Responses, Reactions, Reminiscences
Referencing B58 – “Sonata
Yes my Dad owned B58 her name was Sonata . I believe he bought her before I was born in 1957 and had it moved to Cour d’Alene Lake from the Seattle area . In the early 70s, while docked one night, she was broadsided by a power boat. It broke the mast, boom and nocked the cabin off the boat. My father sold it to the insurance company. I will try to find out who rebuilt it. She sailed around the lake for about ten years . I believe someone else bought her and she was docked at a marina on the lake,The story is, he quit paying his rent for the slip so the owner of the marina unplugged the bilge pump and let her sink . We have some friends that dock their sailboat in that same slip . When their boat is out of the slip they can see her resting on her side on he bottom of the lake.
I did forward a copy of your letter to my sister we will try to find some pictures and get them to you. I will also get you her e-mail too
Chuck Dreifus
[email protected]
Cell 509 951 4754
Referencing B32, “Pepper”
Hi Jim,
I am Chuck’s sister (Karen Shaul), and we both grew up and learned how to sail on B58. You have done an amazing job on the website, and I will enjoy spending time looking at it. I have some pictures I would be happy to share with you, if you are interested. Our parents and 15 other families purchased a beach on Lake Coeur d’Alene in the early 50’s. 8 families still own this beach and they all had sailboats. Some had Knockabouts, and others had other sailboats. We have our annual meeting in a couple of weeks, and I will share your website with them. After Sonata was damaged our Dad contacted Norm Blanchard and he told Dad that if the boat was rebuilt we would not be happy with how it sailed, so the decision was made to sell it to the insurance company. I think the man that purchased her, had a place in Decarto Bay and his last name was Anderson. I was told by one of the dock builders on the lake that he had been hired to pump out Sonata because she leaked. The man that owned her quit paying him, so he let her sink. She is just outside some slips in Kidd Island Bay in shallow water. One of our friends keeps his sailboat there and says you can see her from the dock. Please let me know if you want any pictures, and I also have a 1963 Blanchard Senior Knockabout Association booklet. I could scan it and email it to you if you would like. I am happy to help in any way you want.
Karen Shaul 1688 W Valhalla Rd Coeur d’Alene ID 83814 208 790-3105 [email protected]
Hello Jim,Thank you for the great news, I will be looking at the website.
As to b32 “Pepper”, sadly she has been a yard decoration and play house for my kids for the last 27 yearsand has long been unrepairable. I wasn’t able to acquire her rigging when i purchased her and was badly damagedwhen the boat house she was in collapsed and sank the boat.Your letter is very timely as i have sold my house and am required to remove her. I do have things i have saved thatI would like to pass along to anyone who is interested in them. Keel, some brass and sails. Maybe your website can help me do this.
Again, thank you.Bob Gill280-610-2159
Referencing B36 – “Salty dog” (Jeff & Christine Tritt)
Jim,
My you have been busy, I will definitely look at your work. I bought the boat from Wolfe Marine around 1981. And sold it to Mike Wollaston who owns Ewing St. Moorage located next to Foss Tug on the ship canal. Sadly, Jim Moyer died at the age of 52 in 1992. We have many fond memories aboard the Salty Dog. Unfortunately Jim and I let it fill full of rain water and it sunk at its moorage the winter of ‘91. Sad sight to see your boat resting peacefully with only its mast above the water line! I sold it “as is “ to Mike Wollaston for $1,500. Within the hour he had a diver in the water with flotation bags and floated her, took the 10 horse Honda kicker into his shop and cleaned it. He sold the boat later that year but I don’t know to who. Call Mike (206-283-1075)
I’ll digress and tell you how we ended up building a waterfront home and living here in Longbranch. Mike Wollaston owned 3 homes next to the marina in Longbranch, and still owns two presently. As a young man 26, Mike offered to let me stay at one of his houses in Longbranch for partial trade for painting the interior of the house. One of our first long trips was to bring the Salty Dog down to Longbranch. We anchored close to the South side of the marina and settled in. As we sat on the deck enjoying the view a man rowed out and circled our boat as he came back in and passed us I shouted “ Do you like my boat?” He shouted back “ I like it very much, in fact I use to own it! “. His name was Daniel Snook and told us many stories about the boat the most memorable was when he took it up to watch the Swiftsure Race, the year that there was a terrible storm and lives were lost (1979?). He said the boat was knocked down 4 times and righted herself.
