Once-elegant Wawona to sail on last voyage

[TimH]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20090224/450wawona24.jpg



Feeble schooner to be dismantled

By DEBERA CARLTON HARRELL (deberaharrell@seattlepi.com)
P-I REPORTER
The once-elegant schooner Wawona will embark on its last voyage Monday, leaving its South Lake Union moorage for a nearby dry dock to be dismantled.
"It's the end of an era," said Joe Shickich, president of Northwest Seaport, a private nonprofit organization that owns the 112-year-old vessel.
A badly deteriorated Wawona, once powered by four huge sails in Pacific coastal waters, has been moored for nearly 30 years near the Armory, awaiting a financial rescue that never came.
An agreement signed last year between Seattle and Northwest Seaport paved the way for the ship's move. City officials have long pushed for removal of the deteriorating vessel, saying it must make way for further development of Lake Union Park.
They also have considered it an eyesore in an urban center neighborhood that is being rapidly developed and gentrified.
Two years ago, the ship's 110-foot-tall masts were removed for safety reasons, and the vessel, which once carried cod fishermen, timber, passengers or war materials, and more recently hosted student groups and sea-shanty singers, was closed to the public.
About 160,000 people have taken walk-on tours, and 20,000 more have attended programs and cultural events on board while the ship was open.
But Shickich and others said the 165-foot ship will receive a new -- albeit much different -- life. It will be towed to Lake Union Drydock and taken apart, with the intent of saving as many artifacts and materials as possible.
Some, such as the ship's cabin, already have been surgically dismantled, Shickich said, its parts carefully identified for eventual reassembly and display.
The long-term plan, Shickich said, is to raise about $2 million to develop a land display and tribute to the Wawona, using as many parts as can be artfully reused.
The display would be created at Lake Union Park, near the Armory, which will be the new home of the Museum of History and Industry.
Shickich said MOHAI plans to incorporate some elements of the Wawona into the design of the museum, possibly using the ship's timbers for a grand staircase and its rudder as a sculptural entry point.
Public-private fundraising efforts have been ongoing for decades in hopes of saving one of the largest three-masted schooners ever built on the West Coast.
The Wawona once caught more cod than any other member of a 400-member Pacific schooner fleet -- and is now one of only two surviving fleet members.
The Wawona's sister ship, the C.A. Thayer in San Francisco, years ago received federal, local and nonprofit support to undergo a historic renovation estimated to cost $13 million.
But such funding did not come the Wawona's way, in some ways hurt by the federally funded effort in San Francisco.
Northwest Seaport convened the Wawona Summit several years ago, inviting naval architects, shipbuilders, historians, parks officials and others from all over the country to help brainstorm a solution to saving the Wawona.
Experts agreed that the Wawona was significantly deteriorated, but could not agree on what to do about it. Many in the maritime heritage community still wish the ship could be saved, perhaps someday as a seaworthy vessel.
Shickich said, however, that a true historical renovation would require rebuilding with the same materials -- most of which are too far gone.

[Yeadon]

... and Allentown will be complete.

Seriously, when this bird is gone, south lake union will be a whole new beast ... but is the new beast better than the last one?

Can I make a non-cryptic comment on a web forum? Only time will tell.

[capnharv]

I'm sorry, but I'll believe it when I see pictures of it in the paper.

[Yeadon]

Monday morning ... come on down. Bring your torch.

[capnharv]

They said that 2 weeks ago (I was going to help move docks). By that Saturday the move got cancelled.

I've heard so many promises (over the years) with Wawona I resigned myself to a wait and see attitude.

[Yeadon]

Moving docks? I thought we were going to burn it. No way I'm moving docks ... unless we get to burn it in the middle of the lake. That would be very impressive.

[capnharv]

When they had the Wawona summit several years ago, scuttling her was an option they explored. Turns out it would cost about 3/4 million just to sink her (towing, insurance, environmental impacts, etc).

The biggest issue holding her up appears to be where will she be taken and who will dismantle her. They've had several yards/organizations back out when they saw the task at hand.

[BrianW]

Not familiar with her, but got a couple pictures to add...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BrianW/wood%20boat/IMG_2489_edited-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BrianW/wood%20boat/forsale4.jpg

Seems like a shame.

