Hooked On Wooden Boats

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Latest Episodes:

HOWB 127 – Interview | Buzz Scott of OceansWide.org; 1948 Wooden Sardine Boat “Pauline” To Become Research Vessel - 03.20.14 Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Today’s podcast episode is an interview with Buzz Scott, President and Founder of the Oceanswide.org research organization in Newcastle, Maine.

Buzz’s maritime adventures began as a young fisherman growing up on Matinicus Island, Maine. His love for the ocean grew greater with time and his parents provided him with his first boat at the age of 12 – small double ended boat called a peapod that came with 25 wooden lobster traps.

For years Buzz rowed his peapod around Matinicus, exploring its coves, beaches and ledges, fishing for lobsters, cod, mackerel and flounder and anything else that might swim, wiggle or crawl. He constantly found himself looking over the side of his boat into the water as far as he could see. As he grew older and began seining for herring, setting long lines for halibut, and dragging for scallops, there was one thing that never changed – he was always looking over the side, watching and waiting yet again to see what would surface from below the ocean.

After finishing school, Scott spent 17 years as a commercial fisherman in the Gulf of Maine. He also spent 2 years on supply ships in the Gulf of Mexico and 4 years working for the United States Antarctic Program as a marine technician and marine projects coordinator, sailing on scientific research ships around Antarctica.

More recently Buzz traded in the cool Antarctic climates for a slightly warmer spot. He has spent 8 years sailing up and down the west coast of the United States, Mexico and Canada. He was “sailing” as a pilot and mechanical technician, “flying” a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, California. He worked closely with scientists from around the world as they studied the deep canyons and volcanic fields below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

HOWB 126 – Interview | Terry Learned of Learneds Boat Shop, Building Fishing Dories for 3 Generations 03.06.14 Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Today’s podcast episode is an interview with Terry Learned of Learned’s Boat Shop in Pacific City, Oregon. Terry grew up on the Oregon coast fishing and building boats with his grandfather and father. The Learned’s Boat Shop was officially launched in 1975 and has been building (mostly) 22ʹ surf launched, plywood dories (designed by Terry’s father) since that time.

Three generations of the Learned family have fished dory boats off the beach at Pacific City, Oregon from Cape Kiwanda. Since 1975 the Learned family has handcrafted these beautiful and seaworthy flat-bottomed boats. Learned dories have been shipped to buyers all over the United States, including Florida, Alaska and the Pribiloff Islands. Terry is currently building hull #88 in the shop.

Learned’s Boat Shop has been featured in “WoodenBoat” Magazine and “The National Fisherman”, among others and they are proud members of the Pacific City Doryman’s Association.

According to Terry “Our goal is to work with our customers to create a handcrafted dory to specifications that will ensure your satisfaction’.

HOWB 125 – Interview | Tom Jackson, Senior Editor WoodenBoat Magazine 02.27.14 Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

Today’s podcast episode is an interview with Tom Jackson, senior editor of WoodenBoat Magazine in Brooklin, Maine.

Tom built his first boat at the age of 10 while living in the mountains of British Columbia, and his interests then and since have included woodworking, boatbuilding, maritime history, nautical archaeology, sailing, and rowing. He worked as a journalist in Oregon and Washington after graduating from the University of Oregon, at the same time always looking for boatbuilding, sailing, and racing opportunities.

In the early 1990s, he served as a volunteer boatbuilder on a project to build three boats at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. In 1997, he joined the editorial staff at WoodenBoat, combining his professional experience with his lifetime passion. His interests range from yachts to small traditional craft.

Since moving to Maine, Jackson has served as crew in such races as the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, the Marblehead-to-Halifax Race, and the Bermuda Race, most notably on a cold-molded “spirit of tradition” 76- footer. He is the co-author, with Maynard Bray, of Worthy of the Sea: K. Aage Nielsen and His Legacy of Yacht Design, published in 2006.

In 2005, he sailed the Blekinge Archipelago as part of the one-week Raid Sweden, crewing for a Kalmarsund Pilot Boat replica. In 2008, he sailed from Dublin, Ireland, to Roskilde, Denmark, as one of 65 crew in the undecked, 98’ Viking ship replica HAVHINGSTEN FRA GLENDALOUGH. His articles for WoodenBoat have taken him into shipyards to work alongside professional shipwrights, notably on the C.A. THAYER restoration in Alameda, California; the CHARLES W. MORGAN restoration and a whaleboat construction at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut; and the ADVENTURESS restoration at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend, Washington. He is currently working on a history related to the 1841 whaleship CHARLES W. MORGAN.

