Hooked On Wooden Boats

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.