Launch

When we look back on this decision in 40 years, we will probably still think it's crazy.  Our hope is that it turns out crazy wonderful...and not just nuts.

So, how does one end up owning an 88 year old, 66 foot halibut schooner still rigged to fish?

We've been hunting for a boat to live on for over a year.  It's been frustrating; we have kissed many frogs.  Especially when you're looking for a wooden boat over 50 feet on a modest budget, ya gotta make compromises.  A lot of leads we pursued were pretty from the dock, but falling apart slowly from the top down.  Before buying any vessel it's a good idea to have a professional surveyor appraise the hull, the house, the equipment.  One fateful survey went less than five minutes before the surveyor looked at us and said, Kids...no.  It was less than inspiring.

When Eli found Northern, he saw a classic North Sea trawler with beautiful lines: tall sweeping bow, twin schooner masts, house toward the aft.  I saw a fish boat.  There was friction.  We kept looking.  But as we did, we kept coming back to Northern's pretty solid hull (hey...when you're 88, you get a pass on some cosmetics) and how great it would be with a lot of elbow grease and love.  She was built on Puget Sound in 1927 and has been fishing the Northwest ever since.  In 1931, she was 'consumed by fire' and rebuilt.  There are boats of her vintage and even older still fishing from Fisherman's Terminal on Lake Union.  The engine frames are huge beams of old growth not even close to what would have been the heart of the tree.  How could we pass up the chance to be a part of keeping that alive?

Phase 1 (short term):

• Tearing out the fishing kit: coolers, holds, bait tables, etc
• Get everything weather-tight for winter
• Organize the engine room
• Build in an apartment below decks and renovate the house into an eensy weensy salon

Phase 2 (hopefully before her 100th birthday):

• Refinish the decks
• Build on a new house for salon, wheelhouse, galley
• Replace electrical, plumbing, navigational and control systems
• Re-renovate the hold for staterooms

Phase 3:

• CONQUER THE WORLD