We found Longbranch a magical place, from my first visit when I was 26 we have never wavered in that feeling for 42 years. Mike ended up selling me one of his houses in that little cove in 1998, as our second home we used it for 20 years and then sold it and built a new house across from the marina. I can look out my bedroom window and see my 2016 36’ Beneteau Swift Trawler which we have enjoyed having for the last two years. Coming from Wisconsin my love of this area and the water was developed at the helm of our Blanchard. All the best, Jeff & Christine Tritt
Referencing B 29 “Blanche”
Hello Jim,
I received your letter about the new BlanchardSailing.org website.
Sounds like a true labor of love!
I am sorry I have no information for you about B29, the boat that Kurt and I owned
together for several years. When we split up, Kurt took the boat to Orcas Island with him.
I have no idea who bought it. I don’t have the contact information for Kurt’s widow,
Robin, but if you could locate her, she might know who bought it or have paper work regarding the sale.
all the best,
Alicia Hokanson
This is Jeri Meyer Jack Meyer’s wife We did own B29 many years ago and enjoyed the beautiful boat while we had it. I don’t remember and we don’t have any records of who we bought it from or who we sold it to. I expect we have some photos somewhere and if or when I find them I will share. I don’t think we will be active in the Blanchard Sailing group but it’s a great idea!
Thanks for the letter. Interesting that you could actually track us down.
SincerelyJeri Meyer
Referencing B88 “Bergen”
Jim,
Thanks for tracking me down and for the excellent Blanchard website! I truly appreciate all your hours of hard work and $$$ investment to bring this to fruition! It brings back many many memories of sailing out of Leschi on Wednesday evenings and sailing the San Juans!
Here is a brief recap of the life of B-88:
As you noted in in the site photos, my wife and I bought B-88 in 1984 and sailed in most of the Wednesday nite races out of Leschi. I was a neophyte sailor and learned everything I knew from other Blanchard owners, often crewing or having another skipper take over B-88. We never made the top bracket of finishers but every week was a joy!!
We had a small place in the San Juan Islands (Shaw Island) so during the summer my daughter and I (Virginia was not too big on sailing) would sail ‘Bergen’ through the locks, take off the next morning from Shilshole and sail up to Port Townsend to spend the night. The next day would be across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and up to Shaw. We would spend summer weekends gunk holing around the islands. In the fall we would return to Lake Washington.
By 1994 ‘Bergen’ was in sore need of major work and I was offered a job on the East coast so I decided to donate her to The Center for Wooden Boats in Lake Union to be part of the Blanchard fleet moored there. They sent a crew up to sail her down to Seattle and in return I received a lifetime membership to the Center. Unbeknownst to me the Center sold ‘Bergen’ to someone on Bainbridge who trailered her there but never worked on her nor even returned her to the water!
FAST FORWARD …. On the East Coast, I had purchased a Robert Perry design, a Baba 35, and after a couple of years sailing the Maine coast, quit my job and took off single handing across the Atlantic, down to Cape Verde and back across to South America and finally the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama. After 6 or so years on the water, I sold ‘Nirvana’ in Panama and returned to Shaw Island. Within a few months of my return I received a letter from the Bainbridge owner of B-88 who offered to give her back to me if I would transport her. I had visions of completely restoring her and bringing her back to ‘new’ condition so I borrowed a trailer, picked her up on Bainbridge and set her up in a make-shift enclosure in my yard on Shaw Island. Unfortunately Bergen presented more of a challenge than I could handle so after a few years of steaming a few frames and replacing a few planks, I contacted The School for Wooden Boat Building just south of Port Townsend and they said they would use B-88 as a project for the students. That was a few years ago and although I have intended to stop by and check on B-88, I have yet to do so.
