Today’s podcast is an interview with Rob O’Dea, president of the Oarlock and Sail Wooden Boat Club of
Vancouver, BC. In the clubs own words: “The Oarlock and Sail W ooden Boat Club is a club for people who
enjoy building, repairing, sailing, talking about, thinking about, and simply messing about in small wooden
boats. The club operates out of a floating boat shed at the V ancouver Maritime Museum’s Heritage Harbour at
1905 Ogden Avenue, V ancouver. Members can be found each saturday morning restoring the club’s fleet of small
wooden boats or working on a new build.” And visitors are welcome anytime!
O’Dea has been messing about in wooden boats most of his life. Eight years ago he bought a 36ʹ sailboat built in
1956 in Nova Scotia. This boat had been owned by Charlie and Margo of Charlie’s Charts Cruising Guides, and
was their home as they were writing their Guides. Rob shares some tall tales of adventure aboard this fine vessel.
Today’s podcast is an interview with Rod Tait of Orca Canoes and Kayaks in Coquitlam, BC. Rod builds small
strip built canoes, kayaks and other boats, sell kits, and rebuilds and refurbishes small boats.
Rod was raised in the province of British Columbia and when he was a young lad his folks purchased a small
fishing resort on coastal BC. Rod spent the next few years messing around in small wooden fishing boats and
helping his family run the resort. This was the beginning of his lifelong love for boats and boating – especially of
the wooden variety.
Today’s podcast is an interview with Hugh Harwood of Cumberland, Maine. Hugh grew up around wooden
boats and got the bug at an early age while boating with family and friends on the east coast.
In 2013 he purchased a 1932 bridge deck cruiser – Katie Mack – in Tacoma, WA and had her shipped to Maine.
She is undergoing a complete restoration and is an absolutely beautiful vessel. Hugh and Pamela Harwood will
use her to gently ply the summertime waters of the east coast – I wish I could join you 😀
Today’s podcast is an interview I did recently with Nordic traditional boatbuilding master Jay Smith of
Anacortes, WA. Jay has several decades of experience building traditional Nordic clinker boats and was trained
in Norway.
In today’s podcast, Jay discusses the virtues, benefits, uniqueness, and attractiveness of building boats from a
once living material.
Today’s podcast is an interview I did recently with a delightful couple – Herb and Nancy Payson of Port
Townsend, WA.
Herb and Nancy read a book titled “A New Way of Life” by Samson in the 70’s. The book suggests addressing
the problems of urban life by sailing around the world on a sailboat. Herb proposed to Nancy that they buy a
boat and start cruising (with their kids) – and the rest is history, as they say.
Herb has written several books and his 35 year old title “Blown Away” has been republished by Lin Pardey and
was re-released in December 2014.
Thanks to your support and the support of hundreds of other wooden boat lovers around the globe, HOWB has
completed its THIRD full year with flying colors. This Episode is dedicated to Reviewing the Highlights of
2014 and looking forward to Plans for 2015.
Today’s podcast episode is a interview I recorded for HOWB016 (December 2011) with Tug Buse.
Tug made an amazing 3,ooo mile solo adventure in a 14ʹ sailing pram he built himself. His adventure started in
Iowa, meandered through the river system to the Gulf of Mexico, and then east and north on the intercoastal
waterway all the way to Bowdoin College in Maine.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Jay Benford of Benford design and discuss a lot of
fun things including his background in boating, how he entered the boat design world, and some of the really
cool boats that have been his live aboard homes.
Benford has designed boats for many uses – tug boats, fishing boats, cruising sailboats, live-aboards, and
freighter yachts. Check out his website for more information at Benford Design Group.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to talk to Chris Lux of Seattle, WA. Chris contacted me via email to tell me about the vintage Klepper folding canoe he recently purchased, how he was able to get parts locally for this 40 year old canoe, and some other fun details about this amazing boat that fits into 2 duffel bags and has a folding Spruce (wooden) frame.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with small boat and cycling adventurist Colin Angus of Victoria, BC.
At the top of the discussion were the details of some of Colin’s amazing adventures on the Amazon River among other places. He is one amazing and adventurous dude.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Howard Rice of the Small Craft Skills Acade
We met up at the NWMC during SCAMP Camp #5 in Port Townsend, WA.
At the top of the discussion (of course) was the SCAMP and the newest development in self-rescue – the “elevator”, to get oneself back in the SCAMP after a capsize. Howard also discussed new developments at the SCSA, and some of the details of modifications he is making to a stock SCAMP to prepare for a yet unannounced small boat adventure Howard will be embarking on soon.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Tony Grove and Tobi Elliot of Gabriola Island, BC. Tony is restoring the 1897 built Sloop Dorothy, and Tobi is the videographer filming a documentary on the project.
Dorothy was built in 1897 on Vancouver Island, BC. She is a 34ʹ LOA gaff rigged sloop with a 9ʹ beam and 5ʹ draft. She is red cedar planked on oak and fastened with copper rivets and roves and has an elegant fan tail design.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down and do my second interview with Lin and Larry Pardey of sailing fame.
During the 45 minute discussion, I peppered the Pardeys with questions such as:
Top 10 mistakes made in offshore cruising
How to prepare for a circumnavigation
How to select the right boat for blue water cruising
Your favorite destinations around the world
We have a great time and the answers were amazing (as you might expect).