[The Bigfella]

All she needs is a bit of a buff with a polisher.

[TerryLL]

Last time I was on her was 1984 during the CWB show. The below-decks space is truly awesome, and the wood that went into her beyond description. Probably nothing out of the ordinary for working sail of her day, but not seen these days.

[Paul Pless]

The once-elegant schooner Elegant? She was a lumber schooner... y'all make it sound like she was part of the Grand Banks Fleet or a pilot schooner or something. She is what she is and elegant aint it. Note: that doesn't mean she isn't or wasn't of historic preservation value.

[TerryLL]

Lumber carrier, halibut schooner, bulk cargo carrier. Drudge work for sure, but she was elegant in her own way.



http://www.crossroadslumber.com/assets/images/wawona-schooner-restoration-seattle-600px.jpg

[TimH]

I think its a shame every time we lose a piece of history. Once gone she isnt coming back.

Especially since the cost to restore her would be about the same as what we pay for a couple of hours in Iraq.

[Lew Barrett]

She's leaving home, bye-bye!

Wawona is (or was) but one element of the south Lake Union spectacle, but not the one I'll miss. Sure, it's a shame we don't have a beautiful tall ship, but Wawona is a problem girl at this point. She's just too far gone. Tim's (Yeadon) comments about Allentown's impact is right on. We've handed individual ownership away. Public access can't get better with the current mob in charge, can it? We'll have high rise buildings at the water's edge. Our city government seems blind to the little people. But hey, we got the SLUT out of it. Woo Hoo! What a boondoggle. Wawona is just a side show.

[BETTY-B]

I have not been aboard that boat in years. Yet I can rememeber every nook and cranny. I have spent many hours of my life dreaming about that old gal. Truely a disgraceful end to an "elegant" schooner and piece of maritime history.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/cwb2007051.jpg

[BETTY-B]

She's leaving home, bye-bye!

Wawona is (or was) but one element of the south Lake Union spectacle, but not the one I'll miss.


I will definitly be missing her. She's been a part of my whole life it seems.

[capnharv]

Elegant? She was a lumber schooner...

True. But in the early 80's I read that Weyerhauser stuck a million or so into sprucing up the main cabin.

C.A. Thayer is also a lumber schooner, but she looks pretty good in San Francisco.

[pcford]

I will say no more:

Many of the people and organizations in the "tallship" world are only vaguely connected to reality.

The Thayer is Wawona's sistership...Capt. Adrian Reynaud sailed her to San Francisco in 1956. Though not in perfect care she nonetheless has not suffered the way the Wawona has.

[BETTY-B]

Elegant indeed. What does lumber schooner have to do with it? If a mathmatician finds elegance in numbers, then I see know difference in the refinement of a beautiful schooner, developed for a specific purpose, as being equally elegant.

[TimH]

Elegant indeed. What does lumber schooner have to do with it? If a mathmatician finds elegance in numbers, then I see know difference in the refinement of a beautiful schooner, developed for a specific purpose, as being equally elegant.
I am suprised most people dont see this, especially here. But I hear ya loud and clear Dan.

[Lew Barrett]

Well, elegant or no, and I lean towards elegant (once upon a time) she's a rot producing spore generating lump now. Here's CWB's official notice of the move. Knowing the CWB crew as I do (Yeadon and Cap'n Harv know them even better) I have to say the article is really polite and kindly written. Deep down inside they have to be heaving a huge sigh of relief.

She became a liability fifteen years ago. It's not that all of us wouldn't love to have a fine reasonably intact lumber schooner in town, it's just she's not that. She is a liability to all the fine livery boats at CWB and just needs to be cut out of the herd for the good of her neighbors.

Bye Bye Wawona (http://sz0069.ev.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/mail)

[pcford]

Well, elegant or no, and I lean towards elegant (once upon a time)

Death march at 10am Monday. as per ACBS listserv.

[BETTY-B]

I went and looked at her closer than I had in years today. Man......it just seems like not so long ago there was something there. There really isnt.

The pouring rain and cold added to the gloom:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011338.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011348.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011361.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011367.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011365.jpg

[BETTY-B]

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011374.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011368.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011377.jpg

[Yeadon]

I'm really interested to see the actual method they use to tow her out. A giant harness? The operation itself is probably pretty delicate with a boat in this condition.

