Restoring and relaunching the WESTERN FLYER (wooden fishing boat)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2022
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The Western Flyer Foundation; www.westernflyer.org/
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The Western Flyer is a 73’ purse seiner built in 1937 in Tacoma, Washington.
In 1940 she was chartered by author John Steinbeck and marine biologist Ed Ricketts for a marine specimen-collecting expedition in the Gulf of California.
Steinbeck’s book about their journey, The Log from the Sea of Cortez, is considered one of his most important works.
After a hard life of fishing, the Western Flyer sunk and was left for dead… until a marine geologist named John Gregg stepped up and purchased the boat.
The Western Flyer arrived in Port Townsend in 2015 and since then has been painstakingly rebuilt and restored by the Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop. On the 29th June 2022 she was pulled out of the shed on rollers, launched, and towed to Seattle for engine and systems installation.
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The Western Flyer Foundation - www.westernflyer.org/
The Western Flyer Foundation TH-cam Channel - / westernflyerfoundation...
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MANY THANKS!
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Music;
Matt's Blues - Kevin MacLeod
Fingerprint - Mini Vandals
Switch It Up - Silent Partner
Heat Wave - John Deley and the 41 Players
Birdseye Blues - Chris Haugen
Restoring and relaunching the WESTERN FLYER (wooden fishing boat)
They stopped posting new videos on Western flyer channel, so thank you for the update.
It was quite disappointing, I loved watching them. I’m glad Leo gave us an opportunity for closure and to see her finished.
What an unexpected treat! Thanks Leo!
Same here, just delightful to watch
Well said
you don`t hear anything for weeks if not months then all of a sudden they are launching the boat.
Amen
I was SO hoping Leo would do this for us, so thanks a bunch, Leo.
I didn't make it to the launching but did go to see her in the water next day -- and got invited to step aboard! How awesome is that?
Then I went back a little later and watched the tug take her out.
Stienbeck and Ricketts!! Heroes of mine since I was 12.... I am now 76. Read "The Sea of Cortez" at the age of twelve, immediately followed by "Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday".... I'm glad this boat is still here to remind us of the greatness of those times. Thanks.
Being born and brought up in Norway, having a very different building tradition when it comes to boats, I was sort of surprised by the instant recognition of beauty. The Western Flyer is a really pretty boat, though visually dissimilar to the ones of the home shores.
I find it great that the owners recognize boats needs to be in use, in order to live.
May she sail for a hundred years, before again being brought to shore for a restore.
I was thinking the same; very different lines than our scandinavien boats, but still very beautiful and purposeful lines.
let's support ss- azov and ukrainian zik high!!!💖💖💖!
same with danish wooden fishing boat. only material that can survive multiple beaching on the coast and being dragged by tractor into shore. (horses back in the golden days) even a danish show around it called "Gutterne på kutterne" translated: the boys on the cutters. where they run, maintain and even some about the new fleet they have build. aswell daily life of fishermen, house, children, wife, home business, stress, troubles and success.
I grew up with an 8 meter built in Norway at Anker & Jensen Yards. The craftsmanship was amazing. I would love to visit Norway to see the boat building community.
Most of the fishing boat design, building, and usage in the Pacific Northwest back then was done by Scandinavian immigrants.
It was several months ago that the Western Flier restoration videos sadly dropped off the radar. It's great that you chose to give this view of the launch. It means a lot to a lot of us who read Steinbeck back when and were influenced by his works and sometimes real live characters.Of course we also watch for the incredible level of craftsmanship and skill of the shipwrights, which can't be understated...Good on you, Leo. I'm still watching your amazing progress with Tally Ho...
your skills as a filmmaker are improving incredibly well. I love this channel.
..I got a art school minor for filmmaking myself so I really should setup a YT page for my upcoming waterlogged dory redo!
I read " _The Log from the Sea of Cortez_ " when I was 10 years old, in 1960. I spent my career as a medical research scientist. This book was important to my scientific development.
Then you haven't read the book. "Log From..." is missing all the scientific info in the original work.
Aughh. I do so wish the Western Flyer restoration videos had been more of a priority. So much content there that went by the wayside. Thanks for giving us this slice.
And, thanks for all the videos you do.
