Hooked On Wooden Boats

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Latest Episodes:

HOWB 177 – Interviews | R2AK Teams: Noddy Noggins (SCAMP); Coastal Express (Mirror Dinghy); Golden Oldies (38ʹ Cat) Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

inaugral R2AK (engineless race) which began June 4th and was won by Team Elsie Piddock.

First up: Denny Brausen, Team Noddy Noggins. Denny and B-I-L Simeon Baldwin are doing Leg 1 to Victoria

BC in and 11ʹ 11ʺ SCAMP sailboat.

Second: Dan and Heather, Team Coastal Express – Sailing a 1971 16ʹ Mirror Dinghy with 2 rowing stations.

Third: Stephen Marcoe, Team Golden Oldies. Sailing a 1985 Lock Crowther 38ʹ x 24ʹ catamaran with 2 rowing

stations.

HOWB 176 – Interviews | R2AK Pre-Race Updates: Marty Loken, Team Barefoot Wooden Boats, Team Un-Cruise Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is 3 interviews I recorded on June 3rd in Port Townsend, WA – the Prep Day for the

inaugral R2AK (engineless race) which began June 4th.

First up: Marty Loken – builder, restorer, cruiser extraordinaire – commentary on the first ever R2AK.

Second: Quill Goldman of BarefootWoodenBoats.com – Entered in the race as “Team Barefoot Wooden Boat”.

Sailing a freshly built 19ʹ transomless sloop.

Third: Denee Chaney – Entered in the race as “Team Un-cruise. Sailing an F25c trimiran (carbon over balsa – so

yeah, there’s some wood there :D).

HOWB 175 – Interview | Pete Bergstrom on Starting G2G Wood and Boatworks Mentoring Program for Youth Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is an interview Pete Bergstrom of Monticello, IL. Pete has started G2G Wood and Boatworks in

Monticello.

The G2G mission is to pass life experiences and values from “Generation to generation” (G2g) with adults

leading the way in understanding the value of mentoring younger generations. Building wooden boats and

learning woodworking skills will be the platform for mentoring youth ages 13 to 21.

Bergstrom is an avid woodworker and boatbuilder, and is excited about his new venture!

HOWB 174 – Interview | Bruce Blatchley, Contemporary Boatbuilding Instructor at NW School of Wooden Boatbuilding Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is an interview with Bruce Blatchley of the NW School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port

Hadlock, WA.

Bruce is the lead instructor for the contemporary boatbuilding building program which includes stitch and glue,

cold molded, glued plywood lapstrake among other methods. Bruce and I discuss several the current school

projects (boats in progress) and what contemporary building is all about.

HOWB 173 – Interview | Brent Butikofer – SCAMP Builder Extraordinaire Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is an interview with Brent Butikofer of Rigby, ID. After owning several sailboats, Brent decided

to build his own. He wanted an easily handled boat, that wasn’t too big or cumbersome to get in and out of the

water, yet was seaworthy and fun. After doing his research, Brent landed on the SCAMP micro-cruising phenom

:D.

Brent has a blog on his build – Building Shackleton – which is phenomenal. There are lots of great pictures and

details. Brent is also and avid bicyclist – check out his cycling blog at Riding Idaho.

HOWB 172 – Interview | Jake Beattie, Update on Inaugral R2AK (Race to Alaska) June 4, 2015 Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is a Race to Alaska (R2AK) interview with Jake Beattie (Race Brainchild) of the NWMC in

Port Towsend, WA.

HOWB 141 is the first interview with Jake about the R2AK’s inaugural event scheduled for June 4, 2015. In

today’s episode we get an update on the amazing boats and people that have officially entered (registration

closed now) the Race. The race has every vessel imaginable from a SUP (stand up paddleboard) to a Kite Surfer

to a foils boat, and crews which hold Olympic gold medals, and world records in endurance events.

There are approximately 60 entries, and of those about 38 are taking the first leg only option (Port Townsend to

Victoria, BC). That leaves 22 vessels/crews to gut out 750 miles of cold water to Alaska.

HOWB 171 – Interview | My Mom – Mary Mattson – on Boats, Faith, and Family History 04.30.15 Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is very special. I sat down and did a recording with my mother – Mary Mattson – of Kirkland,

Mom grew up in Indiana, met my dad in Missouri and moved to Washington state in the 1950’s. During the

recording, we talk about family, faith and boats (you see, my dad was kind of a boat nut). It was a lot of fun and I

hope you enjoy it!

HOWB 170 – Interview | Mark Reuten Founder of Nomad Boat Building Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is with Mark Reuten of Nomad Boat Building in Victoria, BC, Canada.

Mark grew up in Toronto, studied at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, was a shipwright on the Pacific Grace SALTS project, and now has his own boat shop in Victoria.

Reuten builds and repairs all types of wooden vessels, and specializes in canvas wood canoes and skin on frame boats.

HOWB 169 – Ed Sturgeon | Traditional Builder, Restorer & Wooden Boat Enthusiast Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is with Ed Sturgeon of Surrey, BC. The son of a carpenter, Ed took to boatbuilding after one

year of college in Nova Scotia. Sturgeon worked in several boat yards and built homes (including wood framed

homes constructed on the beach in Ireland) , before starting his own boat building and restoration business –

EdSturgeon.ca.

Ed and Louise have been in Surrey for the last 2 years and Sturgeon’s current project is the restoration of

Richochet, a 46’ Kettenburg PCC Sloop built in 1956. Ed and Louise also enjoy camp cruising on their

traditional double ended 18ʹ Nomans Land Cat Ketch.

HOWB 168 – Interview | Dennis Davidson Proprietor NW Canoe, Builder, Designer Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Today’s podcast is with Dennis Davidson of Northwest Canoe (NWC) in St Paul, MN. NWC began building

strip planked canoes in 1999 and has a large community of builders, followers, enthusiasts, and boat lovers.

Since he youth Dennis has been involved with canoes – paddling them, admiring them, and working for

companies building them. When his friend offered to sell Northwest Canoe to Dennis in 2006, there was no

hesitation on Davidson’s part. After working with Al for a year, he was on his own and has never looked back.

The NWC canoe community is growing and they are building some amazing boats – including their 24ʹ North

Canoe which with 10 paddlers has reached speeds of 8-9 MPH!

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