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to interview John Harris of CLC Boats in Annapolis Maryland.
John and I discussed new boats and plans at CLC, developments in the wooden boat kit industry, and other fun stuff John has been up to. CLC continues to be on the cutting edge of applying modern technology to developing
new designs, new manufacturing techniques, and innovative ways to make the kits more user friendly to all You can listen to 2 previous interviews I did with John at:
HOWB 057 HOWB 104
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Cody and Beth Harris of Salt Lake City, Utah and talk about their newly christened cutter Rabannah.
Cody designed and he and Beth built this beautiful 35ʹ cutter rigged plywood/cold molded sailboat over a 2 year period ending early in 2014. Cody and Beth are looking forward to many great cruising adventures in their cutter.
Check out the Harris’ BLOG for more information and pictures.
Congratulations to Cody & Beth and on this amazing first build!
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Scott Rohrer, volunteer at the Center for Wooden
Boats in Seattle, and discuss the fascinating history and pedigree and the famed R boat – Pirate.
Pirate has a long and storied history including being a direct descendant of Ted Geary’s design R class boat Sir Tom which was one of the winningest boats in history.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Josh Colvin, co-editior of Small Craft Advisor Magazine and brainchild of the microcruising phenom SCAMP (Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project) sailboat. Josh and I discussed the SCAMP phenonema (nearing 300 Plan/Kit sets sold to date) in detail including SCAMP in the Everglades Challenge; the first Red Lantern Rally; and other fun SCAMP facts.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Bob Lamson at the 38th annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival and discuss his boating background and his beautiful 1999 fully bright-worked (South African Mahogany) Venetian Water Taxi – Capolavoro (Italian for “masterpiece”).
Bob grew up in the Seattle area and his dad ran a boat shop on the Duwamish River when he was a kid. Fast forward to the 1990’s – Bob was taking business trips to Italy and started noticing the drop-dead-gorgeous wooden motor taxis in Venice. He made inquiries as to who the builder was, and shortly thereafter ordered a brand new custom built 31ʹ x 7ʹ Venetian Motor Taxi from Cantiere Motonautico Serenella. The boat is cold molded with 4 veneers of Mahogany and was shipped to the US in 1999 for Bob to enjoy and show in the Seattle area.
On this week’s episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Jake Beattie, Executive Director of the North Maritime Center, to discuss the recently announced event RACE TO ALASKA (and other NWMC happeni The event was conceived by Jake and friends while beerstorming at the 2013 Wooden Boat Festival’s Bar Harbor.
This inaugural adventure race begins June 4, 2015 in Port Townsend, WA and the first boat to reach Ketchikan Alaska wins $10,000 cash. Second place according to Beattie is “a set of steak knives” :D. June 4th was selected as the start date since at the time of year the weather patterns and winds are in transition and mostly unpredictable. This makes the Race a bit more exciting, and is spawning ideas for new boat designs. Row vs. Sail is the theme of the day.
The basic rules are as follows:
No engines allowed (i.e. if your boat has a motor – even if for emergencies only – you are out) No crew swapping
Three Checkpoints
Victoria, BC
Seymour Narrows, BC Bella Bella, BC
Any size boat with any propulsion method except a motor
No support except on Day One from Port Townsend to Victoria
For those that would like to enter the Race for Day One only, the entry fee is $50 and support is provided. And it sounds like a fair amount of folks might do this including myself (if I can finish my SCAMP in time).
Today I discuss the highlights and fun events (from my point of view) of the 2014 Port Townsend Wooden Boat
Festival. I arrived Thursday afternoon and grudgingly left Sunday evening after the festival was over and most of
the boats had sailed away I had an absolute blast for the entire time and secretly wished it was a little bit longer......
Here are a few of the highlights for me:
Recorded 7 interviews for future podcasts:
Lin & Larry Pardey of sailing fame
John Harris – owner of CLC Boats
Colin Angus – 2007 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year
Cody & Beth Harris – Designed and built their own beautiful sailboat over a 2 year period Jay Benford – Designer extraordinaire
Jake Beattie – NWMC Exec. Director; Discussed the all new RACE TO ALASKA
Tony Grove – Restoring Dorothy; oldest (built 1897) functioning sailboat in Canada
Gave a really fun presentation to a full room: Building Your First Wooden Boat – A Primer (based on my eBook)
Took over 300 photographs (ok – I will ditch all but about 75 of the best :D)
Attended 2 presentations
Nautical photography
RACE TO ALASKA
Crewed on “Tradition” (19ʹ Crotch Island Pinky) during Sunday’s sailby
Sold by 14ʹ Dory – Dawn Treader
Spent zero (as in nada) dollars while in Port Townsend
Hooked up with Korey and Christina who moved to Port Townsend last year to attend the NWSWBB after hearing my podcast
😀
Saw some amazing boats:
A 52ʹ Folding Cruising Boat
Jay Smith’s lapstrake faering; yellow cedar strakes fastened to white oak with copper rivets and trunnels
Lady Washington tall ship
Adventuress tall ship built 1913
Row Cruiser – newly designed rowing and camping boat
Virginia V – Steam powered Mosquito Fleet boat
Pacific Swift Canadian sail training schooner
Lots of of other really cools boats too (about 175 boats all told)