Its been a MYSTERY for the past 6 months... I'd say there was a Train Wreck somewhere... Sigh of Relief as I'm just a Bystander...👍👍👍
I was really disappointed by the lack of progress videos. Less than 40k subs for TWF channel, handled properly could have been 500k and more. I just think that the early videos were to bring in cash donors, but youtube could have brought in revenue and could continue to bring in revenue for TWF adventures, why not take us along for those educational adventures? Like many people that watched the first few videos I read up, did online searches, I got involved in the history. Ahhhhh well, ship happens
Was also following that restoration. Shame they stopped posting videos. Thank you for showing us the launch.
Yes, me too. I don't understand why they stopped with the updates. Thanks Leo!!
yes true, but it was good to see that Chris was still alive. so now i wonder why the videos stopped?
"blur the lines between art and science" ...what a wonderful use of words! Goodonyas! Well done 👍!
Thanks Leo! The American Flyer crew seemed to go silent after reinstalling the house. Your videographic skills again are most appreciated.
Thanks for stepping up and providing a classy finish to the Western Flyer series. I can't believe the Western Flyer Foundation couldn't finish it themselves. Great save!!
I have followed this adventure on Chris's channel from the beginning. Many thanks Leo for putting this episode together.
FANTASTIC! I am so glad America still has a man like this who is passionate in his pursuits - and - brings a treasure back to life.
Ah yes, the Western Flyer! The Log From the Sea of Cortez! Reading that book also had a significant and beautiful influence in my life. Hopefully the Flyer will make its way to Sand Diego, where I may get a chance ti see her, and then on to the Sea of Cortez, where most of the story described by Ricketts and Steinbeck took place.
A wooden boat: perhaps the most beautiful thing humanity has ever invented. Come to think of it, reading the Log is one of the reasons I am so interested in your project and other similar projects like Acorn to Arabella and Seiba! Fair winds and following seas! 🙂
They really do have a beauty all their own. Those old classic lines... like a fat and sleek porpoise.
For a working commercial fishing boat, you wouldn't expect it to have such beautiful lines, but the Western Flyer is truly a work of art. It's nice to see the wonderful community of wooden boat builders that is Port Townsend.
Wow! So happy to see western Flyer return to the sea! I spent 27 years in and on the Sea of Cortez and have always been inspired by this vessel. Looking forward to the the launch of Tally Ho!⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️🙏🏼
Any week now .../s
@@TR4zest Only 2 more years...
@@Jabbatic Indeed. I am enjoying the ride.
Steinbeck would love this.
That was COOL Leo!
I’d love to see the mechanical updates they made to the engines. A hybrid drive powerful enough for a boat that big must be pretty interesting.
Love this... I watched all the videos on offer about the rebuilding of this boat. I wish there had been more but they didn't have Leo working 20 hours a day to document work under way. My only regret is I didn't get to see Rosy who left Tally Ho for a paying job on the Western Flyer. All the men and women I've met on this channel hold a place in my heart and I wish them well wherever their journeys take them. Rosy was a delight... and a hard worker. Thanks Leo. This certainly comes from the fact Tally Ho is now at Port Townsend, surrounded by other boats and shipwrights plying their trade. I love seeing all of it.
I guess Sampson Boat Co. is managing the media for the Western Flyer now. And, that's not a bad thing!!!
Thanks for this Leo. I was following the Western Flyer Foundation videos, but there have only been a few in the past year, and the most recent one was six months ago. Nicely shot and edited, too, as always. Still looking forward to the next Tally Ho update.
Well, that was fun. As soon as it splashed down, started thinking she's riding a bit high in the water, until Leo mentioned it didn't have any systems installed yet. Congrats to the Western Flyer group. Beautiful job.
Awesome coverage of the event Leo, and hats off to John Gregg what a story., if he wouldn't have went to the book mobile (for those of us who remember them) that day W.F. would most likely still be sitting under water.
Absolutely beautiful. It’s remarkable when passionate people come together and produce quality results 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks Leo, "Tally HO" next. You and the crew stay safe.
Love watching the Tally Ho videos, but it's nice to see some of the other activity in Port Townsend. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thanks Leo! So glad you picked up the slack after the Western Flyer Website faded away. So glad to see her afloat!
Western Flyer is a beauty, I absolutely adore the purposeful lines of of those pilothouse trawlers.
Thanks Leo I was subscided to the flyer but they had not uploaded in such a longtime. Glad she's in the water.
Nice to see Western Flyer launch. I followed Chris Chase and the Western Flyer Foundation, but the vlog came to a hault 6 months ago.
