Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Local Shipwright Rick Johnson

The Teak Lady Sloop Ma Zu, a generous gift from Jim Hitchman of Waldport for the Youth Boating Club, as posted here, was damaged in a crash in Yaquina Bay last year...and the beautiful sailboat is undergoing repairs under the highly-skilled hands of local boat builder Rick Johnson.
Rick took a few minutes to chat about his work, but he never did stop working while we were talking. He's been interested in wooden boats since he was a boy, and told me when I asked how he got started in wood boat building and repair that he'd been lucky enough to be chosen as an apprentice in the Bumblebee boatyard in Astoria in the 70s.


Fitting all the pieces together perfectly is an amazing skill, requiring loads of patience. It's neat to watch Rick at work, quietly planing here, chiseling there, all the time very focused on his work. He is very personable and friendly, and interesting to talk with. His river-side workshop is full of exotic and beautiful woods, and he's very knowledgeable about the various aspects and properties of each.

He says he'll have her all fixed up and looking good again in time to have her on display at our Wooden Boat Show, the third weekend in August. She really is a beautiful boat, and we're very lucky to have Rick here to heal her wounds and make her whole again.

The 2009 Wooden Boat Show poster depicts Rick and a boat he and Michael Bogoger built:


Rick and Port Townsend boat builder Carl Chamberlin will be teaching folks how to build their own wooden boat at our event in August. Make sure you stop by and say hello and take a look at what all goes into building a small dory. There are still slots available if you want to try your own hand at it, under Rick and Carl's skilled tutelage. It's an experience you'll never forget!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

For the kids!

We will be auctioning off this Cal-29 sailboat on Friday, July 2nd, here at the Port office at 11:00 a.m. Here are some of the particulars:

Documented length - 29 feet; beam - 9.2 feet; draft - 7.5 feet. S/V Skye is an auxiliary sloop built in 1974. Propulsion provided by a Faryman 1 cylinder, 6 horsepower diesel engine. Includes sails: Dacron mainsail, 3 headsails, 1 spinnaker.

Deck gear includes Lewmar and Barient winches: 4 - deck, 4 - cabin top, 1 - mast, and 1 chain/rope manual anchor winch.

Other equipment includes a Furuno 16-mile radar, a Horizon 25 watt VHF/FM marine transceiver, Binnacle mounted compass and Navico autopilot, and a sextant with charting tools.

Will be sold AS IS/WHERE IS, starting bid is $3,000. Call or email the Port Office for more information. She is at the Port Docks now for viewing.

Proceeds from the sale of this donated vessel will benefit the Toledo Youth Boating Program, which will encourage kids to get involved in boating, sailing, water safety and teamwork.