A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

[Yeadon]

The CWB Festival is coming up this weekend, and I'm organizing tours through CWB's storage facility ... that's where they keep all the historic wooden boats that are too valuable (or fragile) to put back into the water.

The public almost never gets to see the balance of CWB's collection. When you visit CWB, what you see on the docks isn't even half the story.

For instance, there is a Willits Launch on a trailer up in storage that is really quite amazing. It's a one-off by the brothers Willits of the Willits Bros. canoe company in Tacoma. I'm told that they used the launch for many years for their own personal use. I'm not sure if it's ever been shown to the public.

Other boats include skiffs from west coast builders/designers such as the Acme, Davis, Reinell, Mojean, Geary and HA Long. If you go, keep an eye out for the Thames River Skiff (not west coast, but still very cool). We also have an original Lake Oswego row boat. (The same design that was in last year's Small Boats magazine from WoodenBoat.)

To that point, at 11 a.m on Saturday and Sunday, for the first time ever we'll be hosting tours through storage. (I'll put up a map of the storage location in a day or so, as it's a short hike south from the CWB campus.) The tours will be included in the cost of your festival admission.

• On Saturday, Paul Marlow of CWB will speak to the local historical value and significance of each boat. He's a pretty chatty maritime historian, and should have no shortage of stories to tell.
• On Sunday, Eric Hvalsoe, a boatwright and designer from Shoreline, (and forumite), will focus on construction details and design features. As a builder, Hvalsoe has been heavily influenced by traditional construction methods. I think this will be an interesting tour through time from the eye of a boatbuilder.

CWB storage is located here. That's the sw corner of Pontius Avenue North and Republican Street.

Hopefully, if the tours go well, CWB will offer more in the future.


Thanks,
Tim

[skuthorp]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

Now I am jealous!!

[martin schulz]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

... that's where they keep all the historic wooden boats that are too valuable (or fragile) to put back into the water.

I am sorry, I am probably in a bad mood today and I do honor the work that is done in all museums to preserver our past, but...

Boats are boats, because their element is water.
IMHO all efforts in restoring a boat must end in putting it back in the water. This won't be possible with all boats, especially not with those found under water or those, such as viking boats or kogs, that are too old to be restored.

You can see I am not a fan of showcase boats and the ever disputed CUTTY SARK case definitely sees me on one side of the issue.

[rbgarr]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

I'm organizing tours through CWB's storage facility ... that's where they keep all the historic wooden boats that are too valuable (or fragile) to put back into the water.

The public almost never gets to see the balance of CWB's collection. When you visit CWB, what you see on the docks isn't even half the story.

It would be great if you could take and post some pictures of the 'hidden fleet'!

[Milo Christensen]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

It would be great if you could take and post some pictures of the 'hidden fleet'!

Much mo betta if you could take lots and lots of pictures.

[Eric Hvalsoe]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

I am sorry, I am probably in a bad mood today and I do honor the work that is done in all museums to preserver our past, but...

Boats are boats, because their element is water.
IMHO all efforts in restoring a boat must end in putting it back in the water. This won't be possible with all boats, especially not with those found under water or those, such as viking boats or kogs, that are too old to be restored.

You can see I am not a fan of showcase boats and the ever disputed CUTTY SARK case definitely sees me on one side of the issue.

. . . You are in a freaking bad mood. What an inane response. Chance to shed some light on a few of our boats that the public never sees. Chance to see a few hull forms out of the water.
Mentioning Cutty Sark is like mentioning something from Mars
(and no, CWB has absolutely nothing to do with the schooner Wawona, which will not be at its current adjacent site forever)
One thing the Center For Wooden Boats can never be confused with is a musty museum. Yeadon is to be commended for coming up with this idea of storage tours. Come down and see all the boats in the water, and if time permits take a peek at storage.

[Keith Wilson]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

One thing the Center For Wooden Boats can never be confused with is a musty museum.