[TimH]

Wow. Whats the containment boom for?

Ill bet she breaks in half when they try to pull her out. Isnt she on the bottom?

[Paul Girouard]

Ill bet she breaks in half when they try to pull her out. Isnt she on the bottom?



Ya think theres any thing strong enought to allow that to happen? I think what ever they pull on will just "pull off" as rotten as she looks.

The old way of "burning in place " will prove why it was done that way.

If she's on the bottom which I think we all think she is , she'll not budge.

[TimH]

interesting how her bottom is sheathed in plywood.

[pcford]

Ya think theres any thing strong enought to allow that to happen? I think what ever they pull on will just "pull off" as rotten as she looks.

The old way of "burning in place " will prove why it was done that way.

If she's on the bottom which I think we all think she is , she'll not budge.

She's not on the bottom. Lake Union is often rather deep right up to the shore. And anyway, I saw her when she sank about twenty years ago in same place. Cost about 100k to raise if I recall correctly.

[Paul Girouard]

And anyway, I saw her when she sank about twenty years ago in same place. Cost about 100k to raise if I recall correctly.



Wow, that was money well spent! No wonder we're broke!

I wonder what she cost to build originally?

[capnharv]

If they plan to tow her out, she can't be on the bottom. And now I'm beginning to wonder if she will pull apart. When they turned her around about 5-10 years ago they had 2 tugs working her out very carefully, with half a dozen big pumps running on Wawona and another half dozen on standby on the tugs. Everybody on Wawona had PFDs on (another bad sign to me). I suspect they won't try to move her unless it's dead calm.

I think the point I gave up on Wawona was when the now missing chunk of transom fell on the deck of a Blanchard Jr. moored at Wawona's stern.

Thanks,

Harvey

[Lew Barrett]

It's such a folly that people have opposed this departure over the years! Millions for flotation, but not one penny for rehabilitation!

Malcolm Munsey (Cap't, USN, retired) and our own RGM did a complete review for the city last year and I have it on the QT that what they found was a pitiful hulk without any real possibility of redemption. Malcolm suggested later to me in private that the Wawona produced enough rot spores all on her own to represent a real threat to the CWB fleet. I think he wasn't really kidding. She should have been gracefully dispatched years ago in the interest of public safety and decent land use management. In a city that does tear down useful and historic old buildings from time to time to make way for new "improvements," this one was the wrong fight to pick.

[Bob Adams]

Wow....that is a truely awlful sight. One word sums the whole situation up. Sad.

[Tom Jackson]

She is not on the bottom, and a fair amount of the cost and delay in getting her ready to tow has been to shore up the lower topside against leakage and to strengthen her tow points, to prevent her from sinking while under tow or going out of control. The Wawona Summit in '05, which I attended and wrote about, was a very good thing for the relatively new leadership of Northwest Seaport to do.

I don't think anyone doubts at this point that Wawona is so far gone that rescue is out of the question. We're probably lucky that anything of her will be saved. The Northwest Seaport, in the meantime, can pay attention to the Arthur Foss and the other boats in its collection.

These ideas of burning Wawona or scuttling her may have worked on industrial waterfronts a hundred years ago, but obviously the dangers, pollutants, and safety hazards of such ideas make them completely out of the question today. Dismantling is just about the only reasonable approach—it became a case of do it roughshod or do it attentively.

Remembering that Wawona was the very first ship listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and remembering the early successes decades ago, it is really too bad that she came to this state. It just seems to me that in a gold-rush, hustler's town like Seattle, history doesn't count for much.

[capnharv]

Wasn't Seattle founded when Bill Gates started Microsoft?

[Tom Robb]

She deserves bettter than rotting away in port. Don't we all....
Old ships are great if they can somehow earn their way or have some kind of historic value.
Watching her rot over the years has been sad. The cash to save her, when it was still possible, was never there. A viking funeral would have been more dignified.
Visitors to the site with poor impressions of wooden boats left with their prejudices reinforced.
If non-rot infested chunks can be salvaged, they'd make nice keepsake bits made into sea chests or other some such nauti-kitch.