I had an opportunity Wednesday to ask Chris why, but was too shy to take it. Shame on me!
Deadlines, work, work. I know to well. They may edit and post later.
‘One was an artist, one a scientist. Together they got further than each would have in their own discipline, so we’re trying to blur the lines between art and science.’
What a beautiful message. This is quite emotional to see for me, I’ve binged on the Western Flyer videos. Brilliant.
I've been following the Western Flyer too. How interesting to see the launch on your channel! I remember seeing Pete for the first time on the Western Flyer. My first impressions of him was that he was incredibly skilled and a hard worker. I was really happy when he joined up with the Tally Ho project.
Shes a beauty! well done! To all involved in restoring her.
I have such huge admiration for you guys who have a passion and a vision and the determination to see it through.
This really makes me feel like a relic. It's wonderful that such craft are rescued and that there are people motivated to make such things happen. When they talk about multiple years on the build, I have a new appreciation for my formative years as a shipwright in NE Scotland, when we'd build fishing boats that size and bigger, at a rate of 3-4 a year. For one reason or another wooden boats became unviable, giving way to steel. Decommissioning saw breaking them up keeping yards in work. The skills remain in the repair sector, for the life of the exiting wooden fleet. Beyond that and in the absence of projects like Western Flyer, they will wither on the vine , I guess.
yeah it stands to reason that building a new boat from scratch would take less time than rebuilding a derelict one
There is a small movement, it's not dead yet. Taking value in the old ways, bringing into the future.
@@TitoRigatoni On balance that is probably true, but the real difference is, that between a hard-nosed commercial operation and a heritage project, with a different emphasis and learn as you go ethos. A person could have served their apprenticeship on the Western Flyer rebuild, I can still name the 15 vessels I worked on serving mine. That said, directly comparing the two is inappropriate. The Western Flyer enterprise necessitated a steady Eddy near forensic approach and would not have the same educative legacy had she been knocked out in more mercantile fashion. The phenomenon of TH-cam boat building projects is a further evolutionary step which rather turns conventional economics on its head. But that is as they say, "another story".
Well I'm taking a look at new ways of wooden composite hull designs and the epoxy woodie are promising way for little wooden skiffs to be made plywood and red cedar make sturdy little craft
I remember seeing this boat when I was in port Townsend meeting with Peter! Awesome transformation!
What a lovely surprise on an early Sunday morning in Sydney. Thanks for posting Leo and a hi to Pete 🇦🇺
So nice to see her fully restored! I read Steinbeck's book about 30 years ago, and it has always stayed with me.
I read a lot of Steinbeck in high school in Southern California, and was stationed three times on the Monterey Bay during my military career, frequented Cannery Row, and ate in the restaurant that he hung out in. I have been following this restoration project, and look forward to seeing more videos about the work it is about to begin along the west coast. Fair winds and following seas to the Western Flyer and all who sail in her.
i've been watching many channels and it always kind of gives shivers when seeing the boat put on the water.
What a job that has been!
The perfect match between the hammer and the music tempo at 02:03 .... Awesome!
Amazing. So glad to know these craftsmen are still around.
Thanks Leo! Raised from a wreck to relaunch for another 80+ years of cruising!
I love they kept the Western Flyer as original as much as possible. The 1930's green trim looks great
Good old Leo and the fantastic team
It's funny, I had this feeling that there would be an unexpected off cadence video from Leo this morning...had no idea it would be the Western Flyer!!! Thanks so much for the great video and update on the Western Flyer! I sure hope the Flyer is at the boat show in September!
And the million dollar question is off course: what happened to the TH-cam channel of the Western Flyer and why was none of this on their channel? Chris Chase is obviously still very much alive.
Frustrating for sure
Western Flyer such a beauty, So pleased she's launched. Thanks Leo.
My hat off to Greg to have the understanding this boat needs to be saved. What a great looker. I hope we can sail along with her.
Thank you Leo for posting that video about the launching of the Western Flyer. I've been trying to find out what happened to her for the last six months as they haven't posted a video in a long, long time. So exiting to see this boat finally in the water. What a great day!
Wow, thank you John Gregg. I shared in your dream in watching this. I love everything about it; The history, An inspired child's dream become reality, The rescue of a historical piece, Making it serve a useful purpose in modern times. I teared up a couple times. Thank you Leo. This was moving.
Man thk for the mini doc Leo the launching of this boat needed to be documented awesome job and way to step up!!