So, Jim, that’s the story of B-88 in a brief recap. I would like to stay in touch and follow the history of other Blanchards. Stan (I forget his last name) still sails his Blanchard out of Orcas Yacht Club throughput the year. Jon Troxel is a good friend of mine and I would be happy to give you his contact info. My email is [email protected] , mailing address is PO Box 461, Shaw Island WA 98286 and phone is 360 298 0539.
Thanks for getting in touch and again, thanks for all your hard work in putting the site together.
Best wishes and fair winds,
John Bogert
Referencing B91 “Wingnut”
Hi Jim – Thanks for the letter and congrats on all the hard work you put into Blanchard Sailing! I enjoyed the tour through the past! You’ve tested our memory about B-91! I recall selling it or donating it in the early/mid 90s – probably 92 or 93. Neither my wife or I recall for sure if we sold or donated to CWB – but I believe it did end up at CWB at some point. Interesting that the CWB website only mentions Juniors though. I’ll go through the files in the attic sometime to see if I retained any records but I doubt it. We’ve been systematically purging.
I do stay in touch with Tom Madrazo – his email is [email protected]; cell is 406.490.8008. He’ll also know how to contact Ed Kommers.
Very happy to see that you are still sailing!
Referencing B48 – “Mahalili”, “Deception”, “Ragamuffin”
Hi Jim,
Fun to reminisce via your website!
I long ago sold B48, maybe in 2001?. Nora Petrich, formerly of Hasse and Petrich Sails, bought it from me. They changed the name from Deception to Raggamuffin. After a few years, they sold it to a resident of Vashon Island who didn’t maintain my beautiful boat. It was on the hard and in bad shape when I saw it last.
It may be that the pic of the Blanchard in a boat shop is of mine in the Point Hudson Boat Shop during its rebuild in the early 1990’s. Luke, the artist, would have been VERY young during the original building; besides that, he was living here in Port Townsend during my rebuild.
Thanks,
Scott Walker
Referencing B16
Hi Jim,
Yes I am still alive. Thanks for seeking me out and making me think back about my boating experiences through the years. I grew up in a power boat family which was fun, but having two large V8’s inches away from my feet with all the noise and vibrations made conversation almost impossible not to mention the exhaust. When I was in the sixth grade, I think, my friend and I took a bus from Richmond Beach down to Green Lake for sailing lessons on the 8’ prams El Toros. Loved it!!!!!
Fast forward to my junior year at UW, 1976, I bought B-16 from Grant Fjermayer (can’t remember how to spell his last name) for $2500. He was big into the Blanchard organization. One of the reasons I went with a Blanchard was that one of my better friends growing up was Marty Blanchard who was the grandson of the owner of Blanchard Boats. Can’t remember his name but his son, Marty’s father, Wheaton said he probably rigged B-16 when he worked at the shop when he was going to high school. B-16 was built in 1937 if I remember correctly.
Anyway, I sailed B-16 extensively until 1979 when I went to Dutch Harbor, Alaska for a year working for Pan Alaska Fisheries learning the fishing industry from the management prospective. Came back and had a son in March 1980…that slowed the sailing down a bit. Bought a house…that slowed sailing down even more and then in 1986 my daughter came along and pretty much ended my sailing. Work, house, two kids, little league etc. Ended up donating the boat to Dick Wagner, The Wooden Boat Center in 1987 or 88. Dick said he sent it to a person on Vashon Island who was going to restore and return it to The Wooden Boat Center. Dick of course is not with us anymore , but they may have some records there. I don’t have any pictures and I wanted to paint the name Sweet Sixteen on it but never got around to it.
