The Northwest Marine Propulsion Museum has been a labor of love of Mike Wollaston for many years now.  He has amassed an amazing collection of old motors and marine propulsion devices of all kinds, making it a must-see for anyone with an interest in old boats.

Join us as Mike opens the door for us to have a look!  The museum is located at the Ewing Street Marina, next door to the Foss Maritime company.  Dorin Robinson is coordinating the event, and we'll meet there at Noon on Saturday, January 7th. Contact Dorin if you want to know more.

And thanks to Dave Ellis for this cool poster commemorating the event:

Lawana Celebrates Her 100th Year

By Keith & Nicki Johnson, PNW Fleet members

40' 1911 Taylor & Grandy

"I remember LAWANA going up the Black River to Lake Washington before the Locks were finished in 1917."

Not many boats can make that claim today. Lawana, currently docked at Stimson Marina in Ballard, Seattle, is widely recognized as the prototype to the Lake Union Dreamboat and is the "grandmother" of the Classic Yacht Association’s Pacific Northwest fleet. She has seen a lot of local and world history in her time. To respect her age, we often fly a 46-star US ensign representing the number of states in existence when she was built.

Lawana was the vision of Otis Cutting, the co-founder of the Lake Union Drydock Company, who designed her in early 1910, long before the Lake Union Drydock Company existed (hence she is not a Lake
Union Drydock Dreamboat though was certainly a precursor). The plaque onboard is testament that Lawana was the first boat built by Charlie Taylor and Earl Grandy, Sr., in their Burton Boat Yard on Vashon Island in Puget Sound.

Taylor & Grandy Crew, c1911

Lawana was built with a fir keel, steam bent white oak frames, western red cedar planking, and Port Orford cedar transom. She was originally equipped with an eight horsepower Atlas gasoline engine and a stepped mast. Both the mast and the Atlas engine are long gone. Today, Lawana is powered by a 36 horsepower Perkins diesel engine cruising at a sedate seven knots burning less than a gallon of fuel per hour.

Lawana was initially christened Kingkole and was modeled after the Cutting designed 34-foot Klootchman that was regarded at the time as "one of the most convenient cruiser launches on the Sound." Sadly on February 9, 1910, Klootchman was destroyed in a collision with the Alaskan Steamship Company steamer Santa Anna. Cutting lost little time ordering an improved launch. Evidence suggests that this improved version was Kingkole, later to be renamed Lawana.

While Lawana’s exact launch date eludes us, articles on board suggest her first cruise was made to North Bay on July 2, 1911, just 100 years ago come this July, 2011. She has been a fixture in the Pacific Northwest, cruising extensively in the area. Taking advantage of her expansive aft salon and accommodations, she has been used as a live-aboard by many of her past caretakers. When her second owners, the Albins of Mercer Island, bought her they changed the name to Lawana in 1917. We have been unable to pinpoint the meaning of "lawana." Some evidence suggests an old Hawaiian word for "rejoicing." Other evidence points toward an Algonquian-Wakashian expression meaning  "laughing water."

Lawana’s fourth owners, C.E. "Spud" and Lila Haasze, enjoyed a 20-year love affair with the boat
that included raucous jam sessions on Lila’s 64-key piano with their neighbors at the Queen City Yacht
Club in Seattle. During the Second World War, Lawana served as a Coast Guard Auxiliary patrol
boat in the Puget Sound.

For a period of time in the 1960's, Lawana languished and it has to be said that one of the main reasons this vessel is still here today to celebrate her 100th birthday is due to the efforts of Gene and Jean Spargo of Sequim. These owners began a love affair with the boat and gently restored her. It was the Spargos who cruised Lawana far and wide – from Olympia to Cape Sutil, over the Nawilti Bar, across Queen Charlotte Strait through Nakwakto Rapids, into Seymour Inlet and the wilds of Southeast Alaska – nowhere was too far afield for these live-aboard adventurers.

CYA members Malcolm and Connie Munsey took over Lawana and continued her travels throughout the Pacific Northwest also as live-aboards. They were similarly smitten by the boat's charms and devoted themselves to her well-being.

Lawana is 40' long, has a beam 11'8", and draws 3'6". Forward of the salon is the galley and head, forward of that is a stateroom with double bunk and dinette. The V-berths in the forepeak have been converted to hanging storage, a workbench, and tankage. She carries 100 gallons of water, 100 gallons of fuel, and 35 gallons of stove oil. The galley range keeps the boat cozy burning a little under 2 gallons of stove oil in 24 hours in freezing weather.