Tom is also the founder of Maine’s Small Reach Regatta, a “raid”-like event for rowing and sailing craft which is now in its ninth year. In 2008, he launched his 17’8” traditionally crafted lapstrake Nomans Land boat, which he built himself, down to casting his own bronze hardware and building his own sails.

HOWB 124 – Interview | Tom Pamperin: Small Boat Builder & Adventurer; Author 02.16.14 Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

Today’s podcast episode is an interview with small boat builder, adventurer, and author Tom Pamperin. Tom is originally from Wisconsin and currently on assignment teaching English in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Tom built his current boat – Jagular – a few years back and has experienced a series of adventures (or “(mis)adventures” as Tom calls them) in this $300 sailboat. Tom is writing a book about his fun times on the water.

HOWB 123 – Interview | Russ Bulley of the UK on the Restoration of his 1954 Wooden Sloop Garnet 02.06.14 Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Today’s interview is with Chartered Engineer Russ Bulley of Northhampton, England. Russ contacted me by email to tell the restoration story of his 35ʹ LOA, 1954 double ended wooden sloop (convertible to cutter rig) Garnet. She was restored over a 3 year period ending in 2011. My email response to Russ went something lik this: “Let’s do a podcast!” to which Russ quickly obliged.

It all started with a job transfer from the UK to Malaysia 7 years ago. Russ became interested in acquiring a wooden boat with a heritage/pedigree, and wasn’t afraid of one needing “restoration”. His search took him to nearby New Zealand where he purchased Garnet. She had a solid hull, but needed a deck, engine, and other work not yet discovered.

Over a 3 year period, she was lovingly restored by local New Zealand shipwrights to her original beauty. Unfortunately the original restoration estimates were woefully inadequate to properly complete the project. After much nail biting and contemplation, Bulley went forward with the project spending a significant amount more than originally intended. In Russ’s words “I could have bought a new Beneteau for what I spent on Garnet!”

When the restoration was complete in 2011, Bulley had her shipped home to the UK where she arrived in June 2012. Since then he has enjoyed sailing and tinkering with her at her home port of Suffolk Yacht Harbour. One day he hopes to pass Garnet and her special heritage onto his children.

Garnet was constructed by boatbuilder Allan William Birchall of New Zealand (see bio below) and is a one-off design loosely based on the lines of Norwegian Naval Architect Colin Archer’s (1832 – 1921) boats. She was launched in 1954, but a large piece of her history is missing. If you know anything about the vessel, please contact me and I will put you in touch with Russ. Thanks!

HOWB 122 – Interview | Sam Johnson, Wooden Boat Builder, Bronze Caster, Exec. Dir. Columbia River Maritime Museum 01.30.14 Nov 04, 2024

Show notes

Today’s interview is with Sam Johnson, Executive Director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria,

OR.

Sam grew up on a ranch in California messing about on ponds, streams and creeks with his own raft and other small makeshift boats. In the summer his family would vacation at Capitola, CA by Soquel Creek where Johnson would get his boating fix on the local rowboats.

While pursuing a PhD degree in Marine Biology at Stanford University in Monterey, CA, Johnson began his wooden boat tutelage. The Monterey Bay Boatworks is located on the University’s property in Monterey. Sam spent nearly as much time repairing and working on Monterey fishing boats as working on his PhD during that 7 year period.

Next Johnson was on the Clark University in Wooster, MA as a teacher. The University was only 1.5 hours from Mystic Seaport where he spent many weekends learning more tools of the wooden boat trade from legends such as John Gardner.

Johnson started bronze casting after inquiring about purchasing a custom bronze porthole for his boat, and finding the price to be seemingly astronomical. He had taken a workshop on casting and foundry work, so he dusted off his notes, set up his first foundry and began casting bronze. Over the years he has enjoyed and become adept at casting bronze parts of all kinds for traditional boats. Sam teaches courses in bronze casting at the WoodenBoat School in Maine, the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, and other locations around the US and Canada. In addition courses on boatbuilding, and other traditional arts are being taught at the Barbey Center of the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

HOWB 121 – Interview | Dennis Armstrong, Marlinspike Artist Tying Knots for Wooden Boats 01.23.14 Oct 28, 2024

Show notes

Today’s interview is with Dennis Armstrong of The Knotted Line in Redmond, WA. I met with Dennis at his home and got a tour of his shop/garage which is chock full of materials and products he has made over the years.

