Boats visiting maritime museums - your experiences?

[The Bigfella]

A forumite, who shall remain nameless ...



is getting the run-around from a museum in the lead up to a festival. "You can't tie up at that empty wharf" - yes an empty wharf that will be vacant all week. I'm putting together a story based on this experience.

I've contacted the museum for their side of the story - but from what I've got so far, it certainly isn't a boat-friendly view of the world.

What sort of experiences have forumites had in their dealings with maritime museums - good and bad - around the world?

[Woxbox]

No problems with museums around the Chesapeake. They may charge a nominal amount, but very welcoming.

But since you asked, I have a beef with the National Park Service in the U.S. They will not allow private boats to tie up at the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island. It just ain't right.

[Lew Barrett]

CWB in Seattle, which isn't really a museum to my way of thinking but is classified as one, has been very welcoming to me as an individual,
and to the wooden boat community in general. I suppose it is a matter of individual administration and attitudes.

[David G]

Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon has always been great. Tying up is no problem. Knowledgable, even passionate, staff. They once arranged a private tour of their not-on-display goodies in the warehouse for our boating group, the Western Oregon Messabout Society (aka Ol' Coots).

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than one spend doing nothing" -- G.B. Shaw

[The Bigfella]

Thanks guys.

Things are developing here - but not positively. I'm seriously going to push this issue - as I'm totally p'd off with the attitude still being expounded.

I've taken the liberty of passing on your positive comments concerning your local facilities to the media guy at the museum concerned. I didn't disclose the source of the quotes though. I hope that your comments can help achieve a positive change here.

[rbgarr]

Do they give any reason for the denial?

(FWIW, Mystic Seaport charges for dock space at their on-the-water events and requires museum membership at other times iirc)

[The Bigfella]

The initial reasons were "insurance". What a load of !!!! - this is a Government-owned museum. If they have an insurance policy that relies on individual nomination of vessels, I'll eat my hat.

Now "She" has been told that they will be working on that wharf during the week. Smokescreen stuff.

I'm going to do a real number on this one. Might have to use a couple of media contacts .....

[Steve Paskey]

Good on 'ya for pushing this. The insurance story sounds like nonsense.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland, is very good on this: members beyond the basic level have docking privileges at the museum, and they're quite welcoming. Here's a link to the relevant page of their web site:
http://www.cbmm.org/vi_docking.html

The United States has more lawyers per square mile than any country in the world. If liability isn't an issue here, it shouldn't be an issue anywhere else.

[The Bigfella]

Thanks Steve. I put together a long reply earlier - but it fell victim to the dreaded database error.

Yep - the insurance thing is nonsense - but it is the line they WERE pushing. Now its one of risk to floating exhibits - which is another nonsense. Part of my reply to them ...

You describe Ms XXXXXX as a casual visitor. I find that a rather interesting and unusual description in this case. If you consider an interstate entrant in what should be Australia’s premier classic boat festival as a casual visitor – then I think we have very different viewpoints on what your museum is and should be doing.

If you think she is a risk to your floating exhibits – then I’d suggest that you might care to comment on where that risk ranks in relation to the passing parade of drunks and true casual visitors in the Darling Harbour vicinity? I recall, for example, watching one boatload pull alongside an exhibit there one night during the Olympics – they were definitely casual visitors and your security was somewhat lacking.

I've also discussed this issue with a long-time Sydney boating identity (a dual world sailing champion and 45 years +/- shipwright). Yep - we are taking this further. A key issue here is the potential alienation of key elements of our maritime history and issues related to customer focus.

Lots of mileage in this one.

[martin schulz]

If you don't come in with your spi we might give you a berth

Martin Schulz
Museumharbour Flensburg

[The Bigfella]

spi ????

[Draketail]

Below is the text of a letter I sent to the Calvert Marine Museum after my visit there in July of 2007:

Mr. Richard Dodds
Calvert Marine Museum
P.O. Box 97
Solomons, MD 20688

Dear Richard,


A short note to thank you and the museum staff for all your help during my visit last Tuesday. I had planned to visit the museum to get a look at the Penguin and the Sewell draketail, not expecting any treatment beyond being another tourist.

Instead, Ms. Jean Phillips made sure I was directed to the right people; initially Mr. George Surgent who gave me details about the draketails at the museum and established contact with you. Then Mr. Paul Berry, who took a great deal of time and trouble to find all available draketail plans and articles in the archive. Finally, I appreciate your time in showing me the details of the Sewell draketail reconstruction and accompanying me to the boat.

All of the information collected during my visit will be of great help as I build my 25’ draketail launch. Looking at plans helps, but seeing actual construction details is even more useful. I’ll keep you posted as to how it goes.

In response to all the hospitality, I have purchased a membership to the museum on-line.

______________________________

Draketail

[S.V. Airlie]

In 2006, I took Uncas to the Ches. Bay Maritime Musuem to attend the annual dinner. Uncas had a brand spanking new engine which, I had been mentioning to the installers that there was an apparent starter issue. For whatever reason, the installers just didn't want to listen...
Sunday morning, in prep to leaving, cranked up the engine only to be met with a huge cloud of black smoke coming from up, the starter.
Being Sunday,I had a great deal of pleasure calling the umm engine folks to umm, say that there was really something wrong with the starter. Firstly, they had to send someone. Secondly, the starter was umm... totaled..thirdly, it was going to be two weeks to get a new part.

The museum was great. Let me stay there without chargefor the duration. Granted I gave them a hefty donation but they weren't looking for one..

[bucheron]

spi ????