Lawana has been fortunate to find caretakers through the years beguiled by her unique charm and character who hold a deep respect for her history and desire to preserve her. This accounts for the fact that she is still going strong in her 100th year. Without question, Otis Cutting would be both stunned and pleased that his sturdy little launch is entering her second century.

Gene & Jean Spargo Connie & Malcolm Munsey Nicki & Keith Johnson 2011

Lawana 2011

From the Bridge of Thelonius

By Larry Benson, CYA Commodore (2011)

Thelonious 1953 38'

For many of us, one of the joys of owning a classic yacht is in piecing together its history. No less with me, so when Mel 'Whitey' Thornquist came into my life on Father's Day weekend at our PNW Fleet Bell Street Rendezvous, it was like hitting the jackpot.

I was aboard Thelonius that day, answering the usual questions, inviting curious lookers aboard. I noticed an elderly gentleman intently studying the information card in the window but then wandering on. A few minutes later he returned and again read the information card. So I started chatting with him. After a few moments he announced 'I BUILT THIS BOAT!' I couldn't get him aboard fast enough.

It turned out that Mel now lives in Mt. Vernon, a town north of Seattle. His son had driven him to Seattle to see our show. After all, Mel had been a boat builder his whole career and what could be a more fitting Father's Day weekend outing than this. So, I asked questions and my dear Tina acted as recording secretary.

Question: I had heard that the boat was custom designed and built for a Portland Oregon dentist. Why, then, was there an ad-for-sale in a 1953 yachting magazine (CYA member David Huchthausen had found it in one of his extensive collection of old yachting magazines)?
Answer: While the boat was under construction, the dentist had come to the conclusion that the world economy was soon going to tank, and he decided that keeping his money rather than investing in a new boat was the prudent choice. So he paid to have it finished, then authorized its sale.Thelonius was sold to the incoming commodore of the Seattle Yacht Club for $27,000. Mel recalled that the dentist paid $34,000. (I remember I was working for $1.50 an hour in 1953).

Question: Why was a 1920's style boat being built in 1953?
Answer: The dentist had wanted a traditional style boat, so Ed Monk, Sr., modified one of his 1928 designs.

Question: I had heard that boat-building students at the Edison Technical School had a hand in its construction?
Answer: Not so! Earl Wakefield, owner of Admiral Marine (which had contracted with the dentist to build the boat) had received an offer to head the school. So he acquired a shed adjacent to the school on Lake Union in Seattle, and for a year ran back and forth between the school and the boat project. Mel, Earl, and two other craftsmen were the builders.

Question: I had heard that the hull construction was not traditional caulked seams, perhaps even tongue-and-groove?
Answer: Not caulked, not tongue-and-groove. The hull planks had a deep bevel top and bottom, forming a V between each plank. A glue-soaked wedge was driven into the V. The wedge was then faired down to be perfectly smooth with the planks, forming a solid wood hull. Apparently an idea of Ed Monk, or Earl, or both. This explains why the hull of Thelonius has none of the caulk-line cracks typically seen in planked hulls. (But, lord help me if I ever need to replace a plank!)

In a subsequent letter to Larry Benson, Mel 'Whitey' Thornquist writes:

I thought you would like to have this early picture of the Admiral boat crew. Not all these men were involved in the building of Thelonius. The ones that were, Earl Wakefield, the first man standing on the right, next to him is Bill Kuss. I am standing next to Bill. Finally Stan Strickland is the man sitting in front of Bill Kuss and me, wearing the glasses.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on your beautiful boat. I was still puzzled that I could not remember the original name of Thelonius. My impression is that the events concerning the sale of Thelonius happened so quickly that the boat did not yet have a name.

Sincerely,
Mel (Whitey) Thornquist

I'm not sure for whom that encounter was more gratifying, Mel or me. For Mel, a memorable touch with the past (he appeared very pleased with how well Thelonius had weathered the years). As for me, important pieces of a puzzle falling into place, and meeting a wonderful gentleman.

Larry Benson
International CYA Commodore

[From "Attention on Deck" CYA Newsletter, September 2011]

Thelonious Gallery