Keeping History Afloat on the Hudson:
Boatbuilding and Restorations Symposium

Saturday, May 5, 2018 (note the date change!)
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is proud to present this unique peer-to-peer symposium on the technical aspects of boat restorations in the Hudson Valley. Designed for professional and avocational shipwrights and restorers as well as wooden boat enthusiasts, this symposium will feature presentations from a variety of shipwrights, restoration specialists, and visionaries on the future of boats on the Hudson River. The focus of these presentations will cover the technical details of the restoration and construction work for each vessel as well as the successes and challenges of each project.

This day-long event will be based around 40 minute presentations with audience Q&A and finish with an afternoon round table - the first of many regional meetings bringing together the diverse interests of members of this community together to discuss, not just boat building and restoration, but the logistics of moving freight and passengers in a “post carbon” world when wind and solar power will keep communities connected, provide training and jobs in forest management, solar electric propulsion, woodworking, seafaring, sail making, rigging, and long shore logistics.

This symposium is open to the public. Tickets are $45 for HRMM members and $50 for non-members. Ticket price includes catered lunch. Can't make the whole day? Come for just the morning session or afternoon session (does not include lunch) for $20 each. Seating is limited, so reserve today!

Schedule:

Schedule tentative and subject to change.

8:30 AM - registration opens, coffee and pastries
9:00 AM - Intro from Jim Kricker
9:30 AM - Sailing Vessel Eleanor - Louise Bliss
10:40 AM - Hudson River Sloop Clearwater - Jim Kricker
11:50 AM - Lunch and  roundtable discussion
12:50 PM - Freight Schooner Apollonia - Sam Merrett
2:00 PM - Hudson River Ferry Sloop Woody Guthrie - James Malchow and David Thomas 
3:10 PM - Scarano Boat Building - ​Richard Scarano, Vice President
4:20 PM - Solar Sal- David Borton
5:30 PM - Conference closes

Presentation Overview


Louise Bliss, President of the nonprofit Hudson River Historic Boat Restoration and Sailing, Inc. will discuss the ongoing restoration of the historic 1903 raceabout sailing sloop Eleanor. Built at the B. F. Wood shipyard, City Island, Bronx and designed by Clinton H. Crane, Eleanor now resides in Hudson, NY where the volunteers of HRHBRS have been working to restore her to her original, 1903 glory. Eleanor is one of the last of the “raceabouts,” a class of sloop designed especially for racing. In her presentation, Bliss will outline the construction of Eleanor’s mast and spars.
 
Riverport Wooden Boat School Director and experienced shipwright and millwright Jim Kricker will discuss the most recent major restoration of the 1969 Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, including 2016 restoration by Riverport Wooden Boat Restorations. Kricker will focus on the Clearwater’s hull restoration, including the replacement of roughly 50 frames on each side with approximately 250 futtocks, around 2,000 lineal feet of planking, the stem knee, horn timber, stern post, rudder post, some sections of deadwood, the engine beds, keel bolts, and the complete replacement of the centerboard trunk, including a section of the keelson.

Beacon Sloop Club sailors and restoration volunteers Alan Thomas and James Malchow will discuss the major overhaul of the 1978 Hudson River Ferry Sloop Woody Guthrie by Riverport Wooden Boat Restorations. This project was unique as it offered volunteers from the Beacon Sloop Club to work alongside professional shipwrights, reducing labor costs for the all-volunteer club and allowing for a full schedule of restoration work.
 
Marine diesel mechanic, US Coast Guard licensed captain, and alternative fuel business owner Sam Merrett will discuss the restoration of the steel-hulled 1945 schooner Apollonia and her conversion to sail freight. Relying on her sails, Apollonia will also use alternative fuel made from recycled cooking oil in her 1953 diesel engine as she plies the Hudson moving freight from place to place. Merrett’s goal is to make Apollonia a reproducible model for sail freight.
 
Richard Scarano, Vice President of Scarano Boat Building, will discuss the history of Scarano’s restoration services and highlight some of their most recent restoration projects. Founded in 1974, Scarano Boat Building designs and builds period wood, aluminum, composite, and steel boats, Coast Guard certified for public transportation and excursions. Richard Scarano joined his brother in 1986, when Scarano Boat Building incorporated. They are known for the historic replicas of canal and sailboats. Past projects have included the America, a full-scale replica of the famed 19th century racing schooner, Santa Maria, a replica of Columbus’ 15th century carvel, and Friendship of Salem, a replica of a 171-foot three-masted Salem East Indiaman originally built in 1797.

Finally, PhD physicist and sustainable energy expert David Borton will present the scratch build of the Solar Sal, a 100% solar-powered motor vessel designed to be a US Coast Guard inspected commercial passenger boat. Borton’s design was brought to life by the shipwrights of Riverport Wooden Boat Restorations. At 44 feet long, Solar Sal brings solar energy, electricity, and marine propulsion together to help revolutionize river transportation. 

​