How did he get started in the knot business? While visiting the east coast as a young adult, Dennis met a Coast Guard Quartermaster who showed him how to tie a Turks head. Next Armstrong tied a String Ring for his new bride, and then promptly forgot how to tie the turks head. For their first wedding anniversary Mrs. Armstrong gave her hubby a Knot book, a fid, and two balls of twine with which he practiced and fiddled and learned and practiced and fiddled and learned.

From that humble beginning, Dennis has learned the art of Marlinspike and can tie numerous items such as a key fob, a monkeys fist, a cotton square knotted belt, boat fenders, bow puddings, decorative mats, and lots of other cool stuff. Dennis also is knowledgable in the traditional rigging of ships and has worked on the Zodiac, Wawona, and a replica of the Nina.

Dennis is a retired geologist, and devotes most of his spare time now to filling orders for customers through his online store – TheKnottedLine.com. Check it out or give Dennis a call at 425 885-2457.

HOWB 120 – Interview | Eric Hvalsoe, Shipwright, Designer of Hvalsoe 13 & Hvalsoe 16. 01.17.14 Oct 22, 2024

Show notes

Today’s interview is with Eric Hvalsoe of Hvalsoe Boats in Shoreline, WA.

Eric grew up in a boating family, and has been involved with small wooden craft design and construction, marine carpentry and fine woodworking since 1981. Hvalsoe was trained as a professional boatwright at the Bates College in Tacoma, WA. He has been designing, building, and repairing boats, and teaching wooden boats skills for 30 plus years.

Eric designed the Hvalsoe 13 and 16, traditional lapstrake rowing and sailing craft which have been given rave reviews by builders and sailors over the world. He has also built several gorgeous 1930’s style speedboats such as the Aurora and Little Miss Canada IV

HOWB 119 – Interview | Gayle Brantuk, Glen-L Marine Proprietor; 60 Years of Selling Boat Plans! 01.19.14 Oct 14, 2024

Show notes

Today’s interview is with Gayle Brantuk , proprietor of Glen-L Marine in Bellflower, CA. Gayle is the daughter of Glen L. Witt who started the business in 1953. At the age of 95, Glen still visits the office to see how the company and employees are faring.

During the interview, Gayle tells the fascinating story of how her father wanted to build his own boat (to save money), but had a hard time finding amateur boat building plans. During WWII, Glen was in the Army Air Corp, learned drafting, and took a correspondence course from the Westlawn Naval Design School. Shortly after leaving the army, Glen started applying his skills to designing plywood boats and selling plans and frame kits to amateur boat builders all over the world.

Today the company sells plans for over 300 boats ranging in size from 6ʹ – 55ʹ, and made from wood, steel and fiberglass.

HOWB 118 – Highlights of 2013 and Plans for the BEST YEAR EVER in 2014 - 01.02.14 Oct 07, 2024

Show notes

Thanks to your support and the support of hundreds of other wooden boat lovers, HOWB has completed its second full year with flying colors. This Episode is dedicated to looking at the Great Happenings of 2013 a my Plans for 2014!

Highlights of 2013

I attended 5 Boat Festivals- Olympia, Port Townsend, Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Lake Chelan

Started phone interviews: Doug Hylan (087), Pat Lown (094) , Iain Oughtred (116, 117)

Started Interview the Expert Series

6 Const Methods, Epoxy, Glued Plywood Lapstrake

Finished building my 12ʹ canoe Chelan

Built and sold Foresail 1 (SCAMP)

Bought a partially assembled SCAMP to build in 2014

Taught classes at Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival and later at Northwest Maritime Center. HOWB has over 500 newsletter subscribers now.

Met more folks at WoodenBoat in Brooklin, ME

2 Extra Special interviews – Roy Jackson (072) 33 years building 43’ schooner; Henry LePage (100) 8 year old built Poor Boy Skiff

Had an article published about HOWB in Swedish Boating Magazine Båtnytt.

Met and connected with a ton of new people – very rewarding.

Thanks for being a part of the HOWB journey in 2013. I hope it has been as rewarding for you as it has been for me.

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