Damn right!! They probably have more historic boats in the water, available for public use, not just viewing, than any other place I know of, including Mystic Seaport. The couple of times I was there I sailed, by myself, a Blanchard, a Beetle cat, a Herreshoff 12-1/2, and a Pete Culler sloop. One could wish that there was a bit more wind on Lake Union, but still . . . . Some museums deserve criticism in that regard, but certainly NOT the Center for Wooden Boats. I wish I could be there to see the boats now in storage.

[martin schulz]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

. . . You are in a freaking bad mood. What an inane response.

Yes I know you are right. My response was indeed improper. I apologise!

Mentioning Cutty Sark is like mentioning something from Mars

On the other hand the discussion about if it makes sense to "preserve the original fabric" vs "restore a boat so it sails" is an important one, we should have at some point in time.

[Tim_H]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

if there were unlimited funds I am sure all these boats would be in the water and used.

[Yeadon]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

Eric, great post. Pretty much hits the spot. In truth, CWB has virtually zero "showcase" boats that live in glass cases. The vast majority are on the docks, with the scars to prove it. There's only so much room on the docks, though, and that's how some of these boats end up in storage. Others are there because they're interesting local boats, but a rebuild would pretty much destroy what's left of the boat that is original. (It's a fine line sometimes.) CWB is working to get the lines off as many boats as possible.

The best way for anyone to grasp what I'm getting at is to come down to CWB and wander around for a while. Just by chance, the festival is this weekend ...

Much mo betta if you could take lots and lots of pictures.

I'm going down this afternoon to storage ... I promise to take a few photos and post them here.

One last note that sort of belongs here ... last year CWB restored a Herreshoff 12-1/2. The sailboat "Shrimpo" is on the trailer right now near the Armory. Last I checked, CWB was planning on splashing the boat during the festival. Shrimpo used to live in storage next to another 12-1/2, which I'd guess will be restored over the next handful of years.

[Yeadon]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

I went up to storage this afternoon, and took a number of photos.
At the moment, it's late in the evening and my memory is fading on which boat is which. But I'll come back and fill the in the correct info for each photo. Promise. But for now, here's the photos.

CWB Boatwright Heron Scott (on left) and Eric Hvalsoe (on right) moving a few boats around.


Below, an Acme skiff.


Below, Heron uses the Genie lift to lower an Old Town Rowing Canoe.


Below, detail shot from rowing canoe.


Below ... I'll fill this one in for you later, though the white lapstrake stern at the top of the photo is a Nevins skiff. The brightly finished lapstrake is a Reinell.



Below ... I'll get back to you on this one.


... more photos on next post.

[Yeadon]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

Below, the Dick Tolmie, a sailing skiff based on Herreshoff's Swift class. Builder was Rich Kolin.
Edited to add ... Swift Class Dick Tolmie This 13' sailing boat is the first of its class, designed by Rich Kolin and built during a CWB student workshop. The boat was designed to help fill our need for traditional sailing boats that may be used in the livery, as well as by sail training classes at our future Cama Beach State Park campus, on Camano Island. Kolin's design was inspired by the yacht tenders and day sailors designed by Nathaniel G. Herreschoff in the early 20th century. Finished beautifully, the sail rig holds 100 square feet of sail in the mainsail and jib.


Below, an original Davis boat is in the left, a Mojean skiff is on the right.


Below, breasthook detail from Davis boat.


Below, H12-1/2 Sarah, in need of a small restoration.


Below, one of the very first Geary 18 Flatties.


Below, George McCurdy's personal dory.


... more photos on next post.

[pcford]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

bravo. looks like a skookum storage set-up.

[Yeadon]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

Below, an early OMC.


Below, an early Johnson.


Below, just hanging out.


Below, Point Defiance skiff.


Below, storage from afar.


Below, a Port Madison pram. We decided this little sailboat really wanted take us on a little trip. I have a small suspicion that it might happen.


more photos coming ...

[John B]

Re: A CWB Festival First - historic boats in deep storage to be shown to public.

Great thread thanks.