.

[pcford]

Neat boats. When I was a pup my family used to go on wonderful vacations down to the Long Beach peninsula (WA). Boats were much like I see here perhaps around 25 ft. House was almost full with a huge single cyclinder thumper.

[MAGIC's Craig]

Hi, Jay:

Years ago, in San diego, Vicky and I met a couple who had converted a Columbia river gillnetter to a schooner, fitted with a catboat-style rounded-front cabin and a simple 3 sail gaff rig. Unfortunately, we did not manage to take any pictures, but she was a lovely bit of work and sailed quite handily, if me memory is correct (?!?).

Lovely hull shape!

Craig Johnsen

[Bob Cleek]

There's a great exhibit of the evolution of gillnetters with beautifully restored examples, in the Maritime Museum in Astoria, OR. Definitely worth a trip if you are in the area.

[katiedobe]

When I worked for APA #1 cannery in South Naknek, AK in 1983 there was a sail rigged gill net boat sitting in an old shed. Since we were way ahead of contract and were standing around my boss told our "egg house" crew to pull it out, paint it, put the mast up and hang the sail and stick it out at the end of the dock. It was my job to Raise the sail every morning and pull it down it night.
I wish I could find those photos from back then but probably they are lost to history.
I wonder if that boat is still up there in the shed??
Anyone going near South Naknek look up the cannery owned by Sea Alaska, formerly Alaska Packer's Association cannery #1 and maybe you will find a nice boat in need of some restoration. Everything was there, mast, sail, rudder, tiller, all the floor boards were there. Cool boat. It was wide open at the seams so it could not be put into the water. But it had great lines.
That was the moment I was bitten by the woodenboat bug. Sitting on that thing thinking about the fisherman pulling nets in on Bristol Bay and carrying them into the dock or the tender scow. It still smelled fishy and workboaty.

[katiedobe]

OH yea, I love the model. IT is perfect. Just like I remember it.

[Jay Greer]

I sailed and powered one down from SF to Newport back in the sixties. It had a single cylinder Hix with a make and break ignition and an asporator for fuel supply. One would fill the priming cup, spin the flyweel with one hand and close the exhaust valve at TDC to start it. The boat actually sailed faster down the coast than it ran under power; six kts. average!

[Jay Greer]

Is that Jerry? He looks pretty proud and who could blame him?:D
Yes, that is Jerry. He owned the 38' Baby Malabar Alden Schooner "Wanderlure II"
I have often mentioned here in privious postings.
Jerry lives in Port Ludlow WA and delivers ice to the beer pavilion at the Wooden Boat Festival each year free of charge. Jerry has more sea miles under his keel than most of us gain in a lifetime!
Fair winds,
Jay