Aaahh . . . .spinny, I would think.

[Gary Bergman]

Hmm, I could make this sound like a 'whine', as there are some museums and ass'ns that are downright snotty, and rude. But..since they are outweighed by all of the good ones we've have the pleasure of visiting, I won't..also, I end up on the wrong end for namecalling, or so it seems...It is my opinion that it IS all about insurance, especially leading up to festivals..We have to carry between one and five million dollars U.S. in liability. It's all about THEIR docks, displays, etc...So far, in four steady years of events, I've taken all the damage from THEIR docks,etc., and done none in return. I could start a whole thread on damage rec'd from Maritime events.....

[JimJ]

You would think that the Festival would jump at the chance to display such a fine example of a sailing vessel built from local timber by locals.

Rock the boat Bigfella

JimJ

[Dave Davis]

The quote in the ninth post is really pretty rude and displays a sense of entitlement that obviously the museum doesn't recognize...perhaps rightfully so.

[Gary Bergman]

I guess I agree, as a pompous attitude never seems to work to the positive,and..pointing out other 'probables' matters naught when they own the whole shootin' match....they quoter would love Chicago; they are the ones who wanted 5 million in pl in 2006!..I find that passing on the places who are too snotty for us just saves us a few dollars, as we always enjoy the gift shops...their loss, and if every dollar doesn't help, then they are in the minority on maritime museums....Since they get broken in heavy seas, Royaliste sports shot glasses from the craziest collection of places..at 50r 7 bucks a shot, thta's a lot of spent revenue,eh?

[Bruce Hooke]

Picking up on what Gary said, I do have to say that it seems to me that the approach being taken is most likely to result in the museum doing everything in its power to keep as far from them as possible someone so determined to be confrontational.

What benefit do you gain by forcing yourself on a museum that clearly does not want you there. Even if you do manage to force the issue the experience of being there is likely to be pretty unpleasant for all involved because of all the bridges that will have been burnt on the road to getting there.

[rbgarr]

I can't recall a time when someone else has taken up my 'cause' and it's turned out particularly well.

[Lion]

Hi Ian

The said party is still exhibiting (floating, alongside a Museum pontoon) at the Festival, right?

But 'they' won't let the said party come alongside and tie up for the week prior to and live/work on the boat, right?

Well, I would be delighted to have this piece of maritime art & endevour anywhere around me but, unreasonable as it may seem, you can hear the bureaucratic mind wirring and grinding from here - 'yes, it's vacant wharf space but if we let this one in then who knows where it will end. By setting this precedence then we couldn't say no to anyone'. ...and so on.

If it was up to me I would not hesitate to say 'get alongside'. Well done and good luck with your attempt to make a sensible value judgement in this case.

Lion

[The Bigfella]

The quote in the ninth post is really pretty rude and displays a sense of entitlement that obviously the museum doesn't recognize...perhaps rightfully so.

Yeah, perhaps so - taken in isolation. I'd already gone in soft the first time - and been given the run-around.

The boat in question has been accepted as an entrant - but had asked if she could pull alongside a few days ahead of the nominated Festival days. No way! I've actually seen other visiting boats in there in the past (the Duyfken springs to mind) and given the variety of different reasons given - and the fact that their approach is the antithesis of maritime tradition.

I won't let it drop btw.

[The Bigfella]

Lion - didn't see your post till I just posted - great minds think alike eh?

[Hwyl]

I've had a similar situation at well known museum. We were told in the invitation, we could have dock space or raft. The crews of the museum boats would not let us raft. It almost came to blows, they were more than rude. I'll never go there again. We did manage to raft to an old unoccupied ferry boat.

[Gary Bergman]

Hmm, on a similar tack, we were 'invited' to visist a maritime assn. in SC when we were at a festival in Port Huron, MI....When we showed up under sail two months and many sea miles later, it was a case of 'whoops', we spoke out of turn. You almost have to ask for credentials anymore!..needless to say, we've not returned.

[py]

I reckon the museum's attitude sucks. Speaking from a position of total ignorance it sounds a bit like the whole thing is a thinly disguised trade show modelled on the sort of thing the Australian (plastic) boating industry puts on from time to time, with the private owners of wooden boats actually paying for the privelege of pulling in the punters.

[MarkC]

I was a member at the Australian maritime museum for years. I loved the museum, and I visited the wooden-boat shows.

I can see both sides of the dabate, but I can't understand why they didnt prepare for such interstate-wooden-boat visits.

I suspect that the woodenboat show - being AT the museum shows that someone has a personal adgenda for wooden boats and perhaps others are more focused on the museum as 'exhibits'.

We sailed our J24 near the exhibits once and got chased away buy a guard. I can see their point. Some of the exhibits are international gifts (Akarana). Damage to these could cause a diplomatic incident.

This museum has always been in a 'state of flux and discovery' - regarding this 'museum exhibits must be protected vs the boats are meant to be used' thing.

Australian nautical history is not just wooden pleasure and work boats - but I notice that that is really all that is on show (some fiberglass). Where are the steel, ferro?

There is probably not enough money.

Also, if the visiting boat is moored there and the owner not present (say, gone into the city) and the boat is damaged by some of the ferrys operating there then the museum would be held responsible.

[rbgarr]

I worked at a maritime museum for years and agendas of different departments would clash on occasion.

Reminded me of the old saw: "Politics in academia are vicious only because the stakes are so low."

[The Bigfella]

Just home from the set-up day. Had a chat to one of the Directors, but didn't raise the issue (yet).

There are a few ideas I will pursue