Congratulations to Chase and the team.
Leo, thank you for showcasing the launch of the Western Flyer. An occasion many would not have seen otherwise. Good on you! It's wonderful to witness the restoration of such historic vessels like theirs and yours. Respectfully, Ken
Thanks for the update on the Western Flyer! Thanks to the guys at Acorn to Arabella I was able to find yours, the Flyer Foundation's and Ceiba's amazing projects helping to keep alive an industry and skill set that IMHO are a vital link to our past. Tell Chris Chase we are waiting for a new video from him with lots of details, great to see her in the water.
Thanks Leo, would have missed it but for you.
Congratulations to the Western Flyer!!
Thanks Leo,
I am glad to see that The Western Flyer is back in the water. I wish they had documented it just a better. Appreciate your showing this.
Wish you guys continued success with Tally Ho.
Thank you for sharing this. Somehow I know that I stumbled across your rebuild couple years ago and I have watched you from day one. And was your journey and the people you have met on your build I have watched some amazing craftsmanship from the crew of the Annabella and the crew of the Western Flyer . I have been right there with you! Will there be cut every plane cut I've even gotten a few spoons watching amazing craftsmanship. These three builds came along when the country needed something to sink their teeth in and hold on for a bumpy ride through the pandemic. But for myself it's been a bumpy ride personally! And the last 2 years we have put eight people in the ground saying goodbye to a family member real hard. Thank you for sharing. Thank you Leo and God bless every video I watched it was easier long hours in the hospital with family members some good some bad thank you all. And I do hope you make more videos of a new build perhaps on the horizon
Leo:
Thanks for the video of the Western Flyer launch. There hasn’t been a Western Flyer video for six months and it is nice to know that the project continued on.
She really is very beautiful and so many congrat's!!! Such a lovely line.
I had been following their channel so wondered why they stopped posting; probably because they were so busy getting all that work done. I thought we might see Rosie in this video, hope she's doing well!
I was looking for Rosie too. Hope she is doing OK.
I cannot speak to the workings of the western flyer foundation or why they stopped video posts, but as for the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op, the project lead Tim Lee shared updates weekly and more frequently as the boat became a very busy project in the last month of the project phase. You could follow that on Instagram through the Shipwrights Co-Op page and Tim’s page. If you missed it, most of that content is still viewable on those accounts. 👍
Well,the most off the channels are ment to raise money,in some cases to sustain the costs off the restoration,lifestyle,and even like in leo ‘s case to build an whole company including,tools,staff etc.
Here its an foundation who raise money on an other way( also donations) probably they have no need off patreons donations?
Thank you Leo, It’s always exciting to see a boat being launched. This one was special, given the boat’s history. I feel lucky to have been able to see it!
Thank you, Leo, for sharing the Flyer splash. The did a beautiful job. It warms an old man's heart to see young and old alike working to preserve these wonderful wooden boats.
What a wonderful community!
Congratulations to everyone involved!
Love seeing Tacoma as the home port... thanks Leo for putting the Tacoma Narrows bridges on your vids when you fly out...
Cheers and happy 4th everyone
All roads lead to Tacoma.
Thank you for video Leo!
Great job guys! You are American hero’s! Outstanding!
Just wow! I got chills, while I watching this stuff. Huge respect for the owner, project manager, the whole team! Leo also made a great job, collecting video materials and preparing this video in the meantime.
That boat looks amazing, the people who did the work to restore it should be very proud of themselves. Good job!
Thanks for sharing this with us Leo and congrats to all involved, I almost shed a tear for her after seeing her state when recovered and as she finally hit the water, but then maybe I did!
Alan, UK
I love seeing the other boats being worked on and sent out again to useful life.
As a local (ferry boat ride away) I love the community of Pt. Townsend!
Leo, you are incredible! In the last vlog on Tally Ho I thought I saw stress really creeping into your face and body language. And there’s nothing wrong in that even at your age your project is huge and it will be tough to manage. I do tip my hat to you. And in this episode you have your smile back on. I come from a family of Bristol Channel pilots out of Pill and to see what you’re doing makes me proud. Wish I could help. Steve
Thanks Leo, as others have commented a wonderful and unexpected treat. I for one am looking forward to Western Flyers completion and further development as a research vessel. Good luck to her and her amazing owner.