[capnharv]

An interesting read on the state of Wawona in 2005:

http://www.nwseaport.org/Wawona_Final_Report.pdf

[pcford]

It just seems to me that in a gold-rush, hustler's town like Seattle, history doesn't count for much.

Unfortunately, the money class in this town now has little connection with its maritime heritage.
The Kalakala is another example of the city ignoring its heritage. It may be the largest moving art deco object in the world, yet it has been the subject of ridicule.

However the Wawona certainly has suffered from poor leadership. Perhaps a cautionary tale of the quality of people that attached themselves to "tallships." Her sistership the Thayer still exists, but it is sad for the state of Seattle's respect for its heritage that the Wawona must die.

[pcford]

Wasn't Seattle founded when Bill Gates started Microsoft?

That's what most yupsters think, sad to say.

[jeffery carson]

I heard from a friend who would be in the position to know that one of the big complications in the demolition bidding was the restoration work that had been done. Evidently, they started painting red lead on the faying surfacecs, in good practice, but this turned the demolition into a lead abatement situation.

I don't know this for a fact, but my friend is trustworthy in these matters.

Jeff

[Brian Palmer]

Lead was only banned for use in most house paints in the 1970s. It is still allowed (and available) in other types of paints. A structure that old is bound to have lead paint or putty somewhere. Goes without saying. Would not have to be from prior "restoration" work at all.

Brian

[BrianW]

Sounds like she needs to disappear in the middle of the night. ;)

[Concordia...41]

Sounds like she needs to disappear in the middle of the night. ;)

Sounds like there are lessons to be learned on all sides.

- M

[capnharv]

HA! I knew it would happen!



Wawona Move and Disassembly Postponed 1 - 4 weeks
Due to Drydock Delay


SEATTLE - Monday's move of the historic schooner Wawona to a Lake Union drydock for disassembly has been postponed one to four weeks. The postponement is due to a delay in the completion of existing work on a vessel already in place at the facility.

[Yeadon]

I concede to Harvey. You were right. When it comes to moving the Wawona, write it on the calendar in pencil. Also, I don't really think we should burn the old bird. A hundred years ago, yes, an option ... today, nope.

Incidentally, I've wondered if this idea of restoration is a new concept. Was this sort of thing debated 125 years ago ... the idea of rebuilding a derelict so future generations could enjoy and learn from it? Or is this a new concept, as we build and rebuild so quickly that even what is considered modern is soon outdated?

In ancient Rome, did they have museums? And if so, were there certain things they simply threw away because they became more trouble than they wished to endure?

[BETTY-B]

They should tow it over to Alki or Golden Gardens, drag it up on the beach and just let it be a shipwreck.

[capnharv]

I don't think restoration is a really new idea. Earlier examples like the Constitution and Victory come to mind. But I don't think there's been much success at large restorations financed by the private sector. The occasional philanthropic millionaire who takes a fancy to a vessel may put big bucks into its restoration-until his focus goes to other projects.

When it comes to preserving history and heritage of large vessels, espeically to keep them working, it almost always seems to come on government money.

How are the barques Elissa and Star of India financed? I'm curious how much private money vs. public money goes into their restoration and upkeep.

Harvey

[PatCassidy]

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning-- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

[Lew Barrett]

Remembering that Wawona was the very first ship listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and remembering the early successes decades ago, it is really too bad that she came to this state. It just seems to me that in a gold-rush, hustler's town like Seattle, history doesn't count for much.

Seattle is a crazy patchwork of different views, but overall, I think you have hit the nail on the head. I have grown to significant contempt for the city council and mayor of Seattle, and to the extent that they may represent the best interests of the electorate, which I think in many respects they don't, I agree with you.

This city has little respect for it's architectural history, but seeks a sort of uniform density that is exactly what it had prided itself on avoiding for years. On the other hand, Seattle was in many respects, (with notable exceptions, which are it seems not immune to the wrecking ball) poorly built and designed from those gold rush days on.

[Hollingsworth]

A little CPES and she'll be right.

[Yeadon]

It would take so much cpes that we'd have to evacuate the city.

On a side note, I thought it was interesting that chemical treatment was mentioned in the report posted above by Harvey. The report said there was no known chemical that could completely shore up many of the completely rotten structural members. (I'm going from memory here, so it would probably benefit you to read it yourself...)