Hope this helps. Keep in touch
Gary Burback
206.786.0707
Referencing B36 & B64 (Apropos)
Jim:
Thanks for your note and access to the Blanchard web site. Looks great!
Recently I had pulled out about 9 carousels of 35 mm slides in preparation of a history section for my architectural web site and while viewing I found several that were photos of opening day, BSKA sailing trips and hydroplane log boom parties. So I pulled out several and have sent them in for scanning. When they arrive I will contact you and see how you would like to receive the files. Several Blanchards are featured under sail including B-1. Also have a few of my first Blanchard, B-36 which is now at the CWB dock. Of course my second boat, B64 is in the hands of Brian Wagner.
I still have my big 42’ Blanchard, Arroyo which is still under a full boat cover just waiting for another coat of varnish. When I bought the boat I discovered that the macramé blinds made for B-64 actually fit the identical cabin side windows on Arroyo.
Looking forward to visiting Bainbridge to see your work boat. I may dig around in my piles of bronze fittings and see what might be left from my old Blanchards.
Roger
ROGER H NEWELL [email protected]
Referencing B75 “Pearl”
Hi Jim,
Thanks so much for sharing your Blanchard senior Knockabout history.
‘Pearl’ hull #75, is alive and well, berthed at north Leschi.
Join us for a sail?Gail Schueler (206) 232-1710
Referencing B30 “Antares”
Jim –
Saw the note about your website in 48 Degrees North.
Just watched the complete video, and have enjoyed diving through the other information.
I owned one Junior Knockabout (JK 15), which used to belong to Anchor Jensen’s wife. How do I know this? I used to live on a houseboat on Portage Bay, and I was sailing past Anchor’s one day, when his wife came out on a balcony above Anchor’s workshop, and hailed to me to say I was sailing her old boat.
Had huge fun with the Junior Knockabout, and later owned three Senior Knockabouts, including B-30. Don’t recall the other two. Had a blast racing out of Leschi. Loved the fleet. I remember closing down one of the annual banquets held at CYC Shilshole, with people literally crawling on hands and knees from the clubhouse to their cars. Things were a bit looser back then.
Still have since owned two T-Birds (one plywood, the second fiberglass), and then a Cal 2-30, and now a Coronado 35 which I lived on for a while. Of all the sailboats I’ve ever seen, I continue to think that the Blanchard Senior Knockabout is what a sailboat ought to look like.
In my home I have a painting of a Blanchard 42 racing, and that is beautiful too. Sailboats (and powerboats) have become so horribly ugly over the past decades. A Blanchard will always be what a boat ought to look like.
– Grant Fjermedal
(206) 276-6214
[email protected]
www.LogicalGrant.com
Good afternoon Jim.
I am the former owner of a Blanchard sailboat. I can’t remember the hull number and the only pictures I have do not show the sail number (see attached).
I purchased the boat around 1990 from a guy in the Eastlake neighborhood in Seattle, where I also lived (I live in Bellingham now). I kept the boat in a small marine immediately south of the Mexican restaurant down on the water off of Eastlake Ave (near the old Blanchard Boatworks I think). I had the boat for a few years then sold it to some folks from Port Ludlow I think?
Although I dismasted her late one night by clipping the bow sprit of a large stink pot on Lake Union, and had the mast spliced by a shipwright in Ballard, she was in excellent condition. I also had a woodworking friend make custom number boards and hatch and companion way covers.
I remember enjoying researching the lineage of these boats at the time. I spent a bunch of time at the libraries since the internet was still in it’s inception.
Although I now enjoy cruising our Island Packet 380 out of Blaine, I have fond memories of my Blanchard and dream of having one again someday. I took her through the locks and over to Poulsbo a couple of times but mostly sailed on Lake’s Union and Washington. I liked to “sail” her through the Montlake Cut! I also liked showing her off around The Center for Wooden Boats.
Cheers,
John Guenther
This web site is fantastic – thank you and everyone who contributes