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!