[capnharv]

"Citing a comment made about himself at another meeting, that Davis’ role(Andy Davis, Tri-Costal Marine) was to throw a bucket of cold seawater in the face of maritime preservationists, he noted that there was no modern chemical treatment that would overcome the amount of rot in the Wawona’s hull and structural members."

I guess I won't buy shares in the company that makes Git-Rot.

Harvey

[johnw]

One long-time observer of this situation told me the only way to move her is with a 14-cubic-yard grab bucket.

I've been watching her rot faster than they could fix her for more than 20 years. It's a sad, sad thing.

[TimH]

Picture series (21 pix)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/popupV2.asp?SubID=4671&page=1&GTitle=Wawona%3A%20Final%20voyage%20and%20historic %20images&pubdate=3/4/2009

[Tom Robb]

Thanks for the pictures, Tim.
Sad. But not a sad as watching her become compost year after year.
A series as she's "dismantled" would be interesting/instructive.

[capnharv]

Tom,

I agree. I think a series of dismantleing pictures would be interesting and informative. I'm pretty sure that NW Seaport or LUDD will document the deconstruction.

I'm also interested in who decides what stays and what goes, and how that decision is made. I would think they have a set number of areas (stern and cabin, forecastle, for example) that they would like to save, but also have to judge on the fly. For example, what if they really want to save the captain's cabin, but can't take it apart because there isn't enough good timber left to salvage the basic shape? Do they give up and move down the list, try to take it apart, or measure it for a reconstruction at the park on a later date?

I also wonder how long they will take to dismantle her? A steam shovel could do it in a day, but removing one timber at a time could take forever. And time is money for Lake Union Drydock.

Thanks,

Harvey

[johnw]

Dunno where you'll find a steam shovel. They figured out the clutching for gas and diesel shovels in, I think, the late 1930s. But if you were going to take Paul Marlow's idea that the best way to move it is with a 14 cu. yd. grab bucket, wouldn't a steam shovel be great? It was an application for steam that outlasted most.

[Yeadon]

We're being nostalgic, John. And steam shovels are nostalgic. Try to keep up.

[johnw]

We're being nostalgic, John. And steam shovels are nostalgic. Try to keep up.

That is pretty much what I said. Do you know where we can get a steam shovel?

Beg pardon, I used to edit a trade journal for the construction industry, and being a guy and interested in steam, that bit of information stuck in my head. So I thought, he probably just means a large tool for digging, but wouldn't a steam shovel be cool?

Sorry you don't agree.

[BETTY-B]

They started destruction. 30% plus gone. No pics allowed. A couple people are allowed to be around. Dont know if they can take pics or not either. Something about a federal contract.

[Yeadon]

Can you see anything from the water? Might be able to row over there from CWB to get a photo.

[BETTY-B]

I dont know. I have my 11' Whaler at LUDD. If I have time tomorrow I'll see.

[TimH]

no pix?

sounds suspicious

[BETTY-B]

Not much of a view.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/DSC_0013.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/DSC_0011.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011416.jpg

[BETTY-B]

Nice day to be out on the lake though. Warm.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011426.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011422.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/WAWONA/P1011424.jpg

[Jim Bow]

The father of a friend sailed on the Wawona in the 30s. He made several trips hauling tallow to Southern California from Seattle and Tacoma.

BTW, no one who ever actually rode on the Kalakala endorsed her restoration.
That was the noisiest damn ride ever foisted on mankind,

[Yeadon]

Tough to actually see up into the dry dock from the water, huh? Nice day out there.

[BETTY-B]

That was the noisiest damn ride ever foisted on mankind,

My father said the same thing. Actually, he wouldnt shut up about it even. "I get it dad. It was loud."

[Lew Barrett]

And it vibrated.

You really need to engage in restoration efforts over time before you go all gushy about leaving some of this stuff behind.

Some of it was junk then. I'm not suggesting that Wawona was always junk, but think of the good that could have been done with all the effort, money, and mental gymnastics that went into her.

How many more kids could have been taught to row in good, well found small boats at CWB? Priorities.

Great pics and good sharing Dan; as always! Thank you!