Thanks a bunch Leo. I have learned about the Flyer from your posts. How wonderful to hear of her launch. I eagerly await seeing both her and Tally Ho at dockside in the near future. All the best to you and yours my friend.
As many here are probably the same, I've been following the Western Flyers progress via the videos Chase put out on the foundation channel.
It's great to see the cross over between the different teams working on these boats. Tally Ho, Western Flyer, Arabella, etc.
Great work all and beautiful boats.
I'm so glad that you posted this. I've been following the rebuild all along but hadn't seen any updates in quite a while. Just this week I did a search and didn't find any current status. You did a great job capturing the spirit of the project and the pride of everyone who made it happen. Thanks!
got to be honest... i got goose bumps when the keel touched the water.
A beautiful boat I started watching WF first and then I came to watch you and your team restore and rebuild your boat, glad you did this video thank you.
Thanks Leo.
To think, a 10 year old child's curiosity led directly to the restoration of this handsome vessel. Remarkable, sincere best wishes to the Western Flyer and her crews for a safe but adventure filled life afloat.
Yeah . A book that launched a ship!
@@eleanorchapple8772 smileeeee :)
Don’t forget the tax dollars and individual efforts to bring such a classic book to the 10 year old’s attention. Book-mobiles are an amazing resource if you live somewhere too remote or sparsely populated to support a full library. I wish more of my tax dollars went to such programs instead of ending/closing free places for kids to read great books.
I tried watching their earlier videos, but they spent most of the time begging me to send them mone rather than show the work. Glad to see it going back in the water
I love her lines. God speed, Flyer!
Thank you Leo for pitching in for Chris! You did an outstanding job on this! I'm very much looking forward to see Tally Ho splash - in two years of course 😉.
How wonderful to see her back in the water, been following that project as well and it's so nice to see her on your channel as well. Well done to all who made that possible!
It's wonderful to see the Western Flyer launched. I just wish more effort was put into other boats but also need restoration that have just as much or more significance to our history and Marine history. One such boat that I do not see being restored is the Calypso (Jacques Cousteau's Marine research vessel). I understand currently it is out of the water but there are not funds to restore it yet. This is a boat that's had an extensive history both as a vessel of war and a vessel of peace and research. Let's hope that in the future this boat and many others with just as much history can be restored for future generations.
I grew up watching "The Undersea World with Jacques Cousteau". The restoration of Calypso has run into so many set backs and infighting amongst the family that it seems she may never see the water again. When the ship was holed, in I believe in Hong Kong , It really seemed to be all Captain Cousteau could take. He passed away shortly after. It would be a terrible end to such an historic vessel.
Thank you Leo for filming this launch. I have watched all of the videos on the Western Flyer and so glad to see her launched and getting ready to fitted out.
Leo, my husband and I want to say a big Thank You for posting this. We were both subscribed to the WFF and last video was reinstalling the house. Had been anticipating the launching but big goose egg from that channel. Thank you again, glad we finally got to see it launched.
After seeing how much work has and is going into Tally Ho I cannot imagine the struggles and slog and utter hard work that has gone into Western Flyer. I know this that those who commit themselves to such projects begin to love the ship and the people who are part of the team.
2.12 - that's hell of a mallet!!
Just a little bigger than the one i made for you
That is called a "Beetle" or a "Maul".
Brilliant and beautiful project. I imagine Leo, that watching the launch gave you much to think about!
I'm glad the owner was able to foot the bill for the complete restoration that must be in the multi-million range when completed.
A beautiful way to use money that benefits many people.
Great job everyone!
I thought that Rosie was working on the Western flyer for a while just wondered whatever happened to her? She was very hard worker I thought. All the best from Canada
I was browsing the comments, looking for the Rosie fan club hangout :-) Where did she go? Plenty of projects around.
Yes, I completely agree. She left a deep mark on the restoration of Tally Ho and it would be good if Leo visited her and introduced us to the current job she is doing.
@@cmmartti wise words.... You never know what happened. Still it would be nice to know where all of the crew went if it is something they want to share.
Do we know where Rosie went or if she's ok?
Great video Leo and the music selection was really cool, thanks.
Damn, they did a really nice job on her. She looks fantastic! Well done boys. She’s seriously lovely 🥰
Great video!!! Thanks Leo for covering this return of the Western Flyer to salt water. I had lost track of her progress over the past few months and missed a lot of the late stages of her restoration. Excellent coverage of the total story!
You didn't miss anything. They haven't posted anything for months.